As a manager, choosing the right technology vendors requires careful consideration of various factors that can make or break your organization’s success. With technology playing an increasingly critical role in business success, selecting the right vendor and the best technology for your organization is an important decision that can have far-reaching implications on deployment and productivity. The ever-evolving landscape of technology solutions, combined with rapid changes within organizations, calls for reliable and scalable systems with easy implementation processes – all features which should be taken into account when navigating the technology vendor selection process.

As the electric power industry navigates through the most significant transition era since its origin, key questions regarding reliability are emerging. Most importantly, can the electric power industry continue to offer the near-certain level of reliable service that is among its modern-day hallmarks? And if not, what are the implications?

Through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), Congress has authorized nearly $400 billion^[1] to be invested in U.S. energy infrastructure over the next decade. The combined policies provide unprecedented federal funding via grants, tax credits, loan guarantees, and incentive payments. The IIJA and IRA collectively present a unique, once-in-a-generation opportunity for energy companies and utilities to update their aging infrastructure, improve system reliability and resilience, develop clean energy projects, and reduce emissions while limiting rate impacts for customers.

It is critical to continuously assess your organization to identify and address gaps that impede the organization’s ability to execute projects successfully and stay in alignment with the overall business strategy. Failure to successfully manage and execute projects coherently across the organization will have a direct impact on the health of the business. By having a robust project management process, systems, and controls in place you can mitigate the risks associated with how the organization plans and executes projects and initiatives.