OKLAHOMA CITY — Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell took to a lectern at the Oklahoma City Convention Center on Tuesday, celebrating the fact that those in attendance for the State Suppliers Expo were participating in the inaugural event to highlight the state’s emphasis on public-private partnerships.
“This is first class and that is how we are running the state of Oklahoma,” Pinnell said. “When our administration came in there were a lot of things we knew we had to change.”
Those changes included ensuring that the private sector knew how to interact with the State of Oklahoma.
“It was a huge priority for us. We had to do a better job reaching out to the private sector and help the private sector grow by doing business with the state of Oklahoma,” Pinnell said. “That’s what this is about.”
Pinnell emphasized that connecting with the agencies on the floor should improve the public-private partnerships the Stitt administration has been highlighting since coming into office.
“There is a lot the state does well and there is a lot the state government does not do well,” Pinnell explained. “Three years ago, we were still putting money in a box nailed to a tree to reserve a spot for a tent at camping spots in our state parks. This was three years ago, not 30 years ago.”
Pinnell said the state worked with a private company to upgrade the campsite registration system in the state’s parks. As a result, revenue boomed in the state parks system, he said.
“It has created record revenue in our state parks,” Pinnell said of the improvements.
Rebranding
“A couple years ago each agency had its own logo. No uniform branding. We changed all that about a year and a half ago.” This included working with over 100 entities to rebrand the state of Oklahoma.
“It matters,” he said of the rebranding. Companies looking at working in Oklahoma will see it as a matter of how serious the state is when it comes to attracting new business, he added.
“We are entering a new world, folks. We are getting through this pandemic and entering a new world of companies and remote workers who can work anywhere they want. So, you have anti-business states and companies in those states wanting to come to a state like Oklahoma,” concluded Pinnell.
Meanwhile, Steven Harpe, Oklahoma’s Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Secretary of Digital Transformation and Administration explained that more than 200 companies were participating in the expo.
“We have advice for them, to help them grow and stretch. I’ll trust an Oklahoma businessperson more than someone from outside the state,” Harpe said.
“This is our first step to try and build better relationships with our friends and neighbors that own companies here in Oklahoma,” Harpe said. “This is our opportunity to figure out if we can provide value back and forth. We’ve got a ton of projects and a very aggressive schedule in terms of providing better journeys for our citizens in terms of (various state agencies). There’s a myriad of things we are trying to get done.”
Harpe said the state has more than 120 agencies that provide services to 4 million people.
“We want to impact that in a strong way, but we need help,” he said, referring to the private sector.
It helps businesses in Oklahoma to know we are a $22.9 billion entity and we run it that way now. We can’t look at a mom-and-pop here and a mom-and-pop there and expect things not to break. All the services we are building have to be multifaceted, omnichannel. We’re trying to meet citizens where we are.”
DEQ
Tammi Frederick, a purchasing specialist for the Department of Environmental Quality, said the agency was in attendance to “bring the message of DEQ to the state and help vendors understand what we are doing.”
Frederick explained DEQ is in the middle of updating their auditing technology and vendors they have met with have been pleased to learn about it.
“I think it’s great. There have been vendors that have come out and brought important issues to our attention, which is helpful,” she said.
Oklahoma Turnpike Authority
Darian L. Butler, OTA’s Director of Engineering, said the switchover to PlatePass and the ongoing closing of toll booths has been going smoothly. Butler acknowledged that the turnpike system does not feature county line designation signs, to help motorists.
“Internally that’s a monster we’re dealing on. Striping, signage, a lot we’re dealing with. As far as I know, the Kilpatrick has been smooth,” Butler said.
“It’s got a great feel, a great footprint. It’s all cleared out,” Butler said of the newly opened Kickapoo Turnpike in eastern Oklahoma County, connecting the Turner Turnpike to Interstate 40.
“Traffic counts show 10,000 a day,” Butler added about the Kickapoo Turnpike.