Depending on the state, there are often great differences in purchasing procedures among university systems, departments of transportation, and the rest of state procurement. Find out if your product is purchased through a formal contract - if so, there will be written specifications. Find out when the contract will be bid again. Your time to move is three months prior to the date the bid will be issued. You should be wondering if your product already meets specifications in current use, and you should ask if any specification changes are anticipated.
Many states have formal procedures for evaluating and changing specifications.
Many states convene vendor conferences prior to issuing a bid in order to listen to your concerns. Try to understand the laws, rules, procedures that influence your ability to bid, the bid process and method of award. Some states require advance bidder registration or certifications. Some states have price preferences for various social programs. Some states require that awards be made to the lowest bidder, while others, like Wisconsin, encourage life-cycle cost evaluation.