Being able to purchase services linked to data is a specialism in itself and one that all but the larger cities can typically afford. Smaller cities, in particular, struggle to come up to par when buying this level of expertise. Collective solutions, from which smaller towns and cities can benefit, are beginning to emerge. Consider reaching out to cities that have already achieved good results.
London's LOTI Innovation in Procurement toolkit
CITYxCITY Academy:
Free online learning resources on data, data-driven innovation and tech for cities. https://citybycity.academy/