Smart city implementation encourages problem-solving by linking technology, resources, and institutional aspects. The institutional perspective covers the authority in developing smart city initiatives, including funding, collaboration, and decision-making. This research aims to identify institutional authority and map the level of institutional transformation in managing smart cities. It also identifies the procurement patterns of smart city initiatives used. An exploratory method was used with ten cities across the globe through interactive interviews with smart city managers. The results of this study show that the authority of smart city agencies lies mostly with technology and digitalization agencies. However, internal organizational restructuring is necessary to obtain broad smart city management authority and achieve higher organizational transformation. The procurement model of smart city initiatives shows public-private partnership (PPP), followed by conventional procurement and operational contracts. However, minimal funding of smart city initiatives from other sources was found. This research exploration shows the Public Services Agency (PSA) as a form of semi-autonomous agency that enables smart city management and has business schemes as another source of revenue