So much to do - so little time!!

So, we've got a new "big" study starting Monday and there is SOOOO much to do, but what I'm waiting on isn't anything I have control over...I know a few IT people...some are even friends...but...umm...is it just an innate thing within IT people that they have to leave everything to the last POSSIBLE second?!?!? I gave the IT a deadline of Wed. to have these things completed and because I have no authority, when the deadline I set came and went, there wasn't much I could do about it. Not we're less than 1 hour to due to vendor and it's STILL not working the way it was suppossed to!!! ARGH!!!