- SOW reviews are tedious, and reviewers may lack the skills and experience to effectively complete the process.
- Vendors draft provisions that shift the performance risk to the customer in subtle ways that are often overlooked or not identified by customers.
- Customers don’t understand the power and implications of SOWs, treating them as an afterthought or formality.
Our Advice
Critical Insight
- There is often a disconnect between what is sold and what is purchased. To gain the customer’s approval, vendors will present a solution- or outcome-based proposal. However, the SOW is task or activity based, shifting the risk for success to the customer.
- A good SOW takes time and should not be rushed. The quality of the requirements and of the SOW wording drive success. Not allocating enough time to address both increases the risk of the project’s failure.
Impact and Result
- Info-Tech’s guidance and insights will help you navigate the complex process of SOW review and identify the key details necessary to maximize the protections for your organization and hold vendors accountable.
- This blueprint provides direction on spotting vendor-biased terms and conditions and offers tips for mitigating the risk associated with words and phrases that shift responsibilities and obligations from the vendor to the customer.
Improve Your Statements of Work to Hold Your Vendors Accountable Research & Tools
Start here – read the Executive Brief
Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should spend more time assessing your statements of work, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:
1. Assess SOW Terms and Conditions
Use Info-Tech’s SOW review guidance to find common pitfalls and gotchas, to maximize the protections for your organization, and to hold vendors accountable.
- Improve Your Statements of Work to Hold Your Vendors Accountable – Storyboard
- Contract or SOW Guide
- SOW Maps Tool
- Red-Flag Words and Phrases Tool
Workshop: Improve Your Statements of Work to Hold Your Vendors Accountable
Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.
1 Assess SOW Terms and Conditions
The Purpose
Gain a better understanding of common SOW clauses and phrases.
Key Benefits Achieved
Reduce risk
Increase vendor accountability
Improve negotiation positions
Activities
1.1 Review sample SOW provisions, identify the risks, and develop a negotiation position.
1.2 Review Info-Tech tools.
Outputs
Awareness and increased knowledge
Familiarity with the Info-Tech tools