- Most organizations are good at procuring IT products, but few are truly good at acquiring infrastructure services.
- The lack of expertise in acquiring services is problematic – not only is the acquisition process for services more complex, but it also often has high stakes with large deal sizes, long-term contracts, and high switching costs.
Our Advice
Critical Insight
- Don’t treat infrastructure service acquisitions lightly. Not only are failure rates high, but the stakes are high as well.
- Make sure your RFP strategy aligns with your deal value. Large deals, characterized by high monthly spend, high criticality to the organization, and high switching costs, warrant a more thorough and lengthy planning period and RFP process.
- Word your RFP carefully and do your due diligence when reviewing SLAs. Make sure your RFP will help you understand what the vendor’s standard offerings are and don’t treat your service level agreements like an open negotiation. The vendor’s standard offerings will be your most reliable options.
Impact and Result
- Follow this blueprint to avoid common pitfalls and navigate the tricky business of acquiring infrastructure services.
- This blueprint will provide step-by-step guidance from assessing your acquisition goals to transitioning your service. Make sure you do the due diligence required to acquire the best service for your needs.
Effectively Acquire Infrastructure Services Research & Tools
Start here – read the Executive Brief
Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should follow the blueprint to effectively acquire infrastructure services, 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:
- Effectively Acquire Infrastructure Services – Phases 1-4
1. Develop the procurement strategy and process
Kick off an acquisition by establishing acquisition goals, validating the decision to acquire a service, and structuring an acquisition approach. There are several RFP approaches and strategies – evaluate the options and develop one that aligns with the nature of the acquisition.
- Effectively Acquire Infrastructure Services – Phase 1: Develop the Procurement Strategy and Process
2. Assess requirements and build the RFP
A solid RFP is critical to the success of this project. Assess the current and future requirements, examine the characteristics of an effective RFP, and develop an RFP.
- Effectively Acquire Infrastructure Services – Phase 2: Assess Requirements and Build the RFP
- Infrastructure Service RFP Template
3. Manage vendor questions and select the vendor
Manage the activities surrounding vendor questions and score the RFP responses to select the best-fit solution.
- Effectively Acquire Infrastructure Services – Phase 3: Manage Vendor Questions and Select the Vendor
- Vendor Question Organizer Template
- Infrastructure Outsourcing RFP Scoring Tool
4. Manage the contract, transition, and vendor
Perform due diligence in reviewing the SLAs and contract before signing. Plan to transition the service into the environment and manage the vendor on an ongoing basis for a successful partnership.
- Effectively Acquire Infrastructure Services – Phase 4: Manage the Contract, Transition, and Vendor
- Service Acquisition Planning and Tracking Tool
- Vendor Management Template
Workshop: Effectively Acquire Infrastructure Services
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 Develop the Procurement Strategy and Process
The Purpose
Establish procurement goals and success metrics.
Develop a projected acquisition timeline.
Establish the RFP approach and strategy.
Key Benefits Achieved
Defined acquisition approach and timeline.
Activities
1.1 Establish your acquisition goals.
1.2 Establish your success metrics.
1.3 Develop a projected acquisition timeline.
1.4 Establish your RFP process and refine your RFP timeline.
Outputs
Acquisition goals
Success metrics
Acquisition timeline
RFP strategy and approach
2 Gather Service Requirements
The Purpose
Gather requirements for services to build into the RFP.
Key Benefits Achieved
Gathered requirements.
Activities
2.1 Assess the current state.
2.2 Evaluate service requirements and targets.
2.3 Assess the gap and validate the service acquisition.
2.4 Define requirements to input into the RFP.
Outputs
Current State Assessment
Service requirements
Validation of services being acquired and key processes that may need to change
Requirements to input into the RFP
3 Develop the RFP
The Purpose
Build the RFP.
Key Benefits Achieved
RFP development.
Activities
3.1 Build the RFP requirement section.
3.2 Develop the rest of the RFP.
Outputs
Service requirements input into the RFP
Completed RFP
4 Review RFP Responses and Select a Vendor (Off-Site)
The Purpose
Review RFP responses to select the best solution for the acquisition.
Key Benefits Achieved
Vendor selected.
Activities
4.1 Manage vendor questions regarding the RFP.
4.2 Review RFP responses and shortlist the vendors.
4.3 Conduct additional due diligence on the vendors.
4.4 Select a vendor.
Outputs
Managed RFP activities
Imperceptive scoring of RFP responses and ranking of vendors
Additional due diligence and further questions for the vendor
Selected vendor