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Effectively Acquire Infrastructure Services

Acquiring a service is like buying an experience. Don’t confuse the simplicity of buying hardware with buying an experience.

  • 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.

Effectively Acquire Infrastructure Services – Executive Brief
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
Effectively Acquire Infrastructure Services preview picture

About Info-Tech

Info-Tech Research Group is the world’s fastest-growing information technology research and advisory company, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals.

We produce unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. We partner closely with IT teams to provide everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.

What Is a Blueprint?

A blueprint is designed to be a roadmap, containing a methodology and the tools and templates you need to solve your IT problems.

Each blueprint can be accompanied by a Guided Implementation that provides you access to our world-class analysts to help you get through the project.

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Guided Implementation 1: Develop the procurement strategy and process
  • Call 1: Scoping call
  • Call 2: Establish your acquisition strategy and timeline

Guided Implementation 2: Assess requirements and build the RFP
  • Call 1: Scoping call
  • Call 2: Input requirements into the RFP
  • Call 3: Complete the RFP

Guided Implementation 3: Manage vendor questions and select the vendor
  • Call 1: Scoping call
  • Call 2: Score RFP responses

Guided Implementation 4: Manage the contract transition and vendor
  • Call 1: Scoping call
  • Call 2: Review the service level agreements
  • Call 3: Manage the transition and vendor relationship

Authors

Darin Stahl

Margaret Hao

Contributors

  • Alan Zimmerman, Experienced IT Service Delivery Executive
  • Four more anonymous contributors

Related Content: Data Center & Facilities Optimization

Search Code: 77946
Last Revised: November 13, 2015

TAGS:

Procure, Acquire, Infrastructure Service, RFP, Request for Proposal
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