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Difference between revisions of "IT Sourcing (Information Technology Sourcing)"

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== What is IT Sourcing? ==
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'''IT Sourcing''' is the process of procuring the [[Information Technology (IT)]] resources that are needed to support an organization's IT infrastructure and operations from a 3rd party. This can include everything from computer hardware and software to networking equipment, cloud services, and IT consulting services.
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Effective IT sourcing can help an organization reduce costs, improve efficiency, and enhance its competitive position. It can also help an organization keep pace with changes in technology and adapt to new business needs. However, it is important for organizations to carefully consider their IT sourcing options and to choose the approach that is most appropriate for their specific needs and goals.
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IT sourcing can involve a variety of different strategies, such as buying equipment and services outright, leasing them, or outsourcing certain IT functions to third-party providers. The specific approach that an organization takes will depend on a variety of factors, including its budget, its IT needs, and its overall business goals.
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== Difference between IT Sourcing and Traditional Procurement ==
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Information technology sourcing  takes a more strategic approach that aligns IT capabilities with the organization's long-term goals and technology roadmap, while traditional procurement often focuses on acquiring goods and services to meet immediate operational needs at the best possible price and quality,
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IT sourcing involves considering factors such as technical expertise, innovation potential, vendor capabilities, and long-term value creation. It requires a deep understanding of technology and its impact on the organization's overall strategy. IT sourcing decisions are made with a forward-looking perspective, taking into account the potential for scalability, integration, and future technology advancements.
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On the other hand, traditional procurement typically follows a transactional approach, aiming to efficiently acquire goods and services needed for day-to-day operations. The focus is often on obtaining the best price, negotiating contracts, managing supplier relationships, and ensuring timely delivery of goods or services.
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While both IT sourcing and traditional procurement involve supplier selection, contract management, and cost considerations, the strategic perspective of IT sourcing sets it apart. IT sourcing is driven by the need to leverage technology for competitive advantage, enable digital transformation, and align IT capabilities with business objectives. It goes beyond transactional procurement by emphasizing long-term value creation, innovation, and strategic partnerships with IT vendors.
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The strategic perspective of IT sourcing encompasses a holistic and forward-looking approach to acquiring and managing IT resources, while traditional procurement is more transactional and focused on immediate operational needs.
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Here are some key differences between IT sourcing and traditional procurement:
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#Technical Expertise: IT sourcing requires a deep understanding of technology and its related components. Unlike traditional procurement, IT sourcing involves acquiring specialized IT products, services, and solutions that often require technical expertise to evaluate and select. IT sourcing professionals need knowledge of IT infrastructure, software development methodologies, emerging technologies, and industry standards to make informed decisions.
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#Complexity and Innovation: IT sourcing deals with highly complex and rapidly evolving technology landscapes. IT solutions often involve multiple components, integration challenges, and dependencies on external systems. Furthermore, IT sourcing requires consideration of future scalability, security, and compatibility with existing IT infrastructure. Traditional procurement, on the other hand, typically deals with standardized goods and services with fewer technical complexities.
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#Vendor Selection Criteria: When it comes to IT sourcing, vendor selection criteria go beyond factors such as price, quality, and reliability, which are common in traditional procurement. IT sourcing involves evaluating vendors based on their technical expertise, industry experience, ability to deliver complex IT projects, adherence to security and compliance requirements, support capabilities, and innovation potential.
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#Contractual Considerations: IT sourcing often involves more complex and specialized contracts compared to traditional procurement. Contracts for IT sourcing typically include provisions for service-level agreements (SLAs), intellectual property rights, data security, disaster recovery, software licensing, and technology-specific warranties. The contractual agreements for IT sourcing need to address unique IT-related risks, such as cybersecurity breaches, data breaches, and system availability.
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#Rapid Technological Obsolescence: The IT industry experiences rapid technological advancements, leading to shorter lifecycles for IT products and solutions. This introduces additional challenges in IT sourcing, as organizations must consider the potential obsolescence of technology and plan for upgrades or replacements within a relatively short period. Traditional procurement may have longer product lifecycles and fewer concerns about technological obsolescence.
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#Strategic Alignment: IT sourcing closely aligns with an organization's overall [[IT Strategy (Information Technology Strategy)|IT Strategy]] and digital transformation goals. The IT sourcing strategy needs to align with the organization's business objectives, technology roadmap, and long-term IT vision. While important for organizational goals, traditional procurement may not be as closely tied to the strategic direction of the organization's core operations.
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Overall, IT sourcing is a specialized and dynamic discipline that requires a deep understanding of technology, industry trends, and strategic alignment with the organization's IT goals. It involves a focus on technical expertise, vendor evaluation, contractual considerations, and managing the complexities of rapidly evolving technology landscapes.
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== Different Types of IT Sourcing Models ==
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In information technology (IT), sourcing models refer to organizations' various approaches and strategies to obtain IT services and resources. These models define how organizations acquire and manage their IT capabilities internally or through external providers. Here are some commonly used IT sourcing models:
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#Insourcing: In this model, an organization builds and maintains its IT capabilities internally. All IT operations, including infrastructure, development, and support, are handled by the organization's own staff.
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# Outsourcing involves contracting with external vendors or service providers to handle specific IT functions or processes. It can include outsourcing infrastructure management, application development, help desk services, or other IT-related tasks.
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#Offshoring: Offshoring refers to the practice of outsourcing IT functions to companies located in a different country. This model is often chosen to take advantage of lower labor costs or to access specialized skills not readily available locally.
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#Onshore/Nearshore Outsourcing: Onshore or nearshore outsourcing involves contracting with vendors or service providers located in the same country or a nearby geographic region. It offers benefits such as cultural proximity, easier communication, and time zone alignment.
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#Cloud Computing: Cloud computing is a sourcing model where IT services and resources are accessed over the internet from third-party providers. These services can include infrastructure (Infrastructure as a Service - IaaS), platforms (Platform as a Service - PaaS), or software applications (Software as a Service - SaaS).
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#Managed Services: Managed services involve partnering with external providers to handle specific IT functions comprehensively. The provider takes responsibility for the IT environment's day-to-day operations, management, and maintenance.
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#Staff Augmentation: Staff augmentation is a sourcing model where an organization hires additional IT staff, either temporarily or long-term, to supplement their existing team and meet specific project requirements.
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#Co-Sourcing: Co-sourcing combines internal and external resources to manage IT operations. It involves partnering with an external provider to share the responsibilities of IT functions, typically focusing on specific areas of expertise.
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#In-House Development: In this model, an organization develops its IT capabilities internally, employing its own developers and engineers to build custom software applications or solutions tailored to its specific needs.
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Organizations often employ a combination of these sourcing models based on their requirements, strategic goals, and budget considerations. The choice of a sourcing model depends on factors such as cost-effectiveness, access to skills, scalability, control, and risk management.
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== Why Should an Organization Define a Sourcing Strategy for Information Technology? ==
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Traditionally, the procurement department in a company was responsible for purchasing products and services from external vendors. The approach they followed to buy products was transactional i.e. products were purchased from any supplier who with cost and quality being the primary drivers of selection. To begin with, the products purchased were not strategic to the organization. The relationship with their supplier was superficial.
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As businesses became more specialized, they realized the value of external partnerships to extend internal capability. The paradigm shifted from buying goods and services from sellers to collaborating with partners to enhance core competencies. Today, products and services procured from entities external to the organization span the spectrum from differentiated i.e. they create a competitive advantage to utility i.e. they do not directly impact the company's competitive position.
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Strategic sourcing focuses on creating a competitive advantage by enhancing internal capability through external relationships. Business partners with external organizations to procure goods and services that it cannot or does not want to produce.
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Among the benefits of IT sourcing are:
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*Access to goods and services that it cannot or does not want to produce when needed and in the quantity needed
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*Ability to specialize in products and services compatible with core competencies
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*Ability to focus investments on higher-value products and services
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*Access to specialized external skills, innovation, intellectual property, and thought leadership
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*Blocking out competitors from specialized skills
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*Lowering the overall cost of external products and services
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*Increased efficiency of the procurement process
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*Variable capacity that leads to both cost efficiencies and scalability of operations
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IT Sourcing has moved past its traditional role of providing cost reduction. Today, strategic sourcing for information technology is very important to any organization because it is a means to competitive differentiation as it extends the boundaries of a business to get access to innovation and specialized skills and talent.
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The first step is to create a vision for IT Sourcing with clear goals and objectives. Then, segment products into categories - from strategic to utility. Finally, identify potential partners based upon carefully selected strategic criteria. Then, you are ready to engage with these partners and integrate your operations with theirs.
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== History of Sourcing for Information Technology Products and Services ==
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IT sourcing has undergone significant evolution over time, driven by technological advancements, changes in business needs, and globalization. Here's a historical context and perspective on the evolution of IT sourcing:
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#Early In-House Development (1960s-1970s):
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#In the early days of computing, organizations developed their IT capabilities in-house. Mainframe computers were expensive and required skilled personnel to operate them. Therefore, organizations established their own IT departments and built custom software applications to support their business operations.
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#Rise of IT Outsourcing (1980s-1990s):
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#With the proliferation of personal computers and the growth of software development, organizations started to outsource IT functions. This period saw the emergence of IT service providers that offered software development, maintenance, and support services. Organizations sought cost savings, access to specialized skills, and the ability to focus on their core business competencies by delegating IT functions to external vendors.
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#Offshoring and Globalization (1990s-2000s):
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#As telecommunication infrastructure improved and global connectivity expanded, organizations began to explore offshoring IT functions to countries with lower labor costs. This trend was driven by the desire to reduce expenses and tap into a global talent pool. Countries such as India, China, and the Philippines became popular offshoring destinations.
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#Cloud Computing and the "As-a-Service" Model (2000s-Present):
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#The advent of cloud computing revolutionized IT sourcing. Cloud services offered scalability, flexibility, and pay-as-you-go pricing models, enabling organizations to access IT resources on-demand. Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) became popular sourcing options, allowing organizations to focus on core activities while leaving infrastructure and software management to cloud providers.
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#Hybrid Sourcing and Multi-Vendor Strategies (2010s-Present):
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#Many organizations adopted hybrid sourcing models, combining in-house capabilities with outsourced and cloud-based services. This approach allowed them to leverage the benefits of different sourcing models while maintaining control over critical systems. Additionally, multi-vendor strategies emerged, where organizations engaged multiple service providers to avoid vendor lock-in, promote competition, and mitigate risks.
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#Automation, Artificial Intelligence, and Digital Transformation (Present-Future):
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#The increasing use of automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML) technologies is shaping the future of IT sourcing. Organizations are adopting intelligent automation to streamline IT operations, enhance productivity, and improve service delivery. AI and ML are also being leveraged to optimize vendor selection, contract management, and IT governance.
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It's important to note that the evolution of IT sourcing is ongoing, and new sourcing models and technologies will continue to emerge as the IT landscape evolves. Organizations need to adapt their sourcing strategies to stay competitive, optimize costs, and leverage the latest advancements in technology.
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== Priority Objectives for IT Sourcing Strategy<ref>Priority Objectives for It Sourcing Strategy [https://www.accenture.com/t20160823T024231Z__w__/us-en/_acnmedia/Accenture/Conversion-Assets/DotCom/Documents/Global/PDF/Technology_11/Accenture-Future-of-Sourcing-August-19.pdf]</ref> ==
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In a digital world, the focus of IT is shifting from backend operations to driving business growth. To support this change, new sourcing strategies are urgently needed. These should have three priority objectives:
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*Adopt a more liquid workforce: Constant change is a way of life today. Businesses need their workforce to be change ready. As things stand, a skills gap is preventing some companies from evolving as fast as they need to. Technology change is outpacing the ability of the labor market to provide the digital skills that will drive new strategies. To plug that gap, IT organizations need to introduce entirely new roles that do not exist today.  For example, “platform directors” will help define and build the software platforms needed to propel business strategy, and “intelligence architects” will teach intelligent applications to interpret data, apply logic, and make decisions. Automation and crowdsourcing are bringing more liquidity into the workforce, but both have an impact on retained human workers. Automation radically changes in-demand skillsets, with machines starting to handle many routine tasks previously carried out by people. Crowdsourcing is another essential component of the liquid workforce. Although it is not expected to replace traditional IT delivery provided through [[outsourcing]] or in-house resources, it will fill digital gaps in organizations and enable near-instant scalability (for rolling out global changes to applications or enabling testing on multiple devices against the clock).
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*Migrate to as-a-service commercial models: For the last decade or so, companies have looked to cloud computing to bring flexibility to their technology infrastructures. Now crowdsourcing and intelligent automation are bringing a similar level of variability to IT sourcing. These new approaches mean traditional FTE-based commercial models will soon become obsolete. IT organizations will need new everything-as-a-service commercial models that measure the value of work done rather than the labor required to do the work. Through outcome-driven agreements, we will see providers and companies partnering together to drive innovation and achieve targeted results (rather than clients specifying upfront the mix of materials/headcount/skills they require). Companies that move now to adopt outcome-driven models will no longer be limited to what can be achieved with their current labor pool. This will place them ahead of the curve in realizing IT sourcing flexibility, and therefore business flexibility.
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*Implement the right mix of local and global sourcing: Shorter cycle times and increased interaction with the business point to the need for a new workforce dynamic. Businesses will increasingly seek to bring in platform directors and intelligence architects for key projects. And when they do, they will expect proximity. It is a big change from the approaches that have become embedded in companies after 10 to 15 years of global sourcing. The key from now on? A more balanced mix of local and global resources, with certain technology skills located in close physical proximity to the business leads.
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== Steps to Strategic IT Sourcing<ref>Nine Steps to Successful Strategic IT Sourcing [https://www.consultancy.uk/news/13121/a-nine-step-approach-for-successful-strategic-it-sourcing Consultancy]</ref> ==
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The sourcing of IT systems and services is a major undertaking with enormous implications for the entire organization. The wrong decisions during the sourcing process can lay the foundations for a contract burdened by service delivery issues and cost escalation. A more strategic approach to sourcing helps organizations avoid common pitfalls and delivers a fit-for-purpose contract that is a success for the client and supplier alike. Ultimately the most successful IT contracts are those where the expectations are clear between the customer and the supplier and both parties have agreed on a contract that addresses the customer's needs and enables the supplier to deliver the services at a profit. Getting to that point requires the following nine steps to be executed well.
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#Strategy - building the foundation for sourcing: To realize the true value of IT sourcing a robust strategy should be in place to enable consistent and structured decision-making. Decisions should be made on a proactive basis driven by the strategy and not on a reactionary basis, driven by immediate organizational pressures. An IT sourcing program, based on a clearly defined strategy and vision, can deliver significant business benefits to an organization, including total cost of ownership (TCO) savings, service level enhancement, technology transformation, best-practice governance, and business agility. To be a true success an outsource or managed service agreement has to improve the competitive advantage of the organization as a whole; however, this can only be achieved if the strategic business objectives of the organization are identified and understood prior to initiating the sourcing process. The strategy should be based on a detailed analysis of the organization’s existing environment, objectives, maturity, and management capabilities. Has the organization got the ability to implement and manage the strategic option that has been selected? The external market should also be considered – what are the market trends, and what are the organization’s peers doing? What are the suppliers’ capabilities and appetite to deliver against the IT sourcing strategy? The IT sourcing strategy should consider:
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#*Technologies: How should different technologies be sourced? For example, should data network, voice, and mobile services be bundled into a single deal or treated separately?
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#*[[Operating Model]]: What operating model(s) should you put in place? In-house, managed service, or outsource? This needs to be linked to decisions around service demarcation which defines what the internal organization is responsible for and what the supplier(s) are responsible for.
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#*Suppliers: Should a single supplier or a multi-supplier IT sourcing strategy be pursued? If multi- supplier should there be a service integrator?
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#*Geographies: How should different countries and regions be treated? Should services be considered globally, regionally, or locally?
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#*Commercial: What are the commercial objectives of the new deal?
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#*Execution approach: Should the IT sourcing strategy be implemented in a phased manner or a big-bang approach? How should contract transfer be handled? How should exit from existing suppliers be managed?
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#Developing a project team: Running a successful sourcing process is time-consuming, resource intensive, and intellectually demanding. The following challenges are often experienced:
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#*Achieving the timescales
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#*Avoiding increased or unexpected program costs
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#*Achieving confidence in the business case
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#*Managing changing requirements or the conflict between requirements
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#*Negotiating a mutually advantageous contract
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#*Performing an objective assessment of potential suppliers’ suitability
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#*Managing stakeholders and ensuring active, executive sponsorship.<br />Depending on the type and scale of the services being sourced additional team members may be required. The amount and type of resource required will also vary significantly during the sourcing process. For example, more legal and contract negotiation expertise will be required in the later stages of the process.
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#Pre-contract due diligence: Pre-contract due diligence is the single most important preparatory activity that the organization needs to undertake for any sourcing program. The more information that can be collected, the more comprehensive will be the requirements definition and internal business case. If suppliers are being asked to manage and transform an IT environment, they need to know the detail of that environment. The following types of due diligence data should be collected:
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#*Site list with some form of site categorization
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#*Services delivered at each site, including volumes (e.g. bandwidth, port counts, etc.)
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#*Asset database, including make/ model, age and net book value
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#*Service management processes and operating manuals
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#*Service level reports – performance against existing service levels
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#*Current incident volumes
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#*Traffic profiles
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#*All existing third-party contracts that cover the in-scope services
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#*Total cost of ownership (TCO) model including all internal and external costs
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#*Details of all current and planned projects
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#*Project, change, and IMAC volumes
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#*Employee transfer numbers and details.
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#Shortlisting suppliers for the RFP process: The traditional precursor to the RFP process, the Request for Information (RFI), is used to create a shortlist of recipients for the RFP and to provide the customer with strategic options for sourcing and [[Network Architecture|network architecture]]. However, the methodology means that the sourcing strategy and [[IT Architecture]] requirements are already defined, and therefore the additional time and expense of an RFI process may not be required. All that remains is to agree on the potential suppliers who will go through the RFP process. The process of identifying potential suppliers is straightforward but must be based on a mixture of industry analysis and first-hand experience of doing business with the candidates. Various sources of readily available industry analysis exist in the marketplace today. The relevance of any first-hand experience will vary depending on whether the customer has outsourced or procured a managed service before but all previous experience with a potential supplier is relevant.  Example criteria that should be used to select potential suppliers for an RFP process are shown below:
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#*Ability of suppliers to execute
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#*Recent supplier successes in the market
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#*Geographic alignment between the footprints of the customer and supplier
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#*Existing relationships between the customer and the supplier
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#*Strategic focus of the suppliers on the delivery of managed and/or outsourced IT services.
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#Requirement definition and RFP document production: The objective of the Request for Proposal (RFP) process is to evaluate potential suppliers and enable a down-select decision to be made. As a general (and simple) rule, the more proactive and prescriptive the end-user organization can be in articulating its requirements and objectives, the better the contract that will result. The customer should be clear as to what is required from a managed service or outsourced contract but should stop short of describing how it should be delivered. The ‘what’ is the realm of the customer, but the ‘how’ is the realm of the supplier. Requirements should be defined across the following areas in the RFP document:
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#*Service demarcation and service scope
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#*Technical architecture, vision, and strategic objectives
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#*Service delivery model, service management processes
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#*Service level agreement
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#*Governance model and forums
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#*Commercial objectives, cost treatment, and allocation, pricing model, asset treatment
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#*Legal terms
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#*Employee transfer
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#*Risk and compliance.<br />The RFP document and the supporting documentation should be issued as a single pack to all suppliers simultaneously. When issued with the RFP document, the suppliers should receive clear instructions as to the expectations upon them, including a timeline for responses and key contact details. It is important to allow the suppliers sufficient time to respond to the RFP document and to understand the requirements and due diligence information contained in the RFP.
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#RFP responses and supplier evaluation: Upon receipt of the suppliers’ RFP responses an appropriate methodology should be used to compare the proposals and identify the most compelling commercial offer with the highest level of capability to meet the service and technology requirements. Prior to receipt of responses the evaluation team should agree on the weightings applied to each section of the RFP and each requirement within the individual sections should be classified as to its relative importance. A detailed supplier evaluation should focus on innovation, commercials, service delivery, technical quality, assurance of supply, and risk. It is not enough for suppliers to simply offer an attractive [[Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)|total cost of ownership (TCO)]] savings profile; it is equally important that the suppliers are sufficiently capable of delivering against the customer’s business requirements. This should ideally result in a down-selection to two preferred suppliers to maintain competitive tension and to secure an optimal deal. The supplier evaluation should include:
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#*Quantitative evaluation (scoring)
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#*Qualitative evaluation (strengths, weaknesses, and risks)
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#*Commercial analysis
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#*Reference feedback from existing customers
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#*External market views
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#Contract negotiation: After down-selecting preferred suppliers in response to the RFP submission, the customer should prepare a draft contract with a full set of schedules. This should be designed according to the customer’s requirements, rather than being based on suppliers’ terms and conditions. Prior to releasing the draft contract to the supplier(s) it should be thoroughly reviewed and finalized through consultation with key stakeholders. The preferred suppliers should be instructed to review the draft contract and to supply a marked-up version highlighting any proposed changes. Upon receipt of the marked-up drafts, the customer should compare the submissions in detail and develop a clear contract negotiation supplier. There is a significant benefit to be had by adopting a ‘time-box’ approach to the contract negotiation process whereby firm deadlines are set for the completion of the negotiation process. Not only does this force all the parties to reach a conclusion at a known time, but it also allows the parties to communicate a clear timetable to achieve the necessary internal approvals for the final deal. In order to maintain competitive tension throughout the sourcing process, it is important to negotiate in parallel with the down-selected suppliers. This phase of the process requires a significant change in the structure of the customer project team in terms of the number of people required and the experience they have in contract negotiation. To achieve the ‘time-box’ deadlines the negotiation of the contract must take place in parallel workstreams and the project teams of both the supplier and customer need adequate resources to achieve this. Depending on the TCV (Total Contract Value), it is not unusual for teams of up to twenty on both sides to be involved in this process. Ideally, each team member needs experience in this type of activity. Throughout the process, the appropriate stakeholders must be kept fully informed on the progress of the contract negotiations and the suppliers’ performance against the key success criteria of the sourcing phase. This is particularly relevant in the case of the commercial offers of the suppliers.
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#Planning for transition and transformation It is never too soon to start planning for transition and transformation. Preparation for the transition phase should begin as early as possible and shouldn’t wait until the service commencement date of the contract; it needs to begin during the sourcing process. Following the contract signature, it is vital that the contract is mobilized according to the spirit of the negotiation process and as outlined in the terms of the contract. The supplier(s) should provide detailed transition and transformation plans during the sourcing process and this should be reviewed and agreed upon during the contract negotiations. The customer should ensure that plans are aligned with business requirements and constraints and that the plans are achievable and can be supported. The customer should also make sure that their transition responsibilities are clearly understood. If there are existing contracts in place then exit planning should also be addressed during the sourcing process and a detailed exit plan should be agreed upon with the incumbent. The way of working between the incumbent supplier(s) and the future supplier(s) should be discussed. In order to develop a successful plan, the transition and exit team structure should be agreed upon prior to the contract signature. Transition is a joint activity involving stakeholders from the customer and supplier organizations. Whereas the customer should always be responsible for managing the transition process, it is normal for the supplier to perform the majority of the tasks required and to bring a far greater level of experience to the process. There must be a continuity of resources and knowledge from the sourcing phase to the transition phase. This is best achieved by making the number of people allocated to the transition program a contractual commitment for both the supplier and the customer. This commitment must extend to retaining certain key individuals from the sourcing process through the transition phase.
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#Developing an effective [[IT Governance Framework|IT governance framework]]: Governance is one of the main reasons why IT-managed service or outsourcing contracts succeed or fail. Good contract governance is about the delivery of business benefits, well-managed services, and a strong customer-supplier relationship. Poor contract governance, on the other hand, often results in poor service delivery to the customer and/or an unprofitable contract with the supplier. The IT governance framework highlights the ‘who’ and ‘how’ elements of the operating model. It defines the principles, rules, and processes that enable effective decision-making. It provides the framework to address how decisions are made, who has the authority to make decisions, and how decisions are communicated. The IT governance framework must be fit-for-purpose and flexible such that it can readily adapt to the customer’s changing business requirements. The IT Governance framework should be multi-tiered, ideally across three levels: executive, commercial and operational. This not only ensures effective decision-making but also provides a clear escalation path for dispute resolution. The IT governance framework also needs to define the performance measures and reporting requirements – standardizing management information across all the different parties in the operating model will enable effective evaluation of the success of the operating model. As a general rule, good governance maximizes the potential for successful contract implementation whereas poor governance is often the reason why contracts fail to meet expectations. The following are 10 steps to good contract governance:<br />
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##Define and implement a clear and unambiguous governance structure<br />
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##Track and report on contractual obligations<br />
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##Actively monitor and review service delivery performance<br />
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##Consider the IT ecosystem interdependencies<br />
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##Proactively manage operational changes<br />
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##Implement effective commercial governance<br />
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##Create and manage a contract risk register<br />
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##Create, populate and act upon a supplier scorecard<br />
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##Implement a clear communications strategy<br />
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##Perform regular contract assessments.
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[[File:IT_Sourcing.jpg|600px|IT Sourcing]]<br />
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source: [https://www.consultancy.uk/news/13121/a-nine-step-approach-for-successful-strategic-it-sourcing Consultancy United Kingdom]
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== IT Sourcing Challenges<ref>4 Challenges Facing IT Sourcing [https://www.gartner.com/smarterwithgartner/4-challenges-facing-it-sourcing-and-vendor-management-leaders/]</ref> ==
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There are four challenges SVM leaders must address to ensure their roles remain relevant and in line with their organization’s digital business initiatives.
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*Enable digital business and [[Bimodal IT Organization (Gartner)|bimodal IT]]: Traditional SVM organizations and practices typically struggle with the Mode 2 aspects of bimodal IT and are therefore frequently late delivering on top business priorities. The most common criticisms from stakeholders are a lack of flexibility with regard to processes, poor competency in new technological domains, and an overly tactical approach that fails to strategically align SVM efforts with key business priorities.
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*Increase the efficiency and scope of technology procurement: As technology spending grows rapidly outside the IT organization, SVM teams must engage with innovators in business units to ensure they are involved early and deeply enough to deliver business value. This allows them to efficiently deliver projects.
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*Deliver aggressive cost optimization: IT costs typically represent a small fraction of business costs: 4.3% on average. There are often better opportunities to optimize costs outside the IT organization, yet many CIOs are reluctant to surmount the cultural and political barriers involved. During times of disruption or economic stress, however, business leaders have an increased appetite for radical change. SVM leaders should exploit this by identifying sourcing opportunities that can streamline and standardize business processes. At the same, they can restructure organizational technology spending into channel funds, which can drive business value in areas like digital business innovation, competitive differentiation, and renovation of core IT.
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*Manage complex vendor ecosystems: Using vendors for digital business initiatives can bring innovative solutions.to your organization, but may also expose you to potentially devastating performance and security risks. Teams need to create clear incentives for vendors to cooperate and collaborate and must use tools and analytics to measure performance in compliance, collaboration, and project delivery.
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==IT Strategic Sourcing==
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IT strategic sourcing is a process that involves carefully evaluating an organization's IT needs and developing a long-term plan for acquiring the hardware, software, and services needed to support its operations. It involves considering a range of different factors, including cost, quality, risk, and alignment with business goals, and it typically involves a more comprehensive and holistic approach than other types of IT sourcing.
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The goal of IT strategic sourcing is to create a plan that will help an organization meet its IT needs in the most efficient and cost-effective way possible. This may involve a variety of different approaches, such as buying equipment and services outright, leasing them, or outsourcing certain IT functions to third-party providers. It may also involve negotiating long-term contracts with suppliers, standardizing on certain types of hardware and software, or developing internal IT capabilities.
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Traditionally organizations would outsource their mundane IT activities as a single contract with a single partner which was done mostly as a cost optimization solution - the lowest bid would generally get the contract. With a fast-changing global economy and evolving business objectives, it has become essential for CIOs and IT Managers to create a strategic sourcing plan where the relationship with the vendor would be one of collaboration; ensuring their capability to respond to the organization's changing business needs in order to deliver value. <ref>[https://cioindex.com/cio-reference-library/it-sourcing/  Definition of IT Sourcing (Information Technology Sourcing)?]</ref>
 +
 
 +
Overall, IT strategic sourcing is an important part of an organization's IT management strategy, and it can help an organization reduce costs, improve efficiency, and enhance its competitive position. It is important for organizations to carefully consider their IT needs and to develop a plan that is tailored to their specific requirements and goals.
 +
 
 +
== Relationship Between IT Strategy and IT Sourcing ==
 +
IT Strategic planning drives the IT Sourcing process. IT Strategy lays out the objectives i.e. what to make while IT Sourcing determines the procurement of resources to make "what we must and buy what we can."
 +
 
 +
 
 +
 
 +
== See Also ==
 +
#[[Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)]]
 +
#[[Outsourcing]]
 +
#Managed IT Services
 +
#Cloud Services
 +
#[[Service Level Agreement (SLA)]]
 +
#Vendor Management
 +
#[[IT Service Management (ITSM)]]
 +
#Offshoring
 +
#Insourcing
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#Information technology Procurement
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#IT Service Providers
 +
 
 +
 
 +
== References ==
 +
<references />
 +
 
 +
 
 +
== Further Reading ==
 +
*[https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/the-value-of-selective-it-sourcing/ The Value of Selective IT Sourcing]
 +
*[https://er.educause.edu/articles/2011/7/alternative-it-sourcing-strategies-six-views Alternative IT Sourcing Strategies: Six Views]
 +
*[https://www.cio.com/article/3208031/outsourcing/7-hot-it-outsourcing-trends-and-7-going-cold.html 7 Hot IT outsourcing trends — and 7 going cold]
 +
*[http://www.corpcomputerservices.com/articles/outsourcing-reasons IT Outsourcing: The Reasons, Risks, and Rewards]

Latest revision as of 23:13, 13 September 2023

What is IT Sourcing?

IT Sourcing is the process of procuring the Information Technology (IT) resources that are needed to support an organization's IT infrastructure and operations from a 3rd party. This can include everything from computer hardware and software to networking equipment, cloud services, and IT consulting services.

Effective IT sourcing can help an organization reduce costs, improve efficiency, and enhance its competitive position. It can also help an organization keep pace with changes in technology and adapt to new business needs. However, it is important for organizations to carefully consider their IT sourcing options and to choose the approach that is most appropriate for their specific needs and goals.

IT sourcing can involve a variety of different strategies, such as buying equipment and services outright, leasing them, or outsourcing certain IT functions to third-party providers. The specific approach that an organization takes will depend on a variety of factors, including its budget, its IT needs, and its overall business goals.

Difference between IT Sourcing and Traditional Procurement

Information technology sourcing takes a more strategic approach that aligns IT capabilities with the organization's long-term goals and technology roadmap, while traditional procurement often focuses on acquiring goods and services to meet immediate operational needs at the best possible price and quality,

IT sourcing involves considering factors such as technical expertise, innovation potential, vendor capabilities, and long-term value creation. It requires a deep understanding of technology and its impact on the organization's overall strategy. IT sourcing decisions are made with a forward-looking perspective, taking into account the potential for scalability, integration, and future technology advancements.

On the other hand, traditional procurement typically follows a transactional approach, aiming to efficiently acquire goods and services needed for day-to-day operations. The focus is often on obtaining the best price, negotiating contracts, managing supplier relationships, and ensuring timely delivery of goods or services.

While both IT sourcing and traditional procurement involve supplier selection, contract management, and cost considerations, the strategic perspective of IT sourcing sets it apart. IT sourcing is driven by the need to leverage technology for competitive advantage, enable digital transformation, and align IT capabilities with business objectives. It goes beyond transactional procurement by emphasizing long-term value creation, innovation, and strategic partnerships with IT vendors.

The strategic perspective of IT sourcing encompasses a holistic and forward-looking approach to acquiring and managing IT resources, while traditional procurement is more transactional and focused on immediate operational needs.

Here are some key differences between IT sourcing and traditional procurement:

  1. Technical Expertise: IT sourcing requires a deep understanding of technology and its related components. Unlike traditional procurement, IT sourcing involves acquiring specialized IT products, services, and solutions that often require technical expertise to evaluate and select. IT sourcing professionals need knowledge of IT infrastructure, software development methodologies, emerging technologies, and industry standards to make informed decisions.
  2. Complexity and Innovation: IT sourcing deals with highly complex and rapidly evolving technology landscapes. IT solutions often involve multiple components, integration challenges, and dependencies on external systems. Furthermore, IT sourcing requires consideration of future scalability, security, and compatibility with existing IT infrastructure. Traditional procurement, on the other hand, typically deals with standardized goods and services with fewer technical complexities.
  3. Vendor Selection Criteria: When it comes to IT sourcing, vendor selection criteria go beyond factors such as price, quality, and reliability, which are common in traditional procurement. IT sourcing involves evaluating vendors based on their technical expertise, industry experience, ability to deliver complex IT projects, adherence to security and compliance requirements, support capabilities, and innovation potential.
  4. Contractual Considerations: IT sourcing often involves more complex and specialized contracts compared to traditional procurement. Contracts for IT sourcing typically include provisions for service-level agreements (SLAs), intellectual property rights, data security, disaster recovery, software licensing, and technology-specific warranties. The contractual agreements for IT sourcing need to address unique IT-related risks, such as cybersecurity breaches, data breaches, and system availability.
  5. Rapid Technological Obsolescence: The IT industry experiences rapid technological advancements, leading to shorter lifecycles for IT products and solutions. This introduces additional challenges in IT sourcing, as organizations must consider the potential obsolescence of technology and plan for upgrades or replacements within a relatively short period. Traditional procurement may have longer product lifecycles and fewer concerns about technological obsolescence.
  6. Strategic Alignment: IT sourcing closely aligns with an organization's overall IT Strategy and digital transformation goals. The IT sourcing strategy needs to align with the organization's business objectives, technology roadmap, and long-term IT vision. While important for organizational goals, traditional procurement may not be as closely tied to the strategic direction of the organization's core operations.

Overall, IT sourcing is a specialized and dynamic discipline that requires a deep understanding of technology, industry trends, and strategic alignment with the organization's IT goals. It involves a focus on technical expertise, vendor evaluation, contractual considerations, and managing the complexities of rapidly evolving technology landscapes.


Different Types of IT Sourcing Models

In information technology (IT), sourcing models refer to organizations' various approaches and strategies to obtain IT services and resources. These models define how organizations acquire and manage their IT capabilities internally or through external providers. Here are some commonly used IT sourcing models:

  1. Insourcing: In this model, an organization builds and maintains its IT capabilities internally. All IT operations, including infrastructure, development, and support, are handled by the organization's own staff.
  2. Outsourcing involves contracting with external vendors or service providers to handle specific IT functions or processes. It can include outsourcing infrastructure management, application development, help desk services, or other IT-related tasks.
  3. Offshoring: Offshoring refers to the practice of outsourcing IT functions to companies located in a different country. This model is often chosen to take advantage of lower labor costs or to access specialized skills not readily available locally.
  4. Onshore/Nearshore Outsourcing: Onshore or nearshore outsourcing involves contracting with vendors or service providers located in the same country or a nearby geographic region. It offers benefits such as cultural proximity, easier communication, and time zone alignment.
  5. Cloud Computing: Cloud computing is a sourcing model where IT services and resources are accessed over the internet from third-party providers. These services can include infrastructure (Infrastructure as a Service - IaaS), platforms (Platform as a Service - PaaS), or software applications (Software as a Service - SaaS).
  6. Managed Services: Managed services involve partnering with external providers to handle specific IT functions comprehensively. The provider takes responsibility for the IT environment's day-to-day operations, management, and maintenance.
  7. Staff Augmentation: Staff augmentation is a sourcing model where an organization hires additional IT staff, either temporarily or long-term, to supplement their existing team and meet specific project requirements.
  8. Co-Sourcing: Co-sourcing combines internal and external resources to manage IT operations. It involves partnering with an external provider to share the responsibilities of IT functions, typically focusing on specific areas of expertise.
  9. In-House Development: In this model, an organization develops its IT capabilities internally, employing its own developers and engineers to build custom software applications or solutions tailored to its specific needs.

Organizations often employ a combination of these sourcing models based on their requirements, strategic goals, and budget considerations. The choice of a sourcing model depends on factors such as cost-effectiveness, access to skills, scalability, control, and risk management.

Why Should an Organization Define a Sourcing Strategy for Information Technology?

Traditionally, the procurement department in a company was responsible for purchasing products and services from external vendors. The approach they followed to buy products was transactional i.e. products were purchased from any supplier who with cost and quality being the primary drivers of selection. To begin with, the products purchased were not strategic to the organization. The relationship with their supplier was superficial.

As businesses became more specialized, they realized the value of external partnerships to extend internal capability. The paradigm shifted from buying goods and services from sellers to collaborating with partners to enhance core competencies. Today, products and services procured from entities external to the organization span the spectrum from differentiated i.e. they create a competitive advantage to utility i.e. they do not directly impact the company's competitive position.

Strategic sourcing focuses on creating a competitive advantage by enhancing internal capability through external relationships. Business partners with external organizations to procure goods and services that it cannot or does not want to produce.

Among the benefits of IT sourcing are:

  • Access to goods and services that it cannot or does not want to produce when needed and in the quantity needed
  • Ability to specialize in products and services compatible with core competencies
  • Ability to focus investments on higher-value products and services
  • Access to specialized external skills, innovation, intellectual property, and thought leadership
  • Blocking out competitors from specialized skills
  • Lowering the overall cost of external products and services
  • Increased efficiency of the procurement process
  • Variable capacity that leads to both cost efficiencies and scalability of operations

IT Sourcing has moved past its traditional role of providing cost reduction. Today, strategic sourcing for information technology is very important to any organization because it is a means to competitive differentiation as it extends the boundaries of a business to get access to innovation and specialized skills and talent.

The first step is to create a vision for IT Sourcing with clear goals and objectives. Then, segment products into categories - from strategic to utility. Finally, identify potential partners based upon carefully selected strategic criteria. Then, you are ready to engage with these partners and integrate your operations with theirs.

History of Sourcing for Information Technology Products and Services

IT sourcing has undergone significant evolution over time, driven by technological advancements, changes in business needs, and globalization. Here's a historical context and perspective on the evolution of IT sourcing:

  1. Early In-House Development (1960s-1970s):
  2. In the early days of computing, organizations developed their IT capabilities in-house. Mainframe computers were expensive and required skilled personnel to operate them. Therefore, organizations established their own IT departments and built custom software applications to support their business operations.
  3. Rise of IT Outsourcing (1980s-1990s):
  4. With the proliferation of personal computers and the growth of software development, organizations started to outsource IT functions. This period saw the emergence of IT service providers that offered software development, maintenance, and support services. Organizations sought cost savings, access to specialized skills, and the ability to focus on their core business competencies by delegating IT functions to external vendors.
  5. Offshoring and Globalization (1990s-2000s):
  6. As telecommunication infrastructure improved and global connectivity expanded, organizations began to explore offshoring IT functions to countries with lower labor costs. This trend was driven by the desire to reduce expenses and tap into a global talent pool. Countries such as India, China, and the Philippines became popular offshoring destinations.
  7. Cloud Computing and the "As-a-Service" Model (2000s-Present):
  8. The advent of cloud computing revolutionized IT sourcing. Cloud services offered scalability, flexibility, and pay-as-you-go pricing models, enabling organizations to access IT resources on-demand. Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) became popular sourcing options, allowing organizations to focus on core activities while leaving infrastructure and software management to cloud providers.
  9. Hybrid Sourcing and Multi-Vendor Strategies (2010s-Present):
  10. Many organizations adopted hybrid sourcing models, combining in-house capabilities with outsourced and cloud-based services. This approach allowed them to leverage the benefits of different sourcing models while maintaining control over critical systems. Additionally, multi-vendor strategies emerged, where organizations engaged multiple service providers to avoid vendor lock-in, promote competition, and mitigate risks.
  11. Automation, Artificial Intelligence, and Digital Transformation (Present-Future):
  12. The increasing use of automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML) technologies is shaping the future of IT sourcing. Organizations are adopting intelligent automation to streamline IT operations, enhance productivity, and improve service delivery. AI and ML are also being leveraged to optimize vendor selection, contract management, and IT governance.

It's important to note that the evolution of IT sourcing is ongoing, and new sourcing models and technologies will continue to emerge as the IT landscape evolves. Organizations need to adapt their sourcing strategies to stay competitive, optimize costs, and leverage the latest advancements in technology.

Priority Objectives for IT Sourcing Strategy[1]

In a digital world, the focus of IT is shifting from backend operations to driving business growth. To support this change, new sourcing strategies are urgently needed. These should have three priority objectives:

  • Adopt a more liquid workforce: Constant change is a way of life today. Businesses need their workforce to be change ready. As things stand, a skills gap is preventing some companies from evolving as fast as they need to. Technology change is outpacing the ability of the labor market to provide the digital skills that will drive new strategies. To plug that gap, IT organizations need to introduce entirely new roles that do not exist today. For example, “platform directors” will help define and build the software platforms needed to propel business strategy, and “intelligence architects” will teach intelligent applications to interpret data, apply logic, and make decisions. Automation and crowdsourcing are bringing more liquidity into the workforce, but both have an impact on retained human workers. Automation radically changes in-demand skillsets, with machines starting to handle many routine tasks previously carried out by people. Crowdsourcing is another essential component of the liquid workforce. Although it is not expected to replace traditional IT delivery provided through outsourcing or in-house resources, it will fill digital gaps in organizations and enable near-instant scalability (for rolling out global changes to applications or enabling testing on multiple devices against the clock).
  • Migrate to as-a-service commercial models: For the last decade or so, companies have looked to cloud computing to bring flexibility to their technology infrastructures. Now crowdsourcing and intelligent automation are bringing a similar level of variability to IT sourcing. These new approaches mean traditional FTE-based commercial models will soon become obsolete. IT organizations will need new everything-as-a-service commercial models that measure the value of work done rather than the labor required to do the work. Through outcome-driven agreements, we will see providers and companies partnering together to drive innovation and achieve targeted results (rather than clients specifying upfront the mix of materials/headcount/skills they require). Companies that move now to adopt outcome-driven models will no longer be limited to what can be achieved with their current labor pool. This will place them ahead of the curve in realizing IT sourcing flexibility, and therefore business flexibility.
  • Implement the right mix of local and global sourcing: Shorter cycle times and increased interaction with the business point to the need for a new workforce dynamic. Businesses will increasingly seek to bring in platform directors and intelligence architects for key projects. And when they do, they will expect proximity. It is a big change from the approaches that have become embedded in companies after 10 to 15 years of global sourcing. The key from now on? A more balanced mix of local and global resources, with certain technology skills located in close physical proximity to the business leads.


Steps to Strategic IT Sourcing[2]

The sourcing of IT systems and services is a major undertaking with enormous implications for the entire organization. The wrong decisions during the sourcing process can lay the foundations for a contract burdened by service delivery issues and cost escalation. A more strategic approach to sourcing helps organizations avoid common pitfalls and delivers a fit-for-purpose contract that is a success for the client and supplier alike. Ultimately the most successful IT contracts are those where the expectations are clear between the customer and the supplier and both parties have agreed on a contract that addresses the customer's needs and enables the supplier to deliver the services at a profit. Getting to that point requires the following nine steps to be executed well.

  1. Strategy - building the foundation for sourcing: To realize the true value of IT sourcing a robust strategy should be in place to enable consistent and structured decision-making. Decisions should be made on a proactive basis driven by the strategy and not on a reactionary basis, driven by immediate organizational pressures. An IT sourcing program, based on a clearly defined strategy and vision, can deliver significant business benefits to an organization, including total cost of ownership (TCO) savings, service level enhancement, technology transformation, best-practice governance, and business agility. To be a true success an outsource or managed service agreement has to improve the competitive advantage of the organization as a whole; however, this can only be achieved if the strategic business objectives of the organization are identified and understood prior to initiating the sourcing process. The strategy should be based on a detailed analysis of the organization’s existing environment, objectives, maturity, and management capabilities. Has the organization got the ability to implement and manage the strategic option that has been selected? The external market should also be considered – what are the market trends, and what are the organization’s peers doing? What are the suppliers’ capabilities and appetite to deliver against the IT sourcing strategy? The IT sourcing strategy should consider:
    • Technologies: How should different technologies be sourced? For example, should data network, voice, and mobile services be bundled into a single deal or treated separately?
    • Operating Model: What operating model(s) should you put in place? In-house, managed service, or outsource? This needs to be linked to decisions around service demarcation which defines what the internal organization is responsible for and what the supplier(s) are responsible for.
    • Suppliers: Should a single supplier or a multi-supplier IT sourcing strategy be pursued? If multi- supplier should there be a service integrator?
    • Geographies: How should different countries and regions be treated? Should services be considered globally, regionally, or locally?
    • Commercial: What are the commercial objectives of the new deal?
    • Execution approach: Should the IT sourcing strategy be implemented in a phased manner or a big-bang approach? How should contract transfer be handled? How should exit from existing suppliers be managed?
  2. Developing a project team: Running a successful sourcing process is time-consuming, resource intensive, and intellectually demanding. The following challenges are often experienced:
    • Achieving the timescales
    • Avoiding increased or unexpected program costs
    • Achieving confidence in the business case
    • Managing changing requirements or the conflict between requirements
    • Negotiating a mutually advantageous contract
    • Performing an objective assessment of potential suppliers’ suitability
    • Managing stakeholders and ensuring active, executive sponsorship.
      Depending on the type and scale of the services being sourced additional team members may be required. The amount and type of resource required will also vary significantly during the sourcing process. For example, more legal and contract negotiation expertise will be required in the later stages of the process.
  3. Pre-contract due diligence: Pre-contract due diligence is the single most important preparatory activity that the organization needs to undertake for any sourcing program. The more information that can be collected, the more comprehensive will be the requirements definition and internal business case. If suppliers are being asked to manage and transform an IT environment, they need to know the detail of that environment. The following types of due diligence data should be collected:
    • Site list with some form of site categorization
    • Services delivered at each site, including volumes (e.g. bandwidth, port counts, etc.)
    • Asset database, including make/ model, age and net book value
    • Service management processes and operating manuals
    • Service level reports – performance against existing service levels
    • Current incident volumes
    • Traffic profiles
    • All existing third-party contracts that cover the in-scope services
    • Total cost of ownership (TCO) model including all internal and external costs
    • Details of all current and planned projects
    • Project, change, and IMAC volumes
    • Employee transfer numbers and details.
  4. Shortlisting suppliers for the RFP process: The traditional precursor to the RFP process, the Request for Information (RFI), is used to create a shortlist of recipients for the RFP and to provide the customer with strategic options for sourcing and network architecture. However, the methodology means that the sourcing strategy and IT Architecture requirements are already defined, and therefore the additional time and expense of an RFI process may not be required. All that remains is to agree on the potential suppliers who will go through the RFP process. The process of identifying potential suppliers is straightforward but must be based on a mixture of industry analysis and first-hand experience of doing business with the candidates. Various sources of readily available industry analysis exist in the marketplace today. The relevance of any first-hand experience will vary depending on whether the customer has outsourced or procured a managed service before but all previous experience with a potential supplier is relevant. Example criteria that should be used to select potential suppliers for an RFP process are shown below:
    • Ability of suppliers to execute
    • Recent supplier successes in the market
    • Geographic alignment between the footprints of the customer and supplier
    • Existing relationships between the customer and the supplier
    • Strategic focus of the suppliers on the delivery of managed and/or outsourced IT services.
  5. Requirement definition and RFP document production: The objective of the Request for Proposal (RFP) process is to evaluate potential suppliers and enable a down-select decision to be made. As a general (and simple) rule, the more proactive and prescriptive the end-user organization can be in articulating its requirements and objectives, the better the contract that will result. The customer should be clear as to what is required from a managed service or outsourced contract but should stop short of describing how it should be delivered. The ‘what’ is the realm of the customer, but the ‘how’ is the realm of the supplier. Requirements should be defined across the following areas in the RFP document:
    • Service demarcation and service scope
    • Technical architecture, vision, and strategic objectives
    • Service delivery model, service management processes
    • Service level agreement
    • Governance model and forums
    • Commercial objectives, cost treatment, and allocation, pricing model, asset treatment
    • Legal terms
    • Employee transfer
    • Risk and compliance.
      The RFP document and the supporting documentation should be issued as a single pack to all suppliers simultaneously. When issued with the RFP document, the suppliers should receive clear instructions as to the expectations upon them, including a timeline for responses and key contact details. It is important to allow the suppliers sufficient time to respond to the RFP document and to understand the requirements and due diligence information contained in the RFP.
  6. RFP responses and supplier evaluation: Upon receipt of the suppliers’ RFP responses an appropriate methodology should be used to compare the proposals and identify the most compelling commercial offer with the highest level of capability to meet the service and technology requirements. Prior to receipt of responses the evaluation team should agree on the weightings applied to each section of the RFP and each requirement within the individual sections should be classified as to its relative importance. A detailed supplier evaluation should focus on innovation, commercials, service delivery, technical quality, assurance of supply, and risk. It is not enough for suppliers to simply offer an attractive total cost of ownership (TCO) savings profile; it is equally important that the suppliers are sufficiently capable of delivering against the customer’s business requirements. This should ideally result in a down-selection to two preferred suppliers to maintain competitive tension and to secure an optimal deal. The supplier evaluation should include:
    • Quantitative evaluation (scoring)
    • Qualitative evaluation (strengths, weaknesses, and risks)
    • Commercial analysis
    • Reference feedback from existing customers
    • External market views
  7. Contract negotiation: After down-selecting preferred suppliers in response to the RFP submission, the customer should prepare a draft contract with a full set of schedules. This should be designed according to the customer’s requirements, rather than being based on suppliers’ terms and conditions. Prior to releasing the draft contract to the supplier(s) it should be thoroughly reviewed and finalized through consultation with key stakeholders. The preferred suppliers should be instructed to review the draft contract and to supply a marked-up version highlighting any proposed changes. Upon receipt of the marked-up drafts, the customer should compare the submissions in detail and develop a clear contract negotiation supplier. There is a significant benefit to be had by adopting a ‘time-box’ approach to the contract negotiation process whereby firm deadlines are set for the completion of the negotiation process. Not only does this force all the parties to reach a conclusion at a known time, but it also allows the parties to communicate a clear timetable to achieve the necessary internal approvals for the final deal. In order to maintain competitive tension throughout the sourcing process, it is important to negotiate in parallel with the down-selected suppliers. This phase of the process requires a significant change in the structure of the customer project team in terms of the number of people required and the experience they have in contract negotiation. To achieve the ‘time-box’ deadlines the negotiation of the contract must take place in parallel workstreams and the project teams of both the supplier and customer need adequate resources to achieve this. Depending on the TCV (Total Contract Value), it is not unusual for teams of up to twenty on both sides to be involved in this process. Ideally, each team member needs experience in this type of activity. Throughout the process, the appropriate stakeholders must be kept fully informed on the progress of the contract negotiations and the suppliers’ performance against the key success criteria of the sourcing phase. This is particularly relevant in the case of the commercial offers of the suppliers.
  8. Planning for transition and transformation It is never too soon to start planning for transition and transformation. Preparation for the transition phase should begin as early as possible and shouldn’t wait until the service commencement date of the contract; it needs to begin during the sourcing process. Following the contract signature, it is vital that the contract is mobilized according to the spirit of the negotiation process and as outlined in the terms of the contract. The supplier(s) should provide detailed transition and transformation plans during the sourcing process and this should be reviewed and agreed upon during the contract negotiations. The customer should ensure that plans are aligned with business requirements and constraints and that the plans are achievable and can be supported. The customer should also make sure that their transition responsibilities are clearly understood. If there are existing contracts in place then exit planning should also be addressed during the sourcing process and a detailed exit plan should be agreed upon with the incumbent. The way of working between the incumbent supplier(s) and the future supplier(s) should be discussed. In order to develop a successful plan, the transition and exit team structure should be agreed upon prior to the contract signature. Transition is a joint activity involving stakeholders from the customer and supplier organizations. Whereas the customer should always be responsible for managing the transition process, it is normal for the supplier to perform the majority of the tasks required and to bring a far greater level of experience to the process. There must be a continuity of resources and knowledge from the sourcing phase to the transition phase. This is best achieved by making the number of people allocated to the transition program a contractual commitment for both the supplier and the customer. This commitment must extend to retaining certain key individuals from the sourcing process through the transition phase.
  9. Developing an effective IT governance framework: Governance is one of the main reasons why IT-managed service or outsourcing contracts succeed or fail. Good contract governance is about the delivery of business benefits, well-managed services, and a strong customer-supplier relationship. Poor contract governance, on the other hand, often results in poor service delivery to the customer and/or an unprofitable contract with the supplier. The IT governance framework highlights the ‘who’ and ‘how’ elements of the operating model. It defines the principles, rules, and processes that enable effective decision-making. It provides the framework to address how decisions are made, who has the authority to make decisions, and how decisions are communicated. The IT governance framework must be fit-for-purpose and flexible such that it can readily adapt to the customer’s changing business requirements. The IT Governance framework should be multi-tiered, ideally across three levels: executive, commercial and operational. This not only ensures effective decision-making but also provides a clear escalation path for dispute resolution. The IT governance framework also needs to define the performance measures and reporting requirements – standardizing management information across all the different parties in the operating model will enable effective evaluation of the success of the operating model. As a general rule, good governance maximizes the potential for successful contract implementation whereas poor governance is often the reason why contracts fail to meet expectations. The following are 10 steps to good contract governance:
    1. Define and implement a clear and unambiguous governance structure
    2. Track and report on contractual obligations
    3. Actively monitor and review service delivery performance
    4. Consider the IT ecosystem interdependencies
    5. Proactively manage operational changes
    6. Implement effective commercial governance
    7. Create and manage a contract risk register
    8. Create, populate and act upon a supplier scorecard
    9. Implement a clear communications strategy
    10. Perform regular contract assessments.


IT Sourcing
source: Consultancy United Kingdom


IT Sourcing Challenges[3]

There are four challenges SVM leaders must address to ensure their roles remain relevant and in line with their organization’s digital business initiatives.

  • Enable digital business and bimodal IT: Traditional SVM organizations and practices typically struggle with the Mode 2 aspects of bimodal IT and are therefore frequently late delivering on top business priorities. The most common criticisms from stakeholders are a lack of flexibility with regard to processes, poor competency in new technological domains, and an overly tactical approach that fails to strategically align SVM efforts with key business priorities.
  • Increase the efficiency and scope of technology procurement: As technology spending grows rapidly outside the IT organization, SVM teams must engage with innovators in business units to ensure they are involved early and deeply enough to deliver business value. This allows them to efficiently deliver projects.
  • Deliver aggressive cost optimization: IT costs typically represent a small fraction of business costs: 4.3% on average. There are often better opportunities to optimize costs outside the IT organization, yet many CIOs are reluctant to surmount the cultural and political barriers involved. During times of disruption or economic stress, however, business leaders have an increased appetite for radical change. SVM leaders should exploit this by identifying sourcing opportunities that can streamline and standardize business processes. At the same, they can restructure organizational technology spending into channel funds, which can drive business value in areas like digital business innovation, competitive differentiation, and renovation of core IT.
  • Manage complex vendor ecosystems: Using vendors for digital business initiatives can bring innovative solutions.to your organization, but may also expose you to potentially devastating performance and security risks. Teams need to create clear incentives for vendors to cooperate and collaborate and must use tools and analytics to measure performance in compliance, collaboration, and project delivery.


IT Strategic Sourcing

IT strategic sourcing is a process that involves carefully evaluating an organization's IT needs and developing a long-term plan for acquiring the hardware, software, and services needed to support its operations. It involves considering a range of different factors, including cost, quality, risk, and alignment with business goals, and it typically involves a more comprehensive and holistic approach than other types of IT sourcing.

The goal of IT strategic sourcing is to create a plan that will help an organization meet its IT needs in the most efficient and cost-effective way possible. This may involve a variety of different approaches, such as buying equipment and services outright, leasing them, or outsourcing certain IT functions to third-party providers. It may also involve negotiating long-term contracts with suppliers, standardizing on certain types of hardware and software, or developing internal IT capabilities.

Traditionally organizations would outsource their mundane IT activities as a single contract with a single partner which was done mostly as a cost optimization solution - the lowest bid would generally get the contract. With a fast-changing global economy and evolving business objectives, it has become essential for CIOs and IT Managers to create a strategic sourcing plan where the relationship with the vendor would be one of collaboration; ensuring their capability to respond to the organization's changing business needs in order to deliver value. [4]

Overall, IT strategic sourcing is an important part of an organization's IT management strategy, and it can help an organization reduce costs, improve efficiency, and enhance its competitive position. It is important for organizations to carefully consider their IT needs and to develop a plan that is tailored to their specific requirements and goals.

Relationship Between IT Strategy and IT Sourcing

IT Strategic planning drives the IT Sourcing process. IT Strategy lays out the objectives i.e. what to make while IT Sourcing determines the procurement of resources to make "what we must and buy what we can."


See Also

  1. Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)
  2. Outsourcing
  3. Managed IT Services
  4. Cloud Services
  5. Service Level Agreement (SLA)
  6. Vendor Management
  7. IT Service Management (ITSM)
  8. Offshoring
  9. Insourcing
  10. Information technology Procurement
  11. IT Service Providers


References

  1. Priority Objectives for It Sourcing Strategy [1]
  2. Nine Steps to Successful Strategic IT Sourcing Consultancy
  3. 4 Challenges Facing IT Sourcing [2]
  4. Definition of IT Sourcing (Information Technology Sourcing)?


Further Reading