Market entry for a multi-year managed service

The Challenge for the Client

Nearing the expiry of a 5-year IT comprehensive managed services agreement, the POA wanted assistance with market entry and scoping of replacement services, as well as a chance to compare the incumbent provider with current market offerings.

Structured Approach

Acert was recommended to the senior executive team and a meeting was held, resulting in Acert’s proposal to establish POA requirements, review the market for suitable providers and undertake an RFx process to help the POA find the best and most suitable solution provider. Workshops, interviews, documentary and financial analyses were all undertaken to develop the scope of services; a long-list of potential vendor partners was then created for receipt of an explanatory RFI designed to help the POA qualify a shorter list of potential RFP recipients who were invited to meet with the POA team for Q&A.  Formal evaluation and scoring aided the process of down-selection in the Rfx process and eventually three finalists (including the incumbent) were invited to present their solutions and revised pricing proposals. We then presented joint findings to the POA National Executive Committee for the final decision.

Value to the Client

With our help, the POA has conducted a scrupulously fair and in-depth process to lower the costs of IT service provision, improve efficiency and security, and open up the opportunity for systems development and service improvement for its end users.