Does the vendor provide a detailed statement of work with well-articulated descriptions and mutually agreed upon milestones?
The statement of work should protect both the client and the vendor. One of the easiest ways to hold a vendor accountable for delivery is to tie contractual payments to project milestones. Does the vendor use an industry standard methodology that is considered best practice? There are many well-established methodologies that outline all of the processes from project management to execution including, but not limited to, Microsoft Solution Framework (MSF), Rational Unified Process, Iconix and Feature Driven Development. Different methodologies are appropriate for different projects and organizations. Beware of firms who have no methodology or cannot articulate how they will execute on the methodology selected for your project. Ask the vendor to elaborate on the execution of the project methodology and ask to see sample deliverables. How detailed is the vendor’s requirement gathering phase and what is the deliverable at the end of it? Look for a vendor that will develop a very detailed F
