How should I conduct the Consultant selection process and compare vendor solutions?
Choosing an outsourcing partner requires a process-based approach. This process involves determining your primary needs drivers, engaging executive sponsorship, and identifying the probable project components. Two main components help compare an outsourcing vendor. First, from an analytical service provision standpoint, you perform an apples-to-apples analysis of each vendor’s proposal. Because no consulting proposal is created equal, vendor proposals include different service provisions and may even limit scope, hiding levels of effort and thus costs in expensive time and material rates. To identify such liabilities and accurately make a comparison between vendors to determine which vendor is right for your business, a vendor comparison matrix is necessary. A vendor comparison matrix breaks down — in detail — the services provisioned in the outsourcing proposal and whether they are included into the price. Also, be sure to check references — both existing and former customers can give
