Programme overview
Technical depth: Practitioner · Practical mode: Case study
Introduction
Technology vendors now run core parts of most organisations, from cloud platforms and enterprise software to managed services and data centres. Yet selection is often driven by demonstrations and list prices, contracts leave service levels vague, and exit costs surface only when the relationship fails. This Core Concept course gives managers a structured method to specify needs, evaluate vendors objectively, negotiate sound contract terms and manage performance and risk across the vendor lifecycle. Participants work through cross-sector cases and leave with a Technology Vendor Selection and Management Plan.
Course Objectives
- Segment the technology supplier base by value and risk using the Kraljic Matrix and supplier tiering
- Develop requirements, RFI and RFP documents with weighted evaluation criteria and total cost of ownership models
- Evaluate vendor proposals, demonstrations and proofs of concept against defined scoring rules
- Structure contracts, service level agreements and exit provisions for software, cloud and managed services
- Manage vendor performance, security and continuity risk using ITIL 4 supplier management and ISO/IEC 27036 controls
- Produce a Technology Vendor Selection and Management Plan for a live sourcing need
Target Audience
- IT and digital managers accountable for technology sourcing decisions
- Procurement and category managers responsible for technology spend
- Vendor and contract managers overseeing software, cloud and managed service suppliers
- Information security and risk managers assessing third-party exposure
- Project and programme managers who depend on technology suppliers for delivery
Course Outline
Day 1: The Technology Vendor Landscape and Sourcing Baseline
- Technology Sourcing Models: On-Premises, SaaS, Managed Service and Outsourcing
- CIPS Procurement and Supply Cycle Applied to Technology
- Technology Spend and Contract Inventory Analysis
- Kraljic Matrix Supplier Segmentation
- Build, Buy or Partner Decision Criteria
Day 2: Standards and Frameworks for Vendor Management
- ITIL 4 Supplier Management Practice
- ISO/IEC 20000-1 Supplier and Service Relationship Requirements
- ISO/IEC 27036 Information Security for Supplier Relationships
- ISO 44001 Collaborative Business Relationship Management
- ISO 20400 Sustainable Procurement Criteria for Technology Purchases
Day 3: Selecting the Vendor
- Requirements Specification with MoSCoW Prioritisation
- RFI and RFP Document Structure and Evaluation Criteria
- Weighted Scoring Model and Evaluation Panel Rules
- Scripted Demonstrations and Proof of Concept Design
- Five-Year Total Cost of Ownership Model
Day 4: Contracts, Risk and Performance
- Software Licence, SaaS Subscription and Cloud Contract Clauses
- Service Level Agreements, Service Credits and KPI Definitions
- Third-Party Risk Tiering and ISO/IEC 27001 Annex A Supplier Controls
- Vendor Lock-In, Concentration Risk and ISO 22301 Continuity Planning
- Exit Plan, Data Return and Transition Assistance Clauses
Day 5: Case Work and the Vendor Management Plan
- Core Banking Platform Case Study: Evaluation and Selection Decision
- Managed Cloud Service Case Study: Underperforming Supplier Recovery
- Vendor Performance Scorecard and Quarterly Business Review Build
- Technology Vendor Selection and Management Plan Drafting
- Sourcing Board Review and Plan Defence
Skills You Will Gain
- Supplier Segmentation
- Requirements Specification
- Vendor Evaluation
- Total Cost of Ownership Analysis
- Contract and SLA Structuring
- Third-Party Risk Assessment
- Vendor Performance Management
- Exit Planning
Why Attend This Course
- Return with a Technology Vendor Selection and Management Plan for a live sourcing need, tested before a sourcing board
- Select vendors on evidence from scripted demonstrations and cost models, not presentations and list prices
- Spot gaps in service levels, data return and exit terms before a contract is signed
- Share lessons with managers from other sectors who buy and manage similar technology services
Conclusion
The value of a technology purchase is decided less at signature than across the years of service that follow. This course moves from mapping the supplier base and sourcing options, through the standards that govern supplier relationships, to specifying, evaluating and contracting, and then to managing performance, risk and exit. The final day applies these methods to cross-sector cases and produces a Technology Vendor Selection and Management Plan that participants can use in their next sourcing decision and contract review.