6. Playbook

The below Playbook is a set of instructions that can be used to select a great vendor. It also lists links to templates and forms that can be used in the process.

1. GOAL ALIGNMENT

What is your overall goal in hiring the vendor?

What makes a vendor a great vendor for you? (you may refer or expand on the success criteria section)

2. DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What challenge do you need to solve?

If you have a specific project for a vendor in mind. What is it?

What are the priorities within this project?

Who are the stakeholders?

What do the stakeholders need?

Who are the team members that should be included in this process and why?

⁠

link to spreadsheet⁠

(of the above sections)

3. RFP or RFI (as needed) COMPILATION

Do you have a specific project in mind? If yes fill out

RFP⁠

here

If not and you just want to get general information get

RFI⁠

here

4. VENDOR EVALUATION PARAMETERS

Pick aspects from our evaluation sheet (which contains elements of the

10C⁠

framework ) and/or add your own

5. VENDOR DISCOVERY

This is a pretty straight forward tasks. Compile a list of vendors.

This list can come from a variety of sources (aggregation sites, competitor of current vendors etc.)

6. VENDOR EVALUATION

Fill out scorecard

Utilise sources such as (aggregation sites, competitor of current vendors etc, look at website etc.)

Sample Evaluation sheets here :

link⁠

⁠

7. SHORTLIST VENDORS & REACH OUT

Eliminate vendors that do not meet set criteria (e.g. price)

Shortlist to about 3-5 vendors

Reach out to above vendors with the RFP/ RFI

8. EVALUATE RFPs / RFI / RESPONSES

Evaluate the responded based on the overall criteria and the evaluation framework

Note that aspects like responsiveness, follow ups and attention to details in those follow ups are great indicators of future behaviour of the vendor and should be taken into consideration.

A suggested evaluation scorecard can be found here.

⁠

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kXmJEx8BKX4O_NRohb0Xa2gAPSO2cVOurR5GWI8l-ak/edit#gid=503944071⁠

⁠

Have key stakeholders fill out the scorecard and settle on a vendor (go to step 10) or if need be negotiate (step 9)