Outsourcing Dilemma: The Search for Competitiveness, The

Finding a suitable partner by creating a competition

In order to create a competition it is necessary to establish which outsourcing service providers appear to be suitable partners and then make arrangements to contact some or all of them.

The established method of dealing with a range of potential suppliers of technology and knowledge systems is to send out Invitations to Tender (ITTs), or Requests for Proposals (RFPs).

Over the last decade or so an accepted methodology has developed for structuring these requests and this is normally adhered to when sending out outsourcing RFPs. Typically, the suppliers are asked to explain how their service will deal with each of the requirements specified. In creating the RFP, care is taken to structure ...