VoIP Tender Toolkit - Part 1: Preparation

VoIP Tender Toolkit – Part 1:Preparation.VoIP Tender Toolkit series - Everything you need to prepare, issue and evaluate a 500 - 5,000 seat VoIP Tender.

February 2009Richard Tucker [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

VoIP Tender Toolkit – Part 1: Preparation

Preparation before you start your VoIP tender:

1 - defining business objectives

2 - activities and expected timelines

3 - budgeting

4 - resources required.

For written article see:

http://inrich.co.uk/2009/02/23/voip-tender-toolkit-part-1-preparation/


1 - Defining business objectives:

Remember

• technology is a business enabler

Thus

• business objectives provide the focus

• business objectives provide flexibility to find the best result

• best tender result is not necessarily the best technical result!


1 - Defining business objectives:

Business objectives provide flexibility to find the best result:Example Business Objectives Potential Tender Results

Provide telephony to a new office site Installation of a PABX, extension of services from an

existing PABX or installation of hosted telephony service.

Lower telephony costs

Renegotiation of call rates, renegotiation of maintenance contracts, installation of lower cost telephony solutions (PABX, extended services or hosted services) or outsource of telephony support

Increase business efficiency

Integration of business software and telephony services (e.g. in call centre environments), solutions to save telephony administration time or new solutions to support under served business functions (e.g. home or mobile workers)


2 – Activities and expected timelines:

• timelines about the same for companies any over 500 ends

• larger or more complex requirements need more work but usually

have more people involved

• organisations who try to complete a tender in less time often miss

key detail, make mistakes, and end up regretting it

• 6 months normal… 9 months + if a second stage of tendering is

completed


2 – Activities and expected timelines:

Step Timeline

Preparation Month 1

Business requirements gathering Month 1

User requirements gathering Month 2

Technical requirements gathering Month 2

Technical environment survey Month 2

Tender strategy development Month 3

Tender development and release Month 3

Await supplier responses Month 4

Tender evaluation Month 5

Contract negotiation Month 6


3 – Budget:

• avoid running a tender that you wont be able to afford

• a budget will manage short term cost expectations

• a budget will manage expectations on the tender results


3 – Budget:

Item Budget range

Tender process ± 50%Internal labour (see next section for details)

29 weeks of effort

Consultant labour 5 weeks of effort

Tender result ± 30%“no frills” telephony around £12

(per end per month over 5 years + call costs)

“advanced” telephony extra £5 for call centre functionsextra £5 for voice recording(per end per month over 5 years + call costs)

Legacy or existing system integration

10% of the overall solution otherwise not worthwhile


3 – Budget:

Example: A 500 user solution including 50 call centre seats including voice recording will cost over 5 years about £270,000 to £500,000 + call costs + internal and consultant labour + integration costs.

(500 “no frills” × £12 × 60 months + 50 “advanced” × (£5 call centre + £5 voice recording) × 60 months = £390,000, 70% = £273,000, 130% = £507,000)


4 – Resources:Role Activities Weeks

± 50%Project sponsor(accountable for the tender outcome)

Essential input to Preparation stage, Tender Strategy Development Stage and signoff and steering for key decisions.

3

Project manager Manage and co-ordinate activities and resources from beginning to end.

16

IT resources Key input to technical requirements gathering, technical environment survey and tender evaluation stages.

3

Business representatives

Key input to business requirements gathering and tender evaluation stage.

3

Procurement resources

Key input to tender development and release, tender evaluation and contract negotiation.

4

Total 29


Summary:

Successful preparation for a VoIP tender :

1 - business objectives have been clearly defined

2 - a schedule defining tasks and timelines

3 - resources will have been defined

4 - expectations on the approximate financial values

Part 2 in this series will cover business, user and technical requirements gathering.

For written article see: http://inrich.co.uk/2009/02/23/voip-tender-toolkit-part-1-preparation/

http://inrich.co.uk/2009/02/23/voip-tender-toolkit-part-1-prepration/


Independent telecommunications consultants

Procurement Technology strategyPlanning workshopsSee our blog: inrich.co.uk/blogTo find out more: [email protected]