• Have experienced experts assist in all phases of acquisitions
• Develop results-based deals with supplier accountability
• Develop and draft your negotiation team’s “position paper”
• Develop fair and balanced agreements
• Develop and review your RFPs and RFIs
• Develop and refine contract checklists
• Develop life-cycle cost analysis
• Help you in face-to-face negotiations with your suppliers
• Conduct bidders’ conferences to maximize your control
• Integrate supplier inducements into contract
• Prepare your team for supplier ploys; develop preemptive strategies
• Provide overall guidance and contracting/negotiation expertise
• Brief end users and executives

Virtual Resource Capability

• Access to a multi-disciplinary team
• Expertise on an “as needed” basis
• A varied team in size and expertise
• Limited cost; pay only for resources utilized

Procurement Assessment

• Have professional review of existing practices
• Improve existing processes with ICN review and analysis
• Receive customized plan to develop best practices
• Identify methods and tools for cost-saving opportunities

Procurement Assessment
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Contract Audit

• Audit and inventory all contracts
• Identify opportunities for savings and greater contractual protection
• Recommend best practice enhancements
• Identify contracts needed to supplement your inventory
• Expand audits to include risk analysis and risk mitigation
• Review documents during mergers, acquisitions and divestitures
• Protect against supplier audits

Outsource Your Technology Procurement

• Create an organization tailored to your specific needs
• Use ICN experienced consultants to get immediate results
• Eliminate staffing and recruiting problems
• Have specific expertise on hand, as required

Vendor Management

• Develop and manage Service Level Agreements
• Develop and manage Key Performance Indicators
• Develop rating system for your vendors
• Ensure vendor accountability and contract compliance
• Develop “continuous improvement” process and ongoing management
• Assist in dispute resolution

Additional Services

• Enhance procurement function’s internal marketing of services
• Augment your procurement staff with our contract personnel
• Provide supplier pricing and practices
• Analysis of vendor proposals and contracts
• Assist in the acquisition and divestiture process

Deal Expertise

• Outsourcing of IT or business processes
• Software licensing
• Software development
• System integration
• Leasing
• Hardware acquisition
• Maintenance services, including ASPs
• Offshore outsourcing
• Renegotiation
• Telecom
• All others

The Support You Need

ICN has been in the business of helping clients do better deals for more than 30 years. From the client’s perspective that means immediate support on any deal that needs doing. Whether it’s a high risk, high dollar procurement or more mundane deals that are creating a logjam, we have the people and the expertise to ensure positive results.

Whatever type or level of support you require, our experienced professionals can help you find the solutions that are right for your organization. We offer a wide range of services from deal-specific assistance to general procurement support. Our experience, powerful tools and proven direction provide deal management that puts you in control so you get what you pay for every time you deal.

Procurement Assessment

Most organizations benefit when they take the time to determine the quality of their current procurement process. To establish your company’s baseline, we can execute a Procurement Assessment. After completing a survey, we’ll prepare a white paper that includes a recommended strategy for achieving best practices. Then, we can work with you to develop a customized plan to accomplish your goals.

Implementing Change

ICN offers several options to meet your needs. If you require substantial assistance, we can provide one or more consultants to act as your interim procurement team. Or, we can augment your department with consultants who will work with and mentor your people. Yet another option is to engage our consultants to coach your team and review its progress regularly. This solution provides your people with the experience of facing vendors while ICN’s expertise is available should a problem arise.

A Virtual Resource

Our virtual resource capability allows us to work smarter and more cost effectively for you. Located across the country, our consultants can work on your projects remotely, on an as-needed basis. A Virtual Resource can provide quality assurance or customize a contract. An important capability is the review, audit and analysis of key procurement documents, from RFPs to SOWs. Based on your specific needs, we’ll recommend the Virtual Resource that’s right for you.

Deal Repository

We can develop documents for you, designed for a specific deal. However, rarely does a deal document need to be fully custom developed. Our consultants have access to document templates and models from the ICN Deal Repository. This reference library includes valuable information and samples such as position papers, checklists, negotiation strategies and other “lessons learned” material. With the benefit of this material, you can reduce development costs, minimize risk and ensure access to state-of-the-art thinking.

User Form Contracts

Experience has shown that world-class organizations use their own customer-focused form agreements rather than reacting to or accepting a vendor contract. There’s no doubt that you can do better deals when you use your own contracts. You can gain that advantage with one or more of our user form contracts. Our library of agreements includes:

• Equipment Purchase
• Equipment Master Lease
• Data Center Outsourcing
• Desktop Outsourcing
• Services
• Consulting Services
• Software Development
• Software Licensing
• Application Services Provider
• Master IT

Contracts Lab

There is much to be gained by including our Contracts Lab workshop in a training program for selected members of your procurement team. You’ll have the benefit of contracts written to minimize risk and maximize cost savings, and your people will have an opportunity to improve their skills and overall contracting performance.

Managed Acquisition Process
ICN’s Managed Acquisition Process™ (MAP™) is a highly acclaimed methodology based on acquisition by prioritized objectives. A 12-step negotiating strategy, the MAP has been implemented by hundreds of clients, resulting in their doing better deals and managing deals better. Numerous organizations have assimilated the MAP methodology into their corporate culture.

Executive Briefing

Many clients have found that an Executive Briefing is important to the procurement process. Our briefing focuses on the integral role of effective technology procurement in helping to meet overall business objectives. It also ensures that executives, senior managers and end users understand their roles in the procurement process. The greatest successes achieved in implementing the MAP are those that are supported throughout the organization.