CCL's aim is to ensure that our clients' interests are protected at all times and that, in doing so, they achieve the most appropriate service provision satisfying all the requirements of their business.

In helping clients to select the most appropriate IT Outsourcing or Managed Service provision, CCL can provide assistance in some or all of the following areas:

Preparation of a detailed Specification of Requirements (SOR)

A detailed document is prepared after close liaison with the Client, clearly defining all the requirements for IT provision within the business. This document is used to:

Form the basis of any eventual contract with a Service Provider (supplier) in that the proposed solution must satisfy the requirements outlined within the document
Define a collectively agreed 'shopping list' of client requirements which is not constantly changed by suppliers leapfrogging each other, and hence puts clients in the 'driving seat' and reduces selection timescales

Perparing an Invitation to Tender (ITT)

The CCL Invitation to Tender presents the client's requirements to selected suppliers in a clear, concise and unambiguous fashion. This document will ultimately form part of the sales contract between the client and their chosen supplier and will consist in whole or in part of:

• The Specification of Requirements
• Staffing
• System Sizing
• Availability
• Support Arrangements
• Hardware Configurations
• High level Implementation Plan

Identifying Suitable Prospective Supplier
The ITT is of little value if it is submitted to inappropriate suppliers. CCL ensures that, from previous knowledge and experience and through detailed background research, a list of suitable, potential suppliers is identified that are relevant to the client's situation.

Vetting Supplier Responses
CCL analyses each supplier response to ensure that their proposed solution is both technically viable, and that it identifies the strengths and weakness of the offering along with any risks in the final delivery.

Preparing a Shortlist of Recommended Suppliers
CCL have no formal links or associations with any IT Services providers and, therefore, we are totally objective and unbiased in the analysis and review of potential solutions. Our only objective is to assist our client to find the most appropriate solution for their requirements.

Arranging References and Site Visits
It is at this point that weaknesses or unsuitability can best be discovered but only if, like CCL, you have the experience to ask the right questions and more importantly, the knowledge to interpret the answers!

Final Supplier Assessment and Recommendation
Even at this stage, perhaps having evaluated three or four service providers, the final choice of supplier can be far from straightforward.

Our experience, gained from many years of direct involvement within the IT industry, means that we are better able to recommend the final supplier based on a more informed and better understanding of how the industry operates, thus ensuring that at all times the best interests of the client are served.