Preparing for and delivering Due Diligence of a Vendor

Print

Client Requirement

The client, a major player in the Information and Communications Technology industry, need to perform a due diligence analysis of a potential outsourcing Vendor for its Network Operations Center (NOC) service. Nuatel provided this Due Diligence which provided the necessary information to give a go or no go decision on the selection of that Vendor as the NOC services delivery partner.

Requirement Scope

The specific client requirements for the due diligence process centered around leading a due diligence visit, with a team of NuaTel’s Client personnel to a potential NOC services partner.

The objectives were as follows:

  • Deep dive with two-way exchanges so that both parties are fully informed on the technical challenges for delivering such NuaTel’s Client NOC services. Assessment to be carried out at:
    • Knowledge level;
    • Process level;
    • Applications level; and
    • IT Integration level.

The due diligence needed to clearly establish:

  • Where exactly NOC Services partner are now vs.
  • What is required for any planned Pilot vs.
  • What is required for Final Vision (NOC used as a platform to deliver multiple different Services)

Required Participants

  1. NuaTel’s Client Participants :
    1. A minimum of one NuaTel’s Client Customer Support engineers, depending on the number of products being supported. Must be the SME for this product.
    2. IT representative.
    3. Specialist in working with outsourcing partners/Vendor management
    4. Team lead (provided by NuaTel).
  2. Vendor company : NOC staff access : Require access to staff with following responsibilities :
    1. Operations :
      1. Operations manager
      2. Shift supervisor
      3. Reasonable sample size of NOC operators
        1. Min of three Tier 1 Operators (including one night shift and Geographical Redundant NOC)
        2. Min two Tier 2
        3. Min one Tier 3
        4. Not to be chosen until as late as possible by the Visit team on the first day
    2. CTO
    3. Head of Security
    4. IT
    5. Training and documentation
    6. Vendor management/quality

Logistics

  1. 1 conference room
  2. Extra Small meeting room for Technical competency interviews
  3. Extranet /Wireless internet connection if possible to support access to remote demos and to quickly exchange information with any support teams in NuaTel’s Client.
  4. Conf. call facility (if required).

Specific rules

Always allow NOC vendor to present first during a topic. This prevents any learning from a NuaTel/Client presentation on the same topic.

Pre-trip

  1. Get agreement from NOC partner for access to personnel and other logistics
  2. A pre-trip presentation to be made available to the NOC partner in advance of the trip
  3. A detailed document of all items within scope should be made available to NOC partner in advance of meeting.
  4. Get agreement from NuaTel’s Client to free up staff to travel.
  5. Hold at a minimum of one one-hour pre-trip prep meeting prior to trip.
  6. Compile a briefing folder for all participants.

Resources & Timelines

Resources :

  • Nuatel: 15 staff days
  • Client: 3*3 staff days
  • Total: 24 staff days.

Timelines :

  • Due to the required planning, and vendor response periods the effort was expended over a 5 week period.

More information ...