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In this day and age of full-scale eCommerce, 1-click ordering and free two-day shipping with online marketplaces offering dozens (if not hundreds) of options for anything you might be shopping for, why would anyone contract a procurement specialist for hardware or software for your business?

It’s a valid question, with a short answer. It’s harder than it looks.

Assembling and managing a high-performance, secure and scalable IT network is a task not to be taken lightly, nor given to someone with marginal (or no!) experience. It involves processes that, even to list, demonstrate a specialized base of knowledge not shared by many.

Contracting your hardware and software procurement to an outside resource will be one of the smartest and best decision you’ll make in your growing business. Here are five considerations a good, procurement professional will explore or already know to help you in the process.

Comprehensive Business Analysis. It’s a good exercise to periodically walk through the business you’re in—its processes and requirements—to determine what your needs may be. Bringing in an outside resource forces your hand, moves this from a should-do to a must-do list, and allows for ideas from other industries you may or may not have included in your own analysis.

Asset Lifecycle Assessment. Any company with five or more users should have a unit-to-unit system to account for the age, functionality and compatibility of all hardware and software assets, current and proposed. Keeping current on the projected active lifespan of equipment and software requires specialized knowledge which may not be available to a project manager within your company. A procurement professional has this information from an inside perspective.

Budget Consultation and Preparation. It’s crucial to carefully prepare a project budget at the outset of any upgrade and not after the upgrade has been proposed. As with anything, there is a wide degree of creativity and latitude in creating a workable solution, and many considerations come into play. The amount of money available is key. Knowing what can be spent can help to fashion a viable solution and, as important, eliminate any surprise factor or escalation of project costs at or near project completion.

Cost-efficient, Time-efficient Process. A good procurement partner will have been through the process before, offering it (as opposed to you) more buying power by having access to the best buy prices available and volume purchasing. In the case of specialized hardware or software, your procurement partner will know how to bid and negotiate to get you the best price possible, tailored to the aforementioned budget, and provide impartial advice on the right equipment for your situation. In addition, the proper selection and licensing of software, tailored to your business model, ensures maximum productivity from the first day of implementation, and protects you from incorrect or illegal use of software not properly licensed.

Documentation and History. Finally, your procurement contractor should provide documented management of all activities in the information technology procurement function, for the current project, and for future reference.

Carolinas Net Care provides procurement services for small, medium and large businesses, organizations and institutions. Let us craft a procurement proposal for you. Click here for more information.