OPM Case Study 1 – Running an RFP approach to OPM solution selection.
In 2018 SHC was retained by a prestigious School that was in already in a successful long term OPM relationship with a leading supplier, but whose contract was coming to the end of its initial term. SHC was asked to help structure and manage an RFP process to allow the School to drive a truly competitive evaluation that would lead to School having the ability to make a fully informed strategic decision on where to go next with their online program and would lead to them obtaining best contract possible terms in any new deal.
The competitive RFP process we ran included traditional complete offering OPM suppliers and up-coming primary partner/integrator suppliers.
As part of our SHC process we helped the School develop suitable financial models to compare submissions and tools to understand and highlight business terms and risks from each of the very different offerings. As the bids came in SHC was requested to help evaluate them, lead discussions/negotiate the supplier offerings, drive improvements as might be needed, and maintain the integrity of the RFP timeline and process.
Through the competitive RFP process itself we had made an up to date services contract with all that entails a non-negotiable starting point. In addition to this, we had been able to obtain significant improvements to so called supplier ‘standard’ contract terms. Building on this foundation, and after a multistage down-select process SHC assisted the School with final supplier selection and final contract negotiations. We were able at this point to obtain very non-standard terms for the School that included
- Modern services contract structures ( US Data Privacy, GDPR, Rights to Audit, Flow down of School policies, service quality guarantees, etc. )
- Provision for required levels of, and transparency in, marketing expenditure
- Provision for exit/termination based on meeting business objectives by defined timelines
- Provisions for clarifying and simplifying ultimate exit by specifics on IP Ownership, Marketing responsibilities on termination, obligations to share revenue after termination, etc.
The School has been was happy with the outcome of the SHC engagement and is about to start services with their new OPM provider.