Sourcing Advisory

Shared Services and Business Process Services organizations are shifting focus from scale, labor arbitrage and standardization towards digitalization, automation, end user experience and transformation. Digital-first providers and XaaS providers are increasingly challenging traditional service providers. Business models are shifting. It is becoming increasingly important for buyers to manage risk and complexity in changing environments with ecosystems of vendors. PIR supports clients in developing sourcing strategies, deals and relationship to allow for transformation, flexibility and business outcomes.

Sourcing processes tailored to achieve the desired relationships are more likely to deliver on your strategic goals with your service providers. E.g., you are less likely to achieve a trust-based partnership with strong elements of innovation through a competitive, document driven tender process. Likewise, if your aim is speed, and agility you need to tailor your sourcing model and processes accordingly. PIR provides clients with the experience, methods and tools to establish and develop the right type of contracts and relationships with their vendors and service providers in order to deliver on their sourcing strategies. Our value proposition in this area is appropriate processes, combined with a unique combination of technical, commercial and legal capabilities, adapted to fit your specific agenda and delivered in a collaborative way.

Poorly managed relationships and contracts are common reasons for value leakage, service degradation and unfulfilled business cases.

Conditions, focus, scope and people change during lifetimes of large service contracts – in many cases strategies change as well. Robust and sufficient capabilities in terms of governance, resource, skills and tools are critical in order to manage contracts, relationships and deliver expected business outcomes. PIR supports clients in developing vendor and contract management capabilities, and in remediation and repositioning of service provider contracts.

Telecom is our origin and heritage, and our experience reach from contract management of the earliest GSM systems to sourcing of 5G and efficiency improvement projects within telco procurement. Since its founding in 2001, PIR has participated in more than 130 mobile system procurement projects and several OSS/BSS procurement projects, gaining profound knowledge and experience in this field.

Launch of 5G is in the short term, for most operators, first looking at deployment of 5G NSA, while 5G SA roll-out is planned for the following year(s). It is however key for operators to look at the 5G roll-out plan holistically, meaning that planning for 5G also must consider their current 2,3 and 4G networks.

Spectrum strategy and modernization (upgrades and even expansion) of the legacy networks will be pivotal as part of the 5G strategy in order to offer coverage through 5G on legacy frequencies and capacity.

In addition to deep category expertise, PIR has bespoke contract templates which have been developed over time, securing the purchasers interests for the full lifetime of the investment.