Request for information – Check list for service provider
Are you working on preparing your RFI requirements?
Service provider infrastructure needs continuous maintenance, regular optimization and investments in order to stay relevant. New investments normally go via a formal tendering process when service providers share their requirements in a form of Request for Proposal (RFP) with a number of vendors asking them to respond within a set timeframe with their proposals. Vendor selections are finally made after a thorough analysis from all responses and alternatives. These RFPs are proceeded by Request for Information (RFI) process, the purpose of which is to better learn the market and gather information prior to specifying the RFP requirements in details.
The size and scope of RFPs vary greatly as they depend on the service provider actual investment objectives. One RFP typically contains multiple technology areas and is split into different sections. As the technology range under evaluation is very broad it is common that a vendor selects certain parts of the RFP when responding or partners with other companies in order to build a more comprehensive proposal.
For service provider writing the RFP and RFI with all the necessary technology areas covered is a challenge. Each technology and solution area are developing on its own path and it is hard for service provider to keep track of everything. Investments as the result of the RFP process are typically significant, and therefore they will need to serve in the best possible way also long term. Assessing this requires understanding about the evolution of service needs also, and in addition each technology area requirements should be written with necessary details.
Performance monitoring is a crucial component for any service provider network and its importance is getting higher along with increased network use in terms of capacity and digitalization of many mission-critical use cases. Therefore, performance monitoring specific requirements are commonly part of the RFP requirements which result in RFI.
To save the time and efforts when specifying the relevant questions on performance monitoring requirements when you prepare your next RFI use our RFI template. The main purpose of this document is to provide service providers with a check list, which assists in assessing the necessary performance monitoring capabilities when planning network modernization or expansion. With this check list is to help to ask the relevant questions about the performance monitoring solution from providers and ultimately to find a suitable performance monitoring solution.
Take a look into this document, which provides a comprehensive list of questions on requirements on performance management and service assurance area. This should help you to find the best alternative from the market and best value for investments to cater not only today’s needs but also be ready for future services.
As an expert with full focus on performance monitoring with 20+ years of experience on the market, Creanord can offer you valuable insights on the performance monitoring needs across different services and use cases.