Practical Guide for IT Outsourcing
a HandiGuide^®

Template includes a sample contract with an Sevicel Level Agreement

The Practical Guide for IT Outsourcing is delivered electronically in WORD and/or PDF format.  Included is a detailed sample contract, a sample service level agreement with metrics, a 3 page Job Description for the Manager Outsourcing, and much more.

Outsourcing is only as successful as you plan, manage and direct the relationship.  The rules of the road that should be followed are:

• Make sure your enterprise management initiatives include all the data and information related to outsourced processes and that they are tracked throughout the lifecycle of the relationship.
• Duplicate functions typically exist in organizations likely which create redundancies and increasing costs – root out these teams and right-size your organization before you start the relationship.
• The managers who ran the function that has been outsourced usually do not make the most individuals to manage the ongoing relationship.
• Your outsourcing management team size should ebb and flow as needs change throughout the transition and ongoing, or steady-state, phase – make sure your team flexes and contracts accordingly.
• Ensure you and your outsource providers have aligned goals or risk failure to deliver on the “intent” of the deal – metrics and service level agreements are a must
• Even after the relationship has been in place for a while with your outsource provider, it is never too late to establish best practice.
• Focus on the “what” and not the “how” of the relationship – the reason that the outsourcing relationship was implemented was to do things differently. 
• Track and measure internal client satisfaction – keeping an open dialogue and obtaining regular feedback from internal clients is the key to managing expectations.
• Manage your organization’s level of trust toward its outsource provider – do whatever necessary to maintain or regain trust to avoid diminishing value.

The guide includes everything needed to plan for, negotiate, and manage an outsourcing process within an enterprise.  The electronic document includes:

• Outsourcing Management Standard Overview of outsourcing, Service Level Agreements and responsibilities.

• Outsourcing Policy Standard Policy that can be used to determine when outsourcing is an option.

• Outsourcing Approval Standard Process which can be used in approving an outsourcing agreement.  Includes a process flow chart on steps to a successful outsourcing agreement.

• Sample Service Level Agreement Includes sample metrics as well as text that can be used to create your own SLA.

• Service Level Agreement Metrics Definition of over 150 metrics presented in 18 tables that can be used to manage an outsourcing vendor.

• Outline for Contract Negotiation  Over 17 pages which issues to be addressed including service to be provided, service level requirements, term of the agreement, enterprise's facilities, enterprise's equipment (owned/leased), intellectual property, third party service providers, IT application project (current / future), responsibilities, training and conversion to mention a few.

• Base Case Development Detail listing of factors to include

• Mutual Non-Disclosure Template Template that can be used to create an enterprise's own document for use with outsourcing vendors.

• Job Description for Manager Outsourcing (3 pages long)

• Business & IT Impact Questionnaire - Inventory and assess all application - addresses Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance issues.

• ISO 27001 & 27002 Security Process Audit Checklist

• HIPAA Audit Program Guide