Vendor Selection (Pharma IT)

Vendor Selection (Pharma IT)

The client identified that collaboration across business units suffered due to a plethora of applications and isolated infrastructures. The client approached Odysseus Digital to recommend a vendor for a 5-year contract that would migrate systems and applications into M365 and Azure and manage these on behalf of the client.

Streamlined RFP Creation

Shortlisted, interviewed, scored and ranked potential vendors

Recommended vendor rationalized over 40 applications

vendor-selection-for-pharma-it

Vendor Selection (Pharma IT)

The client identified that collaboration across business units suffered due to a plethora of applications and isolated infrastructures. The client approached Odysseus Digital to recommend a vendor for a 5-year contract that would migrate systems and applications into M365 and Azure and manage these on behalf of the client.

Streamlined RFP Creation

Shortlisted, interviewed, scored and ranked potential vendors

Recommended vendor rationalized over 40 applications

vendor-selection-for-pharma-it

Choosing a Trusted Partner at Scale

Choosing a Trusted Partner at Scale

Choosing a Trusted Partner at Scale

challenge

The Challenge

The Challenge

The German-based pharmaceutical manufacturer identified that collaboration across business units suffered due to a plethora of application and isolated infrastructures.

The German-based pharmaceutical manufacturer identified that collaboration across business units suffered due to a plethora of application and isolated infrastructures.

pain-points
pain-points

Pain Points

Pain Points
  • Multiple contracts for software from the one vendor.

  • Lack of digitally secure communication required.

  • Expensive system maintenance.

  • Multiple contracts for software from the one vendor.

  • Lack of digitally secure communication required.

  • Expensive system maintenance.

our-scope-and-value
our-scope-and-value
our-scope-and-value

Our Scope and Value

Our Scope and Value
  • Requirements engineering.

  • RFP Creation.

  • Shortlisting vendors.

  • Interviewing vendors.

  • Scoring & ranking vendors.

  • Requirements engineering.

  • RFP Creation.

  • Shortlisting vendors.

  • Interviewing vendors.

  • Scoring & ranking vendors.

The Situation

Over 20 years the client experienced tremendous growth. Due to the time pressure and scale of the growth the focus shifted from streamlining processes and integrating applications to managing growth within the core business.


This led business units to spin up their own infrastructure, and, given authority, procure and integrate systems and applications that they were tailored to their specific requirements at that time. Laboratory operations chose their own providers, as did production, finance, sales, marketing, and others. An internal assessment revealed major inefficiencies in communication, collaboration, and document management.


The client approached Odysseus Digital to recommend a vendor for a 5-year contract that would migrate systems and applications into Microsoft 365 and Azure services and manage these on behalf of the client. The objective was to reach the following state:

Over 20 years the client experienced tremendous growth. Due to the time pressure and scale of the growth the focus shifted from streamlining processes and integrating applications to managing growth within the core business.

This led business units to spin up their own infrastructure, and, given authority, procure and integrate systems and applications that they were tailored to their specific requirements at that time. Laboratory operations chose their own providers, as did production, finance, sales, marketing, and others. An internal assessment revealed major inefficiencies in communication, collaboration, and document management.

The client approached Odysseus Digital to recommend a vendor for a 5-year contract that would migrate systems and applications into Microsoft 365 and Azure services and manage these on behalf of the client. The objective was to reach thefollowing state:

objective-organization
objective-organization

Our Approach

We structured communication around levels of access to stakeholders. We reported to the CIO and heads of the business units on progress. Our consultants interviewed each business units VP. The RFP was comprehensive and future-proof because we were able to get a big picture of the needs, extracted patterns and prioritized specific demands.

We structured communication around levels of access to stakeholders. We reported to the CIO and heads of the business units on progress. Our consultants interviewed each business units VP. The RFP was comprehensive and future-proof because we were able to get a big picture of the needs, extracted patterns and prioritized specific demands.

requirements-to-rfp

Requirements to RFP

Requirements to RFP

Streamlining requirements into a RFP for loosely-coupled systems required one Enterprise Architect per system.

vendor scoring and ranking

Vendor Scoring & Ranking

Vendor Scoring & Ranking

After all-day workshops from each shortlisted vendor team created a matrix that allowed scoring vendors on requirements from the RFP as well as the quality of their presentation to rank all and recommend the preferred vendor.

The Outcome - Preferred Vendor Performance

The client chose the recommended vendor as Managed Service Provider (MSP) for a 5-year contract including modernization of infrastructure for communication, collaboration, and document and knowledge management. Up until year three the vendor consolidated numerous smaller applications into a few and rationalized more than 40 full software applications. Additionally, 36 technical resources were given new titles, roles, and responsibilites.

The client chose the recommended vendor as Managed Service Provider (MSP) for a 5-year contract including modernization of infrastructure for communication, collaboration, and document and knowledge management. Up until year three the vendor consolidated numerous smaller applications into a few and rationalized more than 40 full software applications. Additionally, 36 technical resources were given new titles, roles, and responsibilites.

applications rationalized

40+ applications consolidated

40+ applications consolidated

The MSP rationalized more than 40 software applications into their offering, reducing cost massively for technology.

resources redeployed

36 resources re-deployed

36 resources re-deployed

After removing manual work, the client found new roles with value-added tasks for 36 internal resources.

“With diligence from Odysseus Digital we chose a vendor that we trust.”

“With diligence from Odysseus Digital we chose a vendor that we trust.”


“With diligence from Odysseus Digital we chose a vendor that we trust.”

Philosophy for RFP, bidding & tender

Philosophy for RFP, bidding & tender

creating value

Creating value

Creating value

Talented resources are motivated by performing value-added work. Motivation is enabled by removing dull and manual work, so that they focus on innovation. Automation is paramount to empower resources to find creative solutions.

reducing cost

Reducing cost

Reducing cost

Selecting MSPs for technology services is part of the larger digital transformation journey. It reduces cost by rationalizing applications and migrating applications to infrastructure that allows using their features and licenses more efficiently.