Vendor Selection to be an Important Discussion in 2013

Migrated from eDJGroupInc.com. Author: Babs Deacon. Published: 2013-02-27 19:02:15  I’ve been helping several organizations with their vendor selection process, recently, as well as writing on the topic.  Many eDiscovery-ites may be wondering, “Haven’t we bought everything, already?” Of course the answer is that eDiscovery is a cyclical endeavor, which includes periodically reassessing technology, pricing and staffing as practices evolve and technology improves.  I recall helping a number of firms overhaul their litigation support departments and platforms in 2005-2007 to accommodate escalating eDiscovery volumes and remote access requirements.  We are in another selection round as many corporations are becoming more aggressive about bringing processing in-house, adding the power of TAR and sophisticated analytics to document review and negotiating subscription pricing relationships.Important technology decisions should not be made in a casual manner.  The approach must be standardized to ensure a valid comparison of offerings.  Although standardization is the foundation of all effective selection processes, the criteria must be customized to meet the environment, priorities, and goals of the purchaser.  Why isn’t a controlled vendor selection process the standard operating procedure in more firms and corporations?  I think there are several reasons for an organization’s lack of a preferred vendor program or selection procedures: vendor relationships or platforms that have been in place so long that the organization is “out of practice”, having to purchase technology or services or deal with locations that are completely new to the purchasers, and organizational cultures that are too silo-ed to allow for a procurement program.To answer the need for more sophisticated selection programs, we have included Vendor Selection as one of the topics in our 2013 eDJ Boot Camp Program.  Please join me for an in-depth ½ day “Selecting eDiscovery Technology and Service Solutions.”Dates and Locations:3/21/2013 – Austin, TX5/16/2013 – New York, NYeDJ Vendor Selection Boot Camp Description Understand how to prepare your organization for vendor selection by finding the right participants and gathering the most informative metrics.  Formulate a selection process that you control and is an equitable comparison of respondents.  Master the steps involved in grading and assuring the veracity of vendor responses and in performing appropriate tests, as well as acceptance and implementation tasks.This boot camp will be a hands-on activity-driven program that will simulate real vendor selection challenges and will provide tested methods and materials for mastering the selection process.Look for additional content coming this spring in the eDiscoveryJournal Analyst report: “The Top 5 Things you Must know about Selecting eDiscovery Technology and Service Solutions”.  And be ready to tune into our upcoming webinar: “Select Vendors Like it’s your Job.”For more information on how to register for this program or to sponsor, please contact marilyn@edjgroupinc.com eDiscoveryJournal Contributor and eDJ Group Director of Strategic Consulting – Babs Deacon