Solution
The Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) Package Selection solution (also commonly called Package Evaluation and Selection or PES) provides an objective approach to selecting a software package solution that best fits the requirements of the client from all dimensions. Our process reviews and numerically scores the fit of a number of packages to our clients' needs. Following are the areas that are considered in detail through the course of a typical end-to-end COTS-PS:
- Identification of vendors that should be considered
- Top Tier
- Point Solutions
- Fit of applications to business requirements
- Fit of applications to technical requirements and existing environment
- Vendor Fit
- Alignment of software vendor's strategic direction for the product with that of the client
- Vendor's current client base
- Vendor reference validation
- Vendor's financial standing
- Evaluation (numerical scoring) of vendors' proposals
- Vendor Software Demos
- Coordination and creation of demo scripts
- Evaluation (numeric scoring) of software demos
- Develop ROI for selected solution
- Develop high-level implementation plan for selected solution
We can flexibly engage with our clients through the entire process or for assistance in specific steps of the selection process.
Client Challenges
- Need to replace a home-grown application, from enterprise-wide scope to point solution, and need a formal methodology to making an objective selection
- Being pressured to upgrade to major new release of COTS software and want to make an informed decision of upgrading to the current vendor's new release or changing to another package altogether
Business Value
Objective evaluation of the degree of fit of multiple vendors' solutions is key to making an informed package selection. Ascendum's COTS-PS has been developed and adapted over many years to provide the most direct "path to value"
