Vendor Integration

October 14, 2014

A Vendor/Client Perspective

Jennifer L. PesanelliDeputy Executive Director for Operations

& Director of Publications

Vendor/Client: The Vendor Side

• Association Management Services– General Management: Executive Directors, Business

Managers– Meeting Management– Support Services: Membership, Accounting, IT

• Publication Services– Editorial, Peer Review, Production (not systems)– Programs, Abstracts, Directories– Content Licensing, Fulfillment

Vendor/Client: The Client Side

• Our Association Management Needs– Database – Association Management Software (AMS)– Third party support for client society programs

• Commercial publishing contacts• Learning management systems (LMS)

• Our Publishing Needs – Manuscript submission and peer review system– Composition, tagging, printing– Online platform

The Very Important Request for Proposal (RFP)

• Best bet for apples to apples• Engage a consultant?• RFP Development

– Background– Process and timelines– Needs

• Scope of services from client/publisher perspective• The more detail the better!!

The Proposal

• Be open to lots of questions• Scope of services from the

vendor perspective• Expectations• Details, details, details

– Deliverables – 3rd party involvement?

Critical Phases

• Proposal to Contract phase– Scope inclusion– Negotiation

• Exit strategy!

• Transition phase– Documentation

• Up and running – steady state?

The Ongoing Relationship

• Communication– 2 way street

• Managing expectations• You aren’t the only one!• ….but you’re busy too• When problems arise

Multiple Vendors – Playing Well Together

• Integration• Process• Communication

– Now 3+ way street

• Compatible systems?– Cost implications

The Desired End Result