Single Vendor 'v' Multiple Vendor

**Spacecadet** · 15 October 2009, 13:55

From a commercial and risk point of view the single supplier is better, as long as that supplier has been suitably vetted and the contracts are in order.

When multiple parties start to get involved in the delivery of a system then things can get messy

**cojak** · 15 October 2009, 15:13

Originally posted by NewBoy View Post

Hi guys

I'm currently doing a review of a major IT transformation proposal and the company has narrowed it down to 4 vendors. It appears that the main difference is that 2 of them offer a single supplier solution and 2 of them would need to engage proven third parties to join forces with in order to complete the picture.

The idea of a single supplier who can offer several applications (through years of acquisition on top of core business) is clearly attractive. One person to shout at (sorry, manage) and the integration should be far more straightforward. However, it is unlikely that a Jack of all Trades will be best of breed in every area.

Using multiple vendors (albeit with one vendor as the prime (or SI partner)) has the advantage of being able to select best of breed for each app.

Do any of you know of any 'White Papers' or articles about this dilema?

If I keep scratching my head much longer I will have no hair left...please help!

<Resists urge to yell at computer before throwing it across the room>

And breeeeeeaaaaaaaatthhheee...

I'm sure you will have performed your requirements gathering and analysis - what does your company need? What is the ideal? What is the minimum you can get away with?

Give out your requirements to the vendors - get them to explain their solution to your requirements as well as the details (proof) that they will be able to provide that solution.

Then evaluate their responses before choosing the 'best' fit.

(as an implementor for clients and vendors of previous projects, I despair sometimes, still the OP appears to be a newbie at this game so I will bite my tongue...)

Basically get in someone who knows what they're doing (and this excludes the big consultancies...)

**TheFaQQer** · 15 October 2009, 15:52

Originally posted by NewBoy View Post

Using multiple vendors (albeit with one vendor as the prime (or SI partner)) has the advantage of being able to select best of breed for each app.

Is best of breed really what you want? Is it what you need? Are the best bits able to communicate with each other effectively? How much will it cost to maintain the best of breed solution with all the interconnection?

There were some amusing (as far as geeky IT adverts go) adverts for Oracle some years back about why you should by eBusiness Suite rather than go best of breed.

**northernladuk** · 15 October 2009, 16:02

The idea of a single supplier who can offer several applications (through years of acquisition on top of core business) is clearly attractive.

I know this is very arguable but I don't think that this statement is true anymore. The days of huge outsourcers owning single contracts have fallen by the wayside with a raft of high profile disasters still lingering about.

The multivendor specialists route is attractive now due to the failure of these huge political IT outsourcers not being able to manage a p*ss up in a brewery but charge you the earth for it.

Times are changing. Don't assume anything. Take every piece of work on its merits and not throw an assumption blanket over it.

**scooby** · 15 October 2009, 19:00

just be sure that the contract between and main supplier is reflected down the line... We have issues where this is not the case and it causes major issues!!

**JoJoGabor** · 15 October 2009, 19:59

You really need to find out what the vednor is good at and what they are not good at. I am currently working for one of the largest international consultancies, and yes they are awesome in some of their offerings, but there are others they are woefully bad at, and blag with their well-known name. I wouldn't recommend them for everything, but the last thing you need is one vendor blaming the other. The classic situation I face in my field (virtualisation) is the virtualisation people blaming the storage people, really when things are tied that closely together you want a single vendor - one throat to choke when it all goes wrong

Single Vendor 'v' Multiple Vendor