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