Evaluation checklist

When evaluating IT partners, consider…

Use this checklist in your tender or RFP process to compare bidders. Below each criterion we note where CMS Group meets it, so you can score consistently across providers.

Governance & strategic leadership

□Lead IT authority: who owns roadmap, budget, and vendor ecosystem?
□vCIO or equivalent strategic leadership included as standard (not add-on)?
□Structured methodology (e.g. discovery → roadmap → risk → ongoing governance)?
□Quarterly or regular strategic reviews (QBRs) with leadership?

CMS Group

StrategyOS and embedded vCIO included as standard; 5-step lifecycle and QBRs.

Transparency & reporting

□Real-time visibility into performance, SLAs, and trends?
□Roadmap and project progress visible (not just tickets)?
□Single client cockpit or portal (not multiple fragmented tools)?
□Clear ownership of third-party vendors and escalation?

CMS Group

CMS Strata: governed dashboards, roadmap visibility, project accountability, and knowledge continuity.

Operational speed & delivery

□Named team or pod (not generic call centre)?
□Published response time and first-contact resolution metrics?
□24/7/365 coverage with no outsourcing?
□Onsite or field support where required?

CMS Group

A-Player Pod model; 18s avg response, 87% FCR, 99.94% SLA; in-house 24/7/365.

Evidence & stability

□Quantified client outcomes (cost reduction, transformation, uptime)?
□Long-term retention and multi-year partnerships?
□Sector or industry experience relevant to your organisation?
□Assurance: ISO 27001, Cyber Essentials Plus, or equivalent?

CMS Group

98% retention; multi-decade partnerships (e.g. since 1995); case studies across hospitality, healthcare, professional services; ISO 27001 & CE+.

Your setup vs StrategyOS

Toggle each dimension: You today vs StrategyOS norm.

Strategy ownership

Real-time visibility

Named team

Roadmap & planning

Vendor governance

You're at 0 of 5. We can help close the gaps.

Get a calibrated comparison

Tendering for an IT partner? Request our tender response pack or arrange a call.

Response deadline in 14 days? Request the pack now and we'll prioritise your response.

Request tender pack / RFP response Why choose CMS

You can print this page (Ctrl+P / Cmd+P) to attach to your tender evaluation pack.

When evaluating IT partners, consider…

Use this checklist in your tender or RFP process to compare bidders. Below each criterion we note where CMS Group meets it, so you can score consistently across providers.

Governance & strategic leadership

□Lead IT authority: who owns roadmap, budget, and vendor ecosystem?
□vCIO or equivalent strategic leadership included as standard (not add-on)?
□Structured methodology (e.g. discovery → roadmap → risk → ongoing governance)?
□Quarterly or regular strategic reviews (QBRs) with leadership?

CMS Group

StrategyOS and embedded vCIO included as standard; 5-step lifecycle and QBRs.

Transparency & reporting

□Real-time visibility into performance, SLAs, and trends?
□Roadmap and project progress visible (not just tickets)?
□Single client cockpit or portal (not multiple fragmented tools)?
□Clear ownership of third-party vendors and escalation?

CMS Group

CMS Strata: governed dashboards, roadmap visibility, project accountability, and knowledge continuity.

Operational speed & delivery

□Named team or pod (not generic call centre)?
□Published response time and first-contact resolution metrics?
□24/7/365 coverage with no outsourcing?
□Onsite or field support where required?

CMS Group

A-Player Pod model; 18s avg response, 87% FCR, 99.94% SLA; in-house 24/7/365.

Evidence & stability

□Quantified client outcomes (cost reduction, transformation, uptime)?
□Long-term retention and multi-year partnerships?
□Sector or industry experience relevant to your organisation?
□Assurance: ISO 27001, Cyber Essentials Plus, or equivalent?

CMS Group

98% retention; multi-decade partnerships (e.g. since 1995); case studies across hospitality, healthcare, professional services; ISO 27001 & CE+.

Your setup vs StrategyOS

Toggle each dimension: You today vs StrategyOS norm.

Strategy ownership

Real-time visibility

Named team

Roadmap & planning

Vendor governance

You're at 0 of 5. We can help close the gaps.

Get a calibrated comparison

Tendering for an IT partner? Request our tender response pack or arrange a call.

Response deadline in 14 days? Request the pack now and we'll prioritise your response.

Request tender pack / RFP response Why choose CMS

You can print this page (Ctrl+P / Cmd+P) to attach to your tender evaluation pack.