The situation
Ahead of a major S/4HANA program, the enterprise had to select a systems integrator — a decision that would lock in the program's cost base and delivery risk for years.
Initial quotes reflected what SIs bid when they don't expect scrutiny: broad scope, generous contingency, and rate cards built for a soft negotiation.
What we did
- 01Structured and ran a competitive RFP across three major systems integrators.
- 02Normalized scope and estimates across bids so proposals competed on the same baseline.
- 03Challenged staffing pyramids, rates, and contingency line by line.
- 04Maintained genuine competitive tension through the final negotiation with the selected SI.
The outcome
- The selected SI's quoted cost came down by roughly 32% between initial bid and final agreement.
- The savings came from scope and estimate discipline — not from trading away delivery quality or accountability.