{"id":13616,"date":"2018-10-17T11:00:27","date_gmt":"2018-10-17T19:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.palada.net\/index.php\/2018\/10\/17\/news-7383\/"},"modified":"2018-10-17T11:00:27","modified_gmt":"2018-10-17T19:00:27","slug":"news-7383","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.palada.net\/index.php\/2018\/10\/17\/news-7383\/","title":{"rendered":"Data Center Facility Operations Services: Tips for a Bulletproof Request for Proposal (RFP)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Credit to Author: Patrick Donovan| Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2018 15:00:00 +0000<\/strong><\/p>\n

By now, I think we all know that no matter how well thought out a data center design<\/a> is, human error can bring it all down. I\u2019m sure many of you have seen the headlines<\/a> and heard about seemingly unsinkable cloud services failing from operational mistakes<\/a>. The facility operations and maintenance program, as much as (or more than?) the physical design itself, determines the success or failure of a facility. The mission critical nature of the site combined with the importance of the operations team\u2019s role in maintaining it means that owners need to make management their top priority. Outsourcing the data center operations<\/a> and maintenance (O&M) function of a data center is an increasingly popular, cost-effective way to ensure optimum performance. The benefits of outsourcing data center O&M functions to a company with advanced expertise include: increased uptime, reduced TCO, better capacity utilization, program standards based on industry best practices, longer asset life, and increased energy efficiency.<\/p>\n

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Download White Paper 273: Guide to Writing an RFP for Data Center Facility Operation Services<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Setting Expectations for your Data Center Operations with a Request for Proposal<\/h2>\n

The process for procuring facility operations services should involve a Request for Proposal, or RFP. Unlike Request for Quotes and Request for Tenders, an RFP leaves the precise format and structure of the response to the discretion of suppliers[1]<\/a>. This is important when you\u2019re seeking creative, innovative, and thorough solutions for managing something so important to the lifeblood of the organization. Schneider Electric\u2019s new White Paper 273: Guide to Writing an RFP for Data Center Facility Operation Services<\/em><\/a> lays out guidance on how to ensure qualification criteria are well-defined, performance requirements are clearly communicated, and vendor responses are detailed and complete enough to enable an objective and thorough evaluation. The paper was authored by Dave Gentry, Schneider\u2019s VP of Global Facility Operations, who brings over 38 years of critical facility operations<\/a> expertise. Let me cover 3 \u201ckeys to success\u201d when considering outsourcing facility management.<\/p>\n

\"Download<\/a> <\/p>\n

1. Effective RFPs are Written Clearly and Concisely<\/h2>\n

Aside from the obvious point that vague, unclear descriptions and requirements will make it hard for service providers to give accurate and appropriately priced responses to the RFP, part of being clear also means giving responders a clear picture of the history and current status of the site. This should include information such as:<\/p>\n