# ERP Implementation Partner Evaluation Checklist > Source: https://netray.co/tools/erp-implementation-partner-evaluation-checklist > Publisher: Netray (netray.co), AI and integration engineering for ERP and manufacturing systems. > Section: Free Tools ## Short answer A structured checklist for evaluating the system integrator or implementation partner, separate from the software vendor itself. ## Category erp-migration ## Audience - CIO - ERP project lead - Procurement ## Tool **Kind:** checklist **Groups:** #### Experience and references **Items:** **Text:** Partner has completed projects on the exact product and version you are buying **Critical:** true Two or more references are in your industry and of similar size **Text:** References include a project that ran into trouble and how it was recovered **Critical:** true You can speak to the reference's project manager, not only the executive sponsor Partner has delivered the specific modules in scope, such as MRP, quality or finance consolidation Experience with your countries, tax rules and languages is documented Partner's certifications with the software vendor are current and verifiable #### Team and continuity **Items:** **Text:** Named project manager and lead consultants are identified in the proposal **Critical:** true **Text:** Key personnel clause prevents substitution without your approval **Critical:** true Proportion of onshore, nearshore and offshore resources is stated Functional and technical resources are separate, with defined roles Partner discloses staff turnover on comparable projects Backup resources are named for critical roles Time zone overlap for workshops and testing is agreed #### Method and deliverables **Items:** **Text:** Methodology is documented with phases, gates and deliverables **Critical:** true Fit-gap approach is described, including how customization requests are challenged **Text:** Data migration is a named workstream with cleansing and reconciliation steps **Critical:** true Testing strategy covers unit, integration, user acceptance and performance Change management and training are in scope or explicitly excluded Cutover and hypercare plans are included with duration stated Integration approach and tooling are defined for each external system Project governance includes steering meetings, risk logs and status reporting #### Commercial and contract **Items:** **Text:** Pricing basis is clear: fixed fee, time and materials or hybrid **Critical:** true **Text:** Assumptions behind the fixed fee are listed and reasonable **Critical:** true Rate card covers change requests and extra resources Payment milestones are linked to accepted deliverables, not elapsed time Warranty period and defect correction terms are stated Travel and expense policy is capped or defined Contingency recommendation is made openly, not hidden in rates Knowledge transfer to your internal team is a contracted deliverable #### Risk and fit **Items:** Partner is willing to challenge your scope and timeline, not just accept it **Text:** Financial stability of the partner has been checked **Critical:** true Conflicts of interest, such as incentives from the software vendor, are disclosed Partner capacity during your planned go-live is confirmed Security and confidentiality practices cover access to production data Escalation path above the project manager is defined **Scoring Note:** Count items checked against total. Treat any unchecked critical item as a question to resolve in writing before awarding the work. ## Content **Intro:** The software vendor sells the product, but the implementation partner decides whether you go live on time. This checklist keeps partner evaluation separate from product evaluation and focuses on evidence you can verify. **Sections:** #### How to use the checklist **Body:** Use it twice: once when screening proposals and again before signing the statement of work. Tick an item only when you have seen evidence, such as a named resume, a reference call or a clause in the draft. Share the unchecked items with the partner and ask for written answers. Their willingness to answer plainly is itself a useful signal. #### Why partner and product are different decisions **Body:** Two partners implementing the same product can deliver very different outcomes, because results depend on the consultants assigned, the discipline of the method and the handling of data migration. Ask for the team that will actually work on your project, not the pre-sales team, and check their experience with your modules, industry and country rules. **Bullets:** - Interview the proposed project manager - Ask for resumes of lead consultants - Verify certifications directly with the vendor #### Reading proposals critically **Body:** A very low fixed fee with long assumptions often means change orders later. Read the assumptions as carefully as the price: number of interfaces, reports, data objects and test cycles. Compare partners on a common scope table and ask each to price the same list. Where scope is vague, ask the partner to state what is excluded rather than what is included. #### Common mistakes **Body:** Common failures are choosing a partner on rate alone, accepting a substitution of the proposed team after signature, and leaving data migration and training outside the contract. Another is relying on the software vendor's recommended partner without independent references. Recommendation is useful input, but it is not due diligence. **Cta:** Netray works with ERP domain-expert partners and can give an independent view on technical scope such as integrations and data extraction. Use the checklist on its own at no cost. **Faq:** #### Should the vendor or a separate partner implement? **Answer:** Either can work. Vendor professional services know the product deeply, while independent partners may offer industry depth or lower rates. Evaluate the proposed team and references in both cases and write responsibilities into the contract. #### How many partner references should we check? **Answer:** Three is a practical minimum, with at least one in your industry and one recent project of similar scope. Ask each for the project manager's contact and request to hear about problems, not only successes. #### Is a fixed-fee implementation safer? **Answer:** It gives budget certainty only if scope and assumptions are tight. Vague scope turns fixed fee into frequent change orders. Time and materials with a cap, or a hybrid, can be more honest for uncertain scope. #### What should the key personnel clause say? **Answer:** It should name the project manager and lead consultants, require your written approval for replacement, and ensure replacements have equivalent experience, with a handover period paid for by the partner. ## Search terms erp implementation partner selection, system integrator evaluation checklist, how to choose erp implementation partner, erp consultant due diligence, erp partner reference check, erp vendor vs integrator, systems integrator rfp criteria --- Talk to an engineer: https://netray.co/contact?intent=erp_ai | Machine catalog: https://netray.co/agent/catalog.json