Helping IT Sourcing
Pros Do Better Deals

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Modern Cloud Contracting

for SaaS, AI, and other Cloud Services

Overview

Cloud services have transformed how organizations buy, deploy, and manage technology — but they’ve also introduced new negotiation challenges, hidden risks, and shifting vendor behaviors. This ICN course equips IT sourcing professionals to navigate these realities with increased confidence.

Through a clear, proven process, you’ll learn how to identify common Cloud contracting pitfalls, structure stronger agreements, and negotiate from a position of strength. You’ll also gain practical guidance for partnering with internal stakeholders — including IT, security, legal, finance, and business leaders — to prepare effectively and secure better deals across SaaS, AI, and other Cloud service environments.

This workshop is designed to help you avoid costly missteps, manage risk proactively, and capture the flexibility and value your organization expects from the Cloud.

  • Would you like to know what successful Customers do, even the small ones, to leverage better deals with Big Cloud Providers?
  • What unique PLOYS are Cloud Providers using with internal Cloud stakeholders?
  • How can you use best-practice tactics to negotiate the best Cloud deals for your company?

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Today

Benefits

  • What Cloud Computing is and how it works
  • Learn the benefits and risks of Cloud Services
  • Get the factors essential for the paradigm shift presented by Cloud Computing
  • Prepare your organization to acquire technology with Cloud Services
  • Analyze/evaluate Cloud Services options
  • Mitigate Cloud Service risks (imbedded AI, Open Source, etc.)
  • Would you like to know what successful Customers do, even the small ones, to get better deals with Big Cloud Providers?
  • What unique PLOYS are Cloud Providers using in your internal Cloud stakeholders?
  • How can you use best-practice tactics to negotiate the best Cloud deals for your company?

You'll Walk Away With:

  • Cloud vocabulary + definitions
  • Cloud RACI model
  • Position paper template
  • Cloud contracting philosophy
  • SLA reconciliation letter
  • Vendor deficiency letter
  • SaaS Master Agreement + checklist
  • Cloud provider profile workbook
  • eCommerce support terms
  • Web hosting agreement with remedies
  • A complete toolkit you can use immediately in real Cloud negotiations.

Content

partial outline

Course Length: 2 Days

Level Setting

1. Cloud computing—yesterday, today, and tomorrow
2. Types of Clouds
3. Types of Cloud-services
4. Impact of domestic/global cloud computing
5. What cloud computing is not

Business Case for Clouds

1. Cost of entry
2. Startup time and entry speed
3. Cost of ongoing operations
4. Scalability of service
5. Buying only needed amount
6. IT department size
7. Level of IT expertise required

Lost in the Clouds

1. Gimmicks and Gotchas galore
2. AI-related problems
3. Service failures
4. Data breaches
5. Hidden costs
6. No or little customer control
7. One-flavor-for-all customers
8. Pricing models
9. Regulatory compliance nightmares
10. Dumbing down your company expertise
11. Service provider leverage—are the “hooks in deep?”
12. Escaping—how and at what price?
13. Other challenges

Solution Overview: Lifting the Fog

Cloud-contracting Process

1. Find and engage Cloud-service stakeholders
a. Cloud-contracting Advisory Team
b. Cloud-contracting Table Team

2. Collect and prioritize Cloud-service objectives
a. Results vs resources in Cloud deals
b. Gather Cloud-service objectives
c. Assess objective-related risks
d. Rate & prioritize cloud-service objectives

3. Address identified Cloud-service risks

4. Design cloud-service levels

5. Secure cloud-stake-holder approvals

6. Develop cloud contracting
documents
a. Cloud-specific contract issues
b. Other Cloud-related contract issues
c. Katz and other critters
d. Hidden “Gotchas” in Provider cloud contracts

7. RFP to the cloud and its alternatives

8. Evaluate cloud-service proposals and alternates

9. Negotiate the silver linings
a. Create negotiation strategies for Cloud contracting
b. Develop negotiation leverage for Cloud contracting
c. Overcome Cloud-provider ploys

10. Manage your cloud services
a. Implementation projects
b. Contract enforcement
c. Provider-customer relationship management

Cloud survival guide—Identify and address cloud specific risks

1. Secure your data at ALL costs
2. Protect your IP rights
3. Design for technical cloud-service failure
4. Contract for cloud-service failure
5. Create and use a clear cloud-contracting philosophy
6. Use competition among cloud-providers
7. Use competition between clouds and non-cloud alternatives
8. Have a clearly defined, planned, and executable exit strategy
9. Contract for cloud-results not just resources
10. Manage your cloud services
11. Enforce your Cloud contract
12. Manage your Cloud-Provider relationships