IT Outsourcing Contracts: A Legal and Practical Guide

This book provides an overview of the IT outsourcing relationship and life cycle. The process begins with an organisation considering whether or not IT outsourcing would be of benefit and then the issues which would need to be considered in order to answer this question accurately are discussed. If an organisation believes that an IT outsourcing deal could be of benefit, it will then need to choose a suitable supplier to perform its IT outsourcing. The issues to consider regarding an IT supplier are also set out in this book. Having selected an IT supplier, an organisation will then need to agree key terms (including identifying and agreeing any contentious issues which are so-called deal breakers). Agreeing the IT outsourcing contract is not the end but the start of the IT outsourcing relationship and this relationship will need to be managed and developed over the course of the contract. Sooner or later the IT outsourcing arrangement will have to come to an end and so an exit plan will need to be formulated and implemented. This life cycle needs to be fully understood by anyone involved in this kind of IT outsourcing transaction and this book provides useful information about this life cycle.

Table of Contents:
Introduction Chapter 1: Why do Organisations Consider IT Outsourcing? Choosing to outsource your IT Advantages of IT outsourcing Disadvantages of IT outsourcing Summary Chapter 2: How to Choose an IT Outsourcing Supplier A typical selection process Potential dispute areas Mistakes to avoid when selecting your IT supplier Public sector process Getting pricing right Negotiating price and payment terms Making the right choice of IT supplier - other selection criteria Summary Chapter 3: Agreeing Points of Principle Why agreeing key terms matters Not all IT suppliers like key terms How can you remain in control? Summary Chapter 4: Key Clauses: Deal breakers, Options and Workarounds Deal breaker one: Price Deal breaker two: Term and termination Deal breaker three: Exclusions and limitations of liability Deal breaker four: Intellectual property Summary Chapter 5: Agreeing the IT Outsourcing Contract Putting an IT outsourcing contract in place The importance of good communications Costs Other legal issues Offshoring abroad Summary Chapter 6: Managing the Relationship: Typical Problems and Solutions Making changes to your IT outsourcing contract Service standards and service level agreements Summary Chapter 7: Ending the IT Outsourcing Relationship Termination A good ending Summary Chapter 8: Conclusions and Key Learning Points ITG Resources

About the Author :
Jimmy Desai is a partner in a City law firm and has been involved in IT outsourcing transactions since the mid 1990s. Throughout his career he has advised major international blue-chip companies, governments, industry bodies, IT customers and IT suppliers on their IT outsourcing transactions. He writes extensively for a wide-range of IT publications and lectures at international conferences both in the UK and abroad. He has lectured at the University of London and the University of Stirling and as well as a law degree, he has a Masters Degree in Electronic Engineering and post graduate qualifications in Intellectual Property Law and Practice. Jimmy is a member of TIPLO, ITMA, SCL, EuroITcounsel, Intellect and ITechLaw.