1
The 7 Evaluation Categories
| Category | Weight | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Functional fit | 25% | 15 |
| Saudi localization (ZATCA, Arabic, GOSI) | 20% | 12 |
| Cost (5-year TCO) | 20% | 12 |
| Implementation timeline | 10% | 6 |
| Customization flexibility | 10% | 6 |
| Vendor stability | 10% | 6 |
| Support quality | 5% | 3 |
| Total | 100% | 60 |
2
RFP Template (Request for Proposal)
The RFP should contain:
Section 1: Company Overview
- Company overview (revenue, employees, branches)
- Industry + business model
- Current systems
- Transformation goals
Section 2: Functional Requirements
- List of modules needed (accounting, sales, inventory, etc.)
- Number of users per module
- Specific workflows that must be supported
- Integration requirements
Section 3: Technical Requirements
- Deployment preference (cloud, on-premise, hybrid)
- Data location requirements
- Security certifications needed
- API + integration capabilities
Section 4: Saudi-Specific Requirements
- ZATCA Phase-2 compliance
- Arabic + RTL support
- GOSI / Mudad / Nitaqat integration
- Saudi Chart of Accounts
Section 5: Pricing Format
- License cost (year 1, year 2-5)
- Implementation cost (fixed)
- Customization cost (rate card)
- Support cost (annual)
- 5-year TCO summary
3
Vendor Demo Checklist
Before the demo, prepare:
- 5 real-world scenarios from your company (not vendor's generic demo)
- Sample data — send data to vendor before demo
- Specific questions written (not spontaneous)
- Stakeholders — invite all: IT, Finance, Operations, Sales
- Recording permission — record demo for post-review
Questions to ask:
- How many clients of my size in the Saudi market?
- Can you connect me with 2-3 references?
- What's the customization rate (not cost) for similar companies?
- What's the escalation path if there's an issue?
- What's the SLA on critical bugs?
4
Red Flags in Vendor Selection
- Vendor not certified Odoo Partner (for Odoo specifically)
- All references outside your industry
- Non-transparent pricing — they say "we determine after discovery"
- Implementation timeline shorter than reasonable for the scope
- No clear product roadmap
- Customization rate > 30% — means product doesn't fit right
- No local support office
- Sales rep aggressive + pressure to sign quickly
5
Contract Terms to Verify
- Payment milestones — not "100% upfront"
- Acceptance criteria clear for each phase
- Penalty clauses for delay (typical: 0.5% per week, max 10%)
- IP ownership for custom code — must be yours
- Data ownership — must be yours with clear export rights
- SLA on support — response time + resolution time
- Termination clause — how to end contract if relationship not working
- Source code escrow (for on-premise)
- Non-compete clauses (if proprietary processes)