Partner Management · Field Edition

Vendor
Field Toolkit

One document. One vendor. One session. Everything your partner management team needs to evaluate, score, and classify — without the manual.

How to use this

ID the category

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Run 12 questions

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Fill scorecard

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Check red flags

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Follow workflow

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Classify & capture

Questions

Decision steps

Classifications

01 ·

Vendor Categories

Identify the category before anything else — it shapes which questions and red flags matter most.

Category	What they provide	Primary value to Descasio	Biggest risk	Priority
Technology Platform	Software, APIs, or platforms Descasio builds on — AWS, Microsoft, OpenAI	Core delivery, credentialing, co-sell, marketplace	Lock-in, pricing changes, roadmap dependency	High
Data / AI Specialist	Niche AI, MLOps, vector DB, or analytics tooling	Fills skill gaps; accelerates data hub / AI offerings	Commoditisation; overlap with platform vendors	High
Product / Integration	eKYC, payments, document processing — embeds into PlugIQ	Accelerates PlugIQ feature depth without building from scratch	API deprecation; pricing hikes; integration maintenance	High
Infrastructure / Cloud	AWS, Azure, GCP — hosting and DevOps backbone	Cloud migration, managed services, cost optimisation	Cost overruns; over-provisioning; client budget limits	High
Competency / Cert	Training bodies enabling AWS / Microsoft / Google certifications	Improves partner tier, credibility, co-sell access	High cost; time burden; maintenance overhead	High
ERP / Dynamics	Dynamics 365, SAP, Odoo — enterprise finance and ops software	Enables digital transformation for FSI and public sector	Long cycles; heavy implementation; thin margin	Medium
Implementation	Co-delivery firms for large or specialist projects	Extends capacity without hiring; reduces single-deal risk	IP leakage; quality dilution; client ownership disputes	Medium
White-Label / OEM	Vendors allowing Descasio to rebrand and resell their technology	Rapid productisation for PlugIQ without building from scratch	Dependency; vendor exit risk; hard to differentiate	Medium
Managed Services	Ongoing support or monitoring capacity under Descasio contracts	Extends post-go-live support without additional headcount	SLA accountability; brand risk if partner underperforms	Medium
Channel / Referral	Organisations that introduce or co-sell Descasio to their networks	Faster market reach; sector or regional coverage	Margin leakage; poor positioning; loss of deal control	Selective

02 ·

12-Question Questionnaire

Ask all 12. Use the green / red signals as live pass/fail indicators. Then capture detailed responses in the Response Capture tab →

A · Company & Market

A1How long have you been operating, who are your three largest clients, and can we speak to them directly?

✓ Strong

3+ years; named enterprise clients; references available within two weeks

✗ Concern

Recently incorporated; no named clients; "NDAs prevent sharing" with no alternative

A2What is your formal strategy for Nigeria and Africa — who leads it, and do you have active clients on the ground here?

✓ Strong

Named Africa lead; active Nigerian clients; awareness of NDPR and local FX constraints

✗ Concern

Africa is an afterthought; USD-only pricing; no NDPR knowledge

A3Which of our target sectors have you delivered in — financial services, public sector, healthcare, or energy — and can you show proof?

✓ Strong

Two or more documented deployments in target sectors with referenceable contacts and clear outcomes

✗ Concern

Generic claims only; "we can do any sector"; no references or case studies

B · Solution & Technical Fit

B4How does your platform support AI agents, GenAI workflows, or intelligent process automation natively — not on the roadmap, live today?

✓ Strong

Native LLM integration, agent orchestration, pre-built AI connectors; multi-model flexibility

✗ Concern

AI is roadmap-only; requires heavy custom code; locked to a single LLM provider

B5What pre-built accelerators, industry templates, or starter kits reduce Descasio's implementation effort and cost?

✓ Strong

Industry-specific templates; reusable connectors; documented asset library; quick-start guides

✗ Concern

Everything built from scratch; no shared IP library; assets proprietary and non-transferable

B6How does your platform perform in low-bandwidth, mobile-first environments common in Nigerian enterprise deployments?

✓ Strong

Progressive web app or offline mode; lightweight mobile client; Africa CDN edge nodes

✗ Concern

Desktop-only; heavy bandwidth requirements; no offline capability; no Africa edge presence

C · Commercial & Partnership

C7What is our reseller margin, and what minimum commitments are required to maintain active partner status?

✓ Strong

20–40%+ margin; reasonable ramp period; no punitive early-exit clauses

✗ Concern

Under 15% margin; high day-one minimums; rigid quotas with no emerging-market flexibility

C8Do you offer co-sell programmes, market development funds, or dedicated pre-sales support for Descasio's first deals?

✓ Strong

Named MDF fund; dedicated SA for first 2–3 deals; deal registration; joint pipeline tools

✗ Concern

No MDF for Africa; vague support with no commitment; SA time requires paid engagement

C9Can your pricing accommodate NGN billing or FX rate protection on annual contracts for Nigerian clients?

✓ Strong

NGN billing available or USD rate lock on annual contracts; local payment options supported

✗ Concern

USD-only; spot-rate pricing; no annual lock; refuses local accommodation discussion

D · IP, Security & Enablement

D10Who owns the IP for customisations, connectors, and solutions Descasio builds on your platform — can we package them into our own products?

✓ Strong

Descasio owns all custom IP; vendor owns core platform only; OEM and white-label terms clear

✗ Concern

Vendor claims ownership of customisations; royalty per end-customer; vendor approval per product release

D11What security certifications do you hold, and how do you handle NDPR compliance and data residency for Nigerian clients?

✓ Strong

ISO 27001 or SOC 2 Type II within 12 months; DPA available; data residency options; NDPR aware

✗ Concern

No certifications; outdated audits; no DPA; dismisses NDPR as irrelevant

D12What certifications can Descasio team members achieve on your platform, and what is the path, cost, and timeline?

✓ Strong

Free or subsidised portal; multiple cert levels; 3–6 month path; exam vouchers for partners

✗ Concern

All training is paid instructor-led; no partner subsidies; certifications only available overseas

03 ·

Weighted Scorecard

Score 1–5 per criterion. Enter scores in the Response Capture tab for automatic weighted calculation.

Scoring Key1 = Poor · 2 = Below expectations · 3 = Meets baseline · 4 = Exceeds · 5 = Exceptional

FormulaWeighted score = (score ÷ 5) × weight %
Sum all rows → total out of 100.

Hard stop ruleIf any STOP red flag triggers, do not complete the scorecard — decline immediately.

Criterion & definition	Weight	Score 1–5	Weighted	Score of 5 looks like…
Strategic Fit — alignment with AI, data, cloud, automation, and sector focus	15%	__ / 5	__	Direct match across 3+ Descasio focus areas
Time to Revenue — how fast Descasio can start selling and delivering	12%	__ / 5	__	Active and generating revenue within 60 days
Technical Capability — depth and maturity of AI, data, and automation	12%	__ / 5	__	Best-in-class, proven AI depth, strong API
Delivery Readiness — can Descasio's team deliver independently	10%	__ / 5	__	Descasio-led delivery; vendor is backstop only
Commercial Attractiveness — margin, MDF, co-sell, FX flexibility	10%	__ / 5	__	20%+ margin; MDF confirmed; NGN accommodation
Scalability — grows from POC to enterprise managed services	8%	__ / 5	__	Elastic, multi-tenant, enterprise-grade architecture
Certification Support — accessible cert paths for Descasio's team	8%	__ / 5	__	Free/subsidised portal; clear track; exam vouchers
Security & Compliance — ISO 27001 / SOC 2, NDPR, data governance	8%	__ / 5	__	Current certs + NDPR awareness + data residency
IP & Data Posture — Descasio owns custom work; OEM rights clear	7%	__ / 5	__	Descasio owns all custom IP; no per-customer royalty
Local Relevance — Nigeria clients, support, FX, connectivity	5%	__ / 5	__	Active Nigerian clients + local commercial model
Ease of Integration — plugs into AWS / Microsoft ecosystem	3%	__ / 5	__	Native connectors; pre-built integrations; zero friction
Partner Attitude — treats Descasio as a growth partner, not a number	2%	__ / 5	__	Named contact; proactive; flexible; genuine investment
Total	100%	__ / 100

Strategic Partner

80–100

Pursue full partnership immediately.

Delivery Partner

60–79

Proceed with scoped agreement.

Watchlist

40–59

Specific use only. Revisit in 6 months.

Do Not Proceed

0–39

Decline. Document. File for reference.

04 ·

Red Flags & Disqualifiers

Cards marked STOP are immediate disqualifiers — do not advance regardless of scorecard score.

STOPNo Referenceable Clients

Cannot provide a single named enterprise contact willing to speak with Descasio. Written testimonials do not count.

STOPZero Enablement Path

Every delivery requires their staff. No certification programme, no training, no self-sufficiency path for Descasio's team.

STOPVendor Claims Our Custom IP

Contract gives vendor joint or sole ownership of customisations, connectors, or accelerators Descasio built on their platform.

STOPNo Security Certification

No ISO 27001 or SOC 2, no DPA available, or certifications more than two years old. Non-negotiable for FSI and public sector.

No Nigeria / Africa Commitment

No local clients, no support coverage, no NDPR awareness. USD pricing with zero accommodation for FX exposure.

Punishing Commercial Terms

Under 15% partner margin, high day-one minimums, or punitive exit clauses with no flexibility.

Training Is Inaccessible

All certification requires costly in-person, overseas, instructor-led sessions with no partner subsidies or remote alternatives.

Vague or Unstable Roadmap

Cannot articulate product direction 12 months out. History of major pivots or AI capabilities permanently "coming soon."

Vendor Competes Directly in Nigeria

Direct sales team targets the same clients with no channel conflict policy, deal registration, or partner protection mechanism.

05 ·

Decision Workflow

Eight steps. Do not skip the red flag gate or the pilot gate — those two moments protect Descasio most.

Discovery

Capture vendor profile and strategic fit hypothesis. Assign an internal owner before anything moves.

One-page vendor summary
Confirm category (Section 01)
Name Descasio owner

1–3 days

Screen

Quick desk check. Does the vendor clear 8 of 12 selection principles? Any instant disqualifiers from Section 04?

Principles pass / fail
Red flag scan first
Advance or decline

1–2 days

Questionnaire

Send all 12 questions. Set a firm 7–10 day response deadline. Flag concerns before the first meeting.

Tailor focus to category
Set deadline in writing
Review signals before call

7–10 days

First Meeting

60–90 min structured call. Business and tech leads attend. Complete the capture form the same day.

Use Section 02 as live guide
Capture responses same day
Note open follow-ups

1 day + debrief

Gate A — Red Flag CheckRun the full Section 04 list after the first meeting. If a STOP flag triggers at any point, do not advance. Document and decline formally.

Tech Validation

Sandbox access, architecture review, or POC against a real Descasio use case. Define success criteria first.

3–5 success criteria upfront
Descasio tech lead owns it
Document findings independently

2–4 weeks

Commercial & Legal

Score commercial criteria. Legal reviews IP, DPA, exit rights, and non-competes. Negotiate before signing.

Score Section 03 fully
Legal: IP, DPA, exit, non-compete
Finalise margin model

1–3 weeks

Pilot / POC Gate

For strategic partners: time-boxed pilot with written success criteria and a hard go / no-go review date.

Scope and criteria in writing
Agree investment split
Set go / no-go date first

30–90 days

Classify & Onboard

Complete scorecard, assign classification tier (Section 06), present memo to leadership, kick off 90-day joint plan.

Finalise and present scorecard
Assign classification tier
Begin 90-day joint plan

3–5 days

Gate B — Final ClassificationEvery vendor that completes the process receives a formal classification. No vendor leaves the process unclassified — even a decline is a classification. Use Section 06.

06 ·

Partner Classification Framework

Every vendor gets a classification. This drives investment level, commercial treatment, and operational priority. Reviewed every six months.

Tier 1 · Strategic

Strategic Build Partner

Deep co-build and co-sell relationships. Maximum 3–4 vendors at any time. Dedicated resources, shared business plan, quarterly executive review.

Score80 or above

CommitmentFull team investment + MDF + joint GTM + exec review

Best forAWS / Microsoft / Google anchors; AI and data platforms

Tier 2 · Delivery

Delivery Partner

Trusted for quality execution on specific projects under Descasio's direction. Not co-building, but reliable and referenceable.

Score60–79

CommitmentProject-by-project; rate card + NDA + IP clauses

Best forLarge public sector; specialist technical delivery gaps

Tier 3 · Capability

Capability / Cert Partner

Training and certification enablement only. Helps Descasio's team level up and achieve recognised platform competency tiers.

ScoreAny; cert programme must be accessible

CommitmentTraining budget + cert targets per team member

Best forAWS competency acceleration; Microsoft Solutions Partner

Tier 4 · Channel

Channel / Referral Partner

Generates qualified introductions from trusted networks. No delivery role — market access only. Banks, consulting firms, government advisors, telcos.

ScoreSelective; strong network access is primary criterion

CommitmentReferral fee + deal registration + pipeline review

Best forPublic sector networks; bank distribution; regional entry

Tier 5 · Product

Product / Integration Partner

Technology embedded in Descasio's solutions — eKYC, payments, identity, document processing. API-first and favourable OEM terms are essential.

ScoreAny; IP terms must clear hard flag check

CommitmentIntegration agreement + API SLA + joint testing

Best forPlugIQ onboarding workflows; FSI solutioning

Holding · Watchlist

Watchlist / Future Partner

Genuine potential but not ready — too early, too expensive, or market demand isn't there yet. Revisit trigger must be defined before filing.

Score40–59; or higher with a specific blocker

CommitmentMinimal; define revisit trigger; no active engagement

Best forPromising early-stage vendors; nascent use cases

Closed · Declined

Do Not Proceed

Failed evaluation, triggered a hard disqualifier, or fundamentally incompatible with Descasio's strategy or requirements. Always document the reason.

ScoreBelow 40, or any hard STOP flag

CommitmentDocument rationale; file; communicate formally

Best forProtecting Descasio from low-quality partnerships

Response Capture

Fill this out during or immediately after a vendor session. Responses are saved locally and appear in the Analysis tab.

Vendor Name

Vendor Analysis

Aggregated view of all saved vendor assessments. Compare scores, track signals, and identify top candidates at a glance.

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No assessments yet

Complete and save a vendor assessment in the Response Capture tab to see analysis here.

Vendor	Category	Date	Score	Pass	Partial	Fail	Red Flag	Classification	Assessed By

VendorField Toolkit

Vendor Categories

12-Question Questionnaire

Weighted Scorecard

Red Flags & Disqualifiers

Decision Workflow

Partner Classification Framework

Response Capture

Vendor Analysis

Vendor
Field Toolkit