A software review works better when the project team, IT reviewers and procurement staff can connect their questions to the same intended workflow. Start with the work and identify the requirements the supplier must address.
What exactly will the team use?
Ask the supplier to demonstrate the workflow with representative inputs and show the resulting records or outputs. Clarify whether a capability is available in the proposed engagement, requires configuration or remains outside scope. Agree who retains review and approval authority.
Inspect a sample export and the supporting context. A polished screen does not answer every question about the record your organization needs to retain.
Who is permitted to access the information?
Map owner, consultant and contractor roles to the projects and records each should see. Discuss data classifications, identity arrangements, optional connections and the organization’s access requirements. Ask what evidence will be available to support the technical review.
What happens to records and AI inputs?
Bring retention, export, deletion and hold requirements into the discussion. If AI is proposed, identify the feature, information involved, provider arrangement and human review step. Confirm processing and data-use terms for the actual engagement.
A general policy page helps start the review. It should be considered alongside the applicable agreements and the evidence required by the organization.
What will the supplier commit to?
Confirm the legal entity, delivery scope, support responsibilities, charges and acceptance criteria in the procurement process. Request current documentation for any supplier-diversity status being considered. Eligibility and an issued certification are different facts.
This article is a planning aid, not a substitute for your organization’s procurement, legal, security or accessibility review. Kairos’s procurement page brings the relevant starting points into one place.