AI Vendor Procurement Checklist

Evaluate AI vendors with a responsibility lens before signing contracts.

Vendor Assessment Checklist

Before engaging any AI vendor, verify:

• ✅ Data handling policies documented
• ✅ Model transparency and explainability
• ✅ Security certifications (SOC 2, ISO 27001)
• ✅ Incident response procedures
• ✅ Sustainability practices disclosed

Contract Considerations

Essential clauses to include:

• **Data Ownership** - You retain full rights to your data
• **Audit Rights** - Ability to inspect their practices
• **SLAs** - Clear uptime and performance guarantees
• **Exit Provisions** - Data portability and transition support

Proof of Concept Requirements

Before committing to annual contracts:

• Run pilots with real data volumes
• Measure actual costs vs. quoted estimates
• Test edge cases and failure modes
• Validate integration complexity

Multi-Vendor Strategy

Avoid lock-in by:

• Maintaining compatibility with multiple providers
• Abstracting AI layers in your architecture
• Having documented fallback options