Example output
# Delegation Brief: Vendor Evaluation for New CRM Platform
**From:** VP of Operations
**To:** Operations Analyst (Jordan)
**Date:** July 1, 2024
---
## 1. Task Overview
We need to evaluate and recommend a CRM platform to replace our current Salesforce instance. The license renewal is in 90 days and we've decided to explore alternatives after repeated complaints about cost and complexity. Your job is to run the evaluation process and present a final recommendation to the leadership team.
**Why you:** You've been the closest to the day-to-day pain points, you ran the internal survey last quarter that identified the top issues, and you have the analytical chops to compare complex options fairly.
---
## 2. Desired Outcome
A written recommendation document (5-10 pages) that presents:
- Top 3 CRM options evaluated against our requirements
- A clear #1 recommendation with supporting evidence
- Total cost of ownership comparison (3-year view)
- Migration risk assessment
- Implementation timeline estimate
The leadership team should be able to make a yes/no decision based solely on your document, without needing additional research.
---
## 3. Scope Boundaries
### In Scope
- Evaluate 5-8 CRM platforms (HubSpot, Pipedrive, Close, Attio, Folk, Salesforce renewal as baseline)
- Conduct demos with top 3 vendors (you schedule these directly)
- Interview 6-8 internal stakeholders across Sales, CS, and Marketing for requirements
- Analyze data migration complexity from current Salesforce instance
- Produce the recommendation document
### Explicitly NOT in Scope
- Making the final vendor selection (leadership decides)
- Negotiating contracts or pricing (procurement handles this after selection)
- Building the migration plan (that's a separate project after the decision)
- Evaluating enterprise-grade platforms over $200/user/month (we've set this ceiling)
- Custom development or API integration assessment (engineering will do this post-selection)
If something feels like it's in a gray area, ask me before spending time on it.
---
## 4. Decision Authority
### You can decide without checking with me:
- Which vendors make the shortlist (your judgment — I trust it)
- How to structure the evaluation criteria and weighting
- Who to interview internally (aim for 6-8 people across departments)
- Demo scheduling and logistics
- The format and structure of the final document
### Check with me before:
- Requesting pricing proposals (I want to review the RFP language first)
- Sharing any internal data with vendors (even anonymized usage stats)
- Adding any vendor to the shortlist that costs >$150/user/month
- Extending the timeline beyond the agreed dates
- Involving anyone from the executive team in demos (I'll coordinate that)
### I need to approve:
- The final recommendation before it goes to leadership
- Any vendor communication that implies commitment or preference
---
## 5. Resources Available
**People:**
- Me (VP Ops): Available for 30-min weekly check-ins + ad-hoc questions via Slack
- Sales Director (Maria): Has agreed to 45 min for stakeholder interview — schedule directly
- CS Lead (Derek): Same — 30 min for requirements input
- Marketing Ops (Suki): Can share integration requirements — reach out anytime
- IT Security (Alex): Available for security questionnaire review on shortlisted vendors
**Budget:**
- $0 for the evaluation itself (vendor demos are free)
- If you need a paid trial of any platform, I can approve up to $500 total — just ask
**Tools and References:**
- Last quarter's CRM satisfaction survey results (in Google Drive → Ops → CRM Evaluation)
- Current Salesforce usage analytics (ask IT for the dashboard access)
- G2 and Gartner comparison reports (company account — login creds in 1Password)
- Evaluation scorecard template (I'll share a starting point, but you can modify it)
---
## 6. Timeline and Checkpoints
| Date | Milestone | What I Need to See |
|---|---|---|
| July 5 | Requirements gathered | Summary of stakeholder interviews + draft evaluation criteria |
| July 8 | Check-in #1 (30 min) | Walk me through criteria and longlist of vendors |
| July 12 | Shortlist finalized | Top 3 vendors with brief rationale for each |
| July 15-19 | Vendor demos completed | You attend all; invite me to the top 2 if my schedule allows |
| July 22 | Check-in #2 (30 min) | Demo debrief + preliminary scoring |
| July 26 | Draft recommendation | Full document ready for my review |
| July 29 | My feedback returned | I'll review within 48 hours |
| Aug 1 | Final recommendation | Polished doc ready for leadership presentation |
| Aug 5 | Leadership presentation | 30-min presentation (I'll be in the room for support) |
**If you're going to miss a milestone:** Tell me at least 2 days in advance with a revised date. No surprises.
---
## 7. Communication Preferences
- **Weekly check-ins:** Monday at 10am, 30 minutes, my office or Zoom
- **Async updates:** Drop a 3-bullet summary in our DM every Friday by 4pm (what's done, what's next, any blockers)
- **Urgent questions:** Slack me anytime — I'll respond within 2 hours during business hours
- **Non-urgent questions:** Batch them for our weekly check-in unless they're blocking your progress
- **Vendor communications:** CC me on any email thread with vendors so I have context if I need to step in
**What I don't need:** Daily updates, play-by-play of every conversation, or permission to do things in your decision authority zone.
---
## 8. Known Risks
| Risk | Likelihood | How to Handle |
|---|---|---|
| Stakeholders disagree on requirements | High | Document all perspectives; weight by business impact, not seniority. Flag true conflicts to me. |
| Vendor oversells during demos | High | Prepare a standardized demo script so all vendors show the same workflows. Ask for customer references in our industry. |
| Data migration looks more complex than expected | Medium | Don't try to solve this — just flag the complexity level (low/medium/high) for each vendor. Engineering will dig in post-selection. |
| A strong contender emerges that's over budget | Low | Add it to the report as an "if budget allows" option. Don't discard good information. |
| Sales team pushes for "just renew Salesforce" | Medium | Include Salesforce renewal as the baseline option. Let the data speak. |
---
## 9. Success Criteria
I'll evaluate this project on:
1. **Quality of analysis:** Did you compare vendors on the dimensions that actually matter to us? Are the numbers verifiable?
2. **Clarity of recommendation:** Can a non-technical executive read your document and understand why you're recommending what you're recommending?
3. **Stakeholder buy-in:** Did the people you interviewed feel heard? Do they support (or at least understand) the recommendation?
4. **Timeliness:** Did we hit the Aug 5 presentation date?
5. **Independence:** Did you drive this forward without needing me to make decisions that were in your authority zone?
**What "great" looks like:** Leadership reads your document, asks a few clarifying questions, and makes a decision in the same meeting. No follow-up research needed.
**What "good" looks like:** Leadership asks for one round of follow-up analysis before deciding.
---
## Final Note
I'm handing this to you because I think you'll do it better than I would. You're closer to the problem, you've already done the preliminary research, and you have the trust of the teams who use the CRM daily. Own this. Make it yours. I'm here if you need me, but I'm not going to hover.
Let's sync Monday to kick this off properly. Bring any questions.