Technology procurement, AI transformation & outsourcing

We have advised many of Australia's largest organisations on their digital and AI transformation projects. These are the biggest commitments most organisations make to a single supplier, and the terms agreed at the outset determine whether the business case holds over the life of the contract.

We advise on:

• competitive RFP and procurement processes for engaging AI transformation service providers;
• commercial arrangements to create and capture value with innovation partners;
• data and AI modernisation projects;
• workforce transformation;
• innovative pricing structures, including assured cost curves, gain share and incentive arrangements;
• AI maturity benchmarking;
• AI-related service levels;
• AI governance frameworks, risk assessments and implementation roadmaps; and
• risk allocation between customer and supplier.

We have advised many of the nation's largest businesses on their outsourcing and IT managed services arrangements.

We start with the fundamental questions: which functions are being outsourced and for how long, what assets, employees and contracts are affected, how performance will be baselined, measured and optimised, and whether pricing can absorb changes in volume and corporate structure.

From there, we work on the structure, document the services to be outsourced, support the tender process and negotiate the agreement.

We advise on:

• IT managed services projects, including data and analytics, AI, hosting, end user computing, cybersecurity and networks;
• business process outsourcing, including finance, general accounting, payroll, HR, procurement, merchandising, service desks and customer contact centres;
• maximising commercial leverage through competitive RFP processes and parallel negotiations;
• designing effective performance frameworks, including robust benchmarking and service level arrangements;
• negotiating commercial frameworks that incentivise innovation, cost savings and performance; and
• wholesale outsourcings, partnership or hybrid models and build-operate-transfer (BOT) arrangements.

We know the positions that major suppliers take on key issues and can advise not only on what is desirable, but what is achievable in a negotiation. Our experience shortens the time it takes to reach an agreement.

We advise on:

• procurement of AI tools and platforms, including generative and agentic AI solutions;
• major system developments (using waterfall, agile and hybrid development models);
• cloud computing and hosting services;
• systems integration and implementation, including enterprise resource planning (ERP) upgrades and implementations;
• software-as-a-service product terms and software licensing arrangements;
• applications development and maintenance services;
• major technology transfer and licensing arrangements;
• hardware supply; and
• state and federal government standard term procurement models.

We have advised private sector and government clients on the procurement of major network rollouts and enterprise-wide telecommunications arrangements, across domestic and regional deals, regularly acting for and opposite the country's largest enterprise telecommunications suppliers. 

We advise on:

• mobile, internet and fixed line service;
• managed telecommunications services;
• managed network services;
• mobile virtual network operator arrangements;
• Unified Communications as a Service; and
• transformation and systems re-engineering.

Regulation determines what is permissible in a digital or AI transformation. Our work covers the rules that apply and engagement with the regulators who enforce them.

We advise on:

• data and privacy regulation;
• consumer and competition law;
• corporations law;
• industrial relations;
• sector-specific regulation;
• engagement with regulators; and
• designing new data products to operate within legal and regulatory restraints.

We have advised on the renegotiation and reset of some of Australia's largest technology and outsourcing arrangements.

Signing a contract is the start of a customer-supplier relationship, not the end of it. We advise clients on how to manage the supplier relationship through its term and realise the promised outcomes.

We advise on:

• health checks of existing contracts, including suggested improvements;
• transition and implementation;
• in-contract management, resets and renegotiations; and
• exit management and dispute resolution.