A renowned Austrian telecoms provider was planning to migrate its existing core network to a cloud-based solution. As part of the implementation, the server landscape was to be concentrated at 2 of the former 5 locations. The company commissioned the interim manager to tender the large-scale IT project and to lead a 20-strong team for the migration.
One of the challenges of the project was the tight schedule. An end-of-life date had already been set for the existing system. Maintenance beyond this date was not guaranteed - and only at very high cost. In addition, the company had already been negotiating with the existing supplier for a year without reaching a solution. It was therefore necessary to optimize the company's planned lead time for the entire project in order to meet the planned completion date.
Tendering: Creating a uniform basis for the tender
The interim manager drew up a tender with all technical and commercial requirements based on the already known requirements. Five bidders from the company's partner portfolio were invited to submit an offer. The three best were to enter a closer negotiation process.
In order to avoid delays in the course of the project, the interim manager attached great importance to identifying risks at an early stage. He ensured that a uniform basis was created for all bidders when submitting their bids. He described the professional services for execution in detail and defined them in a clear RACI matrix. The bidders also had the opportunity to submit additional bids with suggestions for optimization. The interim manager also included clauses to ensure delivery quality in the tender contract.
Minimum package defined and agreed for the time of migration
In the existing framework agreements, the project execution process was defined as a waterfall model. The interim manager incorporated optimizations such as the consolidation of delivery packages and a close-knit network of interim milestones into the project plan. Nevertheless, the project remained on a critical path with regard to commissioning.
In order to secure the migration schedule, the interim manager worked with the relevant stakeholders to develop a minimum set of requirements for the functionalities that were needed at the time of migration.
Cloud solution turns out to be economically and technically unsuitable
In the negotiation rounds with the bidders, it became clear that the cloud solution originally envisaged was neither technically nor economically viable. The company therefore ultimately commissioned a bare metal solution. The answer to the question of a cloud solution was postponed until after the new system had expired. This made sense, as the new system, as a silo solution, was only intended to operate for a maximum of 7 years anyway.
In the price negotiations, the interim manager was able to achieve a reduction of 50 percent compared to the initial offers. At the same time, he ensured that the maintenance of the legacy system would be guaranteed free of charge beyond the end-of-life date if the supplier was responsible for delays in the new project.
Agile delivery concept and higher personnel deployment accelerate migration
After the official decision in favor of a supplier, the interim manager started the project, although not all contracts had been signed and the order was outstanding.
It turned out early on that the supplier had know-how problems in order to start the necessary design. In addition, there were technical delivery problems in order to realize the necessary reference testing in the customer's laboratory.
The interim manager solved this problem by working with the supplier's project manager to develop an agile delivery concept for the design, software, acceptance and commissioning of the reference test network and the active network prior to pilot operation. This meant that deliveries could be quickly realized, implemented and made available for acceptance and pilot operation with know-how carriers from the client and the supplier. Regular meetings ensured that communication between all parties involved was fluid and targeted.
Project implemented ahead of schedule despite coronavirus-related restrictions
In order to ensure an efficient roll-out, the interim manager arranged for the client and supplier to increase their resources. As a result, the migration period was reduced from the planned 12 months to 9 months.
An additional challenge could not be planned for at the start of the project: the coronavirus pandemic. On the one hand, pandemic-related restrictions made collaboration more difficult, for example in processes that required attendance. In addition, the telecom provider's infrastructure was used even more intensively than usual during the pandemic. On the one hand, this increased the demands on the maintenance of the old system - and increased the pressure for the successful introduction of the new system.
