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IT PROCUREMENT SERVICES

Independent consultancy for targeted IT cost optimisation


Software licences represent a significant cost factor for many companies. Price rises, new licensing models and changes to contractual terms make it difficult to control costs and plan IT budgets in the long term. Existing contracts, licensing structures and planned procurements often harbour economic potential that remains hidden without a targeted analysis.

As part of our IT Procurement Services, we analyse your licensing and contractual situation objectively and independently of any specific vendor, identify potential savings and, based on this, draw up specific recommendations for your IT procurement. As an independent partner for cost-optimised licence management, we consistently tailor our recommendations to the requirements and objectives of your organisation.

INITIAL SITUATION

Existing pressure to make decisions in IT procurement


When it comes to upcoming contract renewals, new licensing models or major procurement projects, a wide range of requirements, terms and options must be assessed. At the same time, IT managers are under pressure to reduce costs, ensure transparency and make legally sound decisions. As internal capacity within companies is often limited in this regard, the challenge arises of making well-informed decisions with economic implications whilst lacking the necessary time, market knowledge or impartial advice.

raising costs

Rising budgetary demands

Price increases, subscription models and cloud commitments are putting pressure on IT budgets, which often do not grow at the same rate.
internal costs

High internal workload

Needs assessment, comparing quotes and negotiations tie up resources within IT and other relevant departments.
lack of an overview

Complex licensing market

Software products, licensing terms and commercial conditions are constantly changing and require a thorough understanding.

Get advice now

Philipp Mutschler Soft & Cloud
COST TRENDS

Rising costs whilst the scope remains the same

Since 1 October, a five per cent surcharge has been applied in the Cloud Solution Provider programme to server subscriptions with an annual term and monthly payment terms, for example for Windows Server and SQL Server. For existing customers, the change will take effect from their next renewal.

The additional five per cent relates solely to the chosen payment method. For annual expenditure of 200,000 euros on Windows Server and SQL Server, this will result in additional costs of 10,000 euros per year from the next renewal onwards, without any change to the scope of the licence. Projected over a year, this corresponds to an interest rate of over ten per cent.


“These items are included in many contracts, but only stand out if someone works out the figures before signing.”

Philipp Mutschler, Managing Director of Soft & Cloud GmbH

Siegfried Kern

Well-founded insights before the next procurement exercise

Without regular review, it often remains unclear whether existing contracts still meet actual requirements or whether there are more cost-effective alternatives. This is precisely where our IT Procurement Services come in: they help you to assess your existing licence and contract structures independently of individual vendors and to prepare for upcoming procurement decisions on a sound basis.

To this end, we combine in-depth knowledge of licensing with many years’ experience in procurement and negotiation. Based on your contract, licence and usage data, we evaluate relevant licensing metrics and identify specific courses of action and negotiation options. This provides you with a robust basis for decision-making without having to commit additional internal resources to a comprehensive analysis.

The decision on how to proceed rests entirely with you. Your existing supplier relationship will also remain unchanged, whilst you receive further guidance on evaluating quotes, contract options and possible next steps.

OUR IT PROCUREMENT SERVICES

Your benefits at a glance

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Greater transparency

We provide transparency regarding contracts, licensing models and opportunities for optimisation.
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Optimierte IT-Kosten

We identify potential savings and optimise your IT costs in a targeted manner.
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Better investment decisions

We lay the foundations for cost-effective licensing and procurement decisions.
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Stronger negotiating position

We evaluate offers objectively and strengthen your position in contract negotiations.

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SCOPE OF SERVICES

A structured approach to preparing for your software renewal


At the heart of our vendor-neutral IT procurement services lies the structured preparation for upcoming software renewals. In doing so, we examine, amongst other things, actual requirements, existing procurement channels, contract models, economic conditions and possible alternatives. Market conditions, dependencies on suppliers, and regulatory and documentation-related requirements are also factored into the assessment.

On this basis, we compare possible courses of action, assess their financial implications and take into account future licensing requirements as well as the planned IT roadmap. The analysis consolidates these perspectives into a structured assessment, which in the next step yields concrete results for further procurement and renewal planning.

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Understanding the current situation

Analysis of the existing contractual and licensing landscape, as well as the strategic objectives.
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Evaluating options

Assessment of relevant models, contractual options and financial implications.
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Developing recommendations for action

Development of a well-founded basis for decision-making, including specific courses of action.
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Supporting decision-making

Support during negotiations and the successful implementation of the chosen strategy.

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IT Procurement Services

Sourcing Insight

Microsoft is changing its contract and billing models, Adobe is adjusting its prices and plans, Atlassian is driving the shift to the cloud, and Autodesk is focusing on user-based licensing models. For businesses, this means that the operating environment is constantly changing and can have a direct impact on upcoming procurement decisions.

This is precisely where Sourcing Insight comes in. The analysis service offered by IT Procurement Services helps you to make sense of relevant developments concerning Microsoft, Adobe, Atlassian and Autodesk, and to prepare your specific procurement process on a sound basis. In doing so, it takes into account existing contract, licence and cost structures as well as the current economic climate.

Your results at a glance:

Transparent overview of contracts, licences and costs

Identified potential for savings and optimisation

Clear targets and negotiating positions

Sourcing Insight is an analytics service offered as part of IT Procurement Services. It helps you assess upcoming procurements from both a financial and a licensing perspective, identify relevant cost factors, and prepare your next steps on a sound basis.

Sourcing Insight is currently available for Microsoft, Adobe, Atlassian and Autodesk. The service takes into account the respective licence, contract and cost structures of each vendor.

The analysis covers the contractual terms, licence models, usage data and cost structures relevant to your specific procurement. Depending on the vendor and the initial situation, the focus may be on different programmes and commercial terms.

Sourcing Insight is particularly suitable prior to upcoming procurements, renewals or contract amendments. Particularly in the case of more complex licence models or changed terms, the analysis helps to assess the financial implications at an early stage.

You receive a transparent overview of the contract, licences and costs, identified potential for savings and optimisation, as well as clear target figures and negotiating positions for future procurement.
Sascha Sarrach
SOFT & CLOUD

Your independent partner for cost-optimised licence management


Soft & Cloud helps businesses optimise their IT costs and strategically develop their licence management. With many years of experience, specialist licence expertise and TÜV-certified processes, we lay the foundations for objective decisions regarding software licences, contracts and procurement strategies.

In addition to Microsoft on-premises licences and complementary cloud solutions, our service portfolio also includes our independent IT procurement services. Transparency, audit and legal certainty, and compliance form the basis of our work.

Karin Tran Soft & Cloud

IT procurement services refer to professional support in the procurement of IT resources, namely hardware, software, cloud services and other services. Soft & Cloud focuses, on a vendor-neutral basis, on software licences, cloud subscriptions and the associated contracts. As a comprehensive partner for licence management, Soft & Cloud supports you by conducting a targeted analysis of your licence and contract situation to help you identify untapped savings potential, reduce the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and prepare optimally for upcoming software renewals.

Structured preparation for upcoming software renewals requires a comprehensive analysis of actual licensing requirements, existing contract models (such as Microsoft EA, MCA-E, MPSA or CSP) and cost-effective alternatives.

Important: As of 1 November 2025, Microsoft has abolished the volume-based price tiers (B–D) for online services such as Microsoft 365 under the EA and MPSA. For the next renewal or when purchasing additional online services not yet priced within the existing contract, the list price (Level A) will therefore apply to almost all commercial customers, regardless of company size. Better terms no longer result automatically from volume, but must be negotiated. At the same time, comparing procurement channels – such as EA versus CSP – becomes more crucial. Ideally, preparations should begin several months before the contract expires.

As part of Soft & Cloud’s IT Procurement Services, we evaluate all options in light of your planned IT roadmap and market conditions. This provides a robust basis for decision-making, enabling you to reduce costs and prepare optimally for renewal negotiations.

Our procurement service comprises an independent analysis of your existing software contracts, a TCO assessment of alternative licensing scenarios, the formulation of specific recommendations for action, and preparation for your contract negotiations. In doing so, we consider, amongst other things, Microsoft EA, MPSA, MCA-E and CSP, as well as server, cloud and Microsoft 365 agreements. You gain transparency regarding contracts, licences and costs, as well as a reliable basis for decision-making, whilst your existing supplier relationships remain unaffected.

Soft & Cloud’s consultancy services focus exclusively on software licences and cloud subscriptions, as well as the associated software contracts. The following areas are expressly excluded from our IT Procurement Services:

  • Hardware costs: No consultancy or procurement relating to server hardware, clients, network infrastructure or workstation equipment.
  • Staff costs: No analysis or optimisation of internal staff capacity, hourly rates or external service provider daily rates.
  • Process and organisational costs: No general IT process consultancy or operational restructuring of IT service management processes.

Our IT Procurement Services are particularly suitable for medium-sized companies facing a contract renewal, a major licence procurement or a change to their licensing strategy. They are especially useful when internal capacities are limited and an impartial assessment of various contract and procurement options is required.

No, the company itself remains responsible for conducting the negotiations. We prepare the relevant information in a structured manner, highlight cost-effective options and potential negotiating leverage, thereby creating a solid foundation for discussions with manufacturers or partners.

Let us help you optimise your IT costs in a targeted way.


Whether it’s a contract renewal, a new procurement project or changes to licensing models: we can support you with an independent and structured assessment.





YOUR PERSONAL CONTACT

Siegfried Kern, Head of IPS | IT Procurement Services

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Siegfried Kern