We’ve Got The Questions: Hedge fund tech RFP questions that is

By Mary Beth Hamilton | Thursday, March 2nd, 2017

We’ve all heard the saying, “there are no stupid questions,” but when it comes to technology it is easy to feel undereducated. Knowing what to ask a hedge fund technology provider not only makes you look smart (or smarter!) but also ensures you get the right solution.

In this article we’ll look at questions around Staffing, Client Service Model and User Support for your hedge fund technology Request for Proposal. Next week we’ll give questions for DR Plans, Information Backup & Retention and Data Security.

Staffing and Skills

Provide the total number of employees (current year and past year). Please show numbers for overall staff as well as a breakdown by function (e.g., developers, client service, etc.).
Provide the number of employees gained and lost (current year and past year).
Describe the organizational structure of your company. Please detail the roles specific to your business (e.g., engineers, client managers, trainers, QA, etc.)
How many full-time employees are assigned to these particular roles, by functional and geographic split?
What is the anticipated project resource profile through the stages of the implementation process?
Provide names, roles and responsibilities of key members of the management team.
Provide names, roles and responsibilities of key members of the technical teams who will be supporting our implementation. Will these be dedicated resources?
What level of involvement and time commitment will you require of our employees during this project?
Please break down required full-time employees by skill set and level for each region.
What organizational certifications do you have that are of relevance to the work required (e.g., Cisco, Microsoft, VMware, etc.)?

Client Service Model

What is your current client service model? Please provide a description of client interaction points.
Do you use a dedicated or shared implementation team approach?

How is the model modified as you go through the implementation phase to support?
What contingency plans do you have in place to maintain client service levels during peaks in business volume, holidays, etc.?
Describe the nature of service reviews conducted with your clients. How frequently are they scheduled and what are the typical outcomes of such reviews?
How do you resolve client conflicts?
What is your client support availability with regard to countries or regions and time zones?

User Support

What are the hours of operation of the help desk? If located in multiple locations, including foreign offices, please describe overall coverage.
In regards to ongoing support, is there a designated support representative and call center and what are the hours of operation?
What is the critical problem response policy of your firm?
Do you supply technical and user documentation?