G00308997

Toolkit: Establish a Vendor Management

Mission and Charter
Published: 29 July 2016

Analyst(s): Edward Arthur Weinstein

This Toolkit provides descriptions and examples for IT vendor management

leaders to use in creating their own VM mission statement and charter. A
defined mission statement and charter are fundamental to establishing an
effective VM program in order to maximize value from vendors.

When to Use
Many organizations that are seeking to maximize the value of vendor engagements, and to align
these engagements to business objectives, are struggling to implement or mature their IT vendor
1,2
management (VM) programs. An IT VM mission statement and charter are valuable tools for
3
establishing the guidelines and value proposition of a formal IT VM office (VMO), and for
enumerating the steps for establishing the VMO and its associated roles and responsibilities.

The IT VM mission statement and charter collectively comprise a written declaration of an

organization's core purpose, goals and the way it will operate. Together, these statements clarify
what will be provided and how, and they should be communicated to the entire organization. Since
many individuals or groups are often involved in components of VM activities, it is critical to
establish a formal mission statement and charter that will serve to define not only what is covered
under IT VM, but also which organization (and/or individual) has accountability for a given activity.
The mission statement aligns to the organizational objectives of the VMO; the charter describes how
the VM program will operate.

Downloadable Attachments
308997_toolkit_vm_chart.docx

This attachment provides the template to create a charter for a VM program.

Directions for Use

This Toolkit provides a template (with examples) for IT VM leaders to create a VM mission statement
and charter for their organization. The IT Vendor Management Mission Statement and Charter
 should be "living documents" that can be adjusted as necessary in order to accommodate changes
in business and vendor strategies, and to remain relevant to the organization.

Acronym Key and Glossary Terms

VM vendor management

VMO VM office

Gartner Recommended Reading

Some documents may not be available as part of your current Gartner subscription.

"The IT Vendor Management Leader's First 100 Days"

"Choosing the Right Organizational Structure for Vendor Management Is Crucial to Operational
Success"

"Comprehensive IT Vendor Management Framework Builds the Foundation for an Effective

Program"

"2015 Strategic Roadmap for Vendor Management"

Evidence
1 In the 12-month period that ended in June 2016, Gartner saw a 44% increase in client inquiries
related to the establishment, best practices and maturation of IT VM programs versus the previous
year.

2Gartner's ITScore for IT Vendor Management yielded a mean score of 2.41 across 1,618 end users
evaluated from 2010 through 2015, suggesting a low overall maturity in IT VM. Many of these
organizations are launching, or are in the early stages of implementing, their IT VM programs.

3According to Gartner's IT VM survey, which was conducted with 500 participants in the Americas,
Europe and Australia from 26 June 2015 through 11 August 2015, "Defining VM Program Value/ROI"
was identified as the third largest challenge in IT VM.

Disclaimer
Unless otherwise marked for external use, the items in this Gartner Toolkit are for
internal noncommercial use by the licensed Gartner client. The materials contained in
this Toolkit may not be repackaged or resold. Gartner makes no representations or
warranties as to the suitability of this Toolkit for any particular purpose, and disclaims all
liabilities for any damages, whether direct, consequential, incidental or special, arising
out of the use of or inability to use this material or the information provided herein.

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