The task of writing a statement of work could fall to various players on an IT project. The best approach is for IT leaders to draft it and then work with the vendor to tweak it, says Nick Scafidi, IT procurement manager at National Grid USA . Scafidi works with key internal stakeholders, including lawyers, to draft the SOW. The process can take several weeks but helps guarantee that user requirements, technical deliverables and project goals are understood and clearly articulated.
Scafidi then sends the draft to the service provider for review and revisions, often working with the vendor team in person to fine-tune the draft. That way, he says, "you really feel like it's a team effort."