Partners, Offshore and Scaling an SAP TCoE: Sourcing Models, SLAs and Knowledge Retention

Keep this: job aid

TCoE partner and sourcing card

• Choose the sourcing model per service: in-house for judgment, managed service for repeatable work, call-off for peaks.
• Add outcome-based terms only after a year of reliable measures, with a written attribution rule.
• Move work offshore only once it is specified; keep risk ranking, scope and acceptance onshore.
• Follow the sun with a fixed handover note and one daily overlap; process twins per value stream.
• Offshore access: masked or synthetic environments only, roles through the GRC process.
• Contract on cycle time, repair turnaround, stability, evidence quality, knowledge currency, key personnel; never on volume.
• Start service level clocks when your own entry criteria are met; measure from your systems; credits capped with earn-back.
• Keep every asset in customer-owned tools with customer-controlled identities; secure rights to partner frameworks.
• Sample 5% of passed tests (at least 20) every cycle, tighten on slips; never quietly redo partner work.
• Transition in stages with evidence gates; exit plan within 90 days, refreshed yearly; dual run when changing partners.