A simple vendor governance system that improves service, reduces billing issues, and strengthens renewal leverage
With this kit you will:
Pick one vendor to pilot this week.
You don't manage vendors by having opinions.
You manage vendors by having:
Beginner rule: If it isn't written down, it didn't happen (at renewal time).
A scorecard table you can complete in under 10 minutes per month
Creating 20 metrics. Nobody maintains it.
People can rate consistently even if a different person is scoring this month
Rating based on recent frustration ("recency bias").
A running issue log reviewed monthly
Issues live in email threads and disappear.
A structured recurring meeting that creates improvements
Turning check-ins into venting sessions without actions.
A predictable accountability rhythm that strengthens leverage
Using the QBR as the first time you bring up major issues.
Renewal Decision Memo is evidence-based, not political
Renewing "as-is" because switching vendors feels hard.
Use monthly ratings (1–5).
| Vendor | Month | Service quality | Responsiveness | Scope adherence | Billing integrity | Compliance & safety | Overall (avg) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Add vendor rows here... | ||||||||
Optional add-ons (only if needed): Sustainability/data cooperation (for Scope 3 readiness), Reporting timeliness, Tenant satisfaction (if relevant)
| Field |
|---|
| Date opened |
| Vendor |
| Site |
| Issue |
| Impact (cost/risk/service) |
| Severity (L/M/H) |
| Owner |
| Vendor owner |
| Target fix date |
| Status |
| Resolution notes |
Monthly Vendor Check-in (30 minutes) 1) Scorecard review (10 min) - Scores this month vs last month - What drove changes? 2) Issue log review (10 min) - Open issues and status - Root cause (vendor / site access / unclear scope / scheduling) 3) Actions (8 min) - Actions list with owners and dates - Confirm what evidence is required (photos, logs, receipts) 4) Billing expectations (2 min) - Remind: Change Order ID required for extra work - Documentation requirements for pass-throughs
Quarterly Business Review (60 minutes) Pre-read (send 48 hours before): - Last 3 months scorecard - Issue log summary - Any disputed invoice summary Agenda: 1) Highlights and lowlights (10 min) 2) Performance trend (15 min) - Score trends - Repeat issue themes 3) Operational improvements (15 min) - Process changes - Staffing changes - Preventive maintenance improvements 4) Billing integrity and controls (10 min) - Change orders compliance - Documentation compliance 5) Next quarter plan (10 min) - Site changes - Scope changes - Success metrics
Service quality - 5: Work completed correctly first time; minimal rework; proactive prevention - 3: Work generally acceptable; occasional rework - 1: Frequent rework; repeated failures Responsiveness - 5: Responds within agreed timeframe; clear communication; closes loop - 3: Responds but inconsistently; some chasing needed - 1: Slow response; poor communication; missed commitments Scope adherence - 5: Works within scope; flags extras before starting; clear documentation - 3: Occasional scope ambiguity; sometimes corrected after follow-up - 1: Regular scope creep; unclear "extras" billed without approval Billing integrity - 5: Invoices match contract rates; extras have Change Order IDs; pass-throughs documented - 3: Minor corrections needed; generally compliant - 1: Frequent errors; vague descriptions; missing documentation; repeated disputes Compliance & safety - 5: COI current; follows site rules; safety reporting consistent - 3: Mostly compliant; occasional admin chasing required - 1: Repeated compliance gaps; safety issues or documentation missing
Subject: Performance improvement plan — [Vendor] Hi [Name], Based on our scorecard and issue log, we need improvement in: 1) [issue theme] 2) [issue theme] 3) [issue theme] Success metrics for next 30 days: - [metric] - [metric] - [metric] Actions agreed: - Vendor: [action + date] - Us: [action + date] We will review progress in our monthly check-in on [date]. Thanks, [Name]
Confidence: High (scorecards + cadence + issue logs are standard vendor governance tools).
Assumptions: You can dedicate 30 minutes/month/vendor for top vendors.
Where this can fail: If leadership doesn't back enforcement, or if teams don't maintain the issue log.
v1.0 (2026-01): Latest release