The RAS Needs Assessment is the initial step in determining your outsourcing needs.  As with any strategic sourcing initiative undertaken, the Needs Assessment documents your requirements and sets forth a plan of action to be followed. This will cover some of the following depending upon the scope of the sourcing engagement:

Objectives – List the goals wished to be achieved as a result of the legal outsourcing initiative. Goal should include quantitative measures to support data driven check points as the LPO sourcing project progresses. Qualitative measures will also be captured at this point that will facilitate relationship building with the chosen LPO. This step will also require documenting the overall ‘reason for being’, to ensure the goals set forth can be satisfied by through the scope of the sourcing exercise. In addition any concerns, foreseen issues, or even prior experiences with a legal process outsourcing provider, should be documented.

Project Timeline – Determine the appropriate timeframe in which the results of the LPO Sourcing should begin to be seen. Determine and map out the appropriate milestones that will provide pertinent points to check-in and revisit against the goals.

Evaluation – Gather and evaluate data and information provided in terms of total spend, existing contracts, or other pertinent documentation to uncover legal process outsourcing opportunities.