About Us
ICN Company Overview
Tenure in the Business
ICN has been in the business of helping technology users do better and safer deals with vendors for more than forty two years.
The Environment
Prior to our involvement, vendors of technology procurement were, for the most part, in a dominant position. Today, ICN balances the scale by providing critical training and consulting to any organization acquiring technology. Our client base includes not only 300 of the Fortune 500 corporations but much smaller companies and government agencies as well.
Proven Professionals at Your Service
The ICN staff is a multidisciplinary team of specialists with extensive backgrounds in diverse areas. All are practicing professionals and average more than thirty-five years of experience.
Many clients have taken advantage of our Virtual Resource Capability, which enables you to supplement and complement your procurement team with our professionals. An ICN specialist(s) can provide the specific skills required, for whatever time needed.
Professional Association
ICN also sponsors CAUCUS, an association dedicated to technology procurement professionals. Membership is a place where you can grow and improve your skills and collaborate with peers, thereby leveling the playing field when negotiating with today’s highly prepared and motivated sales teams.
CAUCUS also offers certification programs. Obtaining a CAUCUS certification is like you having a playbook containing every core competency needed for all levels of IT procurement professionals. Deciding to be certified by CAUCUS, whether as a Certified Technology Procurement Specialist (CTPS) or a Certified Technology Procurement Executive (CTPE), is so important because CAUCUS certifications have been respected as the foundational benchmark by the industry for over 25 years.
Why ICN?
Whether clients contract for consulting services, on-site training or attend ICN seminars and conferences, the result is the same: better deals that are managed better. Clients save millions of dollars by implementing contract language that clearly denotes roles, responsibilities, warranties and remedies. In addition, their vendor relationships are greatly improved.
ICN support also includes an array of powerful tools and proven processes. Perhaps best known is the Managed Acquisition Process™ (MAP™), an acquisition-by-prioritized-objective methodology, developed by ICN founder, Joe Auer, in 1980. Thousands of professionals have been trained to use the MAP, thereby increasing their success in negotiating with vendors.
Another powerful tool is the ICN Deal Repository. It is the distillation of thirty-seven years of contract negotiation experience and contains contract checklists, RFP templates, sample contracts, position papers and other documentation. It is an ideal source for identifying and putting to use best practices in technology deal making.
