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Case Study:
IT Vendor Strategy for a Leading Australian University
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Client Organisation
The client is a leading Australian university with a large and complex IT vendor ecosystem supporting teaching, research, and operations. With more than 70,000 students and thousands of staff, the institution depends on a diverse portfolio of hardware, software, and outsourcing providers, including several global IT vendors. As part of a wider digital transformation, the university recognised the need to adopt a more strategic approach to vendor management. Its objectives were to improve cost efficiency, reduce operational and contractual risk, and strengthen the long-term performance of critical service providers.
Project Overview
The university faced growing challenges managing its top ten IT vendors. Vendor relationships were inconsistent across departments, with duplication of effort, limited visibility of vendor performance, and unclear accountability. This fragmented approach reduced negotiating power, increased risk, and hindered long-term planning. The Vice-President of IT sponsored an initiative to build a structured, multi-year strategy for the institution’s largest IT providers. The aim was to create a forward-looking framework to optimise costs, manage risks, and improve vendor performance. By aligning vendor management with institutional strategy, the university sought to create a more efficient and predictable operating model.
Sedha's Role
Sedha Consulting was engaged to design and implement the vendor management strategy. The team led targeted stakeholder engagements across faculties and service divisions to capture pain points, priorities, and future requirements. Despite limited initial documentation, Sedha synthesised diverse and complex inputs into a coherent, actionable strategy. The work included portfolio segmentation, governance design, performance tracking frameworks, and alignment with strategic objectives. Sedha developed Vendor Management Plans for each of the top ten IT vendors, covering hardware, software, and outsourcing providers. Engagement workshops ensured broad input, and deliverables were finalised and delivered on time.
Results
The engagement delivered a clear and practical vendor management strategy that reduced planning time and improved alignment across functions. The university now has a structured framework for managing IT vendors, providing consistent approaches to performance management and future engagement. Senior leaders gained greater confidence in decision-making, supported by improved visibility of vendor value and performance. The strategy also reduced duplication of effort, clarified accountability, and strengthened risk management. With this foundation, the university is better equipped to manage its largest IT providers strategically, achieving improved cost efficiency, reduced risk, and a more coordinated approach to future vendor engagements.