The world’s largest IoT trade group has created a template RFP document for sourcing IoT software platforms, and is now assessing software for compliance with the RFPs as a service to its membership. The IoT M2M Council – comprised of 25,000 enterprise users and OEMs that buy solutions for connecting remote devices – developed its RFP in a wiki-based, open-source process, with input from numerous vendors and more than 100 IoT buyers. IMC board companies Hewlett Packard Enterprise® (HPE) and Wind River® (an Intel subsidiary) are among the program’s initial sponsors, and the group is inviting other platform providers to join the program.
“The number of IoT platforms has exploded, and it’s easy to get confused. We have excellent, quantitative data that tells us this kind of ‘hands-on’ buying tool will be very important in procuring software,” says Volkhard Bregulla, VP of Global Manufacturing & Distribution Industries with HPE, and a representative on the IMC board. “We surveyed over 100 rank-and-file members, and 100 percent of buyers said they would find the template useful. We’ll prove the concept, and then move on to RFPs for connectivity services and hardware.”
The RFP and assessment reports provide detailed coverage of device management, connectivity management, data analytics, security and more. Would-be buyers receive a mapping of relative strengths and weakness of each platform, as well as anonymous references from users and the results of a trial run by a third-party consultancy. Participating vendors will pay a fee to cover assessment costs, and then get the benefit of a two-year lead-generation program that includes quarterly educational webinars to help IoT buyers.
Keith Shea, VP & GM of Wind River Helix IoT Solutions Group commented, “The IMC program creates a win-win for IoT technology adoption by helping buyers find the right technology solution and accelerating the long and arduous traditional RFP process.” IoT Software Platform providers interested in signing up for the program can access more information here.
