Workflow for hub service leads#

This workflow applies to communities that are interested in joining our community hub service. For more complex projects or grants, see Grants and projects workflow.

The sections below describe Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) that bring a community from first contact through to an active contract.

Service partnership lifecycle#

We use common terminology to describe the “phase” of partnership that we have with each community. These follow a process of Lead –> Prospect –> Partner.

  • Lead: A Lead is a contact with possible interest in a partnership with 2i2c. We must answer two questions:

    1. Are their needs a good candidate for partnership with 2i2c? (see When to decide to work with a lead)

    2. Are they qualified to set up partnership with 2i2c?

    If the answer to each is yes, they become a Qualified Lead.

  • Qualified Lead: Once a lead is qualified, our goal is to empower the lead to decide whether to partner with 2i2c. We provide them information, answer questions, and have discussions to help them arrive at an answer.

    • If they verbally decide yes, then the lead becomes a Prospect.

    • If they decide no, we close the lead.

  • Prospect: The goal of the Prospect phase is to set up the business and service relationship with the future partner. This involves two activities:

    1. Business terms of the partnership are negotiated in the service agreement and accompanying documents

    2. Technical exchanges specify the prospect’s technical needs so we can provide our engineering team the guidance to set up their service.

    The prospect phase ends with an “executed close” when the service agreement is fully signed by all parties in the partnership.

  • Partner: A Partner is an organization that has a signed agreement with 2i2c/CS&S.

Lead phase SOPs#

SOP: Hail the Lead#

A member of the 2i2c Partnerships Team sends an email to partnerships@2i2c.org requesting Hail the Lead action for contact(s) with email addresses. This message creates an issue in FreshDesk that will be used to track the lead as it progresses through the arc toward a singed partnership agreement. 2i2c’s Partnerships Assistant carries out this action sequence:

  1. Send Canned Response “Hail the Lead” from FreshDesk to contact email(s):

    Hello!
    
    Thank you for your interest in learning more about 2i2c. Please find a service description with pricing information attached to this email. If you have questions or wish to connect for a conversation, reach out to us by email using partnerships@2i2c.org or [schedule a virtual meeting by clicking here](https://calendly.com/colliand/25-minute-zoom-meeting). 
    
    Best regards, 
    2i2c's Partnerships Team
    
  2. Change From field to partnerships@2i2c.org.

  3. Add cc: partnerships@2i2c.org

  4. Confirm that service description has been automatically attached

  5. Confirm canned response includes a meeting invitation with 30 minute Calendly link

SOP: Create running notes for the lead#

A lead confirmed an upcoming meeting with 2i2c. Calendly sends an automatic message with Zoom link to the contact and enters a calendar booking into Partnerships Lead’s calendar. Partnerships Lead forwards email with meeting details to partnerships@2i2c.org triggering the following actions script:

  1. Partnerships Lead specifies that the lead will be tracked under “PartnerX” (usually the name of the partner organization)

  2. Create PartnerX folder inside 2i2c Team Drive >> Partnerships >> Agreements >> PartnerX

  3. Copy 2i2c Team Drive >> Partnerships >> Templates >> [Template] Running Notes into PartnerX folder.

  4. Rename [Template] – Running Notes… to Running notes -- PartnerX + 2i2c (with PartnerX replaced by name of partner organization).

  5. Replace PartnerX by partner name in the title of the running notes document.

  6. Set sharing of running notes file (with editor rights) with lead contacts (meeting participants); Send message from Google notifying the availability of the shared running notes file.

SOP: Meet with the lead#

2i2c Partnerships and Community Teams will develop improved procedures for initial meetings with leads.

  • Answer questions

  • Right to replicate

  • Demo?

  • Target: “verbal close”

  • Forecast upcoming procurement/negotiation and technical/deployment stages

  • Record notes and exchanges in Running Notes file

Prospect Phase SOPs#

SOP: Send Draft Contract#

A member of 2i2c Partnerships Team sends email to partnerships@2i2c.org requesting Send Draft Contract to PartnerX contact email(s). 2i2c’s Partnerships Assistant carrys out the following actions script:

  1. In the Agreements folder, navigate to the folder for the partner you’re contracting for (or create a new one if needed) - this step is important for Step 5.

  2. Return to the Agreements folder and navigate to the Templates folder, and open the [TEMPLATE] Outbound Services Agreement shortcut.

  3. In the template document, from the menu bar, select File > Make a copy

  4. Name the copy appropriately (i.e. PartnerX + 2i2c/CS&S - Services Agreement YYYY-MM-DD)

  5. Click the box below the word Folder and in the pop-up menu, the partner folder you navigated to in Step 1 should appear at the top of the list. Mouse-over it and hit the Select button

  6. Do not check either of the boxes (re: sharing or copying comments)

  7. Click Make a Copy - your new agreement will open, and will be filed in the appropriate partner folder.

  8. Set sharing of service agreement (with editor rights) with lead contacts

  9. Add dated entry “YYYY-MM-DD Sent (Draft) Service Agreement as shared Google doc” to PartnerX >> Running Notes... file (create a new one if needed).

SOP: Service Agreement Negotiation#

2i2c’s Partnerships Team works with the Prospect to upgrade the draft services agreement into an executable document that can be signed by all signatories.

  • Answer questions

  • Negotiate; Adjust text

  • Specify addenda (statement of work; deliverables; …)

  • Target: get to “ready to sign”

SOP: DocuSign Agreement#

2i2c’s Partnershps Team sends email to fsp@codeforscience.org requesting that the executable agreement be circulated for DocuSigning by all signatories.

CS&S arranges for DocuSign requests from signatories.

Partnership Phase SOPs#

SOP: Launch Meeting#

2i2c’s Community and Partnerships Teams will work to specify standard operating procedures for kickoff events to launch partnerships.

SOP: Invoicing#

Procedure to be specified better in collaboration with CS&S

SOP: Satisfaction Check-In#

2i2c’s Community and Partnerships Teams will work to specify standard operating procedures for checking in with partners.

SOP: Renewal Tickler System#

2i2c’s Community and Partnerships Teams, in collaboration with CS&S, will work to specify standard operating procedures for managing renewals of partnerships.

When to decide to work with a lead#

To decide whether we should continue engaging with a particular lead, we need to know whether they are in-scope for our mission and likely to be able to successfully collaborate with us. The MANIAC-T framework can be helpful in coming to a decision. Here is a short description of these guideilnes:

  • Money. Is there a specific amount of money set aside for the project? If they are seeking funding in order to pay for this, what are the details?

  • Authority. Does the contact have the authority to make a buying decision? Who else will need to be involved in the decision-making process?

  • Need. What are their clear pain-points with their current infrastructure setup? Do they seem to have a real need for change?

  • Impending Event. Do they have an upcoming event that is urgent or pressing?

  • Application. Is their use-case a good fit for 2i2c infrastructure? Would their use-case require major changes to our hubs? Is there a different organization better-suited to help them?

  • Competition. What alternative options are they considering? e.g., other organizations, internal approaches, or deciding to do nothing?

  • Timeline. What does the buying process look like for this prospect? E.g., finalizing a contract, or receiving a sub-award.