Last Updated on February 23, 2023
Streamline the procurement process by understanding what factors to consider when evaluating an immigration provider
Human resources professionals often work closely with procurement teams at their organizations to choose new vendors. Many times, HR teams are responsible for putting together a Request for Proposal (RFP) for procurement to use when evaluating vendors. Because immigration services are very different from typical vendors, a successful RFP should look into very specific criteria. Organizing an RFP into specific “buckets” or areas of vendor expertise can help lead a more successful process.
What HR teams should consider when writing an immigration RFP
Legal Expertise
Evaluate the credentials of the firm, their case volume, familiarity with your company’s industry, and the responsiveness of attorneys. One helpful metric to evaluate is a firm’s Net Promoter Score, which measures customer satisfaction. In addition, if a company handles non-U.S. (outbound) immigration, an RFP should include questions about whether the provider can support these cases as well.
Technology
Compare technology platforms from companies for ease of use and agility. Do only HR users and attorneys have access to the platform, or can hiring managers, employees and their dependents access information through it as well? In today’s environment, it’s also important to make sure the platform and important documents are accessible from a remote work location.
Learn how to build a winning immigration RFP in our on-demand webinar with GIA’s Sara Herbek and Envoy Global’s Mere Hess.
Security
Security is a vital concern often omitted from immigration and other service RFPs, but it is crucial to protect personal employee data and privacy and should be taken into consideration, especially with regard to their adherence to some of the newer regulations like GDPR and CCPA. Immigration RFPs should ask about encryption strength, compliance tools, and other security measures in place.
Cost
Get clarity about how specific providers will work with an organization’s immigration budget by asking whether the vendor bills customers for services on an hourly basis or flat rate, as well as what services are included under current costs and what might cost extra. An RFP may also ask whether billing is consolidated or if the organization will receive separate invoices from different providers (global partners, translation services, education evaluations, etc.).
Employee Experience
This area is becoming increasingly important as companies put a premium on their employees’ experience. Ask for proposals to specify how the provider communicates with employees, their family and HR, and where employees have insight and access to attorney and staff communication, as well as any technology platforms or mobile applications.
The above “buckets” are just five of the many important capabilities organizations should evaluate when considering a new immigration service provider. For a comprehensive look at immigration RFPs, download our latest resource, A Guide to The Modern-Day Immigration RFP. For more information about Envoy, contact us today.
Envoy is pleased to provide you this information, which was prepared in collaboration with Sara Herbek, who is the Managing Partner at Global Immigration Associates, P.C. (www.giafirm.com), Envoy’s affiliated law firm.
Content in this publication is not intended as legal advice, nor should it be relied on as such. For additional information on the issues discussed, consult an Envoy-affiliated attorney or another qualified professional.
