Write the decision brief for one supplier contract coming up for renewal: what was bought and used, how the supplier performed, what the market now offers, the options to renew, renegotiate, re-tender or exit with the cost and risk of each, a recommendation and a negotiation position. Use when asked to write a renewal brief, should we renew this contract, prepare the renewal paper for the committee, or renew or re-tender. Produces a one-page recommendation, an options table, usage and performance evidence, a negotiation plan and a timeline keyed to the notice date. Distinct from contract-renew
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SKILL.md
name: contract-renewal-briefdescription: "Write the decision brief for one supplier contract coming up for renewal: what was bought and used, how the supplier performed, what the market now offers, the options to renew, renegotiate, re-tender or exit with the cost and risk of each, a recommendation and a negotiation position. Use when asked to write a renewal brief, should we renew this contract, prepare the renewal paper for the committee, or renew or re-tender. Produces a one-page recommendation, an options table, usage and performance evidence, a negotiation plan and a timeline keyed to the notice date. Distinct from contract-renewal-tracker (all contracts and dates) and renewal-playbook (the vendor's side)."version: 1.0.0
Contract Renewal Brief
Most contracts renew because nobody wrote down a reason not to. This skill prepares the paper a budget holder or committee needs for one renewal: the evidence of use and performance, real alternatives, and a position to negotiate from before the notice date passes. It is written from the buyer's side.
What This Skill Produces
A one-page recommendation with the decision needed and the date it is needed by
An options table: renew as is, renegotiate, re-tender, reduce scope, exit
Evidence: spend, usage against entitlement, service performance, incidents
A market check: alternatives, indicative prices, switching cost
A negotiation plan: asks, trades, walk-away points, who speaks
A timeline working back from the notice deadline
Required Inputs
Ask for these if not provided:
Supplier, what is bought, contract value and term
Renewal date, notice period, auto-renewal terms and any price uplift clause
Actual usage against what is paid for (licences, volumes, hours)
Performance against service levels, incidents, complaints, credits received
Who uses it and how hard it would be to replace
Alternatives known, and any quotes or benchmarks
Budget position and the organisation's procurement rules or thresholds
Who decides and who must be consulted
Framework
Start from the notice date. The decision deadline is the notice date minus the time needed to act on the decision.
Usage first. Paying for more than is used is the easiest saving and the strongest negotiating fact.
Performance in the supplier's own terms. Service levels met or missed, with dates.
Total cost of each option. Price, internal effort, switching and migration, dual running, exit fees, risk.
Real alternatives. At least one credible alternative, even if switching is unlikely. Without one there is no negotiation.
Position. Target, acceptable and walk-away for price, term, scope and terms. Decide what can be traded: a longer term for a lower price, case-study rights, payment timing.
Compliance. Check whether the value or the change triggers a tender or approval requirement under the organisation's rules. Ask the user for the rule.
Recommendation. One option, the reason, the saving or risk reduced, and what is needed from the decision-maker.
Output Format
Renewal brief: [supplier], [service]
Decision needed by: [date] (notice deadline [date]). Recommendation: [option] because [reason]. Expected effect: [saving or risk change].
The contract today
Item
Value
Annual cost
Term and renewal
Notice and auto-renewal
Uplift clause
Evidence
Measure
Contracted
Actual
Note
Options
Option
Year-one cost
Three-year cost
Effort and switching
Risk
Verdict
Negotiation plan
Topic
Target
Acceptable
Walk away
What we can trade
Timeline
By
Step
Owner
Procurement rules to confirm: [thresholds, approvals]
Assumptions and gaps
[Figures estimated or missing]
[The data that would most change the recommendation]
Quality Checks
The decision deadline is derived from the notice date
Usage is compared with entitlement
Each option shows cost beyond year one and switching effort
At least one alternative is named or the lack of one is stated as a risk
Walk-away points are set for price and term
The recommendation fits in three lines
Anti-Patterns
Do not recommend renewal because switching is tiresome without costing it.
Do not open negotiations after the notice date.
Do not quote a benchmark price you were not given.
Do not ignore the uplift clause.
Do not present five options as equal. Recommend one.
Example Trigger Phrases
"Our CRM contract renews in March. Write the renewal paper."
"We pay for 200 seats and use 130. Build the negotiation position."
"Renew or re-tender the cleaning contract? Give me the options."
"What should I ask for on the renewal call tomorrow?"