Guides / Procurement
Negotiating an OEM renewal: using third-party maintenance as leverage
The renewal quote for OEM maintenance often arrives late and with a mark-up, especially for older devices. If you start early and have a realistic alternative on the table, you negotiate differently. These four steps have proven themselves in many renewal rounds.
Four steps to a better renewal
- Start early: 6–9 months before the contract ends, match the estate against EOSL data, for example with the EOSL365 inventory check.
- Split the estate: what is critical and still under vendor support, what is EOSL or will be soon?
- Get a third-party maintenance quote for the EOSL part. For that part it is often already the solution.
- Negotiate with the full picture: with a realistic alternative you get better terms, or you renew only what really has to stay with the vendor.
What should stay with the vendor
New systems under warranty, systems with actively used vendor-bound software features, and contracts that must sit with the vendor for regulatory reasons. For everything else a mixed model of OEM and third-party maintenance is common and typically saves 30–70 % on the outsourced part.
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Request a free EOSL auditFrequently asked questions
When should I start the renewal negotiation?
6 to 9 months before the contract ends. That leaves time for the estate review, a comparison quote and negotiation without a gap in support.
Can I mix OEM and third-party maintenance?
Yes, that is common. New and critical systems stay with the vendor, older and EOSL systems move to third-party maintenance. A clean assignment per serial number is key.
How much can be saved?
Typically 30–70 % versus the OEM maintenance list price on the part that moves to third-party maintenance, often plus a better vendor offer for the rest.