Oracle NetSuite Implementation in Vietnam: The Hidden Risks of RFPs
Author: Pham Hoang Lac – CTO, S4 Consulting
In a recent article, global ERP expert Eric Kimberling made a bold statement: “RFPs suck (And How to Fix Them).” RFPs are supposed to bring structure and fairness to software selections. They force companies to document requirements, compare vendors, and feel confident about their choices. But in reality, RFPs often do the opposite: they create a false sense of security, obscure the real risks, and inflate project budgets far beyond what’s necessary.
Why RFPs Can Derail Your Oracle NetSuite Project
In Vietnam, many organizations treat the RFP as a mandatory step when selecting an Oracle NetSuite implementation partner. But is it really essential? And more importantly—how can you use RFPs without letting them become a double-edged sword?
For a broader perspective, see also: Advice for Businesses Seeking Oracle NetSuite Implementation Partners in Vietnam.
1. Why Companies Still Fall Back on RFPs
Despite their shortcomings, RFPs offer a few undeniable benefits:
- Internal alignment: They force different departments to sit down and agree on what they need.
- Written record: They create a paper trail of vendor commitments that can be referenced later.
- Transparency: They give procurement and executives the sense that vendors are being compared fairly.
- Early estimates: They provide an initial framework for cost and timeline expectations.
This structure feels safe and methodical—which is why many leadership teams default to it.
2. The Double-Edged Sword of RFPs
| Aspect | Benefits | Pitfalls | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internal alignment | Brings stakeholders together to define requirements and priorities. | Departments tend to list everything to avoid blame later, mixing must-haves with trivial items. | Focus on requirements that truly move the needle; mark “nice-to-haves” separately. Proactively phase projects into 2–3 stages instead of waiting for vendor proposals. |
| Documentation | Provides written evidence of vendor commitments. | Many promises are marketing-driven and hard to verify once the project begins. | Require live demos or proof of concept for critical features. |
| Vendor comparison | Creates a sense of fairness in evaluation. | “Checklist illusion”: nearly all vendors tick “Yes,” making differences invisible. | Use independent benchmarks and real-world case studies. |
| Cost/Time estimates | Offers an early framework for budgeting. | Excludes critical services such as migration, integration, and change management → real costs run much higher. | Build in 30–50% contingency and validate with independent experts. |
| Risk management | Provides a sense of structure. | Creates a false sense of safety, while overlooking change management, culture, and governance. | Make cultural fit and change management part of your selection criteria. |
| Budget impact | Supports financial planning. | Inflates budgets as vendors cover both must-haves and minor items → wasteful contracts. | Clearly separate must-haves from nice-to-haves; avoid “all-in” bundles. |
RFPs are not useless. But when treated as the only decision-making tool, they drive up costs and obscure the real success factors. That’s why at S4 Consulting we developed the Fast & Saving methodology—focusing on core requirements while cutting waste.
3. The Reality in Vietnamese Companies
In Vietnam, one key challenge is the lack of a strong ERP Manager to filter and prioritize requests. Without this role:
- No one has both system expertise and business knowledge to push back on unnecessary requirements.
- Departments overload RFPs to avoid blame, especially with reports. Instead of adapting to NetSuite’s extensive built-in reporting, companies demand costly duplicates of formats they’re used to.
- RFPs become bloated documents—more about “paper trail” than solving real business issues.
A capable ERP Manager—or an independent advisor—can help leadership distinguish between must-haves and nice-to-haves. At S4 Consulting, we often fill this gap, bringing both technical and business expertise to keep projects lean and focused on value.
4. Lessons from Real ERP Implementations
- Start Small to reduce risk: Split contracts into two appendices. SOW 1 (Fixed Fee): implement Oracle NetSuite’s standard features. SOW 2 (Time & Materials): cover customizations only after the Discover and Business Matching phases. At that point, both client and vendor understand the system and business context—making it clear whether custom reports or modifications are truly needed. This keeps budgets under control and reduces conflict.
- Don’t turn RFPs into encyclopedias: Around 60% of ERP features are common across all platforms. Listing these again adds no value. A well-written RFP should be short, focused on unique needs, and serve as reference—not a spec book. The ideal length? 50–100 lines, not hundreds of pages.
- Demo scripts are non-negotiable: An RFP without a demo plan is incomplete. Require vendors to run scenarios on your actual dataset. Seeing real reports, workflows, and dashboards gives executives clarity: is the software intuitive, does it align with operations, and does the vendor truly understand your business? This transforms the RFP from a static checklist into a practical decision tool.
5. Message from S4 Consulting
At S4 Consulting, we don’t advise clients to skip RFPs altogether—but we do encourage them not to rely on RFPs alone. With our AI-First approach and Fast & Saving methodology, we help businesses:
- Reduce Oracle NetSuite implementation costs by up to 50%.
- Align processes with both VAS and IFRS standards.
- Accelerate Go-Live while improving project success rates.
For more insights, see: Essential Service Packages for ERP Projects in Vietnam.
About the Author
Pham Hoang Lac is CTO of S4 Consulting. With over 16 years of experience leading major IT and ERP projects in Vietnam across manufacturing and commerce, he specializes in Oracle NetSuite implementations. His AI-First and Fast & Saving methodologies help clients cut costs, boost efficiency, and achieve faster Go-Live outcomes.
