<p>Copyright TM Forum 2005<br/></p><p><br/></p><p><b>Extended Description</b><br/></p><p><br/></p><p>S/PRM Support & Readiness processes are responsible for ensuring that management processes are in place to engage Suppliers/Partners who own and manage infrastructure, and provide infrastructure capabilities to the Service Provider.  They are also responsible for ensuring that necessary facilities related to the interaction with Suppliers/Partners in delivering S/P products and/or services to support Service Provider owned and managed infrastructure are ready and functioning.<br/></p><p><br/></p><p>External suppliers/partners are engaged by the service provider in infrastructure level activities when the service provider has outsourced the relevant infrastructure ownership and management to suppliers/partners (i.e. outsourced network or IT bureau arrangements).<br/></p><p><br/></p><p>Responsibilities of these processes include, but are not limited to:<br/></p><p><br/></p><p>- Developing the procedures for the specific S/PRM processes supporting the Fulfillment, Assurance and Billing processes and keep them up-to-date;<br/></p><p>- Undertaking, and reporting on, trend analysis on S/PRM processes, including types of associated requests, response duration, delays and other process measures;<br/></p><p>- Establishing and managing S/P requisition processes for obtaining S/P products and/or services;<br/></p><p>- Establishing and managing S/P problem and performance resolution processes for S/P products and/or services;<br/></p><p>- Establishing and managing payments and settlements processes to manage S/P invoices for S/P products and/or services (as well as for purchased S/P product offerings where the Supplier/Partner owns and manages the infrastructure);<br/></p><p>- Arranging and administering Supplier/Partner access to Service Provider support tools and facilities, and vice versa;<br/></p><p>- Monitoring and reporting on requests made to Suppliers/Partners where the Supplier/Partner owns and manages the particular infrastructure, <br/></p><p>- Establishing and managing automated interfaces between the Service Provider and Supplier/Partner; and<br/></p><p>- Maintaining the currency and quality of the Supplier/Partner Inventory to support the S/PRM and other processes.<br/></p>