Coleen includes a question in her procurement request-for-proposal process that asks how long the vendor has been in business and how many existing clients the vendor has. What common issue is this practice intended to help prevent?

Systems and software that no longer have vendor support can be a significant security risk, and ensuring that a vendor will continue to exist and provide support is an important part of many procurement processes. Coleen’s questions are intended to assess the longevity and viability of the company and whether buying from them will result in her organization having a usable product for the long term.