Rivac LabsBuild vs. Buy vs. Partner Evaluation
Every AI initiative eventually hits the same fork: build it in-house, buy an off-the-shelf platform, or partner with a vendor — and getting that decision wrong is expensive in a way that's hard to reverse. We run an independent, vendor-neutral analysis comparing total cost of ownership, time to value, control, and long-term strategic fit across all three paths for your specific use case. Because we have no platform to sell and no build practice to protect, the recommendation is genuinely based on what fits your constraints, not on which option pays our bills. Clients use this to walk into a board or procurement conversation with a defensible decision instead of a gut call.
How We’d Approach This
A clear, staged plan — not a black box
- 1
Clarify the specific requirements, constraints, and success criteria the decision needs to satisfy
- 2
Model total cost of ownership, implementation timeline, and switching costs for realistic build, buy, and partner options
- 3
Pressure-test each option against your team's actual capacity to build, integrate, or manage a vendor relationship
- 4
Deliver a documented recommendation with the trade-off analysis behind it, ready for board or procurement review
What You Get
Deliverables from this engagement
- Independent build vs. buy vs. partner recommendation with supporting rationale
- Total cost of ownership model comparing all viable options
- Vendor/build shortlist with fit and risk notes
- Board-ready decision memo
Six Ways We Could Architect This
Different engagement, different build — pick the shape that fits
There’s more than one way to deliver on this service. Browse a few of the ways we’d structure the work, depending on your speed, budget, and integration needs.
Ready to get started?
Tell us what you’re trying to get done and we’ll help you find the highest-leverage place to start — scoped small enough to prove itself before you commit to anything bigger.
Talk to us about Build vs. Buy vs. Partner EvaluationMost engagements like this start as a $500–$2,500 pilot — see full pricing.