This is a template benchmarking schedule intended to be incorporated into a long-term outsourcing agreement. Benchmarking is a procedure under which customers in long-term agreements can engage an independent third party to compare the charges and performance standards of the supplier against other suppliers in the market. This is a particularly useful tool in IT outsourcing agreements where advances in technology (and the resulting decreases in the costs of that technology) over the life of an agreement may lead to some customers paying too much for services toward the end of the agreement. Obviously, benchmarking provisions are not favoured by suppliers but are usually accepted.

1.1 This Schedule describes the processes and procedure for benchmarking the Supplier's services.

1.2 In this Schedule, the following terms shall have the meanings set out below:

Benchmarked Services in relation to a Benchmark Review, means those parts of the Services that the Customer specifies (in the notice referred to in paragraph 3.1 of this Schedule) should be subject to that Benchmark Review (these may, for the avoidance of doubt, be all the Services);