AI PROCUREMENT CHECKLIST

An AI Procurement Checklist: From Use Case to Approval

Questions for business, IT, security, procurement, and finance before selecting and approving an AI tool.

Updated 12 July 2026Approx. 6 min read
Decision summary

Start with the work to improve, data involved, accountable owners, and measurable outcomes before comparing plans, prices, or model names. Then evaluate administration, privacy, documentation, and a bounded pilot.

Best for: Organizations approving their first AI platform or consolidating tools that teams purchased separately.

Compare before deciding

TopicFirst optionOrganization option
Starting pointChoose by product nameStart with work and outcomes
UsersLicense everyonePilot with clear use cases
DataDefine rules laterClassify data before launch
ApprovalReview price onlyInclude Security, Legal, and Finance
SuccessLicense countTime, quality, and adoption

Start with the problem, not the model

Document the current task, time, errors, and desired outcome so tools can be compared against the same criteria instead of market momentum.

Design a pilot that supports a decision

Set users, duration, example tasks, allowed data, and success measures before launch. A pilot without a baseline rarely shows whether to expand or stop.

Plan the exit from day one

Record ownership, export options, user removal, and renewal dates so the organization can change plans or tools without disruption.

Quotation preparation checklist

  • Use-case owner and approvers
  • Allowed and prohibited information
  • Pilot users and admins
  • SSO, audit, retention, and offboarding
  • Budget, billing cycle, and documents
  • Before-and-after measures
  • Training and support plan

Frequently asked questions

How many users should an AI pilot include?+

Keep the group manageable while including enough roles and tasks to reflect actual work.

Do we need an AI policy before buying?+

At minimum, define prohibited data, output verification, accountability, and incident reporting before business information is used.

What should we measure besides time saved?+

Measure quality, rework, satisfaction, adoption, and risk events as well.

OFFICIAL & REFERENCE SOURCES

Sources used for verification

Vendor facts are separated from TechTouch guidance. Features, pricing, and commercial terms may change, so confirm the latest information at the time of purchase.

01NIST AI Risk Management Framework02TechTouch AI procurement guide