Evaluating AV Integrators in a Tender: Why Require the Highest Level of Manufacturer Partnership
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Quick summary
When evaluating AV integrators in a tender, it is worth distinguishing between two types of verification: partnership with an equipment manufacturer (a relationship with one brand) and independent certification of the whole company (processes, people and results). Hardware prices are usually similar across suppliers. The difference lies in what stands behind the design, implementation and long-term support, and this is revealed by certifications such as PSNI Global Alliance and ISO standards, not by the manufacturer partnership level alone.
Two ways to verify the quality of an AV integrator
When comparing offers in a tender for audiovisual technologies, there are two different types of supplier verification. Most companies know only the first one. The second one, which is often more important, is frequently overlooked completely.
Type 1: Partnership with the equipment manufacturer
Every major AV technology manufacturer, such as Cisco, Yealink, Shure or Crestron, has a partner programme with several levels. The basic level is an authorized seller or reseller. A higher level is a certified or specialized partner. The highest level is a strategic partner, such as Gold, Diamond and similar names, depending on the manufacturer.
A manufacturer partnership describes a company’s relationship with one specific brand. A Cisco Collaboration Partner means that the company specializes in Cisco video conferencing solutions and has completed the relevant training. A Yealink authorized reseller means that the company is authorized to sell Yealink devices. These are useful pieces of information, but they do not tell you everything.
What they do not tell you: What processes the company has in place. Whether it prepares project documentation or only “delivers and connects” the equipment. Whether it has a service team or relies on external technicians. Whether it tests functionality after installation according to defined standards or only checks that the device has turned on. A manufacturer partnership verifies the relationship with one brand. It does not verify the quality of the company as a whole.
Type 2: Independent verification of the whole company’s quality
This is where certifications come in, issued not by an equipment manufacturer, but by an independent international organization. These certifications verify the company as a whole: its processes, people, results and ability to deliver a project from start to finish.
In the audiovisual industry, there are two key types:
- certification within the PSNI Global Alliance (an international network of elite AV integrators)
- and ISO standards (international quality management standards). These certifications are especially relevant because they verify exactly what a manufacturer partnership does not: whether the company can design, implement, test and support a project over the long term.
What exactly does PSNI Global Alliance certify?
PSNI Global Alliance is a worldwide network of elite AV integrators operating in 65 countries with 282 locations. It is not a sales group, but a certification system. Every member goes through a strict verification process and regular audits.
MediaTech Central Europe a.s. is the only certified PSNI member in Slovakia. It holds three PSNI certifications:
| PSNI certification | What it guarantees | What it means for the customer |
| Global Services | A high level of service delivery and unified support standards
| Guaranteed service and support according to international standards, not only according to what the integrator decides to provide |
| Global Deployment | The ability to deliver AV projects at an international level
| If you have branches abroad, MediaTech can coordinate the project through the PSNI partner network in 65 countries with the same standard |
| Quality Assurance | Verified quality management processes across the entire project lifecycle
| Every project follows a defined process from design to handover. It is not improvisation, but a system |
These certifications are not one-off. PSNI continuously audits its members and verifies whether they still meet the standards. If a member no longer meets the criteria, it loses certification. This is a key difference compared with manufacturer partnerships, which are often tied mainly to purchase volume.
What this means for a medium-sized business is explained in the article on PSNI standards for medium-sized businesses.
Comparison: Manufacturer partner vs. PSNI certified integrator
The following table shows how these two types of verification differ and why they are complementary rather than interchangeable.
| Criterion | Manufacturer partnership (Cisco Gold, Yealink Diamond…) | PSNI certification (Global Services, Deployment, QA) |
| What it verifies | The company’s relationship with one specific manufacturer
| The quality of the whole company: processes, people and results across all brands |
| Scope | One equipment brand
| The entire project lifecycle: from design to service, regardless of brand |
| Who audits it | The manufacturer (Cisco, Yealink…)
| An independent international alliance (PSNI Global Alliance) |
| What the customer receives | Access to support from a specific manufacturer
| A guaranteed quality standard for the entire delivery: project, implementation and service |
| International validity | Depends on country and region
| Global: the same standard in 65 countries |
| Verification frequency | Annual renewal based on volume
| Ongoing audits of processes and results |
| Number of certified companies in Slovakia | Dozens, at different levels
| MediaTech Central Europe |
There are dozens of companies in Slovakia with some level of partnership from various brands. But PSNI Global Services, Global Deployment and Quality Assurance certifications are held by one company. This is a verifiable fact in the database at psni.org.
ISO certifications: Another layer of verification that most tenders ignore
MediaTech holds ISO 9001 (quality management system) and ISO 14001 (environmental management) certifications.
In practice, this means that the company has documented processes for everything from accepting an order to handing over the project. These processes are regularly audited by an independent certification body.
For the customer, this means one thing: predictability. A company working according to ISO has repeatable processes. It does not depend on whether the customer is lucky enough to get a good technician or whether the project is managed “according to mood”. The system is repeatable.
In tenders, ISO certification is often listed as a formal criterion (“meets / does not meet”), but without real weight in scoring. A company with ISO 9001 has demonstrably audited quality management processes. A company without it may also have them, but nobody has verified them.
5 questions worth asking every supplier in a tender
These questions help distinguish an integrator who will deliver a working solution from a company that only sells hardware.
- Are you a member of any international alliance or association of AV integrators? Which one? You are looking for an answer such as PSNI, AVIXA or similar, not just the name of a distribution network. Ask about specific certifications within the membership.
- Do you have a certified quality management system (ISO 9001)? A company with ISO has documented and audited processes. A company without ISO may work well, but nobody has verified it. In a tender worth tens of thousands of euros, this is a relevant difference.
- How exactly does your project process work from the first consultation to handover? How many phases does it have and what does each phase include? A professional integrator has a defined process: consultation, design, documentation, implementation, testing, handover and service. A company without a process will answer vaguely.
- Do you perform functionality testing and verification after installation? According to which standards? PSNI and AVIXA have defined standards for AV system verification. A company that tests “by eye” and a company that tests according to defined criteria are two different worlds.
- What exactly do we receive at project handover? Do you provide as-built documentation, test protocols, equipment inventory and training? A professional integrator provides complete documentation. A company without processes hands over an invoice and the rack keys.
What the handover documentation should contain is explained in the article on the contents of an AV project.
How to include qualitative criteria in a tender?
Price is, of course, important. At the same time, it is useful to divide the evaluation into at least two parts so that the tender also compares supplier capabilities:
Price (50 – 60% weighting): Total solution price including service for 3 – 5 years.
Supplier quality and capabilities (40 – 50% weighting). This includes:
(a) International certifications and memberships (PSNI, AVIXA) – 15%.
(b) ISO certifications – 10%.
(c) References from similar projects – 10%.
(d) Service conditions and SLA – 10%.
(e) Process documentation (project phases, testing, handover) – 5%.
How to prepare the specification so that all suppliers price the same scope is explained in the article on the difference between a paid project and a free design.
This division is objective and defensible. Every criterion is verifiable. Certifications are in databases, references can be checked and the SLA is in the contract. None of the bidders can claim that the criteria are subjective.
Frequently asked questions
| Question | Answer |
| Is the price from a certified integrator always higher? | Hardware costs are similar across all suppliers. The 5 – 15% difference is usually for services: project documentation, professional installation, testing, training and service support. When calculated over 5-year costs (TCO), a higher-quality delivery is typically cheaper because it generates fewer failures and downtimes.
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| Is it enough if the supplier has Gold partnership with a manufacturer? | A manufacturer partnership is useful, but it verifies only the relationship with one brand. It says nothing about the company’s processes, installation quality or service capabilities. The ideal combination is partnership with key manufacturers plus independent verification of the whole company (PSNI, ISO).
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| How can I verify whether the supplier’s certifications are valid? | You can verify PSNI certification on psni.org in the Certified Solution Providers list. ISO certifications have a number and validity date, so ask for a copy of the certificate. Manufacturer partnerships can be verified in manufacturer databases, such as Cisco Partner Locator.
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| Is PSNI membership the same as PSNI certification? | No. PSNI has different levels of involvement. Certification (Certified Solution Provider) requires meeting specific criteria and regular audits. Membership in the network itself is a separate matter. Ask specifically about certifications: Global Services, Global Deployment and Quality Assurance.
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| Why should we give 40 – 50% weighting to quality and not only to price? | An AV project is not a one-time purchase. It is an investment for 5 – 10 years. If the supplier does not have the processes, service and capabilities for long-term support, the initial saving will appear later as higher costs during the solution’s lifecycle. Qualitative criteria protect the budget over the long term.
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Are you preparing a tender or comparing offers?
The decision about technologies and partners in a tender defines the efficiency of your infrastructure for years ahead. If you are currently evaluating offers or setting criteria for an AV integrator, we will be happy to provide technical insight into details that are often missing from comparison tables.
A free consultation with our engineers will help you verify whether the proposed solutions correspond to the highest level of manufacturer partnership and to the practice from our previous projects.
Contact us:
+421 220 999 700 | mediatech@mediatech.sk | mediatech.sk/kontakt