Prioritize dock and bay capacity, mezzanine and racking options, cold-chain capability if needed, SLA accuracy, and carrier integration. Also assess seasonal labor bandwidth, inventory visibility (WMS), and the provider’s experience handling cross-border documentation to maintain lead-time consistency.

Border proximity shortens road miles to neighboring countries but can introduce variability from customs and weather on Andean passes. Choose 3PLs with multiple carrier contracts, experience with Paso de Jama operations, and contingency routing to minimize delay risk and optimize transit time predictability.

Key cost drivers include local labor rates, utility and property costs, inbound/outbound transport to primary markets, and border handling fees. Negotiate pricing that separates storage density, pick/pack labor, and cross-border brokerage to model true cost-to-serve per SKU.

Require commitments on inventory accuracy, pick/pack lead times, order cut-off windows, and return processing timelines. Verify WMS integrations (APIs, EDI), real-time tracking, reporting cadence, and support for kitting and promotions to align with omnichannel flows.