Evaluate dock accessibility, pallet racking and storage density, IT/API integration capabilities, SLA for order processing, and value-added services such as kitting and returns management. Also verify carrier connectivity and freight lanes serving your primary customer regions to optimize transit times and costs.

Proximity to coastal ports and feeder services in Tarrafal shortens ocean-to-warehouse legs and enables consolidated LCL or FCL flows. That geography reduces drayage and inland transport, lowering total landed costs and improving consistency of lead times for high-frequency B2B shipments.

Focus on variable vs. fixed storage rates, minimum volume commitments, inbound receiving and OHD charges, pick/pack and returns fees, and SLA penalties. Include clear clauses on seasonality, inventory reconciliation cadence, and carrier pass-throughs to control unexpected cost spikes.

Require real-time inventory visibility (WMS integrations or API), EDI/ASN support, and reporting on OTIF, order accuracy, pick-to-shipment times, and return rates. Consider a short onboarding SLA with staged KPIs and a governance cadence to resolve operational gaps quickly.