Assess proximity to major rail terminals, intermodal yards, and arterial highways (e.g., M36). Verify connections to dry ports and frequency of rail and truck services, customs clearance speed at nearby border checkpoints, and the 3PL's experience with multimodal routing and freight consolidations.

Land and labor rates in East Kazakhstan are generally lower than coastal or major urban hubs, reducing storage and pick-and-pack costs. Expect trade-offs in transit times to global ports; use total landed cost models to compare savings against longer ocean or road transit.

Prioritize validated WMS integrations, SLA-backed pick-and-pack times, returns processing, kitting/assembly, temperature control where needed, inventory visibility, and carrier API connections. Also confirm peak-season scalability and documented KPIs for order accuracy and on-time shipments.

Confirm the 3PL's capability to operate bonded warehouses and manage customs procedures, including transit declarations, ATA carnet handling if needed, and working capital impacts of duty deferral. Ensure the partner has documented customs brokerage processes and experience with corridor-specific documentation to minimize dwell times.