Evaluate port proximity and drayage times, highway connectivity to key corridors, airport access for air freight, bonded facility availability, temperature-controlled capacity, and carrier density for last-mile coverage. Also review local labor availability, average handling rates, and provider WMS/EDI capabilities to ensure integration with your order management systems.

Model total landed cost including ocean/air freight, drayage, customs brokerage, duties, cross-dock fees, and inventory carrying cost. Run transit-time scenarios from port-to-door and include premia for expedited lanes. Use TMS or historical carrier performance data to compare service variability and the impact on reorder points and safety stock.

Prioritize OTIF (on-time in-full), pick-and-pack accuracy, dock-to-stock lead time, inventory accuracy, order-cycle time, return processing time, and chargeback terms. Require regular reporting cadence, exception alerts, and defined penalties or remediation steps for repeated SLA breaches.

Verify the provider's customs brokerage credentials, bonded warehouse authorization, and experience with import regimes relevant to your SKUs. Confirm secure documentation handling, customs IT integration, and established procedures for duty deferral, temporary import, or IMMEX-related operations if applicable.