Assess port and air schedule reliability, seasonal weather impacts, minimum volume requirements, and the 3PL’s consolidation and cross-dock capabilities. Verify WMS integration, inventory buffering strategies, and local carrier contracts that reduce transit variance and support agreed SLA targets.

Include per-shipment transport surcharges, frequency-driven consolidation savings, inventory holding costs for buffer stock, and reverse logistics. Model multiple scenarios (weekly vs. biweekly shipments) to identify the volume threshold where higher transport costs are offset by lower safety stock.

Prioritize cross-dock and pick-and-pack efficiency, shipment consolidation, local carrier networks, traceability via WMS, and scalable labor. If applicable, confirm temperature control options and secure storage for high-value SKUs, given limited on-island infrastructure.

Use scheduled consolidation to regional hubs, combine air and sea for time-sensitive SKUs, and establish fixed feeder contracts with contingency routing. Coordinate cut-off windows and visibility with carriers to reduce dwell time and improve ETA reliability.

Set measurable KPIs such as on-time delivery to customer, order fill rate, transit time variance, and inventory accuracy. Build tiered SLAs with clear chargeback terms, review cadence, and clauses for seasonal service adjustments to align incentives and control cost-to-serve.