Prioritize multimodal connectivity (road, rail, and port access), bonded storage if you handle imports, and verified carrier partnerships for primary lanes. Evaluate dock throughput, yard depth, and scheduled carrier windows to ensure predictable lead times and reduced drayage.

Compare landed cost impact by modeling rent per pallet, labor rates, productivity (pick/pack per hour), and transportation savings. Include seasonality on labor availability, workers’ productivity assumptions, and potential investment for automation when forecasting TCO.

Critical capabilities include certified cold‑chain handling for perishables, bonded facilities for international flows, flexible cross‑dock for rapid transshipment, and dedicated returns workflows with inspection and restock tracks to minimize reverse-logistics cycle time.

Require clear SLAs for pick accuracy, on-time shipment, and order cycle time; KPIs like inventory accuracy, OTIF, and order-to-ship latency; and integrations for WMS/TMS and EDI/API connectivity to enable real-time inventory, exceptions handling, and carrier booking automation.