Prioritize location relative to major highways and ports, dock count and trailer parking, WMS/OMS integrations, SLA history for pick‑and‑pack and returns, scalability for peak volume, and transparent cost components (storage density, throughput pricing, and accessorials).

Strong multimodal access shortens transit windows and provides alternative routing to avoid congestion. Proximity to I‑95 and port dray options reduces last‑mile mileage and carrier base rates, improving reliability and enabling competitive zone‑based pricing strategies.

Look for flexible slotting, scalable labor plans, seasonal racking, advanced WMS with real‑time inventory, APIs for carrier rate shopping, batch/zone picking options, and returns management workflows to maintain SLA compliance during peaks.

Analyze comparative rent per pallet position, typical labor productivity rates, local wage trends, and turnover; model scenarios for utilization and throughput to estimate true landed cost per order and identify when consolidation or additional nodes improve unit economics.

Request historical KPI reports (OTD, order accuracy, dwell time), inspect facility condition and security, validate insurance and customs/brokerage capabilities if needed, run test orders, and include clear SLA terms and penalty structures in the contract.