Book excerpt: The eSourcing Capability Model for Service Providers (eSCM-SP) is the best practices model that supports sourcing organizations successfully manage and reduce their risks and improve their capabilities across the entire sourcing life-cycle. It addresses the critical issues related to IT-enabled sourcing (eSourcing) for both outsourced and in-sourced (shared services) agreements. Each of the Model's 84 Practice is distributed along three easy to follow dimensions: Sourcing Life-cycle, Capability Area, and Capability Level, and have been applied in IT, BPO, and KPO settings. The eSCM-SP has been designed to complement existing quality models so that service providers can capitalize on their previous improvement efforts. ITIL V3 suggests that ITIL be supplemented with eSCM when service management is performed in the context of a sourcing arrangement. A series of documents comparing the eSCM-SP with other models and standards has been developed. Developed by The IT Services Qualification Center (ITSqc) and endorsed by a number of organizations including IAOP (International Association of Outsourcing Professionals), this title represents a major step forward for professionals looking to implement Best Practice within the Industry.