Presenting competition as an alternative during negotiations can significantly strengthen your position. Make it clear that you're considering alternatives and how their pricing compares to the competitor. This leverages the vendor's fear of losing your business to effectively negotiate better pricing or terms.

Emphasizing that your allocated budget does not account for uplift can help in mitigating price increases during renewal. Clearly state that the previous agreement did not include such an uplift and point to the expected budget constraints. This could lead to safeguarding against unnecessary increase of costs.

Removing auto-renewal clauses from contracts can give you better leverage for future negotiations. Expressing that your finance department requires this for all new deals ensures you maintain negotiation flexibility and control over contract renewals.

Offering to participate in a case study or act as a reference can be a powerful negotiation lever. By providing marketing value in return, you can often secure pricing concessions or improved terms, as vendors see the value in your endorsement.

Documenting specific product issues you've faced can serve as a bargaining chip in negotiations. If there have been frustrations or challenges, be transparent about them to justify your desire for a pricing reduction or other favorable terms.