How OSI could change the evaluation and selection of martech vendors | MarTech

Ask: How can adopting an open semantic data standard like OSI change martech vendor selection and RFP integration processes?

MarTechBot’s answer: The adoption of Open Semantic Interchange (OSI) introduces a fundamental shift in the way marketers will evaluate, compare and select martech vendors – especially at the RFP stage, where integration complexity and data interoperability often make or break a deal.

At its core, OSI is an open framework for describing marketing data (campaigns, events, audiences and behavior) in a consistent, machine-readable format. It is not a platform or protocol, but a shared semantic model intended to make martech systems easier to integrate without custom code or brittle APIs. For B2B marketers used to navigating multi-vendor stacks, data silos and long IT timelines, OSI offers the promise of modularity and composability: tools that work together ‘out of the box’ because they speak the same data language.

What that means for the RFP process

Today’s RFPs are still shaped by outdated assumptions: data structures are proprietary, integrations are manual, and platform compatibility must be examined at a deep technical level. Evaluations are based on questions such as “Can Vendor X connect to our CRM?” or “How long does it take to map fields from Platform A to Platform B?” These questions are proxies for a deeper problem: vendor-specific data complexity.

OSI disputes these assumptions. If a vendor’s data model aligns with OSI, campaign metadata, engagement signals, or identity objects can be passed between systems using shared definitions. This makes interoperability a basic expectation and not a differentiator. It is in this environment that RFPs are beginning to evolve. Instead of asking whether a platform integrates with others, buyers will ask whether it publishes and uses OSI-compliant schemas. Instead of mapping dozens of fields across systems, marketers will expect OSI-native support for shared concepts like “campaign,” “touchpoint,” or “conversion.”

In other words, semantic compatibility will be the new interoperability test.

Shift from connectors to composability

Vendors that have traditionally relied on large libraries of proprietary connectors (or on expensive service contracts to customize integrations) may lose ground to newer entrants that build on OSI’s foundation. This shift encourages product teams to prioritize data clarity, extensibility, and forward compatibility.

For example, a marketing automation platform that sends campaign performance data using OSI schemas can connect seamlessly to a CDP, analytics dashboard, or AI model that uses the same standard. Marketers gain the flexibility to switch or stack tools as needs evolve, rather than being locked into bundled suites or brittle integrations.

This also makes ecosystems more dynamic. OSI could foster a more configurable martech environment where tools can be evaluated independently but work together without custom glue code. This reduces technical debt and increases stack flexibility – a key benefit as marketing teams look to scale experimentation and automation.

Accountability and coordination of the roadmap

Another change: RFPs will increasingly examine a supplier’s roadmap and governance posture. Does the supplier contribute to OSI? Are they versioning their schema support? Are they concerned with backward compatibility? These questions reflect the growing expectation that suppliers behave not only as service providers, but also as participants in standards.

Conversely, suppliers who avoid OSI may be classified as higher risk. If their data formats are proprietary, if they restrict access to key objects, or if they rely on opaque data pipelines, marketers may see that as a sign of future integration pain or limited portability.

Implications for MOps: This isn’t just a shift in purchasing; it has real implications for how marketing teams plan, build and manage workflows. OSI-compliant vendors lower the barrier to workflow automation between systems. Data onboarding becomes faster, audience targeting becomes more accurate, and reporting across channels becomes more consistent. Over time, this can reduce dependence on IT and increase the autonomy of marketing teams to test and iterate quickly.

In short

OSI adoption can turn integration from a technical hurdle into a strategic differentiator. As semantic compatibility becomes a key purchasing criterion, marketers will rethink the way they write RFPs, assess vendor roadmaps, and structure their stacks. The result could be a more open, interoperable martech landscape – one where the best tools finally deliver on the promise of working together more effectively.