In negotiations with Cycode, present competing offers from other vendors as a way to drive down costs. Emphasize that while you prefer Cycode, your finance team has indicated that budget constraints necessitate considering alternatives. This can create pressure on Cycode to match or improve their pricing.

Communicate that multi-year contracts are rare for your finance team, which can help in negotiating more favorable terms. Highlight that your CFO is hesitant about such commitments unless significant discounts are provided, thus pressuring Cycode to consider offering better pricing for a longer-term agreement.

If faced with proposed rate increases during the renewal process, highlight any scope reductions in usage due to changes in your team or needs. For Cycode, use this to negotiate a more favorable renewal cost based on expected utilization, as a simplified scope should equate to lower pricing.

Push back against unexpected price uplifts, especially if there was no prior notification regarding increases. Assert that your budgeting for the upcoming fiscal year does not accommodate such increases and that Cycode should honor existing rates as a goodwill gesture, particularly if you've maintained consistent usage.

Offer to participate in case studies or serve as a reference for Cycode in exchange for potential discounts. This provides marketing value to Cycode and, in discussing terms, can yield better pricing or more favorable contract terms.