Introducing competition as a negotiating strategy has shown to yield better outcomes. As you are considering Deepnote, highlight an alternative vendor that offers similar functionalities at a lower price. Presenting this comparison will exert pressure on Deepnote and give you leverage to negotiate for better pricing or terms.

Vendors are often willing to negotiate on pricing for multi-year contracts. However, it's essential to frame it as a rarity in your company. Emphasize to Deepnote that due to previous experiences, your company is hesitant to sign multi-year contracts without substantial discounts.

Discuss overage fees upfront. In many cases, these fees are negotiable, especially if you're aiming for a flat pricing structure. Highlight how previous agreements did not include overages or how your usage needs have changed to make a case for waiving these fees.

Stressing the removal of auto-renewal clauses can increase your negotiation power. Make it clear that your finance team requires a non-auto-renewable agreement to maintain flexibility moving forward.

Offer to participate in a reference case study as a value-add to Deepnote in exchange for better pricing. Position this as a reciprocal commitment that involves several layers of approval, thus enhancing your negotiation leverage.