Validate and optimize Bower/Grunt/NPM toolchain usage and configurations

Several project modules now are using the Bower/Grunt/NPM toolchain, but it seems not (all) in an optimal manner which aligns/conforms to our other code/development best practices.
For example the 'caching' and retrieval/storage of external dependencies could maybe be done more optimal and transparent.

Furthermore how and where the toolchain is installed and which min/max versions should be used and are supported needs to be checked and possibly hardened as well.
For example, node.js 0.12 now seems to be released, while so far we've always just tested with node.js 0.10. Does it have impact and might we need to restrict/allow 'auto' upgrading to the 'latest-greatest'?