A project manager and a contract manager are both needed to administer a procure

Question

A project manager and a contract manager are both needed to administer a procured project or process. If you were the project manager, how would you work with a contract manager to ensure a successful procurement? In answering this question, consider such issues as, at what point you would want to get the contract manager involved in the project, what areas of the contract you would want to be his or her responsibility, how much and what types of communication you would want the seller (i.e., the contracted firm) to have with the contract manager, and who would handle conflicts that might arise with costs, schedules, or scope. Please remember to answer all components of the question.

Explanation / Answer

How would you work with the Contract Manager to ensure a successful procurement:-

As a project manager, I would directly communicate with the contract manager and would start conversing with him in the very beginning, infact in the initiation phase itself. The idea behind involving the contract manager in the initiation phase is to give him a glimpse of what has been planned and what is going to be achieved so that there are no misconceptions about the project. It is always considered best to decide about the procurment in the initiation phase itself, it also helps in liasing with the budget for the project.

I would also mark and include a clause in the contract where the responsibilities of the contractor are correctly mentioned that includes the procurement of the material required would be made by us, but the delivery should be made by him. The delivery time of the procured material must be clearly written in the contract, breaching which, there must be a fine imposed on the company. Also the quality of the materials procured should be of standard as required and the contract manager must take care of the same. Starting from generating the invoice, on time delivery, execution of procurement must be dealt by the contract manager, considering the deadlines within limits.

The seller must get involved with the contract manager in initializing the purchase orders, invoicing, delivering, and sending over the required materials to us. In case of any issues, related with the seller, the contract manager must communicate with them directly. Communication could be through emails/telephone, but the agreement or conclusion must be done on email, marking the project manager in loop, so that he is aware of the situation around.

Regarding any kind of conflicts arising with costs, schedules or project charter, project scope, the contract manager must immediately reach out to the project manager mentioning the challenges and advise for details and feedback. Myself being a project manager, would act as a scrum master and would try to resolve the issues as soon as possible.

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