Contract activities can be split into two distinct but interdependent phases: pre-contract award/renewal and post-contract management. Contract management is command and control of the activities spanning both phases, but the potential value adding outcomes of post contract management will not be realized unless effective pre-contract management has resulted in a contract that addresses all stakeholders‘ needs with the utmost professional skill. A failure in pre-contract management will result in post-contract management time and effort being wasted on trying to resolve and correct omissions and failures of the earlier phase. The following are typical pre-contract activities:
- Assembling/analyzing the views of stakeholders
- Market and Spend analyses
- Developing a supply strategy (including a risk assessment/exit strategy)
- Drafting specifications and agreed requirements
- Pre-qualification of potential suppliers if appropriate
- Drafting and circulating the Invitation to Tender documentation
- Evaluating tenders and possible supplier audits/post-tender meetings
- Awarding of contracts
If this is a contract renewal, in addition to the above, other activities will include:
- Reviewing the supplier performance over the contract period
- Analyzing stakeholder perceptions of supplier performance.
- Requesting the supplier‘s contract renewal proposals or the decision to re-tender the business.
