PROJ 598 Contracts & Procurement Management Complete Course

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PROJ 598 Week 1

Week 1 DQ 1: Overview of Procurement

 Overview of the Project Procurement Processes (Graded)

All: What are the four unique differences of the four procurement processes? Why are these processes fundamental to managing project procurement?

Week 1 DQ 2: Overview of Procurement

 Building Trust:

All: How do you feel intuitively about building trust in an organization? What do you think are the key ingredients in building a trusting relationship? I feel that trust in organizations is a top priority because the lack of trust can be destructive for any organization. When an organization is in a situation where people do not feel trusted, it makes for a difficult situation. People do not perform well if they are constantly worried about their job.

Check your ideas with the “Building Trust for Successful Partnerships: Checklist” on page 14 of our text. Do you see any new ideas? Do you think that building trust is inherently the same across all types of relationships?

Finally, read the Copier Confusion case in the Case Study Area within Doc Sharing. Is this case a good example of how to build a successful partnership? Why or why not? Can you relate this case study to other situations in good and bad organizations where you have seen trust change over time?

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PROJ 598 Week 2

Week 2 DQ 1: Introduction to Contracts

 Contract Risk (Graded)

In business, the contract is considered the standard document between buyers and sellers. Some people believe that contracts are unnecessary because if both sides know what is required and there is an agreement on the price, then the details should take care of themselves. I find that this is not true and even beyond the contract document; there are always risks for both the buyers and sellers.

Consider and answer the following;

Do we always need contracts?

When must be have a contract?

Is an oral agreement an acceptable way to engage another company?

What are some of the risks associated with a contract?

What are some of the risks associated by not having a contract?

Week 2 DQ 2: Introduction to Contracts

 Why Do We Need Contracts? (Graded)

Class: This week we will be reviewing contract risk. To understand risk one must examine the risks associated with the buyer and with the seller

* What are some of the sources of risks associated with contracts?

* Cite examples of risks that you have encountered (not necessarily in writing) when purchasing things in your own personal or professional life.

* What are the sources of these risks identified by our text? Can you think of any others?

* Do any types of contracts or contract situations increase risk?

* Do you feel that risk is equally divided between the buyer and seller?

Your text has some interesting perspectives on this material, which you may wish to review. You can also research bids on the Web if you feel you need some additional information and examples.

PROJ 598 Week 2 Course Project:

Course Project

PROJ 598 Course Project Overview | Part I (PP1) | Part II (PP2) | Part III (PP3)

The course project for PM598 consists of three parts, which provide familiarization to processes associated with contract and procurement management.

Part 1 (PP1) of the Course Project focuses on the first section of the RFP and entails selecting one of the three RFP procurement cases listed under the PP1 section and using the PP1&2 – Course Project RFP template document in the Doc Sharing area to develop information to support section one of the RFP. Part 1 (PP2) of the Course Project entails completing the remaining sections of the RFP by developing a comprehensive document that could be submitted to a vendor. Part 3 (PP3) covers all of the TCOs but touches mainly upon textbook Chapters 9 through 12. You will be required to identify an opportunity throughhttps://www.Fbo.govand follow the instructions, which are located in the Doc Sharing section.

This three-part project provides an overview of the processes and material that are used to develop a RFP as well as address relevant questions that could result from contract and procurement management. The points assigned to each part of the Course Project are listed below:

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PROJ 598 Week 3

Week 3 DQ 1: The Preaward Phase

 Bid v. No Bid (Graded)

Class: There are two distinct sides of any negotiation. In many cases, people tend to review contract negotiation from the buyer’s perspective. However, no analysis of contracts and negotiations would be complete without considering the seller’s perspective on bid participation and negotiation. The bid/no-bid decision requires analyzing the risks versus the opportunities of a potential business deal before deciding whether or not to proceed.

This week, we will consider the buyer’s and seller’s decision to participate on a bid. Consider the following:

• What are some factors that would be taken into consideration in whether to participate in a bid? Please share any examples that you may have from your experience with bids.
• What tools are available to help us make a good bid/no bid decision?
• What are some implications of declining a bid on a particular project?
• Consider and explain the role of research as it pertains to a bid decision.

Your text has some interesting perspectives on this material, which you may wish to review. You can also research bids on the Web if you feel you need some additional information and examples.

Week 3 DQ 2: The Preaward Phase

 Potential Conflict – Buyers & Sellers (Graded)

Class, page 100 of our text mentions best practices for buyers and sellers in the pre-award phase. Do you see any potential conflicts between the two sets of suggestions? For best practices in the seller’s list, explore a conflict from the buyer’s side. Help your classmates consider other conflicts.

Give an example of a negotiation conflict that you have had (buyer or seller), and explain how the situation was resolved. Review what your classmates write, as all of this will offer a variety of examples of what kind of conflict can happen during a negotiation.

This will come in handy later when we explore negotiating.

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PROJ 598 Week 3 Quiz

1.Question :(TCO A) What are the four common actions that winning organizations are taking to build successful partnerships?

Unleashing corporate buying & selling power; changing buying & selling processes; developing an integrated supply chain; learning and applying the best practices & e-tools from industry leaders

Unleashing corporate buying & selling power; developing new buying & selling processes; communication; e-commerce

Communication; improved pricing; unleashing corporate buying & selling power; applying best practices

Communication; e-commerce; applying best practices; developing new buying & selling processes

None of the above

2.Question :(TCO A) Which of the following common actions used by winning companies to build successful partnerships would involve strategic sourcing agreements, back-sourcing arrangements, joint-equity partnerships, preferred supplier agreements, and customer agreements?

Changing buying and selling processes

Developing an integrated supply chain

Unleashing corporate buying and selling power

Learning and applying the best practices and e-tools from industry leaders

None of the above

3.Question :(TCO B) What are some of the best practices for building trust?

Listening to the customer

Be accessible

Develop a risk management plan

Document and share best practices

All of the above

4.Question :(TCO A) Describe and explain the six steps in the contract management process for the buyer. Make sure to define each of the three phases of the process.

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PROJ 598 Week 4

Week 4 DQ 1: Risk Factors in Contracts

Contract Pricing (Graded)

Using alternatives specified in Chapter 8 (Garrett, pages 124-127), discuss what kind of contract pricing might be best for the following procurement situations. Arrange to select a topic “round robin style” so that you select the next topic that has not already been discussed. Which of these topics are better served using one of these contract vehicles: Firm Fixed, Cost Reimbursable, or Time & Material contracts? Be sure to define each of these contracts before aligning a topic.

1. Adding a room to your home
2. Landscaping your company’s grounds
3. Developing a new software module
4. Purchasing new desktop computers
5. Conducting a survey of employee attitudes
6. Purchasing a new home
7. Purchasing an older home
8. Purchasing a new car
9. Purchasing a used car
10. Leasing a new car
11. Leasing an apartment
12. Contracting for office supplies
13. The purchase of an office building
14. The contracting for company healthcare services
15. Contracting for a fleet of company owned cars
16. Contracting for a service agreement for a new car
17. Contracting for insurance for a new appliance
18. Contracting for a new roof for a home
19. Outsourcing of a customer service division
20. Purchasing of a new cell phone and a service plan
21. Contracting for new windows for a home
22. Contracting for new car insurance
23. Purchasing life insurance
24. Purchasing a new air conditioner/heater (HVAC system) for a home or business
25. Purchasing a new boat
26. Purchasing membership in an exclusive club/resort/timeshare

Week 4 DQ 2: Risk Factors in Contracts

 Source Selection (Graded)

Class: Read the “Peach Computer Company” Case found in the Case Study Area of Doc Sharing, and discuss the following:

What are the main issues in the case, and how would you begin to resolve them using some of the concepts we have discussed in class?

• What alternatives are available to resolve the issues?
• What type of contract incentive (s) could you adopt to make this case more successful and why?
• Provide an analysis of the four bidders. What are the benefits and disadvantages of each supplier? Which bidder would you select and why?
• What factors should be considered or addressed in the implementation? How would you implement your recommendation?
• Do you feel that company politics would have an impact on the selection of the supplier?

PROJ 598 Week 4 Course Project :

PROJ 598 CourseProjec Week 4 Complete RFP

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PROJ 598 Week 5

Week 5 DQ 1: The Award Phase

 Best Practices (Graded)

Class: In Chapter 9 of our World Class Contracting text, the section, Best Practices: 45 Actions to Improve Results, lists 45 actions to improve results in the contract award phase. Pick a few of these best practices that you have seen successful in action and share your experiences with the class. Comment on the choices of your classmates to discover other best practices that might be useful to you in contract negotiations. Discuss and explain which best practice you have found to be the most important or the most useful to you in the past.

Week 5 DQ 2: The Award Phase

 Negotiating Case Study (Graded)

Read and review the “BBC vs. Info R Us” Case located in Doc Sharing, let’s discuss the following questions:

• How should Dan, as the contract manager, prepare for his negotiating session with BBC? How does this relate to the negotiating assignment?
• What if Bennie ignores Dan’s recommendations during the negotiation with BBC? How does this relate to what you learned in the negotiating assignment?
• What impact will company politics have on this negotiation?
• What risks exist for Dan at this point? How does this relate to what you learned in our negotiating assignment?

Also, consider if you have been in a similar situation and how you handled the situation. Did you use any of the best practices discussed this week in that negotiation?

PROJ 598 Week 5 Youdecide

Week 5: The Award Phase – You Decide

Scenario

Scenario Summary

You are Chris and Pat Smith, entrepreneurs with five years of experience investing in small businesses. Eighteen months ago you decided to invest in a catering venture with two chefs, J. P. Martin and L. L. Miller, who have culinary science degrees and five years of work experience, which includes winning a prestigious prize in a gourmet food competition. Following some