Administering Contracts

Course Overview

This course provides practical in-depth guidance on both carrying out the ‘routine’ but vital responsibilities of contract administration and handling the challenges that typically arise during the life of a contract. You will learn how to use a proactive team approach to successfully administer contracts of all types and sizes to increase profitability and improve customer satisfaction.

The course introduces and clarifies basic contract administration principles, policies, responsibilities and proven best practices. Using this foundation, you will then learn how to get contract performance off to a good start through planning and kickoff activities. You will also learn the importance of documentation and which specific types of records and files must be maintained to protect your organisation’s interests.

The course is highly interactive, using discussion, exercises and case studies to teach effective approaches to analysing contract terms and conditions, assuring quality, managing changes, resolving disputes and remedying inadequate performance. You will also see how different legal systems affect contract administration practices.

Course Topics

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1. Contract Management Process: Post award Phase
   1. Contract management process
   2. Key contract administration policies
   3. Reasons for noncompliance
   4. Main tasks of contract administration
   5. Contract administration realities
2. Contract Administration Planning: An Organised and Logical Approach
   1. The power of planning
   2. Work breakdown structure (WBS) for contract management
   3. Contract administration plan
   4. Pre-performance conference
3. Disputes Resolution Process: A Proactive Approach to Problem Solving
   1. Planning for disputes
   2. Documentation and notification
   3. Contract interpretation
   4. Execution of contract
   5. Excuses for non performance
   6. Dispute resolution methods
4. Changes Management: Risk vs. Opportunity
   1. Principles of changes management
   2. Authorisation
   3. Estimation and approval
   4. Identification
   5. Notification
   6. Change impact documentation
   7. Written confirmation
   8. Types of contract changes
   9. Change negotiation dos and don’ts
5. Monitoring Progress: Tools and Techniques
   1. Monitoring contract progress control cycle
   2. Performance observation
   3. Progress reports
   4. Project status reports
   5. Performance variances
   6. Records and documentation
   7. Monitoring progress and corrective action
   8. Typical contract problems
6. Quality Assurance and Acceptance
   1. Typical types of contract inspections:
      • In-process inspections
      • Materials inspection and test
      • Pre-final inspections
      • Final inspections
   2. Acceptance (criteria, place, and rejection)
   3. Warranties (types and issues)
7. Payment Management
   1. Contract payment objectives
   2. Typical contract payment methods
   3. Progress payment process
   4. Buyer measurement and valuation
   5. Lien waivers
   6. Final payment process
   7. Invoice and payment challenges
8. Terminations – What to know, what to do
   1. Mutual agreement
   2. Default or cause
   3. Notifications – what to say
   4. Settlements
9. Contract Closeout and Termination
   1. Termination of a contract
   2. Contract closeout procedure
   3. Contract closeout checklist
   4. Documenting and sharing lessons learned