The Process of Contract Administration, Term Paper Example

Based on what you have learned so far in the course, why and how must contract administration be integrated into the broader picture of strategic public procurement and contract management? Please use examples, illustrations, charts, and/or other means you deem appropriate to support your answer.

The process of contract administration is a distinct process by which contracts undergone by particular organizations are being fully taken care of especially in the manner by which they create a connection between the responsibilities of the organization or the government in establishing a more strategic approach to public procurement. Noticeably, the integration of such operation to the strategies of public procurement would make the procedures more efficient especially in making sure that the concerns of the public would be fully accounted for. One example of this is the manner by which the government creates allied connections with particular businesses and how the government makes sure that such connections are solidified to ensure the constant flow of working opportunities for the people. Through proper contract administration, these matters would best be regarded as effective and constant especially when it comes to making a definite concept of providing time and allowance to support the work-needs of the society.

If you were asked to design a comprehensive contract administration education and training course for your entity, whom would you suggest be required to attend the course and why; what would the “SMART” learning objectives be and why; what would the agenda comprise and why; and how (at more than a superficial level) would you propose to assure the effectiveness of the training?

Among the individuals to be recruited for the program are workers enjoined in the contracts procurement section. They are to be given the opportunity to know more about the legal sanctions of the matter as well as that of the more technical issues related to the situation. Accordingly, this educational provision ought to give a more definite form of information integration that would fully empower the said individuals with the right skills they need to complete their assigned tasks. Among the objectives to be noted for the provision of these particular training programs include the following:

• Specific: To provide a more distinct insistence on how the program is to provide a more improved data on how to deal with legal issues with regards what contracts are about and how they should be treated accordingly.
• Measurable: The program shall last for at least two weeks aiming to give the participants a sense of control on how they utilize and apply the theories they have learned immediately through case-scenario defined discussions.
• Attainable: The program shall aim to make sure that every participant of the program would receive good assistance especially on aspects of the program that are not fully clear to them thus making them competent in completing their assigned tasks.
• Results-Focused: The program shall champion on the use of actual cases to make sure that the participants would actually know more about the situation and be able to create a more distinct connection between them, the program curriculum and how it would help them improve professionally.
• Time-Focused: Every session of the program shall have its primary goal and every participant is to be evaluated on how they were able to acquire such point of learning.

As the contracting officer who recently awarded a very large contract for custodial services for the County’s ten largest buildings, what would be your overall goal for convening a post-award, start-up conference with the awarded contractor? What would your SMART objectives for the meeting be and why? What would you place on the agenda for the meeting and why? Whom would you require to attend and why? How would you assure that the training will not be a huge waste of time?

The primary goal for this service would be to make sure that every single contract is labeled and properly defined especially in making a definite impact on how the conditions of operation between the organizations involved and the government, making their alliance solidified and the role they play in the community much stronger and dependable. The SMART objectives ought to include conditions by which the participants [which includes the owners of the ten buildings and the assigned officials in the engineering and licensing office in the county] in the contract are given the chance to make amends on the connection they have between each other thus making it easier for them to seek the right value that would best identify with their desire to function well for the society.
Case Scenario Questions:

Based on the scenario above, please answer the following questions:

What questions do you ask your contact at ODU?

• Are you aware of the contract that you have signed when it comes to completing the project and maintaining the potholes as promised?
• What specific aspects of the major operations of your work do provide a distinct indication that you are following such sanction of the contract that you have once signed?

What is your specific purpose for asking each question identified in your answer to “1.”?

These questions shall establish the knowledge that DOT has on the contract they have signed and what measures of confident and competent operation have they actually embraced to make sure such conditions of development are responded to accordingly.

1. Which documents do you ask DOT to provide to you?

-A copy of the contract that they have signed will help a lot in proving that they have read and understood the sanctions and requirements of the contract.

-A copy of the relative policies they have made to completely respond to the matter is rather important in pointing out that DOT did what they had to do to make sure that the maintenance of the potholes is given particular attention to.

What is your specific purpose for requesting each document identified in your answer to “3.”?

-these documents shall point out how serious DOT was [and still is] in making sure that it actually fulfills the condition of operation and maintenance it has agreed to complete in the first place.

With whom else will you want to speak?

The parties that stood as witnesses to the signing of the contract would be much helpful in determining of the sections were discussed accordingly hence making sure that they know what they were signing into.

Why, specifically do you want to talk with these individuals?

Their presence during the process would make it easier for the process of investigation to push through especially in mandating how the contract would impact the operation of DOT and how the organization should respond to the shortcomings it may have incurred in the first place.

What else will you do to assure you provide DOT with the counsel and guidance it needs?

Giving DOT administrators with the supposed response they ought to give to the individuals and agencies particularly pointing out their shortcomings in the process of development they are trying to engage in, would make the counsel more effective and reflective of the goal of making the organization more responsible over the clauses of  contract they have signed accordingly.

References

Davison, William D., CPPO, and Elizabeth Wright, Contract Administration (Latest Edition). Herndon, VA: The National Institute of Governmental Purchasing.

Contract & Commercial Management – The Operational Guide, Van Haren Publishing, October 2011