Project Management for Contract Professionals Course

The overall aim of this course is to provide participants with the knowledge and skills needed to successfully manage a project executed by contractors throughout its life cycle from initial concept to delivery.

Participants in this interactive course will learn all the critical tools required to perform project plans and develop project budgets as well as techniques needed to communicate and manage contractors during the implementation phase.

Course Methodology

This course relies on the use of individual and group exercises aimed at helping participants learn all key contract management activities. The course also features the use of a number of case studies and presentations by participants followed by discussions. In addition, this course incorporates pre and post testing.

Course Objectives

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Identify the major processes in project management in a related contract framework 
• Outline the major activities, steps and tools needed to manage a contracting partner who is executing the project
• Devise the contracting strategy for a project and recognize the main contractual provisions that can affect it
• Develop detailed project plans to manage contracts and to deal with deviations effectively
• State different types of contracts and their impacts on the relationship with the contractors
• Describe the post award main processes including control techniques, change management, and contract administration

Target Audience

Personnel who are seeking in-depth knowledge at managing their contractual partners who are executing their projects. The course is designed to provide project management concepts and tools as well as contract provisions and conditions that will enable the collaboration with the contractors efficiently.

Target Competencies

• Project management
• Contract management
• Planning and scheduling
• Understanding project budgeting
• Understanding project control
• Contract preparation
• Contract administration

Course Outline

• Overview
• Definition of project and project management
• Project and contract relationship
• Project life cycle
• Project stakeholders
• Principles of contracts
• Definition of a contract
• Elements of a contract
• Objectives of contract management
• Knowing your contract
• Scope of work
• Terms and conditions
• Stages of contracting
• Pre-award phase
• Developing the business case
• Project charter
• Project scope statement
• Contracting plan
• Locating contractors
• Contractors pre-qualification
• Developing the project plan
• Project planning
• Work breakdown structure
• Duration and resources estimation
• Relationships between activities
• Network diagrams
• Critical path analysis
• Developing a 'Gantt' chart
• Milestone charts
• Resource allocation
• Project budgeting
• Project and contract risk management
• Award phase
• Evaluation plan
• Terms and conditions
• Fixed price contracts
• Cost reimbursable contracts
• Time and material contracts
• Post award phase
• Contract administration
• Project status reporting
• Managing deviations
• Tools used to manage projects and contracts
• Variation orders
• Claims
• Disputes
• Breach of contract