Project Management - Commercial and Contractual

Project Management Training

First day:

1.     SETTING THE SCENE FOR COMMERCIAL AWARENESS (DVD)

A DVD of a real project illustrating the attitude of the various parties involved in a project and the commercial implications.

2      FRONT-END PLANNING AND FEASIBILITY STUDIES  (Lecture & Exercises)

The development of the project specification in sufficient detail for project approval and release of funds.

–      Planning the front end phase.

Cost / Profit / Price.

–   Identify the importance of cash flow in the appraisal of projects.

–   Simple methods – Payback and Average Rate of Return.

–      More advanced methods – Net Present Value and Internal Rate of Return.

–      ‘Which would you pick’ 1.

How to read a balance sheet

3      ESTIMATING (Lecture & Case Study)

Estimating case study describing the methods used by the various departments of a company to prepare an estimate.

–   Using the correct estimating technique.

–   Uses of different types of estimates.

–   Risk analysis.

4      THE PROCUREMENT CYCLE & TENDER ASSESSMENT (Lecture &Case Study)

Determination of the criteria in selecting bidders.

The pros. & cons. of weighted evaluations.

Reasons for picking tenderers – ‘Which would you pick’ 2.

5      NEGOTIATING THE PURCHAS OF MATERIALS (Exercise)

The delegates will be divided into groups – some representing the Client and the others a Contractor – the task will be to negotiate a contract for the supply of equipment.  The case will demonstrate the importance of negotiating not only the best price but also the right contractual terms.

Day Two

6.       THE TENDERING PROCESS (Lecture & Exercise)

The Business Environment / Market Place.

–   Developing the relationships.

–   SWOT Analysis Exercise.

To Bid Or Not To Bid.

–   Composition of the Tender Board.

–   Development of a Bid Decision Matrix.

–   Identifying a Unique Selling Feature.

The Bid Enquiry Documents

–   A Budget Price or a Full Enquiry?

–   The Difference between a Lump Sum and a Reimbursable Enquiry.

–   Analysing the Enquiry Documents (RFQ / ITB / ITT) in order to understand the Client.

7.     CONTRACT LAW (Lecture & Exercises)

An intensive introductory lecture on the use of law in a commercial environment. Covering legal systems and processes, how contracts are constructed, the vital elements of a contract

–   Definition of a contract. Offer & acceptance, consideration, intention and capacity.

–   Discharge of a contract. Agreement, performance, breach, frustration, express contract terms etc.

–   Liability & Claims.

A case study in the application of contract law to determine if a contract has been agreed..

AND / OR

An interactive session where typical international contract terms will be used to evaluate how the Contractor or Client should react to a series of problems on a major project.

8.     RISK MANAGEMENT (Lecture)

The use of the Project Management Model as a dynamic and interactive model of Project Risk Management.  The Principles of Risk Identification, Analysis and Response.

AND / OR

9.     INSURANCE (Lecture)

An intensive lecture on different forms of insurance associated with engineering construction contracts.

Day Three.

10.   THE RED TEAM REVIEW (Prequalification Exercise)

Putting the lessons from Session 6 into practice. Group Presentations of Fairfax Eastern Case.

–   To have had an opportunity to experience the processes involved in presenting to a client and gain an understanding of the importance of the words used in the presentation.

–   To appreciate that the presenter creates their own problems.

–   To understand the Red Team review process.

12.     DE-BRIEF OF Fairfax Eastern PRESENTATIONS

To understand the different drivers influencing clients when interviewing contractors.

11.   CONTRACT STRATEGY 1 (Lecture & Cases)

How the choice of contract determines the allocation of risk and the degree of effort for project control.

–   The contracting cycle and execution strategy.

–   The advantages and disadvantages of the different forms of contract.

A number of mini case studies.  The delegates will decide the best way to allocate the risks and set up the contracting relationship between the parties involved.

AND / OR

9.     CONTRACT STRATEGY 2 (Lecture & DVD)

An examination of the relationshipswhich have always existed in contracts and the compromises which have to be made in order to accommodate the financial and organisational issues.

The complexities involved in establishing Joint Ventures with differing power bases.  The principles of partnering – DVD.

10.   PAYMENT TERMS (Discussion & Exercises)

A discussion on defining Milestones for payment and the advantages of progress payments v’s 100% upon completion.

An exercise in developing a Bonus Scheme instead of Liquidated Damages.

AND / OR

11.   BONDS & GUARANTEES (Lecture)

An intensive lecture on bonds and guarantees identifying the characteristics and dangers of the various types of Bonds and how they are arranged.

Day Four

12.   NEGOTIATING SKILLS    (Lecture, (advanced optional DVD) & Exercises)

        (This session can be varied according to the company’s requirements)

The importance of negotiating in day to day work activities.  Identification of the three or four possible outcomes.

–   Understanding peoples’ positions in conflict situations.

–   A series of exercises adding different negotiating principles and escallating complexity.

–   Summarising the roles and identification of some cultural issues.

A major exercise where the participants have the same brief and put into practice all of the lessons learnt.

AND / OR

13.   CLAIMS NEGOTIATING CASE (Major Case Study)

Negotiating the different perspectives of Client, Contractor, Sub-Contractor and Supplier – in order to achieve a satisfactory settlement to the contract.

Tutor:

Over 40 years professional experience in the UK, Europe, The Middle East (Abu Dhabi) the Far East and the USA. For seventeen years he was a Consultant Lecturer at Cranfield School of Management.  For ten years he was Director of the Masters Course in Project Management and responsible for the Project Management Group.  As such, he was responsible for a portfolio of short courses covering project management skills and techniques from physical / technological environments to service based organisations.  In addition, developing and running in-company courses and the highly regarded E.C.I.T.B. 7 day short course for Engineering Contractors.  For three years his two day Negotiation Course was voted the best elective on the MBA Programme.

Project management within Bechtel, Kellogg and Chemico; Line management in Tendering & Proposals and Quality Assurance; together with Project Operations Management and graduate and professional staff training, and the development of a computerised system of integrated projects controls.  Earlier experience in project design management in the Power and Process industries and building services consultancy. Student and graduate apprenticeship with Babcock and Wilcox.

Member, and past Chairman, of the UK Association of Project Managers Education and Training Group, defining the Body of Knowledge required by Project Managers together with a Certification programme.  Past external Examiner for Salford University School of Management, MSc in Project Management.

Over the years he has written papers for the International Project Management Association World Congress on Project Management as well as a number of articles for leading professional publications.  Reviewer of articles and books for the International Journal of Project Management. Author of The Project Managers Guide to Purchasing –  Contracting for Goods and Services, published by Gower.

Project Management Commercial and Contractual training Inverness, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dunfermline and other sites throughout the UK including onsite closed company courses are available