Contract management is an important task of delivering high voltage works. In any client vendor relation, conflicting interest emerge and hence effective management of contract becomes important. Here are few insights.
1. Never give anything in writing. Always take things in writing.
2. Be careful during the documentation of RFP. Keep it as broad base as possible and at the same time as specific as possible.
3. Client has tendency of open interpretation of text. Try to say no as much as possible.
4. Vendor has a tendency of saying no. Try to push as mush as possible.
5. Keep auditor separate from vendor.
6. Keep separate agencies for different phases of SDLC. However some people needs to sit at the interface so that easy facilitation of task could happen.
7. Some give and take is bound to happen in the contract management process. Hence the intention should be to solve the problem rather than acting in antagonistic mode.
8. The keywords like System, Users, System capability should have clear meaning defined in the RFP.
9. Have a proper mechanism of change requests and outcome evaluation
10. Assume from day 1 that project is going to be audited by external auditor who can not be influenced.
If you wish to tweak things as per your requirements:
1. Find out people who are docile to your authority and assign them the work of contract management.
2. Always keep the pain points of client in hand for pushing for more work.
3. Keep a dedicated team for contract management.
More to add later when I discuss this with other stakeholders.
