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Set up governance and project structure​​

Before your project begins, assemble your team, set up accountability and governance measures, identify key stakeholders and set up record-keeping processes.

Significant service contracts

If your project results in a Significant Service Contract there may be additional requirements for approvals and planning.

Significant Service Contracts are contracts that are:

  • critically important to the business, and
  • pose a significant risk and/or significant impact in the event of supplier failure.

These contracts must be managed according to the requirements of the Significant Service Contracts Framework.

1. Establish the project team

The size and composition of your project team will depend on the nature, scope, value, level of risk and complexity of the procurement.

The team should have:

  • an appropriate mix of skills and experience
  • representation from across key areas
  • technical and functional specialisations
  • policy expertise and knowledge of the agency’s business or operational requirements.

For example, your team might include:

  • a policy analyst or advisor/commissioner/business owner/project sponsor
  • a representative of the client population or end user
  • a subject matter technical expert
  • a procurement specialist
  • a commercial/financial expert
  • a legal advisor.

The procurement specialist is usually responsible for planning and managing the procurement process, and chairing the evaluation panel.

Try to assemble a team that can remain involved in the project throughout the procurement.

2. Set up accountability and governance measures

Consider what will be needed to get approval to proceed at each stage. Different agencies require different types of documents.

At some agencies you might have to do a separate business case and procurement plan for high-value, high-risk major new procurements and only a summary procurement plan for an on-going low-value, low-risk existing project.

Check your agency’s policy guidelines to find out what the requirements are. You can also use the diagram below to assess your agency's documentation requirements.

 

Agency documentation requirements diagram procurement

3. Identify stakeholders

Identify who your key internal and external stakeholders are at the start of the procurement process.

An analysis of stakeholders will:

  • identify who needs to be involved in the project and when
  • identify who will be impacted by the project and when
  • identify issues associated with the procurement
  • provide an opportunity to learn from other people’s experiences and use this information to improve the quality of future outcomes.

To develop a framework for managing different types of stakeholder relationships, map the power and influence of relevant stakeholders against their interest and aspirations.

Stakeholder interests and influence matrix diagram

RASCI is a useful tool to help identify different categories of stakeholders.

RASCI stakeholder categories

  • R = responsible: the person who is ultimately responsible for delivering the project successfully.
  • A = accountable: the person who has ultimate authority - this is the person ‘R’ is accountable to.
  • S = supportive: the person or team who will do ‘the real work’.
  • C = consulted: someone whose input adds value, is essential for successful implementation, or who needs to give buy-in.
  • I = informed: the person or group who need to be notified of results or action taken, but don’t need to be involved in the decision-making or delivery.

4. Set up record-keeping processes

Under the Public Records Act 2005, all agencies are required to create and maintain full and accurate records in accordance with normal, prudent business practice. This includes activities carried out by contractors on an agency’s behalf. These records must be available over time and are discoverable under the Official Information Act.

For procurement this means that all records relating to the planning, approach to market, supplier selection, negotiation, award of contract, contract management and review must be retained.

‘Records’ are defined as any information that is compiled, recorded or stored in any format.

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