Introduction

This course is designed to guide buyers and managers of FM services through the process of developing a procurement strategy to meet business needs and achieve a ‘best value’ solution.

Participants will be shown how to determine the correct procurement strategy through profiling current services, understanding the actual service requirements and establishing the true cost of service delivery. The structure and content of service contracts and how to specify services clearly and concisely will be explained and participants will learn how to set meaningful service levels to aid performance measurement and control costs. Selection of bidders, the management of a clear tender process specific to services and winning negotiation techniques will also be explained. The interrelationship between procurement and service delivery will be explored, as will the criteria for successful mobilisation and day-to-day management.

Objectives

This course will enhance the participants’ commercial awareness and enable them to:

• Determine appropriate contract strategies
• Identify opportunities for service level improvements and cost savings
• Understand service contracts
• Manage the tender process
• Initiate contracted service provision effectively
• Manage contracts and resolve disputes

Course outline

The procurement process

• Setting procurement outcomes
• Who should be involved
• Reviewing current service provision
• Service profiling
• Current cost and future budget
• Impact of business objectives

Contract strategy

• Determining a contract strategy
• Driving out unnecessary costs
• Setting expectations
• Culture and constraints
• Planning and control
• Contractual relationship style (partnering, alliance, etc)

Understanding service contracts

• Contract document structure
• Terms and conditions
• What type of specification?
• Pitfalls of supplier contracts
• How to draft service specifications
• How to structure pricing schedules

The tender process

• How to control the process
• Deadlines and responsibilities
• Getting the best from bidders
• Structured evaluation methods
• Understanding the price!
• Running an effective tender board
• Interviewing and negotiation techniques
• Completing the deal efficiently and effectively

Mobilisation

• Resourcing (client, contractor)
• Communication issues
• Establishing working relationships
• Interpreting the contract
• Setting KPIs
• Meetings and documentation
• Anticipating and resolving common problems

Contract management

• How to focus on strategic management
• Driving innovation
• Managing performance and costs
• Measurement made easy
• Dispute management
• Reviews, development, extensions and re-tendering
• Useful tips on managing specific services