Contract Management
The overall Project Contract Strategy is a critically important element of front-end project development with consideration for the contracting strategy given as early as the feasibility and project assessment phase (ASSESS stage gate).
It is further developed during the concept selection project phase (SELECT stage Gate), finalised in preparation for FEED (DEFINE stage gate) and implemented during FEED in preparation for the EXECUTE stage.
The Project Contract Strategy should be based on and support the Project Execution Plan (PEP) and support the optimised delivery of facilities that meet business requirements.
Cheshire Solutions (CS) has vast experience in providing the necessary and relevant support to its clients for the implementation of an effective Project Contract Strategy within which a Contract Management Plan (CMP) is a key component.
Expert advice for informed decisions
Contract Management Plan
The purpose of the contract management plan is to provide guidance to project team members to support effective contract management and to ensure that proper performance monitoring for the contract is actively pursued throughout the life of the contract.
The CMP consists of a scalable solution covering mid-scale to large-scale EPC projects for all-encompassing activities such as the development of the contracting strategy whilst meeting the clients stage gate criteria.
key components...
Contract Management, including EPC contract baseline development and Claims prevention strategies, which form key components of the CMP.
Contract Strategy Development, including current EPC market intelligence, expression of interest, and drafting of the RFQ.
The Cheshire Solutions CMP covers the 15 essential activities to successful contract management that have been highlighted and identified below. Cheshire Solutions can provide consulting services and tools and templates for all or each of the CMP activities.
Key Areas of Value Addition
Our contract management services ensure seamless project execution by clearly defining roles, responsibilities, and communication between teams. We align contractor relationships, prioritize HSE compliance, and integrate contract execution with the project schedule. We manage resources, documentation, and quality control to address risks and ensure smooth operations.
Our services include handling company deliverables, managing contract changes, and overseeing requisition-to-pay processes. Regular reviews, audits, and clear communication protocols keep your project on track from start to finish.
We provide expert guidance in all 15 essential contract management activities, ensuring clear roles, strong contractor relationships, and alignment with project goals. Explore key areas such as responsibilities, planning, HSE alignment, and more below.
With vast experience of delivering talent and project consultancy solutions globally to the world’s largest energy organisations, Steve has an exceptional depth of understanding of doing business in the most challenging of locations. Having been accountable to deliver global recruitment and business development strategies, he has implemented innovative ideas to improve group performance and profitability. He has experience of leading tenders for some of the largest contracts in the recruitment industry and his commercial awareness and negotiation skills are excellent.
Steve is a very outgoing person with excellent communication skills, has always enjoyed being part of a successful team, and founded Cheshire Solutions in 2022.
Areas of Expertise:
Recruitment
Business Development
Project Delivery
Leadership and People Management
Commercial negotiations
Compliance and Operations
Teams Roles and Responsibility: Assign contract roles & responsibilities and formal delegation where appropriate. Ensure no duplication or omission of roles. Process of keeping all informed of (temporary or permanent) changes in people, roles, and authorities. Understand Company and Contractor’s organisations and how they interrelate.
Contractor Relationship: Conduct Kick-Off meetings. Align and maintain contractor objectives with Company and encourage information flow both ways. Implement Performance Reviews and encourage communications between senior Company and Contractor representatives. Establish team building events and social agenda.
HSE: Ensure there is alignment between the corporate/project HSE goals and what is drafted in the EPC contract(s).
Planning & Scheduling: Ensure Contract Execution plan and programme are in place and the process of update and review is operating and integrated into the Project execution Schedule. .This is an output from the EPC contract baseline development
CP Resources: Ensure that the right level of resources (manpower, equipment, and materials) required to support Contractor deliverables.
Documentation: Ensure that the deliverables under contract are identified, including vendor documentation and handover data. Establish relationships between Document control teams (DCCs), filing rules, location of hard copies, etc. Track document approval turnaround times.
Quality Assurance and Control (QA/QC): Establish an inspection and certification regime. QMS developed and agreed, including Quality Plan. High-risk issues identified and measures described.
Company Deliverables: Company deliverables identified and action parties assigned. Confirm control over access to site for contractor. Control and reporting of free issue and long lead materials. Confirm all necessary permits and licences in place. Track delivery of design and specification documentation, and response time to queries. Identify opportunities for category management.
Contract Interface: Identify boundaries with other contracts in the performance of the work. Ensure boundaries are well defined and agreed between all parties.
Requisition to Pay: Determine order, requisition, and invoice verification & approval process. Required supporting documentation. Process of dispute resolution. Compilation of VOWD estimates and accruals process. Ensure compliance with local legislation. This is an output from the EPC contract baseline development
General Terms and Conditions Manage contractual documentation, including . bank guarantees, bonds, etc. All insurances are in place and understood. Incentives, Liquidated Damages, or penalties understood, and process of measurement agreed. Secrecy
declarations completed. Maintain recognition of business principles. This is an output from the EPC contract baseline development
Contract Change: Change process and document flow agreed and understood by all parties. Document templates in place, and shared registers established. Process set for resolution of claims and dispute resolution process. Provisional sums managed.
Local Content (if applicable): Identify and list local content commitments for the contract. Track and verify progress on commitments. Establish reporting requirements and KPIs to be measured.
Manage Reviews & Audits: Determine frequency and scope of contract and project reviews and audits. Determine schedule for audits and performance reviews, etc.
Communication & Reporting: Establish rules of formal engagement, including rules on the appropriate use of media, particularly electronic media. Establish correspondence registration, distribution & action tracking. .
Get in touch...
Get in touch to streamline your project with our contract management services, ensuring clear roles, communication, HSE compliance, and seamless execution from start to finish.
- +44 208 156 5245
- info@cheshire-solutions.co.uk