Procurement Management for Projects

Unit Learning Outcomes 

1. Demonstrate the following knowledge and understanding.

MSc Project Management

? critically informed knowledge of Risk and Quality framework and standards alongside related tools and techniques in the context of Project Management.

MSc Purchasing, Logistics and Supply Chain Management
? critically informed knowledge of Risk and Quality Management framework and standards alongside related tools and techniques in the context of Operations Management.

1 Demonstrate the following skills and abilities
? the ability to analyse contractual issues and design procurement frameworks in different organisational settings.

What am I required to do in this assignment?

In the assignment you will be required to produce an individual report, which investigates the role of procurement in a chosen industry, demonstrating how procurement processes, methods, and best practices can be used to manage procurement (3000 words).

The assignment will involve a review of academic theory on the aspect of procurement covered. You will be assessed on the quality and depth of your analysis and argument. Bullet points alone will not achieve a high grade. Where appropriate your answers should be illustrated with sensible examples which relate to the points being made.

You need to choose one procurement management case for your individual report from companies in sectors such as construction, aerospace, manufacturing, ship building or any company of your choice. You will discuss this further with your tutor before finalising the case study. Critical analysis of the case study you have chosen will help you to answer the following procurement questions:

Pick a product or project from the company and hypothetical or actual work packages to be studied.

Q1 Identify a detailed bespoke state of the art procurement process for the work package from the general stages of a procurement process. In particular detail three stages and methods of a bespoke procurement process. For example, a procurement stage might be solicitation, or a procurement method is Make or Buy. Critically examine the procurement process and methods for the chosen work package.

Identify challenges and state of the art methods within the case study you have developed. How is risk managed by the bespoke procurement process and methods you have developed?

Comment on the detail of your procurement process and methods. Is the detail you have provided sufficient and why?

Q2 Using the literature, compare and contrast two different types of contractor and form of collaboration for the work package discussed in Question 1. For example, strategic or bottleneck suppliers. Develop a prototype contract for the case study scenario and justify the terms and conditions. How do the terms and conditions manage risk in detail?

Q3 Identify four types of contract breach that may occur in your contract using examples from the literature and how they might be resolved. 

How does assignment relate to what we are doing in scheduled sessions?

You will need to apply the concepts and models covered in class regarding a multi-stage procurement management process applied to a case study which is hypothetical and informed by the literature. You will be needed to refine your understanding of the procurement processes, methods; and types of contract and collaboration; and also, terms and conditions in contracts during class exercises and discussions and demonstrate this in your written report.