Project Procurement Assignment: Argentina Power – Don’t Cry for Me Argentina

Learning Outcomes assessed by this assignment

1. Examine supply chain strategies for project and programme organisations with their key characteristics.
2. Examine tools and techniques for planning and conducting project procurement processes including contracts procurement.

This is an individual assignment using the case study Argentina Power – Don’t Cry for Me Argentina. You should answer the following two questions. All questions carry equal marks.

1. Critically discuss the procurement method adopted to obtain various contracts for the new power plants projects against its competitiveness including the approach to evaluating and selecting bidders.
2. The contract between YPF and foreign partners faced several challenges during the administration of President Peron and President Frondizi. Discuss whether these challenges were addressed in the procurement of new contracts, and if yes, how they were addressed?

1. Critically discuss the negotiation approach adopted to procure various contracts for the new power plants projects.
2. In the context of public procurement, discuss three main factors for successful negotiations and three main reasons that may lead negotiations to fail. Use examples from the case study.

The answer to each question should have the following sections: an introduction (10%), Discussion & Analysis (70%) and a conclusion (10%) with the final (10%) for referencing, language and presentation.

You are expected to consult the literature and briefly explain some of the relevant project procurement concepts. The Harvard method for referencing MUST be used.

The answer for each question should not be less than 700 words and the word count for both questions should not be more than 1750, excluding the reference list and the appendices. It must be formatted in Arial size 12.

Your file name should be: “7PJMN004-Project Procurement Assignment”. Do NOT include your name or student number within the file name or anywhere within your report. The assignment will be subject to anonymous marking. Having logged into Blackboard, the system will record your details anonymously. Tutors will only see your name after the entire submission has been assessed and provisional marks have been released to all students at the same time.

All coursework on this module is submitted via Blackboard only.  It will automatically be scanned through a text matching system (designed to check for possible plagiarism). Ensure that similarity rate is below 25%.

• Log on to Blackboard
• Go to the relevant module Blackboard site;
• Click on the ‘Submit Coursework’ link in the navigation menu on the left-hand side, as advised by the module teaching team;
• Click on the link for the relevant assignment;
• Follow the instructions.

You will be given details by the teaching team about how and when you will receive your marks and feedback on your work.

It is a requirement that you submit your work in this way.

If you submit your coursework late but within 24 hours or one working day of the specified deadline, 10% of the overall marks available for that element of assessment will be deducted, as a penalty for late submission, except for work which is marked in the range 50 – 59%, in which case the mark will be capped at the pass mark (50%).

If you submit your coursework more than 24 hours or more than one working day after the specified deadline you will be given a mark of zero for the work in question.

The University’s mitigating circumstances procedures relating to the non- submission or late submission of coursework apply to all coursework.

You should use the same software versions as those in the computer labs of Marylebone campus. If you use different version or different software, you will be doing so at your own risk and technical support will not be available.

You should always keep a copy of the submitted work

To achieve a Pass with a mark of 50% to 59% for this element, you must satisfy these criteria:

• Write a coherent report
• Demonstrate in writing a basic understanding of Project Procurement concepts that relate to the questions; this will be done through analysis and discussion in your text.
• Include in your report appropriately selected and arranged reference material, and produce an appropriate reference list
• Occasional errors in grammar/spelling
• Answer the questions set and discuss the issues, as required on the question page.
• Relate your final conclusions to your findings

• Write a structured, clear, comprehensive report
• Discuss the required issues, demonstrating a depth of understanding of relevant Project Finance concepts
• Critically analyse, evaluate, and select current, relevant source material
• Quote sources to an accepted standard
• Good grammar/spelling (occasional slip)
• Critically review the practical issues against the theory and literature
• Show clear relationships between:
• the task set
• your findings
• your conclusions
• Bring most of the elements of the report together into a coherent and critical whole.
• Excellent grammar/spelling
• Show clear evidence of how your own ideas and critical thinking contribute to understanding of the topic, built on appropriate research.
• Develop a flow of arguments that progress logically from the introduction, through the discussion and analysis, into the conclusions.
• All of the elements must form an appropriately and well presented coherent and critical whole.
• Show real insight into Project Procurement issues, with clear evidence of analytical thinking.

In all cases, you are expected to consult and reference appropriate references (including at least 4 Journal articles).