HKSM

Direct and oversee seller performance and the contract relationship so that deliverables meet requirements, changes and claims are handled properly, and payments and closure happen in an orderly, compliant way.

Purpose & When to Use

• Ensure contracted work meets scope, quality, schedule, and cost expectations.
• Validate deliverables, approve or reject work, and authorize payments tied to contract terms.
• Manage change requests, claims, and disputes using the agreed procedures.
• Track seller performance with objective data and take corrective or preventive action.
• Apply from contract award through final acceptance and contract closure for any external procurement.

Mini Flow (How It’s Done)

• Start with the contract, procurement management plan, requirements, and acceptance criteria.
• Collect performance data from the seller (status reports, milestones, quality results, KPIs, forecasts).
• Inspect and test deliverables; conduct audits or site visits when needed.
• Record acceptance or rejection against criteria; issue nonconformance reports and request corrections as required.
• Process changes through the formal change control process; document approved contract modifications.
• Hold regular performance reviews; manage communications and relationships with the seller and stakeholders.
• Identify, log, and resolve issues and claims; negotiate per the contract and escalate disputes as defined.
• Match invoices to accepted work and milestones; authorize payments per terms and retainage rules.
• Update risks, assumptions, and lessons learned; maintain complete procurement records.
• Prepare for closure: verify final acceptance, confirm deliverables and warranties, release resources, and close the contract.

Quality & Acceptance Checklist

• Acceptance criteria and scope statements are clearly traceable to each deliverable.
• Objective evidence of quality is available (tests, inspections, certificates) and reviewed.
• All nonconformities are resolved or formally waived by authorized roles.
• Performance metrics meet thresholds (schedule, cost, service levels).
• Configuration and version control are applied; only approved baselines are used.
• All change orders are formally approved and reflected in updated contract documents.
• Deliverables are complete, with required documentation, licenses, and warranties.
• Regulatory, safety, security, and data requirements are met and documented.
• Invoice amounts match accepted work, milestones, and contract rates; taxes and retention are correct.
• Approvals and sign-offs are obtained from the authorized buyer representatives.

Common Mistakes & Exam Traps

• Paying invoices before formal acceptance or without matching to contract milestones.
• Agreeing to scope or schedule changes informally with the seller instead of using change control.
• Confusing product quality checks with contract compliance; both are required.
• Ignoring the contract’s remedies, penalties, or incentives when performance slips.
• Letting undocumented “directional” emails alter the scope or terms.
• Failing to document issues, claims, and resolutions in the procurement records.
• Assuming fixed-price means no monitoring; the buyer still verifies deliverables and compliance.
• Applying the wrong payment logic for contract type (e.g., paying T&M hours without validation).
• Escalating disputes outside the process defined in the contract (e.g., skipping negotiation or mediation steps).
• Closing the project but forgetting to close the contract or release guarantees and retainage.

PMP Example Question

A seller submits an invoice after delivering a milestone. Testing found minor defects, and the contract requires written acceptance for each milestone. What should the project manager do next?

1. Approve the invoice to maintain a good relationship with the seller.
2. Raise a change request to relax the acceptance criteria for this milestone.
3. Reject the deliverable and request correction according to the contract.
4. Approve the invoice but hold payment until defects are fixed.

Correct Answer: C — Reject the deliverable and request correction according to the contract.

Explanation: Acceptance must follow the contract and criteria; with defects present and no written acceptance, the PM should withhold approval and request fixes before payment.