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The "vendor/contractor relationships" function along the PMO competency continuum represents the progressive capability to apply and manage external resources within the project management environment. This begins with a focus on properly qualifying vendor/contractor candidates, then making them available as a project resource, and finally managing their performance.
Table 19.1 provides an overview of the range of prescribed PMO vendor/contractor relationships activities according to each level in the PMO competency continuum.
Project Office | Basic PMO | Standard PMO | Advanced PMO | Center of Excellence |
---|---|---|---|---|
Manages vendor/contractor project participation | Introduces vendor/contractor management
| Manages vendor/contractor acquisition
| Manages vendor/contractor relationships
| Evaluates vendor/contractor performance
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The project office has direct responsibility for managing vendor/contractor performance on projects. It uses established guidance to accomplish all required oversight actions.
Mid-range PMO levels introduce processes and practices to acquire and manage vendor/contractor participation on projects for maximum business value and project management effectiveness. They prescribe vendor/contractor roles and responsibilities and prepare guidance for project managers to oversee vendor/contractor plans and accomplishments. An advanced PMO examines opportunities for closer vendor/contractor relationships that offer a distinct business advantage.
The center of excellence supports the use of vendors and contractors by examining business results of vendor/contractor participation.
The PMO's role in this function model is to determine where vendor/contractor products and services are used or needed and to ensure that properly qualified vendors and contractors are selected for project assignments. Further, the PMO assumes responsibility for overseeing vendor/contractor performance management by developing processes and practices that can be incorporated into the project management methodology for use by project managers, as prescribed in the PMO "project methodology management" function (see Chapter 1).
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