Introduction


They said that a success of a project is determined by the character and the communication skills of the project management rather than the procurement used. The project manager is responsible in handling the project. The project manager must ensure that all the processes and objectives of the formulated project plan are followed. But even though having a good project plan does not necessarily mean that certain project will eventually succeed. It needs a good project manager to supervise these plans. Generally, the project manager is the one responsible for the overall success of a project.


 


The Project Manager


In general the project manager is the one responsible for the overall success of a project. The project manager must then gain understanding and agreed on the overall objective of the project, the scope, the risk involve and that will emerge in the process, the approach to be use in making the project a success, how much the budget is for the project, etc. This also includes defining and adopting the specific project management procedure to be used in managing the project. This does not necessarily mean that the project manager must do all the work for themselves. There can be a team or certain people helping in order to create the Project definition and the project workplan as well. However, if error occurred in the process of attaining the project, the project manager is the one accountable for this error.


Once the project starts, the project manager must successfully manage all the process and control the work. The project manager must identify, manage, and resolve project issues that can arise while in the process of project completion. These issues must be resolve to avoid conflict in the project plan and to attain all the goals and objectives of the plan. Handling these issues is necessary to attain the target deadline of the project. It is also the role of the project manager to report the development of the project to all the stakeholders. It is the responsibility of the project manager to communicate with all the stakeholders of the firm. All the progress and issues must be discussed by the project manager to the all stakeholders; this will help to determine the capabilities of the project manager in handling the project at hand. The project manager must be capable in terms of identifying and managing project risk. Identifying project risk will help in formulating early solutions to solve these problems. Inevitable risk must be immediately managed and resolved by the project manager so that such problems would not become complicated. The project manager must ensure that all the solutions formulated are of acceptable quality. The project manager must ensure that only the scopes in the project plan are delivered in completing the project. The agreed project plan must be carefully followed, unless sudden changes are approved by the stakeholders. The project manager must ensure that these changes must be followed accordingly. It is also the responsibility of the project manager to collect metrics that will give sense of the progress of the project and whether the expected progress and results is attained. The project manager must also ensure that the projects overall workplan is equally assigned to all those who are part of the project. These works must be completed I time to endure that the project will be done in given timeline. The budget for the project must be responsibly manage and monitored. All this works does not actually mean that the project manager physically must do all this work, but they must ensure that all this works happen. If the project has problems, or scope creep, or feces risks, or id not meeting expectations, then the manager is the one to be held accountable.


A good project manager should have management skills, well organized, have great follow-up skills, must be process oriented, can do multi task, have a logical thought process, must be able to determine root cause, analytic, a good estimator and budget manager, and self-discipline. These qualities will the key asset of a project manager in attaining project success.


A project manager is also responsible in managing all the people included in the project. A good people management skill is also necessary for a project manager. The project manager must ensure that all the standard processes and procedures are followed by the people. It is the responsibility of the project manger to monitor the people in the project. The project manager must establish leadership skills to get the people and teams in the project to willingly follow directions. Leadership is about communicating a vision and getting those involved in the project to accept and strive to make that vision come true. People in the project must be hold accountable to meet expectations; the project manager must be able to account feedback on member performance. Team building skills is also necessary for a project manager, so that people feel motivated and work together for the sake of the project and for their other team members. The larger the team and the longer the project duration the more important it is to have a good team-building skills. A good project manager is necessary to have good communication skills verbal and written, including good listening skills. Constant communication must be kept by the project manager to all those involve in the project.  If the team and the people behind the project has poor morale and is not meeting the deadline, the project manager must resolve this. It is the responsibility of the project manager to make the team understand what they need to do and when it is due.


Depending on the projects size and its complexity, the project manager must be able to do multi task. Project management is a particular role even when the project manager id working in other roles as well. For example: the project manager may assist in gathering business requirements, or help design a database management system, or write the project documentation. Let’s put it this way, the project manger manages the project for 45% of their time, and they also perform business analysis for 25%, work on design for 15%, and still write the documentation for 15%. This simply means the project at hand is not large or complex enough that needs a full-time project manager. A project manager may have a full time role on a large project. A certain project may require a certain level of skill and responsibility for a project manager. On one project, a project manager may be both a project manager and an analyst.


In some organizations, the project manager is held accountable for the project’s success, but does not have the right level of responsibilities. For an instance, the ability of a project manager to resolve issues may be hindered because the project manager’s position in the organization is not high enough to quickly resolve an issue.  All issues are resolve by the stakeholders or those who are in higher position to decide for the company. The only responsibility of the project manager is to report problems and issues to the stakeholders.


 


 


 


Procurement Process


In general, procurement process is the process of acquiring services, supplies, and equipment in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. In modern business, procurement is usually consists of different seven steps. The procurement process is part of a business plan and must be followed and supervised by the project manager. The project manager is the one in charge to follow these steps for the success of the business. The following steps are as follows:


 


Information Gathering


If a potential customer does not yet established a relationship with the sales marketing function of the suppliers of their preferred products and services, it is then necessary to search for suppliers who can satisfy the customer demands and requirements. Information regarding the potential customers and the potential suppliers who can provide the needs of the customers must be gathered. Through research the organization can gathered important information’s about the capacity and capabilities of a potential supplier. This information will help in determining the best choice of suppliers. This will inform the organization of the strengths and the weaknesses of each supplier by this means each potential supplier in the list will be filtered to determine which of them the best in terms of providing service. By means of conducting survey to the customers, the organization can gain knowledge of the customer’s demands and needs. This will help in knowing what product to market, who can be the best supplier for this products, and what course of plan and actions to under take.


The project manager can organized and supervised a team that will conduct the necessary research and survey to gather the required information. The project manager will be the one responsible to compile this information’s and report them to the organizations stakeholders.


 


Supplier Contact


When one or more suitable suppliers are identified, the organization can advertised Request for Quotation (RFQ), Request for Proposal (RFP), or Request for Information (RFI), and the organization can now directly made contact to these suppliers. This process is actually doing business with the potential supplier whom the organization distinguish capable in giving the best products and services. A supplier should also be flexible enough in terms of adapting in sudden market trends and demands. Once the organization had made contact with the potential supplier of choice the next step can now be done. The capabilities of a certain supplier should be given consideration. A supplier should be capable enough to provide the organization with products and services that are required by the customers.


            The project manager is the one in charge in communicating with the potential suppliers. Good communication skill must be demonstrated by the project manager. The project manager can then send request to the potential suppliers stating the nature of the request. Communication with potential supplier is necessary in the progress of the business.


 


 


Background Review


The references of the product and services offered by the supplier must be studied and carefully examined by the organization. These products and/or service should meet or even exceed the required and the expected output of the organization. Also any follow-up in terms of the requirements of the products and the services that includes installation, maintenance, and warranty must be thoroughly investigated to ensure security for the organization. Sample of the product and services being considered must be examined, and must undergo trials to make sure that it passes customer standards. The contract offered must be both agreed upon by the organization and the supplier. It should be carefully studied to ensure that it will not jeopardize the organization’s operation.


            The background of the products and/or services must be reviewed by the project manager. Of course, it is not the responsibility of the project manager to decide about the whole business but the opinion of the project manager will be given consideration by the organization’s stakeholders. Because the project manager is the one knowledgeable about the background of the products and/or services offered.


 


Fulfillment


This is the fulfillment of the procurement process. The supplier’s preparation in shipping and delivering the product will be tested. The payment for the products and services are completed, based on agreed contract terms. Installation of the new process and training in managing and handling them is also included. Training is necessary for the end users to adapt to the new process. This will teach the end user on the proper usage of the new process. The end user must be trained for them to have a thorough understanding of the newly installed system. The new system will be fully functional only if its user is adept in using them. The functionality of the new system will be fully attained if the user is trained and knowledgeable enough in using the new system.


Once fulfillment phase is initiated, the project manager must then ensure that risks are manage in this phase. Risks are unexpected and can occur in the long run of the process. Managing and solving these risks is the responsibility of the project manager. Early solutions must be formatted to solve such risk.


 


Consumption, Maintenance, and Disposal


After the organization had made a decision on which supplier should provide the needed product and/or services. The organization must evaluate the performance of the new product and service, as well as the service of the supplier, as they are consumed. The evaluation of the product and services will determine if the organization can dispose them or to continue production. If these products and services did not meet the required output expected the organization can invest in other supplier that can meet these requirements. If a certain suppliers deems incapable to produce the expected results and outcome of the organization, the organization can then look for new suppliers to provide the necessary service.


            Again it is the project manager who is in charge to report the performance of the new product and/or services, and the performance of the supplier to the stakeholders. The stakeholders then decide about performance report given by the project manager.


 


 


Renewal


When the product and services had been consumed and/or disposed, or when the contract expires, or the product or service is to be re-ordered, the organization’s experience with these products and services are reviewed. If the product is to be re-ordered, the organization must decide whether to continue doing business with the same supplier or if the organization finds the recent supplier incapable to meet the expected service, the organization can consider other suppliers service.


 


            Managing all the process doesn’t necessarily mean that the project manager will be the only one to do all these. The project manager can designate people to handle other process but these people are the responsibility of the project manager. For example: in the fulfillment phase; the project manager can designate a person who will be responsible in monitoring the shipment of the products. The project manager must ensure that the person incharge is knowledgeable in terms of logistics and shipping. That person is accountable to report to the project manager the progress of the shipment. These reports are then forward to the stakeholders by the project manager, who is in charge of communicating with the stakeholders. The project manager is mostly in charge of the whole process of the project. Most of the works of the project manager are complex and a necessity in attaining project success. A project manager should be capable in handling these complexities in order for the success of the project and the business.


 


 


 


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