Contracts and Procurement – DeVry

PROJ 410 Contracts and Procurement – DeVry

  1. (TCO 2) An offshoot of business process outsourcing which requires a greater skill or knowledge of the industry or inner workings of a firm is:
  2. (TCO 5) To assess the impact of a contract on both the buyer and seller, an analysis of exposure can be completed.  Categories analyzed in this exposure analysis include all of the following except:
  3. (TCO 7) Issuing an RFP to only one vendor may be appropriate when:
  4. (TCO 6) Factors that may affect the BPO agreement structure include all of the following except:
  5. (TCO 3) How are the procurement responsibilities divided between the project manager and contract administrator?
  6. (TCO 4) What is the difference between the Cost-Plus-Percentage-Fee (CPF) contract structure and the Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) contract structure?
  7. (TCO 6) Sometimes a seller is selected based solely on lowest price.  However, sometimes this is not always the most efficient or effective way of selecting a seller.  What are some of the other evaluation criteria that a buyer may use to help select a seller?
  8. (TCO 8) What is an independent estimate and why should a buyer produce an independent estimate before selecting a seller? 
  9. (TCO 7) Explain the purpose of an RFP.  What are some common elements of an RFP?
  10. (TCO 2) Part 1: Explain the various steps of the project procurement process.  Part 2: Using the simple decision of packing and moving your home furnishing from the east coast to the west coast, provide an example of what you would do under each of the six steps of the project procurement process.  Part 3: The buyer determines the contract pricing structure during which step of the project procurement process?
  11. (TCO 1) Part 1: What are the four contract pricing structures available?  Part 2: Describe the appropriate utilization of each and the impact of risk to the buyer and seller.  Part 3. What contract pricing structure would you use if you had little to no scope defined?
 

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Contracts and Procurement

PROJ 410 Contracts and Procurement – DeVry

(TCO 2) A firm should concentrate on its _ processes while outsourcing its processes. (Points : 5)
(TCO 5) To assess the impact of a contract on both the buyer and seller, an analysis of exposure can be completed. Categories analyzed in this exposure analysis include all of the following except: . (Points : 5)
(TCO 7) For most customers, requesting multiple bids is the preferred approach because it: __
. (Points : 5)
(TCO 6) The Term, Contracting Party, Integration, Retained Assets, and Performance Standards are all: _. (Points : 5)
(TCO 3) What activities is the contract administrator responsible for in a contract situation? What about the project manager? (Points : 12)
(TCO 4) What is the difference between the Cost-Plus-Fixed Fee (CPFF) and the Cost-Plus-Incentive Fee (CPIF) contract structures? (Points : 12)
(TCO 6) List three commonly used evaluation criteria listed in an RFP and explain why a buyer would want this information before selecting a seller. (Points : 12)
(TCO 8) What is an independent estimate and why should a buyer produce an independent estimate before selecting a seller? (Points : 12)
(TCO 7) Describe the common sections of the RFP. (Points : 12)
(TCO 2) Part 1: List and define the six phases of the project procurement management process. Part 2: How could you organize a simple project such as renovating a bathroom into the six steps in the project procurement management process? Part 3: The buyer determines the contract pricing structure during which step of the project procurement process? (Points : 30)
(TCO 1) Part 1: Discuss the following types of contract pricing: (a) fixed price, (b) cost-plus price, (c) time & materials, and (d) unit price. Part 2: Explain the appropriate utilization of each contract pricing type and the impact of risk to the contracting parties. Part 3: What type of contract pricing structure misaligns the buyer’s motivations with the seller’s? (Points : 30)
(TCO 3) Evaluate the most common business drivers for outsourcing business processes. Which two drivers would be among the most important? (Points : 30)
(TCO 1) List and describe the directives to consider the process of outsourcing if you are a senior manager. (Points : 30)

 

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Contracts and Procurement – DeVry

PROJ 410 Contracts and Procurement – DeVry

PROJ 410 Week 4 DQ 1 Evaluation Criteria

The formulation of evaluation criteria has long-lasting implications throughout a life cycle of a contract. The result should be picking the right seller for the contract. In fact, the development of evaluation criteria has often been debated to be one aspect of contract procurement that needs to be closely coordinated with both the contract administrator and project manager. What are your thoughts on the role the contract manager should have in the development of evaluation criteria? What about the project manager? Who else should be involved in establishing and applying the evaluation criteria?

PROJ 410 Week 4 DQ 2 Bid Duration

How do you go about defining the proper duration for a bid procurement? Consider the time it takes to plan for the procurement, draft an RFI and/or RFP, receive responses, and make a decision. What could you do if you needed to “fast track” this bid duration?

 

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Contract Dispute Resolution

PROJ 410 Contracts and Procurement – DeVry

PROJ 410 Week 6 DQ 1 Contract Dispute Resolution

Conflict resolution and conflict management is a common day-to-day activity in most projects and office environments.  As a group, let’s identify the top five sources of conflict in a BPO agreement for project management services.  Let’s identify one source at a time and discuss whether or not each of you feels it ranks in the top five sources of conflict.  As I read your exchanges, I will make a determination as to whether or not enough evidence has been provided to justify its inclusion into our top five list. 

PROJ 410 Week 6 DQ 2 Benchmarking

There are several ways to benchmark.  The two most common benchmarking tools are “performance benchmarking” and “best practice benchmarking.”  Consider a nationwide bank that has contracted with a seller to assess its current staffing and facility locations.  The goal of the contract is for the seller to produce a strategic plan that creates cost efficiencies for the bank by recommending (and implementing) areas to consolidate among staff and facilities.  (One recommendation may be to close down a bank branch that is located within three miles of another bank branch.)  This is a long-term contract stretched out over five years.  If you were the Project Manager in the bank, what benchmarks would you compare your seller to?  Are they performance benchmarks or best practices benchmarks?

 

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Renegotiation and Termination

PROJ 410 Contracts and Procurement – DeVry

PROJ 410 Week 7 DQ 1 Renegotiation and Termination

More often than not, it is more desirable to renegotiate a contract than to terminate a contract.  What do you think may be some of the effects of a contract termination from the buyer’s perspective?  What about from the seller’s perspective? 

PROJ 410 Week 7 DQ 2 Contract Close

One of the most frustrating aspects of contract management to customers/clients is the length of time that it commonly takes to close out a project (from an administrative standpoint) after most or all of the contract scope of work has been completed.  The closeout is the fourth phase in the generic project life cycle where all outstanding contractual issues are completed and documented in preparation for turning over the product or service to the customer.  What are some of the activities that need to be performed as part of the contract closeout functions?  What do you think are some of the factors that cause such a length in delay in the closure of the project/contract?

 

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Determine your decision making method.

Determine your decision making method…. do you use a Pareto, Weighted Pros and Cons, the Six Hat Thinking Method, a Decision Tree, Consensus by group, or another process. It is important to note that brainstorming is not a decision making method. It is a method to find alternatives after doing research. Problem solving is also not a decision making method. Problem solving solves problems after a decision and direction are known. This is a common mis-perception and misunderstanding! 

Take the Risk Attitudes Profiler for free at http://www.humanmetrics.com/rot/rotqd.asp and then discuss these questions: 

When making a decision, how do you see yourself as a risk taker?

Are you risk-averse or do you tolerate risk?

To what do you attribute your views on risk taking?

Do your research in the online library. Do not just use personal information or information you read from the required readings. Required readings are like the dictionary, we use them to gain a base, but we do not use them to make points. 

 

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Natural Resource Economics

Natural Resource Economics
The focus of Week Two surrounds the economic theory behind natural resource extraction and how businesses can utilize environmental knowledge to increase corporate profits. For this assignment you are to produce a paper of at least four pages in length that addresses the issues surrounding natural resource economics. To begin, define the terms current reservespotential reserves, and resource endowment, and discuss the major differences between these three concepts used to classify the stock of depletable resources. Next, assuming no consideration for environmental preservation, discuss how each of the following factors may affect the rate at which non-renewable resources are consumed:

  1. Availability of renewable resources
  2. Marginal cost of exploration
  3. Technological progress

Now assume that the environmental costs of non-renewable resource use are under consideration. Discuss how consideration for environmental conservation may affect the rate at which non-renewable resources are consumed. Additionally, discuss what this consideration would do to the price of natural resources. With these concepts in mind, address how businesses might utilize environmental concerns to boost corporate profits. Utilize the article by Hopkins (2009) to discuss the opportunities for increased profit caused by a focus on sustainability. 

Your paper should include an introduction with a developed thesis statement to set up the paper, as well as a concluding paragraph that sums up your discussion. Additionally, your assignment must be at least four double-spaced pages in length (excluding the title and reference page) and be formatted according to APA (6th ed.) style as outlined in the approved APA style guide. You must use your text, the required article by Hopkins (2009), and at least three additional scholarly sources to provide sufficient detail of the topics listed above. For information regarding APA, including samples and tutorials, visit the Ashford Writing Center, located within the Learning Resources tab on the left navigation toolbar, in your online course.
Carefully review the Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.

 

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Economics of Land and Water

Economics of Land and Water
Your readings this week will discuss the economic allocation and concerns surrounding a variety of natural resource ecosystems. For this assignment you are to construct a paper of at least four pages in length that addresses many of the concerns surrounding these resources. You should spend about a page covering each of the following four topics:

  1. Water (Chapter 9)
  2. Land (Chapter 10)
  3. Agriculture (Chapter 11)
  4. Forests (Chapter 12)

For each, you should begin with a discussion surrounding the current use dynamics and the potential of future scarcity based on a brief economic analysis. Then, you should discuss the allocation of each resource and any inefficiencies that may be present in this allocation. Finally, suggest some possible solutions to reduce or eliminate these inefficiencies. 

Your paper should include an introduction with a developed thesis statement to set up the paper, as well as a concluding paragraph that sums up your discussion. Additionally, your assignment must be at least four double-spaced pages in length (excluding the title and reference page) and be formatted according to APA (6th ed.) style as outlined in the approved APA style guide. You must use your text and at least four additional scholarly sources to provide sufficient detail of the topics listed above. For information regarding APA, including samples and tutorials, visit the Ashford Writing Center, located within the Learning Resources tab on the left navigation toolbar, in your online course.
Carefully review the Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.

 

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Efficient Pollution Control

Efficient Pollution Control
As you have learned through your readings this week, efficient control of pollution can be a difficult task, especially for mobile and shared resources. For your assignment this week you are to write a paper of at least four pages that addresses the pollution created by transportation, contaminated water, and solid waste. Your paper should contain the following information:

Transportation
Begin with an analysis of the economics of this type of pollution, including a discussion of the externalities associated with mobile source pollution.
Next, discuss some of the current policies that regulate mobile source pollution.
Finally, discuss at least 3 possible reforms to the current system. Note which you believe have the greatest potential to decrease transportation pollutants and why you feel this way.
Water Pollution
Begin with a discussion surrounding the nature of the current water pollution problem, including a discussion of sources of contamination and types of pollutants.
Next, discuss some of the water pollution control policies active within the U.S. today.
Finally, discuss some of the efficiency and cost-effectiveness issues described in the book surrounding the treatment of polluted water.
Managing Waste
Begin with an evaluation of waste disposal costs and how economics plays a major role in the determination of these costs.
Next, discuss at least 2 ways in which economic incentives can help decrease the global waste problem (hint: read Exercise 19.4 and 19.5 in your text).
Finally, discuss efficient recycling and its potential to decrease the generation of waste within the U.S.
Your paper should include an introduction with a developed thesis statement to set up the paper, as well as a concluding paragraph that sums up your discussion. Additionally, your assignment must be at least four double-spaced pages in length (excluding the title and reference page) and be formatted according to APA (6th ed.) style as outlined in the approved APA style guide. You must use your text and at least three additional scholarly sources to provide sufficient detail of the topics listed above. For information regarding APA, including samples and tutorials, visit the Ashford Writing Center, located within the Learning Resources tab on the left navigation toolbar.

Carefully review the Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.

 

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