After weeks of negotiation and alignment, a viable plan to select a technology/service vendor within a very short time is agreed to by the project sponsor and his lieutenants.
The plan uses a well known "best practice" model for making selections of this type - starting with requirements and ending with a defensible recommendation, containing both qualitative and quantitative information. It is logically sequenced based primarily on the information and logistical constraints inherent in this type of exercise.
On day 1, the sponsor unexpectedly announces he needs numbers for an informal budgeting exercise due in 2 weeks and insists the only way to get those numbers is by sending out an RFP ASAP. Creating an RFP is of course part of the plan, but comes after the proper groundwork is performed, of which nothing has been done.
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
I will assess the situation and have a meeting with the project sponsor to tell him the cons and pros that will be as a result of his decision. You need to be honest and put all facts on the table. Saving Changes...
Henry HattenrathProject Consultant| Tectonic Engineering MSA LLCNew York, Ny, United States
Day 2 - I will prepare a plan and start development of a scope and budget estimate using the sponsor's organizational data as well as informal outreach to several contractors. Days 3, 7 and 11 - Meet with the sponsor to describe the plan and to report progress for completing in 2 weeks. Day 3 - Initiate contact with qualified contractors. Day 4 to 7 - Expedite feedback from contractors and compile data from sponsor's organizational data. Day 6 to 12 - Assemble cost input and prepare cost estimate with notes, assumptions, basis of estimate and rational for contingency and range estimate. Day 13 - Review estimate and append source documents. Day 14 - Present budget cost estimate to sponsor.
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2 replies by Chandrashekhar Thatte and Satish Sharma
Feb 08, 2017 4:59 AM
Chandrashekhar Thatte
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Henry,that's the correct way to address the situation created by the project sponsors.Preparation of RFP takes time which the sponsors need to realise and accept the same along with time and cost implications.
Day 2 - I will prepare a plan and start development of a scope and budget estimate using the sponsor's organizational data as well as informal outreach to several contractors. Days 3, 7 and 11 - Meet with the sponsor to describe the plan and to report progress for completing in 2 weeks. Day 3 - Initiate contact with qualified contractors. Day 4 to 7 - Expedite feedback from contractors and compile data from sponsor's organizational data. Day 6 to 12 - Assemble cost input and prepare cost estimate with notes, assumptions, basis of estimate and rational for contingency and range estimate. Day 13 - Review estimate and append source documents. Day 14 - Present budget cost estimate to sponsor.
Henry,that's the correct way to address the situation created by the project sponsors.Preparation of RFP takes time which the sponsors need to realise and accept the same along with time and cost implications. Saving Changes...
Thanks Rami, Henry and Chandra. All of your suggestions were implemented, including demonstrating to the sponsor that performing key activities out of sequence will delay the project, increase cost and risk and lead to rework.
The stock answer from the sponsor was "what's important to me, should be important to you." which was reinterpreted to mean "what's not important to me (in this case delays, increased cost and risk and rework), is not important to you"
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3 replies by Chandrashekhar Thatte, Demetrius Williams, and Rami Kaibni
Feb 08, 2017 4:20 PM
Rami Kaibni
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Well, all I can say then is put everything for writing. In such situations, you need something in writing to support your cause in the future if anything goes south.
Feb 09, 2017 6:38 AM
Chandrashekhar Thatte
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Cris,Sponsor's say can be accepted subject to their written confirmation brought on Project record that " all the consequential impact(Time and cost related) will be absorbed by the Sponsor in a time bound manner or as provided under the terms of contract or MOU."
Feb 15, 2017 11:33 PM
Demetrius Williams
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Cris, this was a very good discussion. The way everyone responded was great to read. Sponsors come in all flavors.
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Feb 08, 2017 1:19 PM
Replying to Cris Casey
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Thanks Rami, Henry and Chandra. All of your suggestions were implemented, including demonstrating to the sponsor that performing key activities out of sequence will delay the project, increase cost and risk and lead to rework.
The stock answer from the sponsor was "what's important to me, should be important to you." which was reinterpreted to mean "what's not important to me (in this case delays, increased cost and risk and rework), is not important to you"
Well, all I can say then is put everything for writing. In such situations, you need something in writing to support your cause in the future if anything goes south. Saving Changes...
Henry HattenrathProject Consultant| Tectonic Engineering MSA LLCNew York, Ny, United States
Obviously, the sponsor has accepted the risk for its decisions, which should be well documented in the project records. As with any profession, we can encounter poor managers, poor leadership and poor sponsors. Saving Changes...
Thanks Rami, Henry and Chandra. All of your suggestions were implemented, including demonstrating to the sponsor that performing key activities out of sequence will delay the project, increase cost and risk and lead to rework.
The stock answer from the sponsor was "what's important to me, should be important to you." which was reinterpreted to mean "what's not important to me (in this case delays, increased cost and risk and rework), is not important to you"
Cris,Sponsor's say can be accepted subject to their written confirmation brought on Project record that " all the consequential impact(Time and cost related) will be absorbed by the Sponsor in a time bound manner or as provided under the terms of contract or MOU."
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1 reply by Cris Casey
Feb 09, 2017 11:51 AM
Cris Casey
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Thanks Chandra.
I agree completely. But for many organizations, the formality of holding the sponsor accountable just doesn't exist at the project level. Accountability from above the project is a different story but only comes at the tail end of the process.
Saving Changes...
LORI WILSONRETIRED - Technical Project Manager| RETIRED - LifePoint HealthClarkston, Wa, United States
Hi Cris: I loved Rami and Henry's recommendations. There are definite times when being the Project Manager is not easy. Sometimes leadership decisions just don't make sense and can be very frustrating. A friend of mine has this saying "they pay me the same to dig the ditch as they do to fill it back up". I try to think about it more like that when decisions or project directions are out of my control. You know? First, I document it all very well, precise details - have a decision document the sponsor or other stakeholders sign describing what happened and their decisions. Second, I try to let the frustration go since it is only wasted energy. Sometimes easier said than done. Writing a post on this site was a great way to safely vent the frustration and see how your peers handle things like this! We have all seen similar situations I'm sure - even when following every best practice. Saving Changes...
Stéphane ParentSelf Employed / Semi-retired| Leader MakerPrince Edward Island, Canada
Remember that we have many things to plan for but many of them can be done in parallel. Just because the RFP is being precipitated does not mean you skip the preparatory work. It just means you have to be creative in doing it at the same time.
It's similar to my description of an impromptu speech: it's not that you do not prepare an impromptu speech but rather you prepare it along its delivery. Saving Changes...
You are describing what I refer to as the "Grin and bear it" approach. And your suggestion of letting the frustration go is an excellent one. Unfortunately, no matter how much you document, when the outcome is less than expected, all heads turn to the PM, not the sponsor. So this strategy only works when the stakes are relatively low.
Thanks Stephane.
While your point regarding parallel activities is spot-on, there are always some tasks which must be done in sequence that no amount of creativity can overcome. My analogy for this is "you can't withdraw money from the bank unless you've first made a deposit."
In this instance, the sponsor wanted to create an RFP without doing ANY of the prep work.
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1 reply by Stéphane Parent
Feb 09, 2017 12:01 PM
Stéphane Parent
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"you can't withdraw money from the bank unless you've first made a deposit."
Unless you have an overdraft, Cris.(That would be your contingency reserve.)
I realize my comment is a bit tongue in cheek. In your specific scenario, I would say that creating the RFP would force the prep work to be done before, simultaneously or after.
As PMs we are very comfortable with our "sequences". Sometimes, we need to look at activities and work in more than one dimension.
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