EYES ON THE BALL

Being a professional contract manager is a challenging task. Federal procurement regulations are more complex, detailed, and voluminous than federal income tax laws. But amid all of the complexities and occasional confusion is the ball on which to keep your eyes.

The contracting officer. Your success depends on your relationship with the contracting officer. You must have a close working relationship, or at the first sign of trouble, you will be in over your head. You and the contracting officer must be fully engaged in managing the project.

This is not the occasion for a long-distance acquaintanceship. At the very least, you are friendly competitors, if not friends or partners. Yes, this is a different business relationship. Why? Only the contracting officer speaks for and binds the government. Only the contracting officer can direct you to perform work on the contract. Only the contracting officer has the power to settle disputes. Only the contracting officer can sign your report card.

The customer is always right? Leave that prescription to the commercial world. You must get along as friends to avoid drowning in delay, disruption, and debt. Scratch the surface of the facts in every litigation matter, and you will most likely find bad blood between the contractor and the contracting officer. Conversely, see the report card on every successful procurement, and you will find two in tango.

Face-to-face meetings, daily contact, frequent reports on progress even if not required, prompt notice of constructive changes, prompt recognition and assessment of any claims, and agreement to participate in ADR even in advance of any claim. Scrub the solicitation before bidding collaboratively to get the guiding document in proper shape. Just be nice (shorthand for the golden rule).

You are in the wrong business if you cannot follow this advice.