Checklist for Project Managers of Federal Contracts
Based on checklist used by Kendrick & Company
Read your contract. Read it again.
Much of your success as PM will depend on communication and
teamwork with the government customer, corporate managers, and your
project team. Build and maintain these relationships as the essential
bridge to performance, schedule attainment, and cost control.
Know whether your contract is fixed price, cost-plus, time &
materials,
cost plus incentive fee, etc.
Work cannot deviate from the contract without the written
concurrence
of the government contracting officer and the COMPANY chief executive
officer.
The government technical officer has no authority to change a contract.
Establish a month-by-month project operating budget which is tied
to
deliverables and the work schedule. As project manager, you control the
budget: through your staff assignments, consulting
assignments/agreements,
travel plans, publications or materials expenses, and purchase
requests.
No one should charge time or other costs to your contract unless you
have
approved the expense.
You are responsible for initialing your approval on all time
sheets,
consultant/subcontractor invoices, and other charges to your project.
Employee
time sheets must be maintained daily.
YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR PRODUCING REVENUES, PROFITS, AND AVOIDING
A
COST OVERRUN!
There must be written agreements for consultants and
subcontractors. These must define the scope of work or tasks, how
payment will be made,
how much will be paid, and delivery schedules. We like closed-end
agreements
with a termination date and a maximum dollar ceiling, so that our
maximum
liability is defined. All consulting and subcontracting agreements must
be
approved and signed by the COMPANY Chief Executive Officer.
Work must be finished by the completion date of the contract.
Costs
incurred before or after the period of performance may be unallowable.
The schedules of deliverables and delivery dates are very
important. Do not deviate without prior authorization.
Check for reporting requirements. You may owe monthly progress
reports
-- and other materials. Reporting requirements are becoming
extensive--performance metrics, schedule status by work breakdown
structure, earned value, costs, etc. What's more, you must use
the reporting systems for pro-active management to solve problems.
Check where to send your deliverables. One or more copies of
deliverables
and progress reports may need to go directly to the contracting
officer.
The Company requires that major reports and documents be copy
edited
for clarity, style, spelling, and grammar prior to delivery to a
customer. Major deliverables should be attractive and well packaged to
reflect our
pride and confidence in the work.
Check the contract for clauses about consultants and/or
subcontracting. Many contracts prohibit both without the prior written
consent of the government
contracting officer.
Check the contract for clauses about key personnel. Some
contracts
prohibit the replacement of key persons to project work without prior
authorization
of the contracting office.
Many contracts prohibit overtime or compensatory time without the
prior
written authorization of the contracting office.
Some contracts have security restrictions. To illustrate, no one
may
work on-site at NAVAIR 000 without a SECRET clearance. Many civilian
agency contracts also are subject to security requirements,
non-disclosure agreements, and conflict of interest restrictions.
Some contracts have special billing instructions.
Be sure to review each monthly voucher (invoice). Be prepared to
explain
it to your government project officer. Check for errors (before
Accounting
sends it to the government); there may be logical errors that only the
project
manager can detect.
You are responsible for gaining the government project officer's
approval
and sign-off on the monthly voucher. Please make certain that this
happens
within several days.
Monitor options to renew or extend the contract. Make certain the
government exercises these whenever possible.
If you have questions or anticipate problems, speak up. We want
you
to be successful.
You are responsible for marketing the Company for future
contracts
to your customer and other Agency representatives. We expect follow-on
business. Your job is not
complete
until you have grown the revenues and future work.
The project manager has overall responsibility for providing
leadership
for the project team: explaining objectives, work requirements,
customer
expectations, performance criteria, schedules, and budget constraints
to the project team.
The project manager is responsible for representing the Company
to
subordinate personnel, articulating company policy and procedures,
encouraging
two-way communications between subordinates and Company management, and
promoting
positive morale.
The project manager is responsible for career growth of
subordinates
through on-the-job learning, cross-training, gradual introduction of
new
tasks, and/or access to suitable reference materials.
The project manager is responsible for furthering the Company's
vigorous
EEO and affirmative action goals.
The project manager is responsible for the quality, accuracy, and
technical
competence of the work performed.