Why You Need Contract Management

Contract management is the process for managing the acquisition cycle from defining requirements to planning, budgeting, negotiating and closeout. This critical business process is also a crucial tool for managing resources, containing costs and ensuring quality products and customer service. Contract management can make the acquisition cycle quicker and more efficient.

• Deliverables are of poor quality or are defective
• Customers are unhappy
• Contracted services exceed budget and schedule
• Contracts are terminated or tied up in claims
• Acquisition cycles are too long

Sound familiar? You've probably heard similar contracting horror stories where projects were derailed by costly court battles or poor contract administration. Or contracting services were outsourced, due to poor internal management. With so much at stake, it's no wonder contract managers are being recognized as pivotal business brokers who are essential to their organization’s bottom-line mission.

Yet, as advances are made in contracting, those involved must work faster, reduce costs, be more effective and maintain the highest standards of quality. To succeed, they need greater flexibility, simple and defined processes, quicker turnaround and the ability to do more with less. Contract management is the key.

What is Contract Management?

Contract management is the process for managing the acquisition cycle from defining requirements to planning, budgeting, negotiating and closeout. This critical business process is also a crucial tool for managing resources, containing costs and ensuring quality products and customer service. Contract management can make the acquisition cycle quicker and more efficient.

What ESI Contract Management Courses Teach You

Through ESI's contract management classes, you’ll learn how to use the core set of contracting skills needed to:

• Manage risk more effectively
• Decipher contract "legalese"
• Understand procurement regulations and how to present contracts that meet these guidelines
• Better evaluate price and cost proposals
• Establish and justify "fair and reasonable" prices
• Use proven techniques for conducting successful negotiations

In addition, ESI’s courses lead to professional credentials that are an ideal way to demonstrate a commitment to professional education.  By obtaining one of the two contract management master's certificates jointly offered by ESI and The George Washington University, you ensure you've mastered the essentials and are prepared for the challenges in the field.

Who Needs Contract Management Training?

ESI’s more than 50 contract management courses available across the United States can help professionals keep pace with the changes that impact the contracting community. You need contract management training if you are:

• A contract administrator
• A contract proposal writer
• A contract manager
• A sales or business development manager
• A project manager who is responsible for overseeing the contracting phase of projects
• A member of a source selection team
• A commercial contract professional who wants to strengthen his or her abilities
• A commercial firm that wants to sell products to the federal, state or local government
• A federal, state or local government contractor expanding a product or service base into the commercial market
• A federal, state or local government representative seeking training on proven commercial practices that can be incorporated into the government procurement process

Get Started Today

Organizations and individuals who invest in contract management professional development training demonstrate their commitment to excellence to their customers and themselves. Let us help you get started on the road to contract management success today.