This is a bit muddled, but the basics are clear enough: clients write “statements” that describe what they want (that is, the Work). These more-or-less comprehensive lists of what the client wants to contract for (services, products, data, reports, processes, standards) range from high-level, conceptual documents down to highly detailed specifications. Continue reading“Term: Statement of Work (et al)”
A Proposal Management Lesson from Software Development
Today’s Medium compilation in my inbox brings an interesting article on the #NoEstimates movement in software development. It’s a tough bind: the features are fixed and they have to define (and then live or die by) the schedule. I empathize, sort of. Continue reading“A Proposal Management Lesson from Software Development”
Term: Incumbent
The contractor doing the Work now. The incumbent knows the Work, the risks, the actual costs, and the client’s idiosyncracies: this is both a blessing and a curse when it comes to rebidding.
Term: Extension
Delay (“slip”) in the submission deadline. Authorized by the client through an amendment to the RFP. Sometimes necessary; rarely welcome.
Term: Contract authority
Client’s contracting representative after contract award, and the only person authorized to amend the contract for the client. For greater clarity, what that means is that the technical authority cannot amend the contract on their own, so comments they make directly to the contractor are requests, not directions.