A procurement contract is an agreement between a buyer and a supplier. Businesses need proper management to reduce risks and implement beneficial arrangement strategies. To streamline their risk reduction and strategizing efforts, procurement teams should utilize contract management software.

What is a Procurement Contract?

The role agreements play in procurement

A procurement contract is a deal between a buyer and seller. It states each individual’s obligations, including the price, payment information, delivery, and other legal conditions. When your business has successful procurement contract processes, you can efficiently manage supplier relationships to maintain beneficial service and value.

The various types of contracts in procurement

Deciding what type of procurement contract best suits your business’s needs is a vital aspect of the management process. Depending on the situation, various contracts may need to be used, so it is critical to know the three main procurement contract categories. 

Procurement contract: work process

Firm Fixed Price (FFP)

This agreement occurs when a contractor agrees to provide a product or service for a fixed price. It is uninfluenced by the actual cost of labor, material, and equipment used. It gives the buyer the lowest risk level since if the price rises, the seller bears the extra fees.

Cost-Reimburse (CR)

When you are unsure of the work scope and cannot accurately estimate the cost of a good or service, it is best to implement a cost-reimbursable agreement. In this procurement contract, the buyer pays for incurred expenses that are defined in the agreement terms. Typically, they are used in projects where the scope is constantly shifting.

Time and Material (T&M)

Also called Unit Price, this agreement establishes that the buyer will pay per hour or item. However, the arrangement does not account for worker efficiency or material value. Because of this, sellers have little incentive to be productive and keep your costs low. So, it is best to use a Time and Material contract when dealing with low-cost procurement projects with a short duration. 

Contract Management in Procurement

What is contract management in procurement?

Proper contract management is a vital element of your business’s procurement process. It includes ensuring both parties are compliant with the agreement’s terms and conditions, documenting and agreeing to changes in the agreement, and keeping track of the status of the contracts you’ve entered with various vendors and customers.

contract management in procurement components

To ensure that procurement arrangements are beneficial, low risk, and successful, it’s crucial for your company to take steps towards efficient contract management

The risks teams face when managing procurement contracts

Due to human error, manual management leaves more room for procurement contract risks. It is essential to identify these risks before they arise as a threat to your agreement. Procurement contract risks include establishing terms and conditions, selecting proper acquisition methods, selecting partners and vendors, negotiating a deal, and contract administration. 

What are the essential strategies for managing procurement contracts?

If you want to minimize the risk and maximize your operations’ benefits, it is imperative to strategize your agreement management. Since contract administration influences your relationships with vendors, service providers, and customers, it is essential to streamline your processes.

Additionally, efficient contract management in the procurement process will limit risks, save time, and reduce costs.

a member of procurement team works on a procurement contract

Increase visibility and improve management of vendor relationships

Greater visibility into supplier relationship performance is a beneficial way to improve contract management in your procurement process. Implementing software gives your team end-to-end visibility of terms and obligations, deadlines, supplier information, and types of contracts. With this real-time data, you can manage your relationships and regulate vendors.

Automate purchase creation and order negotiation

Automating your company’s purchases limits human error and boosts productivity. CLM software does most of the work for you when creating orders by providing templates, workflows, and assistance with executing contracts.

Additionally, you can easily organize proposals from various vendors through automated order negotiation. Team leaders can quickly identify which supplier suits their business’s needs and easily create an arrangement.

Streamline management of expenses

An automated system gives your team transparency into procurement expenses. The software allows for easy monitoring of costs on a single platform rather than multiple spreadsheets. Additionally, you can generate expense reports, giving you insight into what agreements are the most costly.

successful procurement agreement conclusion

Procurement Contract Automation: Why Use Contract Management Software in Procurement?

In procurement, contract management systems reduce risks and streamline processes, allowing for optimal agreements. With the software, you can increase vendor visibility, automate purchases and negotiations, and streamline expense management. These strategies are achievable by using features such as templates, repository organization, and data insight. 

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