- TAATAS503B - Manage contracted work
TAATAS503B
Manage contracted work
Application
This unit addresses the competency of managing externally contracted work as the supplier of goods and/or services. It involves finalising the planning process for contracted projects/services, managing contract performance, monitoring contract requirements and evaluating contract outcomes.
This unit could be applied in a broad range of contexts as well as vocational education and training. In the training and assessment context managing contacted work is a critical area of competency applied to the provision of services, for example, User Choice arrangements, and to training and/or assessment projects which may be related to research or product development.
This competency applies to the supplier of contracted services where the client is the purchaser.
The competency of managing contracts as the purchaser is addressed separately in PSPPROC602A Direct the management of contracts, a unit from the Public Sector Training package. The competency of preparing a tender bid to undertake the contracted work is separately addressed in TAATAS502B Prepare a tender bid.
Achievement of this unit requires skills in exercising consideration, discretion and judgement using a range of problem solving and decision making techniques.
This unit addresses the competency of managing contracted projects/services when this function represents part of an individuals overall work responsibilities as distinct from being the primary focus of work. In the latter context, users are referred to the units in the project management domain in the BSB01 Business Services Training Package.
This unit provides generic competency required of many training and/or assessment personnel that is applied to and can be demonstrated with a number of other units in the TAA04 Training and Assessment Training Package. Suggested examples are listed at the end of this unit.
The competency specified in this unit is typically required by trainers/facilitators, assessors, teachers, training product developers, program coordinators, consultants, supervisors and managers.
Prerequisites
Not applicable.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements and Performance Criteria | |||
Element | Performance Criteria | ||
1 | Develop effective planning instruments | 1.1 | The contract is negotiated with the client and finalised in accordance with successful tender bid, any negotiated changes to tender specifications and legal/organisational contractual requirements |
1.2 | Strategies for achieving contractual outcomes are developed in consultation with the client and relevant people | ||
1.3 | Quality assurance goals and strategies are established in consultation with relevant people and in accordance with legal/organisational requirements | ||
1.4 | A risk management plan to identify, assess and control risks is developed in accordance with legal/ organisational requirements | ||
1.5 | Planning arrangements are documented and presented to the client for sign-off, where required | ||
2 | Organise resources and support processes | 2.1 | Financial, physical, material and human resource requirements are organised in accordance with identified needs |
2.2 | Effective communication strategies are established to support project development/service delivery | ||
2.3 | Contingency arrangements are put in place | ||
3 | Manage implementation of contractual requirements | 3.1 | Progress in achieving contractual requirements and outputs is systematically monitored and reported to client |
3.2 | Expenditure and resource usage is monitored and controlled to ensure outcomes are achieved within specified budget parameters | ||
3.3 | Issues and difficulties are addressed through application of risk management plan and relevant skills | ||
3.4 | Quality is monitored to ensure outcomes/outputs meet client requirements | ||
3.5 | Contract variations are determined, where necessary, and verified and agreed with client | ||
3.6 | Project is completed/service provision wound up in accordance with contract timelines | ||
3.7 | Financial audit is organised in accordance with contract requirements | ||
4 | Evaluate management efficacy | 4.1 | Established evaluation methods are identified and used to evaluate management approach, processes and contract outcomes |
4.2 | Evaluation findings are documented and presented to relevant people, where required | ||
4.3 | Outcomes are reflected upon to identify changes and improvements in managing similar contracts |
Required Skills
Not applicable.
Evidence Required
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package. | |
Overview of Assessment | |
To demonstrate competency against this unit, candidates must be able to provide evidence that they can plan and manage project activities and monitor resource requirements to ensure effective contracted training and/or assessment project/service outcomes. The developed strategies used as evidence must: highlight effective consultation with a range of individuals to support and ensure achievement of project outcomes; include quality assurance goals and strategies to ensure legal/organisational requirements have been met, a risk management plan to identify potential/real issues and control risks, highlight evaluation techniques used to monitor the project's progress; maintain accurate records and documents and show how the candidate has maintained a broad knowledge of relevant industry practices and policies in relation to vocational education and training. | |
Evidence Requirements | |
Required knowledge includes: | project management concepts and principles contingency and risk analysis techniques key project success factors and typical project pitfalls legal and ethical responsibilities, including: maintaining client privacy and confidentiality providing accurate information meeting environmental standards compliance with relevant Commonwealth and state/territory legislation project management systems and tools, for example: critical path method bar and Gantt charts program evaluation and review technique (PERT) quality standards in relation to project management continuous improvement processes the vocational education and training environment, for example: Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Training Packages |
organisation's quality systems, such as: strategic planning processes issues relating to client satisfaction recording systems relevant policy, legislation, codes of practice and national standards including Commonwealth and state/territory legislation, for example: copyright and privacy laws in terms of electronic technology security of information recording information and confidentiality requirements licensing requirements vocational education and training requirements duty of care under common law anti-discrimination including equal opportunity, racial vilification and disability discrimination the industrial relations system, industry/workplace relations, and industrial awards/enterprise agreements OHS relating to management of external projects/services, including: legislative requirements for information and consultation relevant to safety elements of an OHS management system as it applies to a training and/or assessment organisation nature of OHS risks that should be identified and addressed by a training and/or assessment organisation during the planning stage of the project/service | |
Required skills and attributes include: | communication and negotiation skills to: define and monitor objectives of the project team influence and negotiate project outcomes with key stakeholders literacy skills to: interpret organisation's goals for the project follow clear and detailed instructions writing skills to: develop strategies for achieving contractual outcomes develop quality assurance goals and strategies develop a risk management plan prepare written reports on project's progress technology skills to: create a project schedule using the critical path method and Gantt chart use spreadsheets and project management software communication and negotiation skills to: consult effectively with a range of individuals to ensure achievement of project outcomes gain agreement on project processes and timelines project planning skills to: schedule activities integrate scope, resources, accountabilities, costs and deliverables work within agreed timeframes and budgetary constraints team leadership skills to: establish and manage effective team relationships develop a high performance project team and assess team performance time management skills to: plan, schedule and track project schedule logically sequence project activities establish project milestones and use a milestone chart numeracy skills to: create a project budget forecast predictions check calculations and outcomes problem solving skills to: promptly identify potential barriers to project outcomes analyse project risks and establish contingencies |
Products that could be used as evidence include: | strategies for achieving contractual outcomes risk management plan quality assurance goals and strategies documented monitoring and reporting arrangements documented roles and responsibilities of personnel associated with implementation of the project contingency arrangements prepared documentation and/or checklists to support planning and implementation of the project plan recommendations for improvement to project processes |
Processes that could be used as evidence include: | how work activities were scheduled and agreed how and when monitoring of reporting arrangements and expenditure and resource usage were conducted how technology was used to monitor project's progress and evaluate project outcomes how and when risks were identified and analysed how key individuals were consulted |
Resource implications for assessment include: | access to competency standards access to assessment materials and tools access to suitable assessment venue/equipment workplace documentation cost/time considerations personnel requirements |
The collection of quality evidence requires that: | assessment must address the scope of this unit and reflect all components of the unit i.e. the Elements, Performance Criteria, Range Statement, Evidence Guide, Employability Skills a range of appropriate assessment methods/evidence gathering techniques is used to determine competency evidence must be gathered in the workplace wherever possible. Where no workplace is available, a simulated workplace must be provided the evidence collected must relate to a number of performances assessed at different points in time and in a learning and assessment pathway these must be separated by further learning and practice assessment meets the rules of evidence a judgement of competency should only be made when the assessor is confident that the required outcomes of the unit have been achieved and that consistent performance has been demonstrated |
Specific evidence requirements must include: | strategies for achieving contractual outcomes a risk management plan established quality assurance goals and strategies implemented communication strategies contingency arrangements completed progress reports monitored and controlled expenditure and resource usage summary of methods used to evaluate project processes and outcomes |
Integrated assessment means that: | this unit can be assessed alone or as part of an integrated assessment activity involving relevant units in the TAA04 Training and Assessment Training Package. Suggested units include but are not limited to: TAATAS501B Undertake organisational training needs analysis TAATAS502B Prepare a tender bid TAADES502B Design and develop learning resources TAADES503B Research and design e-learning resources TAADES504B Develop and evaluate e-learning resources TAADES505B Research and develop competency standards TAAASS403B Develop assessment tools. |
Range Statement
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included. | |
Client is the purchaser and may be: | internal/external an enterprise a department/division an industry sector a professional association a community organisation a government organisation |
Relevant people may include: | other members of the tender team industry groups program managers trainers/facilitators and assessors/coordinators/senior management industry regulators members of professional associations staff of government departments and organisations external consultants personnel responsible for monitoring the training and/or assessment organisation's services provision users of training information such as finance personnel, human resource personnel, employers contract manager private/government funding bodies union/employee representatives |
Quality assurance goals and strategies may include: | reporting procedures and protocols procedures for monitoring and evaluating project outcomes and client satisfaction compliance with the Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF) Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs), where relevant continuous improvement strategies reducing risk by anticipating, evaluating and developing strategies for the management of possible problems a formal structure against which progress can be evaluated mechanisms for involving a wide variety of interested parties or stakeholders in the project budgets and timetables which enable the commitment of resources at appropriate points in the project contingency plans to cater for a change of corporate focus or significant project difficulties |
Legal requirements may include: | standards for training and/or assessment organisations state or territory registering body requirements industrial relations award and enterprise agreements and relevant industrial arrangements confidentiality and privacy requirements scope of registration relevant legislation from all levels of government that affects business operation OHS issues environmental issues equal opportunity industrial relations and anti-discrimination relevant industry codes of practice |
Organisational requirements may include: | quality assurance and/or procedures manuals goals, objectives, plans, systems and processes legal and organisational policy/guidelines recording and reporting procedures business and performance plans access and equity principles and practices confidentiality requirements ethical standards collaborative/partnership arrangements OHS policies, procedures and programs |
quality and continuous improvement processes and standards defined resource parameters | |
Risk management plan may describe: | the process which will be used to identify, analyse and manage risks, both initially and throughout the life of the project how often risks will be reviewed, the process for review and who will be involved who will be responsible for which aspects of risk management how risk status will be reported and to whom the initial snapshot of the major risks and current grading planned strategies for reducing likelihood and seriousness of each risk (mitigation strategies) and who will be responsible for implementing them |
Risks to the effective management of the project may include: | competing work demands technology/equipment breakdowns workplace hazards, risks and controls learning resource and learning materials availability budget constraints time delays inadequate active participation in the quality management process by all stakeholders availability of suitably qualified staff adherence to the Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF) Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) |
Documented planning may include: | objectives, scope and expected benefits of the project project management methodology to be used structure of the project targets and milestones budgets and timetables which enable the commitment of resources at appropriate points in the project contingency plans to cater for changes or significant project difficulties acquisition strategies risk management plans, including: OHS hazards and risks identified strategies to control the risk methods of monitoring during the life cycle of the project/service project implementation plans consultation strategies to involve stakeholders transition plans specifications quality assurance procedures |
Communication strategies may include: | client-centred approaches ongoing liaison with stakeholders effective reporting arrangements continuous feedback mechanisms |
Contingency arrangements may include: | sub-contracting work re-determining timelines re-evaluating risk management strategies sourcing independent external advice |
Systematically monitored may include the: | measurement/achievement of set outcomes completion of contract phases/requirements achievement of key tasks/project phases reviewing/updating of progress reports reviewing contract requirements |
Relevant skills may include: | sound communication skills sound interpersonal skills sound time management skills sound negotiation skills sound problem solving skills sound change management skills |
Evaluation methods could be qualitative or quantitative and may include: | observation questionnaires checklists interviews focus groups expert and peer reviews cost data analyses |
Sectors
Not applicable.
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills.
Licensing Information
Not applicable.