Senior management commitment and involvement in contracting activities is critical in ensuring contracting activities are afforded sufficient priority and recognised as an important business activity. Senior management also has an important role to play in individual contract development in providing advice on business, technical or other matters when the contract is being drafted, and their involvement should be commensurate with the importance of the contracting activity in meeting business objectives.

For individual contracts, the extent of senior management involvement will depend on the complexity and sensitivity of the contract, although all contracts will involve management approvals and sign-off. Senior management may also be involved in approving expenditure, conducting consultations with internal and external stakeholders, agreeing to recruit additional staff, or in seeking professional advice.

Senior management commitment and involvement in contracting activities is critical in ensuring contracting activities are afforded sufficient priority and recognised as an important business activity.

Good Practice Tip: Gaining management involvement

Invite key managers to a behind-the-scenes tour, to highlight the importance of the services being contracted and how these will be delivered. For example, for an office fit-out contract, this might involve a visit to the area needing fit-out, and an example of an office with the type of fit-out planned for the area (while being careful to avoid any probity concerns by appearing to favour a particular supplier). These types of activities provide a chance for key stakeholders to gain an understanding of the importance of getting the contract right as well as the practicalities involved in managing the contract.