16.11.1 Contracts for consulting and professional services may result in additional administrative or management provisions.
16.11.2 As envisaged in Section 4, Policy requirements, the contracting authority is responsible for including in the contract appropriate mechanisms for monitoring the work, in co-ordination with other related activities, and its redirection, if necessary.
16.11.3 The contracting authority should appoint a procurement officer and the technical authority should appoint a project officer (who may be the same person), to be responsible and accountable for monitoring the work through:
1. regular physical progress and financial reports from the consultant or professional;
2. attending progress meetings with the consultant or professional;
3. examining the work in progress to ensure conformity with contract requirements;
4. monitoring time, resource, cost and quality aspects of the work against a pre-determined and agreed work plan;
5. amending the contract to reflect new requirements, work schedules and payment provisions in response to changing circumstances;
6. conducting technical and financial audits;
7. accepting or approving the work at intermediate stages and at completion;
8. certifying all payments and following up to ensure timely payment.
The division of these responsibilities among authorities should be agreed to before placing the contract.
16.11.4 The consultant or professional is responsible for controlling the work under contract to achieve the objectives within the time and budgetary constraints established.
16.11.5 Conflict of interest (see article 12.5.3.). A consultant or professional, by virtue of the kind of service provided, may be in a position to exercise a bias toward a third party that could put the latter in a favoured position for future business with the Crown. If the consultant, professional or principals have a financial interest in the business of this third party, the possibility of a conflict of interest should be considered. To avoid a conflict of interest, contracting authorities should, before signing a contract, require the selected consultant or professional to sign a declaration, either as part of the contractor separately, stating that no pecuniary interest in the business of any third party exists that would affect objectivity in carrying out the contract.
16.11.6 There are also situations where, in meeting its obligations to a contracting authority, a contractor may be in a position of potential conflict with competing or opposing interests of the contractor's other clients, either during the period of or subsequent to this particular contract. Contractors are expected to inform the contracting authority of these potentially competing services and interests, and explain why the situation would not represent a conflict of interests. Where appropriate, a contracting authority should require a contractor to sign a declaration, either as part of a contract or separately, that the contractor has no, and will not have, during the course of the contract and subsequent to it, any conflict arising from competing or opposing interests of other clients of the contractor. The possible wording for such a declaration is included in Appendix G.
16.11.7 Contractors should be also made aware that any real or perceived conflict of interest, which has not been satisfactorily resolved, could result in their contract with a contracting authority being terminated.
16.11.8 Performance evaluation. On completion of the contract, the contracting authority should evaluate the work performed by the consultant or professional. The evaluation should be undertaken by officials competent in the particular fields involved. If judgmental comments are provided, they should be supported by complete and factual detail. This is particularly important when the evaluation is not favourable.
16.11.9 The consultant or professional should receive a performance critique and be allowed to respond for the record.
Evaluation reports should include:
1. a general description of the work undertaken, its location and the terms of reference;
2. the quality of the work performed;
3. the efficiency of the consultant or professional in managing time and resources;
4. the capabilities of any outstanding specialists assigned to the work;
5. an analysis of the cost of the work and the estimated value received;
6. recommendations for further consideration.