The framework for developing a contract administration manual is assumes:
• the project director and the procurement team will manage the project during the construction phase and are therefore responsible for developing the contract administration plan;
• there will be a contract director appointed who will be ultimately responsible for managing the project during the service delivery phase and, therefore, for developing the contract administration manual;
• the contract administration manual is designed to be used during the service delivery phase and the contract expiry or termination phase;
• there will be a succession of staff during the life of the project;
• the life of the project contract period may be up to 25 years or more; and
• public officers are likely to require the support of external advisers to manage the project and issues that arise.
Where these assumptions are not valid for a specific project, the contract director should develop the contract administration manual with the alternative environment in mind.
Provided the content of the contract administration manual is arranged in an accessible and useful format, it is not necessary for the contract administration manual to be a single consolidated document. It may consist of a number of discrete documents that together serve the objectives set out above.