QSO 349 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric

QSO 349 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric

Overview

The final project for this course asks you to analyze a case study as though you are a project procurement officer. Select one of the provided case studies. Analyze how the elements of the procurement process address all phases of the expected procurement: conduct, execute, control, and close. Discuss the considerations and analyses you would use to develop a comprehensive procurement management plan.

Every project requires some amount of procurement to support the activities of the project team. The procurement may be purchasing standard products like computers, software, or furniture for a website development team. Or the procurement may be more complex like developing a custom new rugged, weatherproof, external battery smartphone case. In the first example, the procurement is highly focused on finding the lowest-cost, compliant supplier. In the second example, the procurement is focused on finding the most technically competent supplier. As a procurement professional, you must know the preferred methods to satisfy the requirements for both types of projects.

The final project is divided into three milestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality final submissions. These milestones will be submitted in Modules Two, Three, and Five. The final project will be submitted in Module Seven.

In this assignment, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following course outcomes:

• Select appropriate contract types that align with procurement requirements in maximizing value and minimizing risk for the buyer
• Differentiate procurement processes between the United States and international environments in ensuring compliance with local regulations and adherence to best practices
• Select appropriate evaluation tools for identifying vendors that best satisfy procurement requirements and provide maximum value
• Evaluate contracting decisions for the extent to which they satisfy key procurement principles of value for money, ethics, competition, transparency, and accountability
• Assess the components of a procurement management plan for their ability to satisfy the requirements of the project

Prompt

Developing a procurement management plan begins with collecting and analyzing inputs from the project. Those inputs could include the following elements:

• Project scope statement
• Project schedule
• Project budget profile
• Organizational assets (company policies, standard terms, and conditions)
• Statement of work
• Technical specification
• Verification requirements 

Your analysis of project requirements in your chosen case study will help you determine the type of contract, the bid process, and the evaluation process.

You will analyze and discuss the rationale for choices you made while developing a procurement management plan for the procurement scenario described in the selected case study. Your comprehensive analysis should cover all the considerations for executing an effective procurement from initiation to closure.

For the final project, you will select one of the Harvard Business Publishing case studies below. You will analyze the case from the perspective of the project’s procurement officer. Your procurement analysis must consider all phases of the expected procurement: conduct, execute, control, and close.

Use the links in the Harvard Business Publishing area of the course to review the description for each of the case studies: 

• GlaxoSmithKline: Sourcing Complex Professional Services
• Harley-Davidson Motor Co.: Enterprise Software Selection
• Sher-Wood Hockey Sticks: Global Sourcing
• Timber jack Parts: Packaged Software Selection Project

Specifically, you must address the following criteria in your analysis:

1. Overview of Procurement Management Plans
   1. Discuss the purpose of a procurement management plan.
   2. Define the basic components of a procurement management plan.
   3. Explain how each major component of a procurement management plan satisfies the project or organizational requirements in the case study.
2. Contract Types
   1. Define each type of contract.
   2. Assess contract types for their suitability for different types of projects (construction, design, services, and products).
   3. Assess contract types for their ability to maximize value and minimize risk for the buyer.
   4. Select the most appropriate contract type or types for the procurement plan in the case study. Be sure to justify your rationale with research.
3. Procurement Regulations in the United States and Abroad
   1. Discuss procurement regulations required by local, regional, and federal governments regarding specific types of procurements executed in the United States.
   2. Discuss procurement regulations required by local, regional, and federal governments regarding specific types of procurements executed internationally.
   3. Summarize the differences between the domestic and international procurement regulations discussed above.
   4. Determine which procurement regulations would apply to the procurement plan in the case study and explain your reasoning. Will you be required to follow domestic regulations, international regulations, or both? Why?
4. Source Selection
   1. Describe common source selection criteria used to evaluate vendor proposals.
   2. Select an appropriate vendor evaluation tool suitable for identifying vendors for the procurement plan in the case study. You should select a tool that uses appropriate selection criteria and is capable of producing a summary evaluation score.
   3. Assess the vendor evaluation tool for its effectiveness in satisfying the project requirements and providing maximum value to the buyer in the case study.
5. Procurement in Practice
   1. Summarize the key principles of value for money, ethics, competition, transparency, and accountability.
   2. Discuss the importance of the key principles in effective procurement.
   3. Evaluate the contracting decisions described in the case study for the extent to which they satisfy key procurement principles of value for money, ethics, competition, transparency, and accountability. For example, consider the field situations or situational decision making.

Milestones

Milestone One: Analysis Overview and Contract Selection
In Module Two, you will submit a document that identifies the case study you chose to analyze. You will complete the first parts of your analysis. Your document should provide an overview that meets all critical elements in Section I of the final project. You will discuss the reasons a procurement management plan would be useful in the procurement scenario you selected. After writing the overview, you will address all critical elements in Section II of the final project. You will discuss the contract types that could be used to execute the plan for your chosen scenario. Select an appropriate contract type for your case study and justify your choice. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone One Rubric.

Milestone Two: Procurement Regulations & Source Selection
In Module Three, you will submit a procurement regulations and source selection document that continues your analysis of the case study you selected. First, consider the critical elements in Section III of the final project. Discuss the impact of government regulations on procurement, the regulatory differences for procurements between the United States and another country, and potential regulatory effects for your selected procurement scenario. Second, address the critical elements in Section IV of the final project. Analyze and choose a set of parameters that you feel are useful for evaluating vendor proposals. Develop a vendor evaluation tool and assess its usefulness for proposal evaluation  and selection in your scenario. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Two Rubric.

Milestone Three: Summary of Procurement Principles
In Module Five, you will submit a document with a summary of the key procurement principles, including value for money, ethics, competition, transparency, and accountability. Discuss how a professional procurement process satisfies those principles. Apply this knowledge to evaluate the contracting decisions made in the selected case study. This milestone addresses the critical elements in Section V of the final project. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Three Rubric.

Final Submission: Procurement Analysis
In Module Seven, you will submit a comprehensive analysis of the case study from the perspective of the project’s procurement officer. It should be a complete, polished artifact analyzing all of the critical elements of a procurement management plan as outlined above. You should incorporate the feedback gained throughout the course. This submission will be graded with the Final Project Rubric.

What to Submit

Your procurement analysis must be 10–12 pages in length (plus a cover page, table of contents, and references) and must be written in APA format. Use double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, and one-inch margins.

Final Project Rubric

CriteriaExceeds Expectations (100%)Meets Expectations (85%)Partially Meets Expectations (55%)Does Not Meet Expectations (0%)ValueOverview: PurposeExceeds expectations and uses industry-specific language to establish expertiseComprehensively discusses the purpose of a procurement management planDiscusses the purpose of a procurement management plan, but with gaps in detailDoes not discuss the purpose of a procurement management plan5.7Overview: Basic ComponentsExceeds expectations and definition is well informed and evidences use of scholarly resourcesComprehensively defines the basic components of a procurement management planDefines basic components of a procurement management plan, but with gaps in detailDoes not define basic components of a procurement management plan5.7Overview: Satisfaction of Project RequirementsExceeds expectations and expands explanation to include ways in which the seller may be impacted by the components of the procurement management planComprehensively explains how each major component of the procurement management plan satisfies the project or organizational requirements in the case studyExplains how components of the procurement management plan satisfy the project or organizational requirements in the case study, but with gaps in detailDoes not explain how each major component of a procurement management plan satisfies the project or organizational requirements in the case study5.7Contract Types: DefinitionExceeds expectations and uses industry-specific language to establish expertiseAccurately defines each type of contractDefines each type of contract, but with gaps in accuracyDoes not define each type of contract5.7Contract Types: SuitabilityExceeds expectations and includes a discussion of why contract types presented are most suitable for each project typeAccurately assesses contract types for their suitability for different types of projectsAssesses contract types for their suitability for different types of projects, but with gaps in accuracyDoes not assess contract types for their suitability for different types of projects5.7Contract Types: Value and RiskExceeds expectations and expands the discussion of value and risk to implications for the sellerComprehensively assesses contract types for their ability to maximize value and minimize risk for the buyerAssesses contract types for their ability to maximize value and minimize risk for the buyer, but with gaps in detailDoes not assess contract types for their ability to maximize value and minimize risk for the buyer5.7Contract Types: SelectionExceeds expectations and provides detailed explanation of how selected contract type or types will support optimal procurement performanceSelects the most appropriate contract type or types for procurement plan in case study, and justifies rationale with researchSelects contract type or types for procurement plan in case study, but contract type or types are not appropriate, or does not justify rationale with researchDoes not select contract type or types for procurement plan in case study5.7Procurement Regulations: United StatesExceeds expectations and expands discussion to multiple types of procurement for each level of government entityDiscusses potential procurement regulations required by local, regional, and federal governments regarding specific types of procurements executed in the United StatesDiscusses potential domestic procurement regulations but with gaps in specificityDoes not discuss potential domestic procurement regulations5.7Procurement Regulations: InternationalExceeds expectations and expands discussion to include regulations for multiple types of procurement for each level of government entityDiscusses potential procurement regulations required by local, regional, and federal governments regarding specific types of procurements executed internationallyDiscusses potential international procurement regulations but with gaps in specificityDoes not discuss potential international procurement regulations5.7Procurement Regulations: DifferencesExceeds expectations and expands discussion to differences in regulations for multiple types of procurements for each level of government entityAccurately summarizes differences between domestic and international procurement regulationsSummarizes differences between domestic and international procurement regulations, but lacks specificity with regard to regulations discussed, or has gaps in accuracyDoes not summarize differences between domestic and international procurement regulations5.7Procurement Regulations: Determination of RegulationsExceeds expectations and provides detailed examples that demonstrate keen insight into procurement regulationsAccurately determines which procurement regulations would apply to the procurement plan in the case study, and explains reasoningDetermines which procurement regulations would apply to the procurement plan in the case study, but with gaps in accuracy, or does not explain reasoningDoes not determine which procurement regulations would apply to the procurement plan in the case study5.7Source Selection: CriteriaExceeds expectations and expands the description of source selection criteria beyond what was provided in class materialsAccurately describes common source selection criteria used to evaluate vendor proposalsDescribes common source selection criteria used to evaluate vendor proposals, but with gaps in accuracyDoes not describe common source selection criteria used to evaluate vendor proposals5.7Source Selection: Evaluation ToolExceeds expectations and includes definition of the scales used to guide the evaluators in selecting the appropriate criteria measureSelects an appropriate vendor evaluation tool for the procurement plan in the case study that employs suitable selection criteria and is capable of producing a summary evaluation scoreSelects a vendor evaluation tool that is not appropriate for the procurement plan in the case study, or that does not employ suitable selection criteria, or is not capable of producing a summary evaluation scoreDoes not select a vendor evaluation tool5.7Source Selection: Evaluation Tool AssessmentExceeds expectations and expands assessment to include an explanation of any weighting factors used in producing the summary evaluation scoreAccurately assesses vendor evaluation tool for its effectiveness in satisfying project requirements and providing maximum value to the buyer in the case studyAssesses vendor evaluation tool, but does not address satisfying project requirements or providing maximum value to the buyer in the case studyDoes not assess vendor evaluation tool5.7Procurement in Practice: Summary of Key PrinciplesExceeds expectations and uses industry-specific language to establish expertiseAccurately summarizes the key principles of value for money, ethics, competition, transparency, and accountabilitySummarizes the key principles of value for money, ethics, competition, transparency, and accountability, but with gaps in accuracyDoes not summarize the key principles of value for money, ethics, competition, transparency, and accountability5.7Procurement in Practice: ImportanceExceeds expectations and expands the discussion to include implications for the sellerComprehensively discusses the importance of the key principles of value for money, ethics, competition, transparency, and accountability in effective procurementDiscusses the importance of the key principles of value for money, ethics, competition, transparency, and accountability, but does not relate to effective procurementDoes not discuss the importance of the key principles of value for money, ethics, competition, transparency, and accountability in effective procurement5.7Procurement in Practice: Evaluation of Contracting DecisionsExceeds expectations and provides additional discussion of how key procurement principles considered absent or insufficient in a case study could be improvedComprehensively evaluates contracting decisions described in the case study for the extent to which they satisfy key procurement principlesEvaluates contracting decisions described in the case study, but does not address the extent to which they satisfy key procurement principlesDoes not evaluate contracting decisions described in the case study5.7Clear CommunicationExceeds expectations with an intentional use of language that promotes a thorough understandingConsistently and effectively communicates in an organized way to a specific audienceShows progress toward meeting expectations, but communication is inconsistent or ineffective in a way that negatively impacts understandingShows no evidence of consistent, effective, or organized communication3.1Total:100%