Evaluating potential suppliers Project Management Services

It's starting to become more common for companies to offer Project Management to their customers, particularly if the service is high risk, complex, long term or can have an impact on a large group of people. I strongly believe this is the way forward and if delivered well it will benefit all involved.

However, as the customer, how do you evaluate a potential suppliers Project Management Services and ensure that you gain value for your money?

As the decision maker, you are probably feeling the pressure to get this purchase right! When I assess suppliers, I’m looking for reassurance, expertise, experience, knowledge, guidance, support, and great customer services. If I have any doubts then I am unlikely to proceed, or at the very least I will delay my purchase until I have more confidence.

After going through this process a few times, I thought I would publish the checklist I use as it may be helpful for others:

1) Do they follow a methodology?

If an organisation has invested time & money in project management it is likely that they will be using a methodology, whether that be PRINCE2, Lean, Agile or something else. Put simply, project management methodologies offer a tried and tested structure which improves your chances of success & avoids nasty surprises, so it makes sense to follow one.

2) Do they have a Project Management Office (PMO)?

Organisations don’t always have a PMO and that’s OK. The reason that I ask this question is because I believe that it shows maturity within a business. A PMO has many purposes including supporting Project Managers and providing governance against agreed standards, methodology and processes. This means that the Project Management Team are more likely to have a consistent approach which will develop as the PMO implements improvements and changes.

3) Do the Project Managers have any formal qualifications (and are they relevant to the businesses chosen methodology)?

I’m not suggesting that PM’s need qualifications to do a good job, but knowing someone is certified does offer some comfort and reassurance. It also shows commitment from the organisation and the individuals who I will be working with.

I also check to make sure that it is a relevant qualification, for example if someone is a Certified Scrum Master but they are working with PRINCE2 then it would lead me to ask further questions.

4) What process can I expect to go through if I have purchased Project Management Services?

If I am going to purchase something, then I want to know what I can expect to be delivered. Typically, I like to know:

• How do they kick off a project?
• How and when do we agree a sign off criteria?
• Will they manage other third party suppliers if they are involved in the project?
• What documentation will I receive and when?
• What change management is in place?
• What communications can I expect and how will I receive these?
• What is expected of me? For example, do I need to sign off at certain stages, will I need to provide resource?
• Will lessons learned be captured? If so will I be involved in this?
•  Will I receive a closing report?

5) Will I be assigned with a dedicated Project Manager or will a team support me?

I do see the value of being able to contact a central team, the biggest advantage is that you should always be able to contact someone. However, I prefer to be assigned one central point of contact for consistency. In the past I have worked with general project support teams rather than a dedicated Project Manager and I found myself repeating information, getting different responses (some of which can be conflicting) or not knowing who is taking responsible for what actions.

I wouldn’t rule a business out if they didn’t assign a dedicated Project Manager, however it does help me evaluate them against competitors and it's something that I like to bear in mind.

6) Are there different service options? What happens if I don’t purchase any Project Management at all?

Many businesses will offer different levels of services and will recommend the most suitable one for you, this is likely to be based on the size and risk of your project.

For example, if you are deploying a new network across multiple sites, they are likely to recommend full project management. However, if you are just looking to swap out a small amount of kit, then they may just recommend Project Co-Ordination or Support. No matter what they offer I think it is important to discuss your options and find out what happens if you choose to proceed without any PM services at all.

Anything else...

I also tend to ask to talk to reference customers and see example documentation, however understandably this isn’t always possible as it may be confidential.

No matter what you choose to ask, I would strongly suggest that you check what the supplier is offering and how they are going to deliver it. If you are unsure then don’t sign on the dotted line until you have confidence.

As a Project Manager myself, I have no problem when customers ask questions about our services, in fact, I actually quite enjoy talking about what we do… so don’t be scared to ask questions!