Activity 4.2: Obtain Resources and Validate Plan
In this activity the resources (people, technologies, expertise) are obtained and tactical adjustments to the plan are made and validated as necessary. In many instances an organization may need to seek outside support to implement the Integrated Plan. In such instances, procurement activities are conducted as part of this activity. Resources are obtained by performing the procurement activities as defined by the organization’s procurement office.
As with most procurements, a proposal from the winning bidder includes their technical approach for performing the implementation activities. In such instances, the technical proposal needs to be harmonized with the milestones and action plans defined in Step 3. Once the procurement is complete, the vendor will initiate implementation activities by refreshing the milestones and project plan associated with the Integrated Plan created in Step 3 and by harmonizing these materials with what was proposed during the procurement activities. These changes must be performed in conjunction with the planners and the project governance as appropriate.
Step 3 outputs include many variations of milestone and sequencing views to illustrate the intent of how the implementation will be conducted. These outputs are critical inputs to this activity, as the procurement leverages these items in any requests for proposal. Additionally, upon award the vendor will look to integrate these milestone and schedules with their technical approach and make adjustments as necessary. Any adjustments must be vetted through governance as appropriate.
Just as with any other procurement, there are a variety of interested and engaged parties that need to work together. The project governance team is the representative of the interests and needs of the project itself. These individuals will work closely with the procurement officials, legal officials, and with the winning vendor throughout this activity. The planners will be engaged with the vendor selection as well as the initial implementation start-up activities that begin during this activity.
Ultimately any procurement, adjustments to plans, and adjustments to timing will need to be vetted by both project and organization governance teams. The governance prior to the significant implementation activities is just as critical as the governance during the actual implementation itself. Beginning the implementation with a solid and timely procurement and vendor integration is just as critical to the success of the implementation as any other activities.