Best Practices in Contract Development

October 31 - 11:00 am - 12:00 pm EST

Your most important step in any journey is the first step. Contracting certainly proves this statement true. The first phase of contracting is Contract Development, and a number of best practices have recently emerged in this area. Join this session to learn what the leaders in contracting are doing during the Contract Development phase.

• Align corporate strategies with contracting strategies
• Draft a sourcing strategy that can lead to a superior contract
• Decide between the two fundamental types of contractual relationships
• Determine the key contracting objectives and prioritize them
• Recruit and form the contracting team - contract development as a team sport!

Helpful Tips in Drafting

TBA

Your contract drafting skills are essential to ensuring successful contracts. Do not let a poorly drafted contract - either intentionally or inadvertantly - lead to unnecessary cost and delay. Join this session which will address the techniques and tactics leading contract drafters have known and used for years.

• Avoid ambiguity with effective writing styles
• Use effective contract structures and terms
• Draft effective Statements of Work
• Integrate Service Level Agreements that deliver great value
• Focus on Key Performance Indicators that drive performance

Developing Negotiation Cultures and Philosophies

TBA

Your negotiation effectiveness is a function of a variety of factors - ranging from tactics to strategies. Two factors that are often ignored are Culture and Philosophy. What is a Negotiation Culture? And what is a Negotiation Philosophy? Join this session and explore how an organization's culture and philosophy have as much influence on the negotiation as the tactics and strategies do.

• Determine the Negotiation Culture
• Drive your organization's Negotiation Philosophy
• Learn how to integrate Culture and Philosophy into the actual negotiation
• Build continuous feedback loops between Culture / Philosophy and Strategy / Tactics
• Measure improvements generated through these alignments

Contract Administration Basics

TBA

Your effectiveness in commercial relationship management depends on how well you manage and administer your contracts. There is a difference between contract management and contract administration. Join this session and learn what constitutes leading practice in the discipline of contract administration.

• Uncover the differences between contract administration and contract management
• Identify the key aspects to administer in a contract
• Learn about the tools that enable contract administration
• Define the skills and talents needed for contract administration
• Anticipate the trends where contract administration is heading

Trends in Strategic Sourcing

TBA

Strategic Sourcing emerged nearly twenty years ago, and it has undergone significant refinement. The evolutionary cycle continues today. Join this session and learn what the recent trends in strategic sourcing are, and how many enterprises are reinventing their strategic sourcing programs.

• Learn how strategic sourcing has evolved.
• Identify new developments that are relevant to your enterprise
• Anticipate what might not work in your strategic sourcing program
• Integrate new tools into your strategic sourcing toolbox
• Anticipate where the next changes in strategic sourcing might be