ACME Development Corporation (ADC), a developer of custom homes and apartment complexes, has decided to standardize its project management practices and processes across its national organization. The goal is to standardize with one single project-scheduling tool and to have the tool installed and be operational within 90 days. To this end, the company is forming a central project management office (PMO). Until now, project managers (there are 40 presently on staff distributed all over the United States) have been able to use whatever scheduling tool they liked, within their budget constraints. They have also been able to buy equipment and engage contractors at will. The PMO will be determining one scheduling tool that all PMs will be expected to use, exclusive of any other scheduling tools. The PMO will also develop and implement a standardized procurement process. Because the PMs are located across the United States, a Web-based solution seems likely to be the most successful tool.

As the project manager, you have been charged with implementing the procurement process, and you decide that your first project will be purchasing the scheduling tool for ACME Development Corporation.

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Your manager has asked you for an outline of how the procurement process integrates with the rest of a project and how you would develop your procurement activities. You need to develop a request for proposal (RFP) for the scheduling procurement project.

Assignment Guidelines

• Address the following questions as you develop your RFP:
  • How will your procurement process integrate with the rest of the project?
  • Why do you feel that this will allow for a successful project?
  • What procurement management processes will you use within your plan? Why?
  • What are 2 potential types of contracts that you would consider for this project?
    • What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?