Forum 9

Using the Guth text sections 12.1.1 to 12.1.1.7 explain which Plan Procurement Inputs you might use in your role as a newly assigned project manager. Why? How would you use them?

Based on Guth’s text in Section 12.1.1 to 12.1.7 I would use the following Inputs in the Planning Process group of Procurement related activities-

1) Project Management Plan- This is needed because the project management plan will give idea about the list of the goods or services needed to be procured, it will give details about the acceptance criteria and it will also have the WBS (work breakdown structure) which can help in determining budget for each activity. The make or buy analysis will be a helpful tool.

2) Requirements Documents- This document has the details of the requirements of the project. This document details about the procurement activities and details about the various contract documents. The make or buy analysis can be a useful tool.

3) Risk Register- This includes the List of risks, Analysis of risks, and Risk response planning to manage procurement related risks.

4) Project Schedule- The project schedule contains the timelines for the various activities of the project and can be used to determine the required timelines for the services or goods to be procured.

5) Activity Resource Requirements- This document has all the details about resources required for the project, including people, materials and technology, etc.

6) Stakeholder Register- This document has all the details about the various stakeholders in the project. Stakeholders are important for procurement management.

7) OPA (Organizational Process Assets) – This document has the information of the organization’s current procurement policies and these policies can be helpful in drafting a procurement management plan. This can also help in defining various contracts involved in procurement management.

Thus all of the above Inputs can significantly help to plan Procurement activities in order to generate outputs such as Procurement Management Plan, procurement Statement of Work, Procurement documents, Vendor/supplier source selection criteria and make-or-buy decisions.