Contract Management in International Projects


Projects begin with a sense of hope. A reasonable profit for the seller and a first-class project for the buyer – both are planned. All too quickly, however, the planned margin starts to erode, extra engineering effort is required, suppliers unexpectedly raise prices, currency values shift, delays strike production or the buyer announces that he expects more for his money. Every experienced project manager knows such scenarios. This seminar shows you how to bring the threat to margin under control. The lessons learned from countless mistakes are transformed into procedures and institutionalized as one of the keys to successful project management.

Target Audience

The participant will normally be a manager from any stage of the project: bid manager, contract, finance, technical expert, sales engineer, project manager, lead engineer, production, erection and commissioning engineer or claims manager.

Past Participants' Level of Responsibility

Selection of countries 2007-2008 

Croatia, Denmark, France, Italy, Mexico, P.R. of China, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom 

Key Topics

Working step by step through the project, the seminar examines:

Bid phase: launching the project

  • Negotiating an offer
  • Identifying the baseline: contract, public law, private law, expectations
  • Putting a turnkey contract together
  • Risk management during the bid phase
  • Six vital issues: baseline, payment, approvals, delay, defects, change  
Performance phase: working for a profit
  • Control of time
  • Control of change: variation orders, claims, ordered changes to schedule

Claims and close-out phase: holding down loss

  • Settlement of disputes
  • Making and rejecting claims: burden of proof, putting a claim together 

Take-Home Value

If your job is part of the project process at any stage, from opening enquiry documents to closing claims,  you will gain new perspectives, a more coherent  under standing of the project process and specific  techniques for improving the working practices of your department. You will be able to identify more sources of  margin erosion and you will know how to block them off. Your projects will simply generate more  profit. You will have the chance to discuss your issues with experienced faculty and learn from others in  similar situations.

Meet the Faculty

Franziska Frank (Program Director)

Dr. jur. Franziska Frank is program director at ESMT. As a lawyer and ex-management consultant who received her training in Cambridge, Munich and at the Boston Consulting Group, she brings together the legal as well as the economic aspects of contractual relations.

Hans-Christoph Atzpodien

Dr. jur. Hans-Christoph Atzpodien is CEO of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems and Member of the Board of ThyssenKrupp Technologies AG. His far-reaching experience equips him with a broad knowledge of contractual pitfalls and the effect they can have on the company.

James Pinnells

Dr. James Pinnells, is a renowned expert for international contract, claim and risk management. His many years of work as an independent consultant for companies all over the world not only give him the legal expertise, but also a wealth of examples to teach from.


"You're starting in project management? This is the absolutely perfect training. You are already experienced? This is a very good refresher with new ideas."
Lorenzo Neckermann,
Business Developer, Siemens AG
"A profitable and interesting training, especially if you are not a lawyer."
Philippe Bosselut,
Export Sales Manager, ThyssenKrupp Elevator Manufacturing France

Program Director

Frank Franziska Frank

Phone: +49 (0) 30 212 31-8060
Fax: +49 (0) 30 212 31-9
franziska.frank@esmt.org


 
Date(s) 22 - 24 Apr 2009
Duration3 day(s)
Location Berlin
 
Tuition 3,300 €
 
Date(s) 26 - 28 Oct 2009
Duration3 day(s)
Location Berlin
 
Tuition 3,300 €

Program in October extended to 3 days!

In response to participant requests, an additional day for greater focus on own projects has been added.

Contract Management in German


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