WEEK 1Procurement in Projects (graded)There are many reasons to pursue business process outsourcing and project procurement, including flexibility, improving methodologies, and increasing productivity. Taking into consideration budget, scope, schedule, and risk, what are some of the other reasons to contract part or all of a project or business process? What are some of the drawbacks to outsourcing? Again, consider this question from the budget, scope, schedule, and risk standpoint. Please remember to answer all components of the question.This section lists options that can be used to view responses.Contract vs. Project Management (graded)A project manager and a contract manager are both needed to administer a procured project or process. If you were the project manager, how would you work with a contract manager to ensure a successful procurement? In answering this question, consider such issues as, at what point you would want to get the contract manager involved in the project, what areas of the contract you would want to be his or her responsibility, how much and what types of communication you would want the seller (i.e., the contracted firm) to have with the contract manager, and who would handle conflicts that might arise with costs, schedules, or scope. Please remember to answer all components of the question.WEEK 2Contract Pricing Options (graded)Assume that you have made the final payment on a one-acre residential lot that you purchased years ago to build your retirement home. You are now ready to build your dream home. This will be your ongoing project for the next couple of years. Which contract structure (fixed price, unit price, reimbursable) do you think that you would use to proceed with your project? Explain your choice.This section lists options that can be used to view responses.Project Control (graded)What are the differences among a fixed-price contract, a time-and-materials contract, and a reimbursable contract in terms of how well defined a contract needs to be relative to price, scope, and schedule prior to the commencement of any work? How much control over the project scope, price, and schedule should the contractor have under each contract type?This section lists options that can be used to view responses.WEEK 3RFP Requirements (graded)Consider again the dream retirement home that you were building as part of the Week 2 Discussion. Assume that you are working on the request for a proposal to be bid on by some local general contractors. Using the outline of the RFP sections discussed this week, what are some specific questions or areas of detail that you would put in your RFP? What are some ways that you’d tailor your RFP to make sure that you knew if the local general contractor whom you choose will meet all of your success criteria?RFP Evaluations (graded)It is very common to find buyers who fail to identify the RFP evaluation criteria during the project procurement planning process, and in fact, do not define the evaluation criteria until after proposals have been received and the evaluation process is set to begin. What do you think is the risk of waiting until bids have been received to establish the evaluation criteria to be used to select a preferred contractor?This section lists options that can be used to view responses.WEEK 4Evaluation Criteria (graded)The formulation of evaluation criteria has long-lasting implications throughout the life cycle of a contract. The result should be picking the right seller for the contract. In fact, the development of evaluation criteria has often been debated to be one aspect of contract procurement that needs to be closely coordinated with both the contract administrator and project manager. What are your thoughts on the role that the contract manager should have in the development of evaluation criteria? What about the project manager? Who else should be involved in establishing and applying the evaluation criteria?This section lists options that can be used to view responses.Bid Duration (graded)How do you go about defining the proper duration for a bid procurement? Consider the time that it takes to plan for the procurement, draft an RFI and/or RFP, receive responses, and make a decision. What could you do if you needed to fast track this bid duration?This section listWEEK 5Human Resource Transitioning (graded)As your textbook indicated, business process outsourcing has become an emerging trend in most small- and large-size corporations. This has been particularly true during the last year and a half, as many companies have turned to outsourcing in order to reduce overhead costs during these recessionary times. Identify some companies with which you have been personally associated, or companies that you have read about which have gone through the outsourcing process for some of their business operations. How did affected employees react to the outsource process?Globalization and Procurement (graded)For most industries, globalization is arguably one of the more common business trends of the last decade. As your text indicates, there are several considerations that must be evaluated from a contracting standpoint relative to multi-nation operations and contracting agreements. Let’s take the various contracting considerations presented in your text (and outlined in this week’s slides), and discuss how they can affect U.S.-based firms seeking a BPO or subcontracting agreement with a foreign company on a region-by-region basis, including: Canada, Europe, Asia, South/Central America, Canada, and Mexico. Based on your understanding and/or experiences in these other regions of the world, what do you think are contracting considerations that should be considered and addressed in the BPO contract?WEEK 6Contract Dispute Resolution (graded)Conflict resolution and conflict management are common day-to-day activities in most projects and office environments. As a group, let’s identify the Top 5 sources of conflict in a BPO agreement for project management services. Let’s identify one source at a time, and discuss whether or not each of you feels that it ranks in the Top 5 sources of conflict. As I read your exchanges, I will make a determination as to whether or not enough evidence has been provided to justify its inclusion into our Top 5 list.This section lists options that can be used to view responses.Benchmarking (graded)There are several ways to benchmark. The two most common benchmarking tools areperformance benchmarking andbest-practice benchmarking. Consider a nationwide bank that has contracted with a seller to assess its current staffing and facility locations. The goal of the contract is for the seller to produce a strategic plan that creates cost efficiencies for the bank by recommending (and implementing) areas to consolidate among staff and facilities. (One recommendation may be to close down a bank branch that is located within three miles of another bank branch.) This is a long-term contract stretched out over five years. If you were the project manager in the bank, to what benchmarks would you compare your seller? Are they performance benchmarks or best-practice benchmarks?WEEK 7Renegotiation and Termination (graded)More often than not, it is more desirable to renegotiate a contract than to terminate one. What do you think may be some of the effects of a contract termination from the buyer’s perspective? What about from the seller’s perspective?Contract Close-Out (graded)One of the most frustrating aspects of contract management to customers/clients is the length of time that it commonly takes to close out a project (from an administrative standpoint) after most or all of the contract scope of work has been completed. The closeout is the fourth phase in the generic project life cycle where all outstanding contractual issues are completed and documented in preparation for turning over the product or service to the customer. What are some of the activities that need to be performed as part of the contract closeout functions? What do you think are some of the factors that cause such a length in delay in the closure of the project/contract?Case Study 1BPO and Cloud Computing (Due Week 3)Bob Smith, CEO of Smiths Information Services, Inc., was studying the replacement of the company’s data center by an outside service. Smiths Information Services, located in Lexington, Massachusetts, was in the midst of a corporate overhead reduction program. As part of this program, Bob had been assigned the task of reviewing opportunities in outside sourcing for data center services. He was expecting a report on this issue at the next executive meeting in three days.Smiths Information Services Cost Reduction ProgramSmiths Information Services is a $2 billion firm with sales in consumer information. It enjoyed high overall growth until fierce competition flattened sales and decreased profits sharply two years ago. Since then, corporate cost and overhead reduction efforts were widespread. The CIO was in charge of the data center and has been investigating the possibility of a business process outsourcing project that would move the data center to the cloud.Data CenterThe data center at Smiths Information Services was created in the mid-1980s and has grown very rapidly. Mainframes were installed first, followed by AS400s, and then servers that were rack mounted. Disk storage, at one time, was at a premium, but has since gone down in price. Cooling for the data center has gone up as more and more servers and disks were installed. This cost, along with the electricity cost to run all of the devices in the data center, has Bob Smith worried that the cost of doing business is getting out of control.Along with the rising hardware and software costs, the number of employees needed to run this data center has grown considerably. The cost of running a data center 24/7 is becoming rather large, and this is another issue that Bob Smith is concerned about at the moment. The growth potential for the organization is very positive, which means that more data will be stored, which will result in higher costs in all areas of the data center unless cost savings are found.Outside ServicesThe CIO has felt that this was coming sooner or later, and has already been quietly investigating the idea already. There are many options from which to choose, including: a local data center, a well-known data center, and a data center that is located overseas. Each of these solutions has pros and cons, and one big issue is the security of the data. Some of the other issues include service-level agreements that have to be hammered out, HR issues that will deal with the local and remote staff members, and other issues, such as informing or not informing the customer that Smiths Information Services will be outsourcing the data somewhere.DeadlineThe CIOs job is to gather as much data as possible from outside sources, analyze the data, and then come up with the best choice. The deadline will be the next executive monthly meeting, which meets in two weeks.Your Assignment:Assume that you are CIO. Prepare the analysis requested from Bob and be prepared to present it at the next executive monthly meeting.Grading Rubric:PointsCriteria5Correlation of the assessment with the TCOs outlined above and material covered through Week 3.5Compliance with format requirements outlined above.20Assessment of how each of the three (3) outsourcing alternatives impact your business decision and also whether or not it might be helpful or detrimental to your core business.5Assessment of any issues that may arise (both in the short-term and long-term) for each outsourcing alternative.5Assessment of the type of contract chosen for each outsourcing alternative. Provide a rationale for your choice.5Assessment of the evaluation criteria used to rank the proposals. Again, a rationale for your choice needs to be included.5Strength of argument on the number of vendors selected to provide the services.10Assessment/identification of the difference in timeline (if any) between the three outsourcing alternatives.Total: 60Background: Case Study 1 is a comprehensive assessment that highlights the preparation that will precede the procurement and contracting process. The scenario of outsourcing a corporate datacenter is one that is very current, and this decision is being made daily. You will prepare a document to be presented to the executives that will be comprehensive and easy to use to decide if the company will outsource or not. By the end of your analysis, you should have touched on all aspects of the contracting process, from plan purchases and acquisition stage, through the select sellers phase.Please see Doc Sharing for Case Study #1.Terminal Course Objectives (TCOs)All terminal course objectives studied up through Week 3 are being addressed in Case Study 1.1Given a specific project scope, a set of legal and management requirements, and the availability of internal resources, evaluate optional contract structures and recommend and justify the preferred structure for that given situation.2Given a simple procurement need and a complex project that requires one or more procurement activities, compare and contrast the scope and functions of contract procurement/management versus project management.3Given a specific project and its anticipated contract administration and project management requirements, create a procurement division of the responsibilities matrix and a project division of responsibility matrix that consider the utilization of internal resources in order to define any external resources that will be required.4Given specific contract procurement conditions for a project, identify and evaluate the factors that influence a contract pricing strategy and recommend the strategy that is best suited for the given conditions.6Given the need to procure a major contract, select a set of management and commercial requirements that are appropriate for the size and complexity of the contract.7Given the need to solicit goods or services from external sources, consolidate all contract and, if applicable, project requirements into a checklist that will form the framework to guide the development of a Request for Proposals (RFP).ResourcesThe weekly lectures and assigned readings serve as a starting point. Please be advised that considerable relevant material is also available on the Internet, so you might want to conduct a search for some materials that may yield insights into the procurement process that you will be undertaking. Remember to properly cite any outside information that you use.Submittal FormatCase Study 1 should be prepared in MS Word format. Any resources used beyond the ebook need to be cited in your document–Iincluding links to relevant websites. Your document shall be written as an executive summary clearly identifying your purpose, relevant data, decision-making/thought process, and conclusion. Your document will be your “go-to” plan for your outsourcing process. You need to quickly and succinctly understand the steps that you’ll undertake for contracting. This means having minimal complete paragraphs, and instead, using bullet points or a simple table summarizing required action.While this report should be fashioned as an executive summary, it does encompass the entire contracting process. As such, it shall be between 5 and 8 single-sided pages in length, using 10-point Times New Roman font, and 1.5-inch line spacing. The page requirements do NOT include any cover sheets that you may include with your report.Submission DetailsSee the Syllabus section “Due Dates for Assignments & Exams” for due date information. A firm 5% per day penalty for late submissions will be assessed. The file name for your submitted assignments should be formatted as follows: “CS1-studentlastname”.GradingCase Study 1 is worth a total of 60 points. These 60 points will be allocated in the following manner.PointsCriteria5Correlation of the assessment with the TCOs outlined above and material covered through Week 3.5Compliance with format requirements outlined above.20Assessment of how each of the three (3) outsourcing alternatives impact your business decision and also whether or not it might be helpful or detrimental to your core business.5Assessment of any issues that may arise (both in the short-term and long-term) for each outsourcing alternative.5Assessment of the type of contract chosen for each outsourcing alternative. Provide a rationale for your choice.5Assessment of the evaluation criteria used to rank the proposals. Again, a rationale for your choice needs to be included.5Strength of argument on the number of vendors selected to provide the services.10Assessment/identification of the difference in timeline (if any) between the three outsourcing alternatives.Total: 60Submit your assignment to the Dropbox located on the silver tab at the top of this page. For instructions on how to use the Dropbox, read these.next.ecollege.com/default/launch.ed?ssoType=DVUHubSSO2&node=node/184″>step-by-step instructionsor watch thisCase Study 1Background: Case Study 1 is a comprehensive assessment that highlights the preparation that will precede the procurement and contracting process. The scenario of outsourcing a corporate datacenter is one that is very current, and this decision is being made daily. You will prepare a document to be presented to the executives that will be comprehensive and easy to use to decide if the company will outsource or not. By the end of your analysis, you should have touched on all aspects of the contracting process, from plan purchases and acquisition stage, through the select sellers phase. Please see Doc Sharing for Case Study #1.Terminal Course Objectives (TCOs)All terminal course objectives studied up through Week 3 are being addressed in Case Study 1.1Given a specific project scope, a set of legal and management requirements, and the availability of internal resources, evaluate optional contract structures and recommend and justify the preferred structure for that given situation.2Given a simple procurement need and a complex project that requires one or more procurement activities, compare and contrast the scope and functions of contract procurement/management versus project management.3Given a specific project and its anticipated contract administration and project management requirements, create a procurement division of the responsibilities matrix and a project division of responsibility matrix that consider the utilization of internal resources in order to define any external resources that will be required.4Given specific contract procurement conditions for a project, identify and evaluate the factors that influence a contract pricing strategy and recommend the strategy that is best suited for the given conditions.6Given the need to procure a major contract, select a set of management and commercial requirements that are appropriate for the size and complexity of the contract.7Given the need to solicit goods or services from external sources, consolidate all contract and, if applicable, project requirements into a checklist that will form the framework to guide the development of a Request for Proposals (RFP).ResourcesThe weekly lectures and assigned readings serve as a starting point. Please be advised that considerable relevant material is also available on the Internet, so you might want to conduct a search for some materials that may yield insights into the procurement process that you will be undertaking. Remember to properly cite any outside information that you use.Submittal FormatCase Study 1 should be prepared in MS Word format. Any resources used beyond the ebook need to be cited in your document–including links to relevant websites. Your document shall be written as an executive summary or bulleted list/tables clearly identifying your purpose, relevant data, decision-making/thought process, and conclusion. Your document will be your “go-to” plan for your outsourcing process. You need to quickly and succinctly understand the steps that you’ll undertake for contracting. This means having minimal paragraph-style text, and instead, introducing a variety of tables, graphs, and charts.While this report should be fashioned as an executive summary, it does encompass the entire contracting process. As such, it shall be between 5 and 8 single-sided pages in length, using 10-point Times New Roman font, and 1.5-inch line spacing. The page requirements do NOT include any cover sheets that you may include with your report. Submission DetailsSee Syllabus section “Due Dates for Assignments & Exams” for due date information. A firm 5% per day penalty for late submissions will be assessed. The file name for your submitted assignments should be formatted as follows: “CS1-studentlastname”. GradingCase Study 1 is worth a total of 60 points. These 60 points will be allocated in the following manner.PointsCriteria5Correlation of the assessment with the TCOs outlined above and material covered through Week 3.5Compliance with format requirements outlined above.20Assessment of how each of the three (3) outsourcing alternatives impact your business decision and also whether or not it might be helpful or detrimental to your core business.5Assessment of any issues that may arise (both in the short-term and long-term) for each outsourcing alternative.5Assessment of the type of contract chosen for each outsourcing alternative. Provide a rationale for your choice.5Assessment of the evaluation criteria used to rank the proposals. Again, a rationale for your choice needs to be included.5Strength of argument on the number of vendors selected to provide the services.10Assessment/identification of the difference in timeline (if any) between the three outsourcing alternatives.Total: 60Submit your assignment to the Dropbox located on the silver tab at the top of this page.Case Study 2Do it Yourself Outsourcing You design the product or service that will be outsourced(Due Week 5)This case study allows you to choose the business process that will be outsourced. You must first decide on the company, and if you use a real one, please do not reveal any names or trade secrets. This may also be a fictitious organization if you choose to use one.Your Assignment:Prepare an executive summary document outlining the entire outsourcing / contracting process for those business processes that you decide to outsource. Your analysis must include the items below.An analysis on which business processes you would outsource versus those that you would maintain in-house. You need to justify your decision for each business process maintained in-house or outsourced (e.g., accounting, editorial, photography, publishing, distribution, printing, layout, advertising, editing, articles, etc.).For those services that you intend to outsource:Establish the preliminary performance targets / level of service that will be required from the selected vendors;Establish the type of contract that you will use for each contract (i.e., fixed, cost-plus, reimbursable, unit);Determine the evaluation criteria that you will use to select the preferred vendor(s) (e.g., low price, best value, etc.) [Are there different evaluation criteria for different business units? Why?];Identify the number of vendors that you will select to provide the services that will be outsourced (i.e., one vendor for all services versus individual vendors with specific expertise in each of the services to be outsourced); andConstruct a timeline that summarizes the bid activities and time duration for each contracting process (i.e., plan purchases and acquisition through select sellers).Grading Rubric:PointsCriteria5Correlation of the assessment with the TCOs outlined above and material covered through Week 5.5Compliance with format requirements outlined above.25Assessment of which business processes you would outsource. Determine whether it would be cost effective to outsource the business unit, and also, whether or not it might be helpful or detrimental to your core business.5Assessment of any issues that may arise (both in the short-term and long-term) for each outsourced business process.5Assessment of the type of contract chosen for each business unit outsourced. Provide a rationale for your choice.5Assessment of the evaluation criteria used to rank the proposals. Again, a rationale for your choice needs to be included.5Strength of argument on the number of vendors selected to provide the services.15Assessment of timeline for bid activities and time duration for each contracting process.Total: 70Background:Case Study 2 allows the student to bring to the table a business outsourcing project that they may have gone through. If this is the case, please do not use real names of either the company or individuals in the paper. If you have not gone through this process, then research an outsourcing endeavor that interests you, and write about it. You need to include the justification for outsourcing the department, the process that has to take place for a successful outsourcing, and the cost of this endeavor.Please see Doc Sharing for Case Study #2.Terminal Course Objectives (TCOs)All terminal course objectives studied up through Week 5 are being addressed in Case Study 2.1Given a specific project scope, a set of legal and management requirements, and the availability of internal resources, evaluate optional contract structures and recommend and justify the preferred structure for that given situation.2Given a simple procurement need and a complex project that requires one or more procurement activities, compare and contrast the scope and functions of contract procurement/management versus project management.3Given a specific project and its anticipated contract administration and project management requirements, create a procurement division of the responsibilities matrix and a project division of responsibility matrix that consider the utilization of internal resources in order to define any external resources that will be required.4Given specific contract procurement conditions for a project, identify and evaluate the factors that influence a contract pricing strategy and recommend the strategy that is best suited for the given conditions.5Given certain contract objectives and related project requirements, formulate the sections of a project plan that specify the budget, schedule, and technical requirements for the contract.6Given the need to procure a major contract, select a set of management and commercial requirements that are appropriate for the size and complexity of the contract.7Given the need to solicit goods or services from external sources, consolidate all contract and, if applicable, project requirements into a checklist that will form the framework to guide the development of a Request for Proposals (RFP).8Given the award and execution of a contract, analyze and select effective management techniques to control quality, cost, schedule, and scope adherence to the associated requirements specified in the contract.ResourcesThe weekly lectures and assigned readings serve as a starting point. Please be advised that considerable relevant material is also available on the Internet, so you might want to conduct a search for some materials that may yield insights into the procurement process that you will be undertaking. Remember to properly cite any outside information that you use.Submittal FormatCase Study 2 should be prepared in MS Word format. Any resources used beyond the ebook need to be cited in your document–including links to relevant websites. Your document shall be written as an executive summary or bulleted list/tables clearly identifying your purpose, relevant data, decision-making/thought process, and conclusion. Your document will be your “go-to” plan for your outsourcing process. You need to quickly and succinctly understand the steps that you’ll undertake for contracting. This means having minimal paragraph-style text, and instead, introducing a variety of tables, graphs, and charts.While this report should be fashioned as an executive summary, it does encompass the entire contracting process. As such, it shall be between 5 and 8 single-sided pages in length, using 10-point Times New Roman font, and 1.5-inch line spacing. The page requirements do NOT include any cover sheets that you may include with your report.Submission DetailsSee the Syllabus section “Due Dates for Assignments & Exams” for due date information. A firm 5% per day penalty for late submissions will be assessed. The file name for your submitted assignments should be formatted as follows: “CS2-studentlastname”.GradingCase Study 2 is worth a total of 70 points. The 70 points will be allocated in the following manner.PointsCriteria5Correlation of the assessment with the TCOs outlined above and material covered through Week 5.5Compliance with format requirements outlined above.25Assessment of which business processes you would outsource. Determine whether it would be cost effective to outsource the business unit, and also, whether or not it might be helpful or detrimental to your core business.5Assessment of any issues that may arise (both in the short-term and long-term) for each outsourced business process.5Assessment of the type of contract chosen for each business unit outsourced. Provide a rationale for your choice.5Assessment of the evaluation criteria used to rank the proposals. Again, a rationale for your choice needs to be included.5Strength of argument on the number of vendors selected to provide the services.15Assessment of timeline for bid activities and time duration for each contracting process.Total: 70Submit your assignment to the Dropbox located on the silver tab at the top of this page. For instructions on how to use the Dropbox, read these .next.ecollege.com/default/launch.ed?ssoType=DVUHubSSO2&node=node/184″>step-by-step instructionsor watCase Study 3What are the Cost Savings when a company outsources?(Due Week 7)Background:In this case study, please choose from one of the areas in an organization that may be outsourced and prepare a cost savings report. Finance and Accounting Investment and Asset Management Human Resources Procurement Logistics Real estate management Miscellaneous (energy services, customer service, mailroom, food processing)Your Assignment:Prepare an executive summary document that focuses on the cost savings of the outsourcing / contracting process for the business process that you decide to outsource. Your analysis must include the steps below.You need to JUSTIFY your decision for the business process outsourced (e.g., accounting, editorial, photography, publishing, distribution, printing, layout, advertising, editing, articles, etc.); andFor the service that you intend to outsource:Establish the preliminary performance targets / level of service that will be required from the selected vendors;Establish the type of contract that you will use for each contract (i.e., fixed, cost-plus, reimbursable, unit);Determine the evaluation criteria you will use to select the preferred vendor(s) (e.g., low price, best value, etc.). [Are there different evaluation criteria for different business units? Why?];Identify the number of vendors that you will select to provide the services to be outsourced (i.e., one vendor for all services versus individual vendors with specific expertise in each of the services to be outsourced); andConstruct a timeline that summarizes the bid activities and time duration for each contracting process (i.e., plan purchases and acquisition through select sellers).ALL FROM A FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE!Grading Rubric:PointsCriteria5Correlation of the assessment with the TCOs outlined above and material covered through Week 6.5Compliance with format requirements outlined above.25Assessment of which business processes you would outsource. Determine whether it would be cost effective to outsource the business unit, and also, whether or not it might be helpful or detrimental to your core business.5Assessment of the preliminary performance targets/level of service you require from each vendor. Point out anything unique about your performance targets/level of service that may preclude some vendors from bidding.5Assessment of the type of contract chosen for each business unit outsourced. Provide a rationale for your choice.5Assessment of the evaluation criteria used to rank the proposals. Again, a rationale for your choice needs to be included.5Strength of argument on the number of vendors selected to provide the services.15Assessment of timeline for bid activities and time duration for each contracting process.Total: 70Background:Case Study 3 will analyze a business process outsourcing scenario from a purely financial perspective. This case study will include items such as the cost to investigate the outsourcing to the cost of who will outsource in both the savings and fees. The paper will cover how the contracting process protects both the buyer and seller and what needs to be included in the contract to accomplish this.Please see Doc Sharing for Case Study #3.Terminal Course Objectives (TCOs)All terminal course objectives studied up through Week 7 are being addressed in Case Study 3.1Given a specific project scope, a set of legal and management requirements, and the availability of internal resources, evaluate optional contract structures and recommend and justify the preferred structure for that given situation.2Given a simple procurement need and a complex project that requires one or more procurement activities, compare and contrast the scope and functions of contract procurement/management versus project management.3Given a specific project and its anticipated contract administration and project management requirements, create a procurement division of the responsibilities matrix and a project division of responsibility matrix that consider the utilization of internal resources in order to define any external resources that will be required.4Given specific contract procurement conditions for a project, identify and evaluate the factors that influence a contract pricing strategy and recommend the strategy that is best suited for the given conditions.5Given certain contract objectives and related project requirements, formulate the sections of a project plan that specify the budget, schedule, and technical requirements for the contract.6Given the need to procure a major contract, select a set of management and commercial requirements that are appropriate for the size and complexity of the contract.7Given the need to solicit goods or services from external sources, consolidate all contract and, if applicable, project requirements into a checklist that will form the framework to guide the development of a Request for Proposals (RFP).8Given the award and execution of a contract, analyze and select effective management techniques to control quality, cost, schedule, and scope adherence to the associated requirements specified in the contract.9Given a specific contract dispute, identify possible conflict resolution alternatives, select an appropriate negotiation strategy, and implement an action plan that effectively mitigates the contract dispute.10Given the successful completion of a contract scope of work, identify and organize a set of close-out activities that allows for the successful completion of all contract requirements and culminates with a journal that thoroughly summarizes the life of the contract.ResourcesThe weekly lectures and assigned readings serve as a starting point. Please be advised that considerable relevant material is also available on the Internet, so you might want to conduct a search for some materials that may yield insights into the procurement process that you will be undertaking. Remember to properly cite any outside information that you use.Submittal FormatCase Study 3 should be prepared in MS Word format. Any resources used beyond the ebook need to be cited in your document–including links to relevant websites. Your document shall be written as an executive summary or bulleted list/tables clearly identifying your purpose, relevant data, decision-making/thought process, and conclusion. Your document will be your “go-to” financial plan for your outsourcing process. You need to quickly and succinctly understand the steps that you’ll undertake for contracting. This means having minimal paragraph-style text, and instead, introducing a variety of tables, graphs, and charts.While this report should be fashioned as an executive summary, it does encompass the entire contracting process. As such, it shall be between 5 and 8 single-sided pages in length, using 10-point Times New Roman font, and 1.5-inch line spacing. The page requirements do NOT include any cover sheets that you may include with your report.Submission DetailsSee the Syllabus section “Due Dates for Assignments & Exams” for due date information. A firm 5% per day penalty for late submissions will be assessed. The file name for your submitted assignments should be formatted as follows: “CS3-studentlastname”.GradingCase Study 3 is worth a total of 70 points. The 70 points will be allocated in the following manner.PointsCriteria5Correlation of the assessment with the TCOs outlined above and material covered through Week 6.5Compliance with format requirements outlined above.25Assessment of which business processes you would outsource. Determine whether it would be cost effective to outsource the business unit, and also, whether or not it might be helpful or detrimental to your core business.5Assessment of the preliminary performance targets/level of service you require from each vendor. Point out anything unique about your performance targets/level of service that may preclude some vendors from bidding.5Assessment of the type of contract chosen for each business unit outsourced. Provide a rationale for your choice.5Assessment of the evaluation criteria used to rank the proposals. Again, a rationale for your choice needs to be included.5Strength of argument on the number of vendors selected to provide the services.15Assessment of timeline for bid activities and time duration for each contracting process.Total: 70Directions for Case Study 3Background: Case Study 3 will analyze a business process outsourcing scenario from a purely financial perspective. This case study will include items such as the cost to investigate the outsourcing to the cost of who will outsource in both the savings and fees. The paper will cover how the contracting process protects both the buyer and seller and what needs to be included in the contract to accomplish this.Please see Doc Sharing for Case Study #3.Terminal Course Objectives (TCOs)All terminal course objectives studied up through Week 7 are being addressed in Case Study 3.1Given a specific project scope, a set of legal and management requirements, and the availability of internal resources, evaluate optional contract structures and recommend and justify the preferred structure for that given situation.2Given a simple procurement need and a complex project that requires one or more procurement activities, compare and contrast the scope and functions of contract procurement/management versus project management.3Given a specific project and its anticipated contract administration and project management requirements, create a procurement division of the responsibilities matrix and a project division of responsibility matrix that consider the utilization of internal resources in order to define any external resources that will be required.4Given specific contract procurement conditions for a project, identify and evaluate the factors that influence a contract pricing strategy and recommend the strategy that is best suited for the given conditions.5Given certain contract objectives and related project requirements, formulate the sections of a project plan that specify the budget, schedule, and technical requirements for the contract.6Given the need to procure a major contract, select a set of management and commercial requirements that are appropriate for the size and complexity of the contract.7Given the need to solicit goods or services from external sources, consolidate all contract and, if applicable, project requirements into a checklist that will form the framework to guide the development of a Request for Proposals (RFP).8Given the award and execution of a contract, analyze and select effective management techniques to control quality, cost, schedule, and scope adherence to the associated requirements specified in the contract.9Given a specific contract dispute, identify possible conflict resolution alternatives, select an appropriate negotiation strategy, and implement an action plan that effectively mitigates the contract dispute.10Given the successful completion of a contract scope of work, identify and organize a set of close-out activities that allows for the successful completion of all contract requirements and culminates with a journal that thoroughly summarizes the life of the contract.ResourcesThe weekly lectures and assigned readings serve as a starting point. Please be advised that considerable relevant material is also available on the Internet, so you might want to conduct a search for some materials that may yield insights into the procurement process that you will be undertaking. Remember to properly cite any outside information that you use.Submittal FormatCase Study 3 should be prepared in MS Word format. Any resources used beyond the ebook need to be cited in your document–including links to relevant websites. Your document shall be written as an executive summary or bulleted list/tables clearly identifying your purpose, relevant data, decision-making/thought process, and conclusion. Your document will be your “go-to” financial plan for your outsourcing process. You need to quickly and succinctly understand the steps that you’ll undertake for contracting. This means having minimal paragraph-style text, and instead, introducing a variety of tables, graphs, and charts.While this report should be fashioned as an executive summary, it does encompass the entire contracting process. As such, it shall be between 5 and 8 single-sided pages in length, using 10-point Times New Roman font, and 1.5-inch line spacing. The page requirements do NOT include any cover sheets that you may include with your report. Submission DetailsSee Syllabus section “Due Dates for Assignments & Exams” for due date information. A firm 5% per day penalty for late submissions will be assessed. The file name for your submitted assignments should be formatted as follows: “CS3-studentlastname”. GradingCase Study 3 is worth a total of 70 points. The 70 points will be allocated in the following manner.PointsCriteria5Correlation of the assessment with the TCOs outlined above and material covered through Week 6.5Compliance with format requirements outlined above.25Assessment of which business processes you would outsource. Determine whether it would be cost effective to outsource the business unit, and also, whether or not it might be helpful or detrimental to your core business.5Assessment of the preliminary performance targets/level of service you require from each vendor. Point out anything unique about your performance targets/level of service that may preclude some vendors from bidding.5Assessment of the type of contract chosen for each business unit outsourced. Provide a rationale for your choice.5Assessment of the evaluation criteria used to rank the proposals. Again, a rationale for your choice needs to be included.5Strength of argument on the number of vendors selected to provide the services.15Assessment of timeline for bMIDTERMQuestion 1. Question : (TCO 2) A firm should concentrate on its _____ processes while outsourcing its _____ processes.overhead, corecore, non-corenon-core, overheadnon-core, coreQuestion 2. Question : (TCO 5) To assess the impact of a contract on both the buyer and seller, an analysis of exposure can be completed. Categories analyzed in this exposure analysis include all of the following except: ______.terms with no quantifiable impactkey contract termssignificant contract termsinformational terms from the RFPQuestion 3. Question : (TCO 7) For most customers, requesting multiple bids is the preferred approach because it: _______.adds to the project legitimacymay lead to competitive pricing or service levelsenables the customer to use the possibility of other interested vendors as a negotiating toolall of the aboveQuestion 4. Question : (TCO 6) The Term, Contracting Party, Integration, Retained Assets, and Performance Standards are all: _______.key terms to the Contract Pricing Optionskey terms in a Cost Proposalkey terms in a Request for Informationkey terms in the BPO AgreementQuestion 5. Question : (TCO 3) How are the procurement responsibilities divided between the project manager and contract administrator?Question 6. Question : (TCO 4) What is the difference between the Cost-Plus-Fixed Fee (CPFF) and the Cost-Plus-Incentive Fee (CPIF) contract structures?Question 7. Question : (TCO 6) Three commonly used evaluation criteria listed in an RFP are overall cost or financial proposal, reputation, and experience. What can the buyer glean from this information and how can the buyer use it to make a decision on a particular seller?Question 8. Question : (TCO 8) What is an independent estimate and why should a buyer produce an independent estimate before selecting a seller?Question 9. Question : (TCO 7) Explain the purpose of an RFP. What are some common elements of an RFP?(TCO 2) Part 1: Describe the six phases of the project procurement management process. Part 2: Using a simple decision such as painting your home, list what you would do under each project procurement management step. Part 3: The buyer determines the contract pricing structure during which step of the project procurement process?Question 2. Question : (TCO 1) Part 1: Define the four types of contract pricing structures. Part 2: Using the following four factors–scope, schedule, budget, and risk–evaluate the appropriate use of each of the contract pricing structures. Part 3: What type of contract pricing structure would you use if you had a well-defined product that would be completed in a relatively short period of time?Question 3. Question : (TCO 3) Identify and describe the benefits that outsourcing logistics will bring to the organizations.Question 4. Question : (TCO 1) List and describe the directives to consider the process of outsourcing if you are a senior manager.QUIZ 2(TCO 4) Human resources, procurement, real estate management, and accounting are examples of categories of business units that are typically _____.outsourcedcontracted out to consultantsgood examples of core company operationsbest handled by internal employeesInstructor Explanation: Textbook pp. 2 – 3, Section 1.2 “What is BPO?”Question 2. Question : (TCO 1) A fixed price or lump sum contract is best used when: ______.there will be a lot of changes in the conditions or work scope that impact the project outcomethere is no scopethe scope of work is well definedthe scope of work is not well definedInstructor Explanation: Week 2 LectureQuestion 3. Question : (TCO 2) The _____ is responsible for reviewing and approving all aspects of administrating the contract, while the _____ is responsible for identifying the project-related coordination including the planning, scope definition, risks, and schedule.contract manager; stakeholdersponser; project managercontract manager; project managercontract manager; program managerQuestion 4. Question : (TCO 3) At the point where the buyer concludes to outsource after doing a make-or-buy analysis or using expert judgment, the buyer is in which key phase of the project procurement management process?Contract reviewPlan purchases and acquisitionsSolicit sellersReview seller responsesQuestion 5. Question : (TCO 4) In the Week 2 You Decide simulation, the scope was well-defined because you had the ability to interview a potential seller. Which contracting structure would a potential seller be more willing to use when the scope is well-defined?Time & materialsLump sumUnit priceCost plus percentage feeQuestion 6. Question : (TCO 1) In the Week 2 You Decide simulation, the schedule was pointed out. You were given one year to complete the project, but were reminded that the sooner the better. What strategy could you implement to get the project done in sooner than one year?Offer an incentive to keep the seller on schedule and budget.Order a change to the process halfway through the project.Insist that the seller have at least two subcontractors.Impose unreasonable milestones in the project schedule to condense the schedule.Question 7. Question : (TCO 4) In the Week 2 You Decide simulation, the idea of integrating the scanning software with other software in development was introduced. Asking a seller to integrate the software would more than likely result in: ______.a change order to the original scopean increase in the proposal pricea new or modified contractall of the aboveQuestion 8. Question : (TCO 2) Senior management typically has different reasons for issuing the directive to outsource than management responsible for the business process. Managers responsible for the business process typically decide to evaluate outsourcing: _______.in response to a department-wide directive to upsize or cut costsin response to an organization-wide directive to downsize or cut costsas part of the roll-out of status quo methodologies/technologyas part of the roll-out of new methodologies/technologyQuestion 9. Question : (TCO 1) List five considerations to consider when starting to define the scope of the business process outsourcing transaction and discuss the importance of each in relation to outsourcing.BPO and Cloud Computing (Due Week 3)Bob Smith, CEO of Smiths Information Services, Inc., was studying the replacement of the company’s data center by an outside service. Smiths Information Services, located in Lexington, Massachusetts, was in the midst of a corporate overhead reduction program. As part of this program, Bob had been assigned the task of reviewing opportunities in outside sourcing for data center services. He was expecting a report on this issue at the next executive meeting in three days.Smiths Information Services Cost Reduction ProgramSmiths Information Services is a $2 billion firm with sales in consumer information. It enjoyed high overall growth until fierce competition flattened sales and decreased profits sharply two years ago. Since then, corporate cost and overhead reduction efforts were widespread. The CIO was in charge of the data center and has been investigating the possibility of a business process outsourcing project that would move the data center to the cloud.Data CenterThe data center at Smiths Information Services was created in the mid-1980s and has grown very rapidly. Mainframes were installed first, followed by AS400s, and then servers that were rack mounted. Disk storage, at one time, was at a premium, but has since gone down in price. Cooling for the data center has gone up as more and more servers and disks were installed. This cost, along with the electricity cost to run all of the devices in the data center, has Bob Smith worried that the cost of doing business is getting out of control.Along with the rising hardware and software costs, the number of employees needed to run this data center has grown considerably. The cost of running a data center 24/7 is becoming rather large, and this is another issue that Bob Smith is concerned about at the moment. The growth potential for the organization is very positive, which means that more data will be stored, which will result in higher costs in all areas of the data center unless cost savings are found.Outside ServicesThe CIO has felt that this was coming sooner or later, and has already been quietly investigating the idea already. There are many options from which to choose, including: a local data center, a well-known data center, and a data center that is located overseas. Each of these solutions has pros and cons, and one big issue is the security of the data. Some of the other issues include service-level agreements that have to be hammered out, HR issues that will deal with the local and remote staff members, and other issues, such as informing or not informing the customer that Smiths Information Services will be outsourcing the data somewhere.DeadlineThe CIOs job is to gather as much data as possible from outside sources, analyze the data, and then come up with the best choice. The deadline will be the next executive monthly meeting, which meets in two weeks.Your Assignment:Assume that you are CIO. Prepare the analysis requested from Bob and be prepared to present it at the next executive monthly meeting.Grading Rubric:PointsCriteria5Correlation of the assessment with the TCOs outlined above and material covered through Week 3.5Compliance with format requirements outlined above.20Assessment of how each of the three (3) outsourcing alternatives impact your business decision and also whether or not it might be helpful or detrimental to your core business.5Assessment of any issues that may arise (both in the short-term and long-term) for each outsourcing alternative.5Assessment of the type of contract chosen for each outsourcing alternative. Provide a rationale for your choice.5Assessment of the evaluation criteria used to rank the proposals. Again, a rationale for your choice needs to be included.5Strength of argument on the number of vendors selected to provide the services.10Assessment/identification of the difference in timeline (if any) between the three outsourcing alternatives.Total: 60Background: Case Study 1 is a comprehensive assessment that highlights the preparation that will precede the procurement and contracting process. The scenario of outsourcing a corporate datacenter is one that is very current, and this decision is being made daily. You will prepare a document to be presented to the executives that will be comprehensive and easy to use to decide if the company will outsource or not. By the end of your analysis, you should have touched on all aspects of the contracting process, from plan purchases and acquisition stage, through the select sellers phase.Please see Doc Sharing for Case Study #1.Terminal Course Objectives (TCOs)All terminal course objectives studied up through Week 3 are being addressed in Case Study 1.ResourcesThe weekly lectures and assigned readings serve as a starting point. Please be advised that considerable relevant material is also available on the Internet, so you might want to conduct a search for some materials that may yield insights into the procurement process that you will be undertaking. Remember to properly cite any outside information that you use.Submittal FormatCase Study 1 should be prepared in MS Word format. Any resources used beyond the ebook need to be cited in your document–Iincluding links to relevant websites. Your document shall be written as an executive summary clearly identifying your purpose, relevant data, decision-making/thought process, and conclusion. Your document will be your “go-to” plan for your outsourcing process. You need to quickly and succinctly understand the steps that you’ll undertake for contracting. This means having minimal complete paragraphs, and instead, using bullet points or a simple table summarizing required action.While this report should be fashioned as an executive summary, it does encompass the entire contracting process. As such, it shall be between 5 and 8 single-sided pages in length, using 10-point Times New Roman font, and 1.5-inch line spacing. The page requirements do NOT include any cover sheets that you may include with your report.Submission DetailsSee the Syllabus section “Due Dates for Assignments & Exams” for due date information. A firm 5% per day penalty for late submissions will be assessed. The file name for your submitted assignments should be formatted as follows: “CS1-studentlastname”.GradingCase Study 1 is worth a total of 60 points. These 60 points will be allocated in the following manner.Correlation of the assessment with the TCOs outlined above and material covered through Week 3.Submit your assignment to the Dropbox located on the silver tab at the top of this page. For instructions on how to use the Dropbox, read these.next.ecollege.com/default/launch.ed?ssoType=DVUHubSSO2&node=node/184″>step-by-step instructionsor watch thisTerminal Course Objectives (TCOs)All terminal course objectives studied up through Week 3 are being addressed in Case Study 1.1Given a specific project scope, a set of legal and management requirements, and the availability of internal resources, evaluate optional contract structures and recommend and justify the preferred structure for that given situation.2Given a simple procurement need and a complex project that requires one or more procurement activities, compare and contrast the scope and functions of contract procurement/management versus project management.3Given a specific project and its anticipated contract administration and project management requirements, create a procurement division of the responsibilities matrix and a project division of responsibility matrix that consider the utilization of internal resources in order to define any external resources that will be required.4Given specific contract procurement conditions for a project, identify and evaluate the factors that influence a contract pricing strategy and recommend the strategy that is best suited for the given conditions.6Given the need to procure a major contract, select a set of management and commercial requirements that are appropriate for the size and complexity of the contract.7Given the need to solicit goods or services from external sources, consolidate all contract and, if applicable, project requirements into a checklist that will form the framework to guide the development of a Request for Proposals (RFP).ResourcesThe weekly lectures and assigned readings serve as a starting point. Please be advised that considerable relevant material is also available on the Internet, so you might want to conduct a search for some materials that may yield insights into the procurement process that you will be undertaking. Remember to properly cite any outside information that you use.Submittal FormatCase Study 1 should be prepared in MS Word format. Any resources used beyond the ebook need to be cited in your document–including links to relevant websites. Your document shall be written as an executive summary or bulleted list/tables clearly identifying your purpose, relevant data, decision-making/thought process, and conclusion. Your document will be your “go-to” plan for your outsourcing process. You need to quickly and succinctly understand the steps that you’ll undertake for contracting. This means having minimal paragraph-style text, and instead, introducing a variety of tables, graphs, and charts.While this report should be fashioned as an executive summary, it does encompass the entire contracting process. As such, it shall be between 5 and 8 single-sided pages in length, using 10-point Times New Roman font, and 1.5-inch line spacing. The page requirements do NOT include any cover sheets that you may include with your report. Submission DetailsSee Syllabus section “Due Dates for Assignments & Exams” for due date information. A firm 5% per day penalty for late submissions will be assessed. The file name for your submitted assignments should be formatted as follows: “CS1-studentlastname”. GradingCase Study 1 is worth a total of 60 points. These 60 points will be allocated in the following manner.PointsCriteria5Correlation of the assessment with the TCOs outlined above and material covered through Week 3.5Compliance with format requirements outlined above.20Assessment of how each of the three (3) outsourcing alternatives impact your business decision and also whether or not it might be helpful or detrimental to your core business.5Assessment of any issues that may arise (both in the short-term and long-term) for each outsourcing alternative.5Assessment of the type of contract chosen for each outsourcing alternative. Provide a rationale for your choice.5Assessment of the evaluation criteria used to rank the proposals. Again, a rationale for your choice needs to be included.5Strength of argument on the number of vendors selected to provide the services.10Assessment/identification of the difference in timeline (if any) between the three outsourcing alternatives.Total: 60Submit your assignment to the Dropbox located on the silver tab at the top of this page.Do it Yourself Outsourcing You design the product or service that will be outsourced(Due Week 5)This case study allows you to choose the business process that will be outsourced. You must first decide on the company, and if you use a real one, please do not reveal any names or trade secrets. This may also be a fictitious organization if you choose to use one.Your Assignment:Prepare an executive summary document outlining the entire outsourcing / contracting process for those business processes that you decide to outsource. Your analysis must include the items below.Grading Rubric:PointsCriteria5Correlation of the assessment with the TCOs outlined above and material covered through Week 5.5Compliance with format requirements outlined above.25Assessment of which business processes you would outsource. Determine whether it would be cost effective to outsource the business unit, and also, whether or not it might be helpful or detrimental to your core business.5Assessment of any issues that may arise (both in the short-term and long-term) for each outsourced business process.5Assessment of the type of contract chosen for each business unit outsourced. Provide a rationale for your choice.5Assessment of the evaluation criteria used to rank the proposals. Again, a rationale for your choice needs to be included.5Strength of argument on the number of vendors selected to provide the services.15Assessment of timeline for bid activities and time duration for each contracting process.Total: 70Background:Case Study 2 allows the student to bring to the table a business outsourcing project that they may have gone through. If this is the case, please do not use real names of either the company or individuals in the paper. If you have not gone through this process, then research an outsourcing endeavor that interests you, and write about it. You need to include the justification for outsourcing the department, the process that has to take place for a successful outsourcing, and the cost of this endeavor.Please see Doc Sharing for Case Study #2.Terminal Course Objectives (TCOs)All terminal course objectives studied up through Week 5 are being addressed in Case Study 2.ResourcesThe weekly lectures and assigned readings serve as a starting point. Please be advised that considerable relevant material is also available on the Internet, so you might want to conduct a search for some materials that may yield insights into the procurement process that you will be undertaking. Remember to properly cite any outside information that you use.Submittal FormatCase Study 2 should be prepared in MS Word format. Any resources used beyond the ebook need to be cited in your document–including links to relevant websites. Your document shall be written as an executive summary or bulleted list/tables clearly identifying your purpose, relevant data, decision-making/thought process, and conclusion. Your document will be your “go-to” plan for your outsourcing process. You need to quickly and succinctly understand the steps that you’ll undertake for contracting. This means having minimal paragraph-style text, and instead, introducing a variety of tables, graphs, and charts.While this report should be fashioned as an executive summary, it does encompass the entire contracting process. As such, it shall be between 5 and 8 single-sided pages in length, using 10-point Times New Roman font, and 1.5-inch line spacing. The page requirements do NOT include any cover sheets that you may include with your report.Submission DetailsSee the Syllabus section “Due Dates for Assignments & Exams” for due date information. A firm 5% per day penalty for late submissions will be assessed. The file name for your submitted assignments should be formatted as follows: “CS2-studentlastname”.GradingCase Study 2 is worth a total of 70 points. The 70 points will be allocated in the following manner.Correlation of the assessment with the TCOs outlined above and material covered through Week 5.Submit your assignment to the Dropbox located on the silver tab at the top of this page. For instructions on how to use the Dropbox, read these .next.ecollege.com/default/launch.ed?ssoType=DVUHubSSO2&node=node/184″>step-by-step instructionsor watWhat are the Cost Savings when a company outsources?(Due Week 7)Background:In this case study, please choose from one of the areas in an organization that may be outsourced and prepare a cost savings report. Finance and Accounting Investment and Asset Management Human Resources Procurement Logistics Real estate management Miscellaneous (energy services, customer service, mailroom, food processing)Your Assignment:Prepare an executive summary document that focuses on the cost savings of the outsourcing / contracting process for the business process that you decide to outsource. Your analysis must include the steps below.ALL FROM A FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE!Grading Rubric:PointsCriteria5Correlation of the assessment with the TCOs outlined above and material covered through Week 6.5Compliance with format requirements outlined above.25Assessment of which business processes you would outsource. Determine whether it would be cost effective to outsource the business unit, and also, whether or not it might be helpful or detrimental to your core business.5Assessment of the preliminary performance targets/level of service you require from each vendor. Point out anything unique about your performance targets/level of service that may preclude some vendors from bidding.5Assessment of the type of contract chosen for each business unit outsourced. Provide a rationale for your choice.5Assessment of the evaluation criteria used to rank the proposals. Again, a rationale for your choice needs to be included.5Strength of argument on the number of vendors selected to provide the services.15Assessment of timeline for bid activities and time duration for each contracting process.Total: 70Background:Case Study 3 will analyze a business process outsourcing scenario from a purely financial perspective. This case study will include items such as the cost to investigate the outsourcing to the cost of who will outsource in both the savings and fees. The paper will cover how the contracting process protects both the buyer and seller and what needs to be included in the contract to accomplish this.Please see Doc Sharing for Case Study #3.Terminal Course Objectives (TCOs)All terminal course objectives studied up through Week 7 are being addressed in Case Study 3.ResourcesThe weekly lectures and assigned readings serve as a starting point. Please be advised that considerable relevant material is also available on the Internet, so you might want to conduct a search for some materials that may yield insights into the procurement process that you will be undertaking. Remember to properly cite any outside information that you use.Submittal FormatCase Study 3 should be prepared in MS Word format. Any resources used beyond the ebook need to be cited in your document–including links to relevant websites. Your document shall be written as an executive summary or bulleted list/tables clearly identifying your purpose, relevant data, decision-making/thought process, and conclusion. Your document will be your “go-to” financial plan for your outsourcing process. You need to quickly and succinctly understand the steps that you’ll undertake for contracting. This means having minimal paragraph-style text, and instead, introducing a variety of tables, graphs, and charts.While this report should be fashioned as an executive summary, it does encompass the entire contracting process. As such, it shall be between 5 and 8 single-sided pages in length, using 10-point Times New Roman font, and 1.5-inch line spacing. The page requirements do NOT include any cover sheets that you may include with your report.Submission DetailsSee the Syllabus section “Due Dates for Assignments & Exams” for due date information. A firm 5% per day penalty for late submissions will be assessed. The file name for your submitted assignments should be formatted as follows: “CS3-studentlastname”.GradingCase Study 3 is worth a total of 70 points. The 70 points will be allocated in the following manner.Correlation of the assessment with the TCOs outlined above and material covered through Week 6.Directions for Case Study 3Background: Case Study 3 will analyze a business process outsourcing scenario from a purely financial perspective. This case study will include items such as the cost to investigate the outsourcing to the cost of who will outsource in both the savings and fees. The paper will cover how the contracting process protects both the buyer and seller and what needs to be included in the contract to accomplish this.Please see Doc Sharing for Case Study #3.Terminal Course Objectives (TCOs)All terminal course objectives studied up through Week 7 are being addressed in Case Study 3.1Given a specific project scope, a set of legal and management requirements, and the availability of internal resources, evaluate optional contract structures and recommend and justify the preferred structure for that given situation.2Given a simple procurement need and a complex project that requires one or more procurement activities, compare and contrast the scope and functions of contract procurement/management versus project management.3Given a specific project and its anticipated contract administration and project management requirements, create a procurement division of the responsibilities matrix and a project division of responsibility matrix that consider the utilization of internal resources in order to define any external resources that will be required.4Given specific contract procurement conditions for a project, identify and evaluate the factors that influence a contract pricing strategy and recommend the strategy that is best suited for the given conditions.5Given certain contract objectives and related project requirements, formulate the sections of a project plan that specify the budget, schedule, and technical requirements for the contract.6Given the need to procure a major contract, select a set of management and commercial requirements that are appropriate for the size and complexity of the contract.7Given the need to solicit goods or services from external sources, consolidate all contract and, if applicable, project requirements into a checklist that will form the framework to guide the development of a Request for Proposals (RFP).8Given the award and execution of a contract, analyze and select effective management techniques to control quality, cost, schedule, and scope adherence to the associated requirements specified in the contract.9Given a specific contract dispute, identify possible conflict resolution alternatives, select an appropriate negotiation strategy, and implement an action plan that effectively mitigates the contract dispute.10Given the successful completion of a contract scope of work, identify and organize a set of close-out activities that allows for the successful completion of all contract requirements and culminates with a journal that thoroughly summarizes the life of the contract.ResourcesThe weekly lectures and assigned readings serve as a starting point. Please be advised that considerable relevant material is also available on the Internet, so you might want to conduct a search for some materials that may yield insights into the procurement process that you will be undertaking. Remember to properly cite any outside information that you use.Submittal FormatCase Study 3 should be prepared in MS Word format. Any resources used beyond the ebook need to be cited in your document–including links to relevant websites. Your document shall be written as an executive summary or bulleted list/tables clearly identifying your purpose, relevant data, decision-making/thought process, and conclusion. Your document will be your “go-to” financial plan for your outsourcing process. You need to quickly and succinctly understand the steps that you’ll undertake for contracting. This means having minimal paragraph-style text, and instead, introducing a variety of tables, graphs, and charts.While this report should be fashioned as an executive summary, it does encompass the entire contracting process. As such, it shall be between 5 and 8 single-sided pages in length, using 10-point Times New Roman font, and 1.5-inch line spacing. The page requirements do NOT include any cover sheets that you may include with your report. Submission DetailsSee Syllabus section “Due Dates for Assignments & Exams” for due date information. A firm 5% per day penalty for late submissions will be assessed. The file name for your submitted assignments should be formatted as follows: “CS3-studentlastname”. GradingCase Study 3 is worth a total of 70 points. The 70 points will be allocated in the following manner.PointsCriteria5Correlation of the assessment with the TCOs outlined above and material covered through Week 6.5Compliance with format requirements outlined above.25Assessment of which business processes you would outsource. Determine whether it would be cost effective to outsource the business unit, and also, whether or not it might be helpful or detrimental to your core business.5Assessment of the preliminary performance targets/level of service you require from each vendor. Point out anything unique about your performance targets/level of service that may preclude some vendors from bidding.5Assessment of the type of contract chosen for each business unit outsourced. Provide a rationale for your choice.5Assessment of the evaluation criteria used to rank the proposals. Again, a rationale for your choice needs to be included.5Strength of argument on the number of vendors selected to provide the services.15Assessment of timeline for bQuestion 1. Question : (TCO 2) A firm should concentrate on its _____ processes while outsourcing its _____ processes.overhead, corecore, non-corenon-core, overheadnon-core, coreQuestion 2. Question : (TCO 5) To assess the impact of a contract on both the buyer and seller, an analysis of exposure can be completed. Categories analyzed in this exposure analysis include all of the following except: ______.terms with no quantifiable impactkey contract termssignificant contract termsinformational terms from the RFPQuestion 3. Question : (TCO 7) For most customers, requesting multiple bids is the preferred approach because it: _______.adds to the project legitimacymay lead to competitive pricing or service levelsenables the customer to use the possibility of other interested vendors as a negotiating toolall of the aboveQuestion 4. Question : (TCO 6) The Term, Contracting Party, Integration, Retained Assets, and Performance Standards are all: _______.key terms to the Contract Pricing Optionskey terms in a Cost Proposalkey terms in a Request for Informationkey terms in the BPO AgreementQuestion 5. Question : (TCO 3) How are the procurement responsibilities divided between the project manager and contract administrator?Question 6. Question : (TCO 4) What is the difference between the Cost-Plus-Fixed Fee (CPFF) and the Cost-Plus-Incentive Fee (CPIF) contract structures?Question 7. Question : (TCO 6) Three commonly used evaluation criteria listed in an RFP are overall cost or financial proposal, reputation, and experience. What can the buyer glean from this information and how can the buyer use it to make a decision on a particular seller?Question 8. Question : (TCO 8) What is an independent estimate and why should a buyer produce an independent estimate before selecting a seller?Question 9. Question : (TCO 7) Explain the purpose of an RFP. What are some common elements of an RFP?(TCO 2) Part 1: Describe the six phases of the project procurement management process. Part 2: Using a simple decision such as painting your home, list what you would do under each project procurement management step. Part 3: The buyer determines the contract pricing structure during which step of the project procurement process?Question 2. Question : (TCO 1) Part 1: Define the four types of contract pricing structures. Part 2: Using the following four factors–scope, schedule, budget, and risk–evaluate the appropriate use of each of the contract pricing structures. Part 3: What type of contract pricing structure would you use if you had a well-defined product that would be completed in a relatively short period of time?Question 3. Question : (TCO 3) Identify and describe the benefits that outsourcing logistics will bring to the organizations.Question 4. Question : (TCO 1) List and describe the directives to consider the process of outsourcing if you are a senior manager.(TCO 4) Human resources, procurement, real estate management, and accounting are examples of categories of business units that are typically _____.outsourcedcontracted out to consultantsgood examples of core company operationsbest handled by internal employeesInstructor Explanation: Textbook pp. 2 – 3, Section 1.2 “What is BPO?”Question 2. Question : (TCO 1) A fixed price or lump sum contract is best used when: ______.there will be a lot of changes in the conditions or work scope that impact the project outcomethere is no scopethe scope of work is well definedthe scope of work is not well definedInstructor Explanation: Week 2 LectureQuestion 3. Question : (TCO 2) The _____ is responsible for reviewing and approving all aspects of administrating the contract, while the _____ is responsible for identifying the project-related coordination including the planning, scope definition, risks, and schedule.contract manager; stakeholdersponser; project managercontract manager; project managercontract manager; program managerQuestion 4. Question : (TCO 3) At the point where the buyer concludes to outsource after doing a make-or-buy analysis or using expert judgment, the buyer is in which key phase of the project procurement management process?Contract reviewPlan purchases and acquisitionsSolicit sellersReview seller responsesQuestion 5. Question : (TCO 4) In the Week 2 You Decide simulation, the scope was well-defined because you had the ability to interview a potential seller. Which contracting structure would a potential seller be more willing to use when the scope is well-defined?Time & materialsLump sumUnit priceCost plus percentage feeQuestion 6. Question : (TCO 1) In the Week 2 You Decide simulation, the schedule was pointed out. You were given one year to complete the project, but were reminded that the sooner the better. What strategy could you implement to get the project done in sooner than one year?Offer an incentive to keep the seller on schedule and budget.Order a change to the process halfway through the project.Insist that the seller have at least two subcontractors.Impose unreasonable milestones in the project schedule to condense the schedule.Question 7. Question : (TCO 4) In the Week 2 You Decide simulation, the idea of integrating the scanning software with other software in development was introduced. Asking a seller to integrate the software would more than likely result in: ______.a change order to the original scopean increase in the proposal pricea new or modified contractall of the aboveQuestion 8. Question : (TCO 2) Senior management typically has different reasons for issuing the directive to outsource than management responsible for the business process. Managers responsible for the business process typically decide to evaluate outsourcing: _______.in response to a department-wide directive to upsize or cut costsin response to an organization-wide directive to downsize or cut costsas part of the roll-out of status quo methodologies/technologyas part of the roll-out of new methodologies/technologyQuestion 9. Question : (TCO 1) List five considerations to consider when starting to define the scope of the business process outsourcing transaction and discuss the importance of each in relation to outsourcing.