Guidance

Practitioner - Accreditation and development programme (HTML)

Updated 18 April 2024

Background

The need for accredited contract management professionals

The government demands value for money and service delivery efficiency from the public sector spend on external contracts. Agreements with suppliers and partners may be well thought through, but no contract manages itself.

To manage these, contract managers and other specialists from central government departments, the wider public sector and the local government sector who work on public contracts need to be efficient, effective, skilled and knowledgeable. A recognised accreditation will enable this.

About the programme

The Practitioner accreditation programme is a nationally-recognised, structured course of learning, leading to the accreditation and professional qualification.

It develops contract management expertise, skills and capabilities as set against the Contract Management Professional Standards.

It is a technical and operational qualification, with focus on UK government contracts managed either by central government departments, wider public sector organisations or local authority organisations.

Comprising 15 blended learning modules, it features subject matter expert-led online sessions, complemented by coaching and Q&A ‘drop-in’ sessions.

Who should undertake the accreditation course?

It has been designed for contract management team members from central government departments, wider public sector organisations or local authority organisations who are:

• a contract manager or contract lead, or
• either a project manager, operations specialist or manage a supplier or contract as part of their role
• working on medium profile, medium-value (silver) contracts as part of a role, with the supplier relationship being medium or higher risk

How the Practitioner accreditation fits into the wider structure

There are three levels of accreditation; Foundation, Practitioner and Expert. The Foundation-level accreditation provides the baseline from which to undertake the more technical in nature Practitioner accreditation course.

The 15 modules are the same as the initial modules for Expert accreditation.

1. Learner Enrolled on programme

2. Foundation Training

3. Complete Foundation Assessment

4. Achieve Foundation Accreditation

5. 360 Diagnostic questionnaire will determine the best learning journey

6. Complete Beyond Foundation Training

7. Practitioner Programme

• Expeditated Practitioner and Expert learning route dependent on 360 diagnostic result and discussion

8. Workshop 1-8 - SME led virtual workshops with pre-work to be completed ahead session attendance

9. Workshop 9-16 - SME led virtual workshops with pre-work to be completed ahead of session attendance

10. Practitioner Accreditation

11. Expert Programme (Expert learners do not take the Practitioner assessment)

12. Workshop 17-24 - SME led virtual workshops with pre-work to be completed ahead of session attendance

13. Expert Accreditation

Benefits of the programme

Having fully-trained and accredited contract staff within your organisation will reinforce to the government, service users, and the wider public domain that contracts are being efficiently managed. Without this, it’s a contract risk. Contract risks are business risks.

Benefits for the organisation

The benefits for an organisation are:

• the training and accreditation demonstrates a commitment to maintaining professional standards and having fully-trained and accredited personnel managing public contracts
• accreditations and training products within the programme are CPD-endorsed, which helps with wider career development
• the accreditations and courses are recognised by the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply and WorldCC
• the tailored learning is shaped around examples from the workplace
• the course provides value for money - some central funding is available to undertake these courses and accreditations, but not for other contemporary programmes
• the programme concentrates exclusively on government contracts, so the focus will be UK public sector-specific
• the accreditation is gained through experiential learning so the learned principles can be put into practice back in the workplace
• the organisation benefits from having greater numbers of accredited and skilled contract management professionals
• the programme’s modules are flexible so sessions can be planned to fit in with day-to- day workload

Benefits for the learner

The benefits for the learner are:

• the programme is digital, flexible and agile, and can be tailored around workload and personal circumstances
• sessions can be planned and booked in advance
• it enhances both technical knowledge and interpersonal skills
• experiential learning will help to put the principles into practice
• individualised learning - work at your own pace
• the CPD endorsement provides personal development time credits
• learning from peer group discussion and debate with like-minded colleagues from other organisations is fundamental
• there is a tangible skills uplift to be gained from the programme

How benefits are realised

Benefits realisation

Benefits can be realised by:

• setting up a study group with peers
• gaining CPD accreditation for learning
• better knowledge of contract terminology
• overcoming contract ‘fog’ with suppliers
• achieving value for money
• accessing a knowledge ‘bank’

Outcomes

Positive outcomes we’ve seen from our learners include:

• “KPIs were negotiated and adjusted”
• “strengthened and developed the buyer/ supplier relationship and turned 79 red rated sites green”
• “turned a lose-lose into a win-win”

Growth

The learning principle:

• 70% experiential learning (back in the workplace)
• 20% peer group (good practice share, debate, social learning)
• 10% formal learning (instructor-led and individual)

Subjects of the modules

Module 1

• Business case: the value of a well-researched and comprehensive business case, and how to appraise and contribute to developing business cases
• Contract literacy and finances: how contract structure and financial information is used to make decisions, so it becomes second nature
• Market engagement and procurement: developing an understanding on the importance of a contract manager’s involvement in early, pre-procurement market engagement activity and in the procurement phase of the contract management lifecycle
• Influencing and making an impact as a contract manager: developing the behavioural skills needed to influence effectively, and create impact positively
• Mobilisation: creating the structure and processes needed for mobilisation
• The importance and benefits of mobilisation: the development of robust mobilisation and contract management clans and processes
• Supplier relationship management: supplier management and the value of proactively managing the relationship across contracts at a strategic level
• Mobilisation challenges: responding to unforeseen challenges and change that may arise right from the start, and the different stakeholder perspectives

Module 2

• KPIs and payment mechanisms: the marriage of KPIs or milestones and the links to payment mechanisms in a contract
• Implementation: managing the implementation phase - and the challenges that occur
• The operational phase: analysing different options, assessing risks and recommending courses of action
• Managing the operational phase: identifying, assessing, managing, and mitigating operational risks. Engaging and effectively managing multiple stakeholders, and managing and implementing change
• Managing performance and disputes: focusing on performance management, both in one contract and across a portfolio, and taking the process through to the difficult risk-based decisions involved, and going through the disputes process
• Exit and transition: the planning required for an orderly exit of a contract, ensuring that transition, relationships, and the associated risks are managed
• Consolidation of learning and preparation for accreditation: review of the knowledge and skills acquired and where these add value to the contract management lifecycle

Essentials

Entry to the Practitioner programme requires Foundation level understanding of the fundamentals, and a 360-diagnostic evaluation. Delegates are nominated through their line manager.

All webinar sessions for this course are digital and carried out online, which means there is no need to travel. A suitable broadband internet connection is needed, along with suitable audio to listen and participate. These are delivered through the Government Commercial College.

• Entry pre-requisite: foundation level
• Length of course: 24 weeks from the start through to assessment date
• Duration: each webinar takes around 90 minutes
• Hours per week: up to three hours, but designed to be flexible over the time period
• Accreditation: government-wide accreditation Assessment: assessment day with interview, case study and role play - all to assess skills
• Delivery method: online blended learning, with one- to-one coaching if needed
• Cost: £6,200 per learner, but some funding is available