1.
Start Your Contract Off Right With
a Post-Award Kick-Off Meeting
Steve Olson PMP, MSPM
President, CMS Group, Inc.
Ask The Expert
CMS Group, Inc. Confidential

2.
CMS Group, Inc. Confidential

3.
Let’s Take A Quick Poll
What type of organization do you belong to?
a. Buyer (of products or services)
b. Seller (products or services provider)
c. Both a Buyer and Seller
d. Professional Services (consulting, training, etc.)
e. Other

4.
Let’s Take A Quick Poll
What is your role or responsibility in your organization?
a. Contract Officer or Contract Manager
b. Procurement
c. Executive Management (Negotiator, Lead Exec., etc.)
d. PMO (Project Management Office) or Account Team
e. Other

5.
Let’s Take A Quick Poll
What are the top challenges in your role?
Please write your answer in the meeting chat box.
Samples:
1. Too much workload. Not enough time to do everything.
2. I need more training to be successful in my role.
3. We need better management tools and processes.
4. Something else? Write it down!

6.
Why this meeting is so important!
► Establishes a common understanding of the
contract, the scope of work, client
expectations, and how they will work
together to manage the contract
► Opportunity to discuss the relationship intent
(Relationship Charter) and joint contract
governance
Post-Award Kick-Off Meeting
► Chance to discover and address misunderstandings, contract errors and omissions,
client expectations, and other things before they lead to issues and disputes
► Prevents future issues and disputes by addressing the key causes such as pricing
and pricing changes, deliverables and their acceptance criteria, and communication
gaps early before they happen
► Establishes the understanding of the system and tools they’ll use to manage and
store all contract-related activities and artifacts
CMS Group, Inc. Confidential

7.
Why it’s needed soon
► Discuss the plan and schedule for developing and implementing the processes, tools,
and repository (Contract Administration System) they will use to manage all contract-
related activities
► Other contract activities that are needed soon and that you need a system to manage
them, are contract interpretations, formal contract communications risks and issues,
and contract deliverables
► Start off on the right foot! Hold this meeting early. Discuss key points.
► Always immediate needs for formal and binding
communications or contract changes
► Contract Deliverables are often due just days
or weeks after signature
► Account teams need to know how to handle
contract-related activities
CMS Group, Inc. Confidential

8.
Determining the Agenda and Attendees
► Once topics are agreed, define the Presenters (SMEs), how much time is required
to thoroughly cover the information, and who are the people that need to hear it?
► Agenda and attendees will vary widely by type of contract and relationship intent
e.g. from transactional, commodity-based purchase contracts to partnership and
shared innovation relationship contracts
► Start by identifying the key stakeholders
for the Buyer and Seller
► Define their needs for information and
meeting expectations
► What topics need to be covered?
► Who needs to hear it and know it?
CMS Group, Inc. Confidential

9.
Determining Agenda, Attendees & Presenters
Topic Audience Subject Matter
Expert
(Presenter)
Time Allocation
Introductory Message
from the Buyer
• Why we signed this deal
• Why we chose you
• What we expect
Entire executive and
management teams
from Buyer and Seller
Buyer Executive
Role & Title
15 minutes
Contract Structure
and Ts and Cs
Overview
Buyer and Seller
Executives, Contract
Managers, PMO
/Account Teams
Buyer and Seller
Contract Negotiators
45 minutes
Scope of Work
Overview
Buyer and Seller
Contract Managers,
Transition Managers,
PMO/Account Teams,
Service Delivery
Managers
Technical Solution
Manager
90 minutes
Relationship Intent
and Joint Governance
Structure
Contract Managers,
Transition Managers,
PMO/Account Teams,
Service Delivery Mgrs.
Buyer and Seller
Contract Executives
60 minutes
CMS Group, Inc. Confidential

10.
Determining the Agenda, Attendees & Presenters
Topic Audience Subject Matter
Expert
(Presenter)
Time Allocation
Buyer’s Expectations
(Products/Services,
working relationship,
mutual goals and
objectives)
All Buyer and Seller
Executives, Managers,
and Account Teams
Buyer - Senior
Executive
30 minutes
Performance
Management
(Measurements,
Reporting & Reviews)
Buyer and Seller
Executives, Contract
Managers, PMO
Account Teams,
Finance Teams
Buyer and Seller’s
exec’s responsible for
delivery or performance
60 minutes
Transition Overview
(Schedule, resources,
dependencies,
assumptions and risks)
Buyer and Seller
Executives, Transition
Managers, Project
Teams,
Buyer - Contract
Manager
Seller – Transition
Manager
60 minutes
Contract
Administration System
(Processes for managing
the contract)
Account Executives,
Contract Managers,
PMOs and Account
Teams
Buyer – Contract
Manager
60 minutes
CMS Group, Inc. Confidential

11.
Putting It All Together
<Buyer Name> and <Seller Name>
Post-Award Kick-Off Meeting
mm/dd/yyyy
Time
(Eastern Time)
Duration Topic Presenter Notes
8:00 – 8:15 15 min Welcome and Purpose
for meeting
Meeting Facilitator
8:15 – 9:15 60 min Contract Structure and
Ts and Cs
Contract Negotiator
9:15 – 10:00 45 min Products/Services
Statement of Work
Overview
Seller’s Solution
Manager
10:00 – 10:15 15 min Break
• Add all topics. Arrange them by flow or priority.
• Considerations for other geos and time zones!
• Considerations for room, equipment, attendees in person vs remote, cost, etc.
CMS Group, Inc. Confidential

12.
Meeting Planning and Facilitation
► Send meeting invitations out as soon as date, agenda and attendees are set
► Appoint or hire a Meeting Facilitator
► Appoint a Scribe to capture meeting minutes (issues, actions and risks)
► Have backup plans for potential gotcha’s (phone, internet, projector, etc.)
► Do a walk-through the day before to test audio, video, phone and internet equipment
► Start planning before the contract signs!
► Conduct within 1 or 2 weeks after signing
► Define meeting logistics soon (room size,
projection equipment, phone & internet)
based on agenda and attendees
► Reserve room and equipment (revise if
needed). Have Plan B ready if needed.
CMS Group, Inc. Confidential

13.
Meeting Inputs and Outputs
Outputs:
► Understanding of relationship intent and why we signed the Agreement
► Understanding of the contract structure and Ts and Cs
► Understanding of the Buyer’s expectations for product & service quality
► Understanding what contract governance is and what it means to everyone
► Understanding of the “Contract Administration System” that the Buyer and
Seller will use together to manage the contract and their relationship
► Issues/Actions/Risks that came up in the meeting
Inputs:
► Stakeholder meeting and info requirements
► Required topics that need covered
► Contract documents and summary
► Technical and business solutions
► Buyer’s Expectations (products, services, and
working relationship)
► Logistics to determine meeting location
► All information required per the agenda
Post-Award Kick-Off Meeting
CMS Group, Inc. Confidential

14.
Risks of Not Holding This Meeting
► No discussion about the relationship intent or how they’ll govern the contract
► No discussion about the Buyer’s requirements and expectations
► Teams don’t know the overall mission and what their individual roles are
► No knowledge or discussion about how the Buyer and Seller will work together
► Misunderstandings that can lead to issues and disputes
Benefits of Holding This Meeting Early
► Sets the foundational understanding of how the
Buyer & Seller will work together
► Everyone knows what is required and expected
from the contract, the Buyer and solution
► Everyone knows what the “game plan” is and
what their individual roles are
Summary
CMS Group, Inc. Confidential

15.
Takeaways For You
► Critical Success Factors for a successful meeting outcome
► Process for defining meeting requirements, agenda and attendees
► Sample Agenda
CMS Group, Inc. Confidential
Available free upon request: info@cms-groupinc.com
► Checklist for planning and facilitating this meeting
► Issues / Actions / Risks Log Template

16.
Critical Success Factors
• Time is of the essence! There are important topics that need to be discussed, understood and agreed by
both parties right from the start.
• There are immediate needs for contract-related activities, e.g. contract deliverable submissions and
approvals, formal contract correspondence, contract interpretation and changes, and meetings and reports.
We need a method, process or system for dealing with these immediate needs!
• Plan and schedule this meeting prior to contract signature if possible. Conduct this meeting asap after
contract signature.
• Make sure that executives with “binding authority” from both parties attend as there are always discussions
and decisions that need to be made in this meeting.
• Ensure all Key Stakeholders provide their input for information they need to hear and discuss. Document
them, review them and formulate an agenda around them.
• Ensure all topics are thoroughly discussed. If not, or need more time, take actions to follow up.
• Use a professional or experienced Facilitator. They will keep the meeting on track and schedule, and
promote dialog for Q&A. Enlist a Scribe to capture any actions, issues or risks from meeting.
• Meeting Logistics and Walkthrough – Check all potential risks (gotchas) that could disrupt the meeting
(internet and phone, projection equip, web conference software, room lighting and heating, etc.).
• Have a backup plan for the “gotchas”
CMS Group, Inc. Confidential

17.
Process for Determining the Agenda and Attendees
CMS Group, Inc. Confidential

18.
Duration Time (Eastern
Time)
Agenda Topic Presenter(s) Notes
15 min 8:00 – 8:15 Welcome and Opening Remarks
(Purpose for this meeting)
Meeting Facilitator
30 min 8:15 – 8:45 Message from <Buyer’s Name> Executive
Title
• Why we signed this agreement
• Why we chose you.
• What we expect
• Our working relationship
<Buyer’s Name>
Executive Role & Title
30 min 8:45 – 9:15 Contract Structure and Ts and Cs
Overview
Buyer and Seller Contract
Negotiators
45 min 9:15 – 10:00 Product/Service Solution Overview
• Summary level review
• Tower breakouts to follow
<Seller’s Name>
Technical or Product /
Service Solution Manager
15 min. 10:00 – 10:15 Break Facilities are located…..
60 min 10:15 – 11:15 Solution Tower reviews as required <Seller’s Name> Tower
SMEs
45 min 11:15 – 12:00 Transition Overview <Seller’s Name>
Transition Manager
60 min 12:00 – 1:00 Lunch and Networking Break Lunch is served ……..
60 min 1:00 – 2:00 Relationship and Governance
• Our working relationship intent
• How we’d like to work together
<Buyer’s Name>
Executive Role & Title
Other topics as required by your contract such as: Finance, HR, QA, Contract Administration System, etc.
Post-Award Kick-Off Meeting
between
<Buyer’s Name>
and
<Seller’s Name>
Date: Conference Call In#: Web Conference URL:
CMS Group, Inc. Confidential

19.
Contact Info:
Steve Olson PMP, MSPM
President, Contract Management Solutions Group, Inc.
Email: steveolson@cms-groupinc.com
Website: www.cms-groupinc.com
CMS Group, Inc. Confidential
Questions ?