Procurement of Consultancy Services Training Course

Duration 10 days 16 modules · 65 contact hours
Level Intermediate Certificate on completion
Who attends Procurement Managers, Procurement Officers and others
Fee from USD 2,200 KSh 190,000 for Kenyan organisations
Where 52 cities + online See dates by city
Next start 9 Nov 2026 Course code SD-P-071

Before you join: Participants should understand basic procurement terminology, purchase-to-pay controls and the purpose of competitive tendering.

Dates & prices

Two start dates a month in every city, and live online on weekdays or weekends. Fees are per participant; classroom fees include tuition, materials, lunch and refreshments, and the certificate.

Suggest a date or city

Showing the next six months. Later dates, other cities and private deliveries for your team are available on request.

Course overview

Consultancy assignments can determine whether a bank selects the right core-system adviser, a ministry obtains credible policy analysis, or an NGO receives usable programme evaluation findings. Yet professional services are difficult to specify, compare and manage. Buyers must assess intellectual quality, relevant experience, proposed personnel, methodology, pricing, conflicts of interest and deliverable acceptance without reducing selection to the lowest fee.

This course equips participants to plan, source, evaluate, award and manage consultancy services contracts. It covers demand definition, terms of reference, market research, consultant selection methods, quality and cost evaluation, technical proposal assessment, financial proposal analysis, negotiation, contract drafting, performance management and close-out. Participants work with Quality- and Cost-Based Selection, weighted evaluation models, conflict declarations, scoring guides, negotiation plans and consultant performance scorecards.

Teaching combines focused instructor briefings with cases based on public-sector advisory assignments, bank transformation projects, engineering supervision services and NGO evaluation procurements. Participants analyse procurement documents, assess mock proposals, conduct evaluation-panel discussions, negotiate contract terms and develop work for their own procurement context. They leave with a complete consultancy procurement file, including a procurement strategy, terms of reference, evaluation model, request for proposals and contract management plan.

The course is suited to procurement professionals, programme managers, technical evaluators and contract managers who buy or oversee consulting, advisory, audit, research, design, engineering, legal or professional services. It is particularly relevant where assignments are high value, technically complex, donor funded or exposed to governance scrutiny.

What you will be able to do

  • Develop a consultancy procurement strategy using demand, market and risk analysis
  • Draft terms of reference with measurable outputs, milestones and acceptance criteria
  • Select an appropriate consultant selection method, including Quality- and Cost-Based Selection
  • Design weighted technical and financial evaluation criteria for consultancy proposals
  • Conduct defensible technical proposal evaluations using consensus scoring and evaluator records
  • Analyse consultancy fee proposals, reimbursable expenses and pricing assumptions
  • Negotiate consultancy contracts using a structured negotiation plan and risk register
  • Produce a complete consultancy procurement and contract management file

Benefits of attending

For you

  • Write clearer terms of reference that reduce bidder questions and scope disputes
  • Assess technical proposals without relying solely on price comparisons
  • Defend evaluation decisions through documented scoring evidence and consensus records
  • Challenge unsuitable fee assumptions, staffing levels and reimbursable cost claims
  • Manage consultant performance against agreed outputs, milestones and acceptance criteria

For your organisation

  • Better consultant selection through structured quality, cost and risk assessment
  • Reduced scope creep through measurable terms of reference and change controls
  • More defensible awards during audit, donor review and procurement challenge
  • Improved use of consultancy budgets through fee and reimbursable expense analysis
  • Stronger assignment outcomes through disciplined deliverable acceptance and performance reviews

Course modules

16 modules over 10 days

Participants can distinguish consultancy services from goods and routine outsourced services.

  • Consultancy assignments distinguished from goods, works and routine outsourced services
  • Professional judgement, intellectual outputs and fiduciary duties in consultancy engagements
  • Assignment life cycle from need identification through close-out evaluation
  • Buyer, client, consultant and beneficiary roles clarified through RACI mapping
  • Common failure modes: vague scope, unsuitable teams and unmanaged conflicts
  • Procurement ethics, confidentiality obligations and equal treatment of bidders

Participants can define a consultancy need and test whether external expertise is justified.

  • Problem statements separated from preferred solutions and preselected consultants
  • Make-or-buy analysis for specialist knowledge, capacity gaps and independence
  • Stakeholder mapping identifies decision makers, users and affected parties
  • Business cases quantify expected benefits, costs, risks and dependencies
  • Root-cause analysis using Five Whys before commissioning advisory support
  • Approval gates align assignment value with delegated procurement authority

Participants can prepare a sourcing strategy based on market capability and procurement risk.

  • Supplier market mapping identifies capability, concentration and entry barriers
  • Kraljic Portfolio Matrix positions consultancy categories by risk and value
  • Market sounding gathers intelligence without granting unfair competitive advantage
  • Sourcing options compare open competition, shortlisting and direct selection
  • Procurement timelines account for approvals, proposal preparation and mobilisation
  • Risk registers assign controls for conflicts, capacity and delivery failure

Participants can draft terms of reference that define usable consultancy outputs.

  • Terms of reference link business needs to assignment objectives
  • Scope boundaries identify exclusions, client inputs and third-party dependencies
  • Deliverables specify format, content, ownership and acceptance requirements
  • Work breakdown structures sequence activities, outputs and decision gates
  • Milestones connect payment events to verified progress and accepted outputs
  • Assumptions and constraints prevent unpriced work and disputed responsibilities

Participants can choose and justify a consultant selection method for an assignment.

  • Quality- and Cost-Based Selection balances technical merit with evaluated cost
  • Quality-Based Selection suits complex assignments where methodology drives outcomes
  • Fixed-budget selection tests technical quality within a stated affordability ceiling
  • Least-cost selection applies only to standardised, low-complexity professional assignments
  • Consultants' Qualifications Selection uses capability evidence for smaller assignments
  • Direct selection requires documented justification, approvals and conflict controls

Participants can develop a fair shortlist of qualified consultancy providers.

  • Expressions of interest request relevant capability without premature solution design
  • Eligibility criteria screen legal status, sanctions and exclusion grounds
  • Shortlisting criteria assess relevant experience, capacity and regional knowledge
  • Minimum thresholds prevent unsuitable firms entering technical evaluation stages
  • Conflict-of-interest declarations identify prior work, affiliations and competing duties
  • Shortlist reports document sources, assessments, approvals and unsuccessful applicants

Participants can assemble a request for proposals that supports comparable responses.

  • Request for proposals structure separates instructions, terms and evaluation criteria
  • Data sheets state submission deadlines, contacts and proposal validity periods
  • Technical proposal templates require methodology, workplan and staffing evidence
  • Financial proposal forms separate fees, expenses, taxes and contingencies
  • Proposal conditions establish confidentiality, communications and late-submission treatment
  • Clarification protocols preserve equal information access among shortlisted consultants

Participants can create a weighted technical evaluation model aligned to assignment priorities.

  • Weighted criteria reflect assignment objectives, risk and differentiating capability
  • Scoring scales define observable evidence for each performance level
  • Methodology assessment tests understanding, feasibility and treatment of dependencies
  • Team evaluation examines qualifications, availability and role-specific relevant experience
  • Past performance evidence distinguishes comparable results from generic references
  • Evaluation guides reduce inconsistent scoring and undocumented evaluator judgement

Participants can conduct a controlled technical evaluation and produce an auditable record.

  • Compliance screening checks signatures, eligibility and mandatory submission requirements
  • Independent scoring records evidence before evaluator consensus discussions
  • Consensus meetings reconcile scores through documented evidence and rationale
  • Arithmetic checks confirm weighted totals and minimum technical thresholds
  • Clarification requests address ambiguities without permitting proposal improvement
  • Technical evaluation reports record scores, findings and recommendation rationale

Participants can analyse financial proposals and calculate evaluated consultancy cost.

  • Fee structures compare time-based, lump-sum and retainer pricing arrangements
  • Staffing inputs test proposed days, grades and utilisation assumptions
  • Rate analysis separates professional fees, overheads, margin and taxes
  • Reimbursable expenses require eligibility rules, caps and supporting evidence
  • Financial evaluation formulas calculate cost scores after technical qualification
  • Abnormally low offers trigger affordability, capability and delivery-risk enquiries

Participants can apply due diligence controls before consultant appointment.

  • Beneficial ownership checks identify concealed interests and related-party risks
  • Sanctions screening verifies eligibility under organisational and donor requirements
  • References validate claimed assignments, team performance and deliverable quality
  • Data protection reviews address personal data, access and retention obligations
  • Professional indemnity insurance requirements match assignment exposure and liability
  • Approval records demonstrate segregation of duties and delegated authority compliance

Participants can prepare and conduct negotiations without altering competition unfairly.

  • Negotiation mandates define authority, objectives, concessions and walk-away positions
  • BATNA analysis establishes alternatives if agreement cannot be reached
  • Scope discussions protect required outcomes while clarifying delivery responsibilities
  • Key personnel commitments prevent substitution without client approval
  • Fee negotiations test rates, effort estimates and reimbursable expense controls
  • Negotiation minutes capture agreements, unresolved issues and authorised changes

Participants can select contract terms suited to consultancy scope and delivery risk.

  • Lump-sum contracts suit defined outputs and measurable acceptance points
  • Time-based contracts require ceilings, timesheets and expenditure monitoring
  • Framework agreements govern repeat assignments through call-off procedures
  • Intellectual property clauses allocate ownership, licences and reuse rights
  • Liability provisions address negligence, caps, exclusions and indemnities
  • Termination clauses define notice, handover obligations and payment consequences

Participants can establish governance arrangements that support controlled consultancy delivery.

  • Inception meetings confirm scope, workplan, stakeholders and communication channels
  • Governance structures define sponsor, contract manager and technical reviewer roles
  • Kick-off agendas resolve access, data, security and mobilisation requirements
  • RACI matrices assign decisions, approvals and consultant-client working responsibilities
  • Issue logs record blockers, owners, due dates and escalation routes
  • Baseline workplans establish agreed milestones for subsequent performance monitoring

Participants can monitor performance, control changes and accept consultancy deliverables.

  • Consultant scorecards track quality, timeliness, responsiveness and budget performance
  • Deliverable reviews assess agreed acceptance criteria before approval decisions
  • Change control forms document scope, cost, schedule and risk impacts
  • Early-warning indicators identify slippage, weak quality and resource shortfalls
  • Payment certification links invoices to accepted outputs and verified timesheets
  • Performance reviews document lessons, corrective actions and escalation decisions

Participants can build, review and present a complete consultancy procurement and contract management file.

  • Assignment business case defines need, value, risks and approval route
  • Sourcing strategy justifies market approach and consultant selection method
  • Terms of reference specify outputs, milestones, responsibilities and acceptance criteria
  • Request for proposals includes instructions, templates and clarification controls
  • Weighted evaluation model assesses technical quality, team capability and cost
  • Contract management plan sets governance, reporting, payment and change controls

Exercises and examples are adapted to each cohort's sectors and roles.

What you take back to work

  1. Consultancy procurement strategy template
  2. Terms of reference template
  3. Technical and financial evaluation model
  4. Request for proposals document pack
  5. Consultancy negotiation plan
  6. Consultant contract management plan

Who should attend

  • Procurement Managers — responsible for sourcing high-value professional services
  • Procurement Officers — preparing competitive consultancy procurement documentation
  • Programme Managers — commissioning advisers, researchers and implementation specialists
  • Technical Evaluators — assessing consultant qualifications, methods and proposed teams
  • Contract Managers — controlling consultancy deliverables, changes and payments
  • Project Directors — accountable for advisory assignment value and outcomes

Skills and tools covered

Consultancy sourcing strategyTerms of reference draftingProposal evaluationProfessional fee analysisConsultant contract managementNegotiation planning

Tools and standards

Kraljic Portfolio Matrix, Quality- and Cost-Based Selection (QCBS), RACI matrix, BATNA analysis

How the course runs

Training methodology

The course uses short instructor briefings to introduce methods, followed by case analysis, document reviews, group work and facilitated simulations. Participants examine consultancy requirements from banking, public infrastructure, development programmes and corporate transformation projects. They draft terms of reference, score technical proposals, compare financial offers and prepare negotiation positions. Instructor feedback focuses on evidence, procurement controls and practical document quality. Individual application planning connects the methods to current or planned consultancy assignments.

Requirements and prerequisites

Participants should understand basic procurement terminology, purchase-to-pay controls and the purpose of competitive tendering. Experience preparing requisitions, reviewing supplier quotations, managing contracts or supporting tender evaluations is useful. Participants should be able to read commercial documents and work with simple spreadsheet calculations. The course assumes no legal qualification, engineering background or prior experience evaluating consulting proposals. It does not require knowledge of a particular donor procurement regime, although participants may bring their organisation's policies and sample documents.

A typical training day

08:30 – 10:30First session
10:30 – 10:45Refreshment break
10:45 – 12:30Second session
12:30 – 13:30Lunch and networking
13:30 – 15:00Third session
15:00 – 15:15Refreshment break
15:15 – 16:30Workshop and daily review

Live online deliveries follow the same structure in East Africa Time, with shorter screen blocks and longer breaks.

What the fee includes

  • Instruction by a practitioner facilitator
  • Full course workbook and materials
  • Exercise files, templates and case studies
  • Refreshments and lunch on classroom deliveries
  • Certificate of completion
  • Post-course application plan

Frequently asked questions

Participants need basic familiarity with procurement processes and commercial documentation. Previous experience buying consultancy services is useful but not required.

Participants should bring their procurement policy, delegation limits and a current or recent consultancy requirement where possible. Sensitive documents can be anonymised before use.

It suits procurement staff, programme managers, technical evaluators and contract managers involved in buying professional services. It is relevant to consulting, advisory, research, engineering, audit and evaluation assignments.

General procurement courses focus primarily on goods, works and standard supplier sourcing. This course addresses the distinctive challenge of evaluating intellectual quality, proposed teams, methodology, fees and deliverable-based performance.

Participants develop documents and decision tools that can be adapted for active consultancy procurements. The terms of reference, evaluation model and contract management plan are designed for direct workplace use.

The first part builds the procurement file from demand definition through proposal evaluation. The later sessions cover financial analysis, negotiation, contracting, performance management and presentation of the capstone file.

Questions about this course?

Ask about dates, fees, group bookings or running it for your team. Our training team replies by email.

Ask on WhatsApp info@skillsetdevelopment.com

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