Project Procurement Planning Training Course

Duration 10 days 16 modules · 65 contact hours
Level Intermediate Certificate on completion
Who attends Project Managers, Procurement Managers and others
Fee from USD 2,200 KSh 190,000 for Kenyan organisations
Where 52 cities + online See dates by city
Next start 16 Nov 2026 Course code SD-P-129

Before you join: Participants should understand basic project terminology, including scope, schedule, budget, stakeholders and risks.

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

Project procurement failures often begin before a supplier is approached: unclear make-or-buy decisions, weak requirements, unsuitable contract models, unrealistic schedules, or evaluation criteria that cannot distinguish value from price. These weaknesses create change claims, delivery delays, audit findings and strained supplier relationships. Procurement planning gives project teams a disciplined route from scope definition to market engagement, contract award, mobilisation and performance control.

This course covers the planning and strategy decisions required to acquire goods, works and services for projects. Participants develop a project procurement management plan, procurement schedule, sourcing strategy, statement of work, evaluation model, risk allocation matrix and contract administration controls. The course addresses public and private sector procurement, including competitive tendering, direct sourcing justification, supplier due diligence, bid evaluation, negotiation planning, ethical controls and close-out.

Teaching combines short instructor briefings with project cases, tender-document reviews, group planning work, commercial simulations and structured peer review. Participants apply each method to a realistic project scenario or their own planned procurement. They leave with a completed procurement planning pack that can be adapted for capital projects, technology implementations, construction programmes, outsourced services or donor-funded initiatives.

The course suits project managers, procurement professionals, contract managers, technical leads and programme staff who must plan, source or govern externally purchased project deliverables. It is particularly relevant where procurement decisions must withstand finance, legal, audit, donor or executive scrutiny.

What you will be able to do

  • Develop a project procurement management plan aligned with scope, schedule and governance requirements
  • Apply make-or-buy analysis using total cost, capability, risk and capacity criteria
  • Create procurement packages, statements of work and measurable acceptance criteria
  • Select sourcing and contract strategies using risk allocation and market analysis
  • Build weighted evaluation models and defensible bid evaluation records
  • Prepare tender documentation, bidder communications and procurement schedules
  • Manage supplier performance through milestones, change control and contract administration
  • Present a complete project procurement strategy and procurement planning pack

Benefits of attending

For you

  • Produce procurement plans that withstand project board and audit review
  • Write clearer requirements that reduce supplier assumptions and post-award changes
  • Make defensible sourcing decisions beyond lowest-price comparisons
  • Lead bid evaluation meetings using documented criteria and evidence
  • Manage suppliers with stronger control of milestones, variations and acceptance

For your organisation

  • Earlier identification of procurement lead times and market capacity constraints
  • Better alignment between project scope, sourcing decisions and contract obligations
  • Reduced exposure to unclear requirements, uncontrolled variations and supplier disputes
  • More consistent tender evaluation records for governance and audit purposes
  • Improved supplier performance through planned mobilisation and contract controls

Course modules

16 modules over 10 days

Participants can position procurement planning within the project lifecycle and governance structure.

  • Project procurement lifecycle from demand definition through contract close-out
  • PMBOK procurement management processes and their project control interfaces
  • Procurement governance roles: sponsor, project manager, buyer and contract manager
  • Stage-gate decisions linking business case, funding approval and market engagement
  • Procurement planning assumptions, constraints, dependencies and decision rights
  • RACI matrix for project procurement responsibilities and approval authority

Participants can convert project needs into procurement-ready scopes and acceptance requirements.

  • Work breakdown structure used to define external procurement boundaries
  • Requirements traceability matrix connecting business needs, specifications and acceptance tests
  • Statement of work structure for goods, services and works
  • Performance specifications compared with prescriptive technical specifications
  • Acceptance criteria written with measurable quality, quantity and completion thresholds
  • Interface requirements between contractors, internal teams and existing assets

Participants can make structured make-or-buy decisions and define appropriate procurement packages.

  • Make-or-buy analysis using cost, capacity, capability and strategic control
  • Total cost of ownership including acquisition, operation, maintenance and disposal
  • Procurement package design based on scope interfaces and market capability
  • Bundling and unbundling decisions for competition, coordination and risk
  • Lotting strategies that balance supplier access with management effort
  • Decision paper documenting options, assumptions, recommendations and approvals

Participants can assess supply markets and use evidence to shape a sourcing strategy.

  • Supply market analysis covering capacity, competition, pricing and entry barriers
  • Porter's Five Forces applied to a project supply market
  • Kraljic Matrix positioning procurement packages by profit impact and supply risk
  • Supplier segmentation using capability, financial strength and delivery history
  • Should-cost analysis using labour, materials, overheads and margin assumptions
  • Market sounding conducted without compromising competition or confidentiality

Participants can select a sourcing route justified by value, risk, urgency and governance requirements.

  • Sourcing strategy choices: open tender, restricted tender, framework and direct award
  • Competitive dialogue and negotiated procedures for complex project requirements
  • Single-source justification supported by technical, market and urgency evidence
  • Procurement route selection against value, risk, timescale and competition
  • Framework agreements assessed for scope fit, call-off rules and supplier capacity
  • Sourcing strategy document linking market findings with recommended procurement route

Participants can integrate procurement activities, lead times and contract milestones into project schedules.

  • Procurement schedule built from approval, tender, award, delivery and acceptance milestones
  • Critical path analysis identifying procurement activities driving project completion dates
  • Long-lead item registers with manufacturing, shipping and inspection durations
  • Schedule contingency assigned to market uncertainty, approvals and supplier mobilisation
  • Integrated master schedule links between design releases, tenders and site readiness
  • Procurement milestone reporting using planned dates, forecasts and variance causes

Participants can establish procurement cost baselines and prepare for commercial evaluation.

  • Independent cost estimate built from quantities, rates, assumptions and escalation
  • Budgetary quotations used cautiously during early procurement planning
  • Cost baseline alignment between project budget, procurement packages and contingencies
  • Price adjustment clauses addressing inflation, indices, currency and commodities
  • Life-cycle costing for assets with significant operating and maintenance expenditure
  • Commercial affordability tests before issuing tender documents to the market

Participants can select contract models and allocate risks to the party best able to manage them.

  • Contract type selection: fixed-price, reimbursable, time-and-materials and target cost
  • Risk allocation matrix assigning ownership, mitigation, contingency and contractual treatment
  • NEC contract principles of collaboration, early warning and compensation events
  • FIDIC contract families and their allocation of construction delivery risks
  • Payment mechanisms linked to milestones, outputs, rates or reimbursable costs
  • Liquidated damages, service credits and incentives aligned with measurable outcomes

Participants can assemble tender documents that support fair competition and clear supplier responses.

  • Invitation to tender components: instructions, scope, terms and evaluation criteria
  • Bidder response schedules designed for comparable technical and commercial submissions
  • Terms and conditions reviewed for consistency with procurement strategy
  • Clarification process controlling equal treatment, records and document revisions
  • Pre-bid conferences managed with agendas, attendance records and published responses
  • Tender document checklist covering approvals, version control and issue readiness

Participants can design and conduct a transparent evaluation using weighted evidence-based criteria.

  • Weighted scoring model combining technical, commercial, delivery and risk criteria
  • Mandatory pass-fail criteria separated from weighted qualitative evaluation factors
  • Evaluator guidance notes defining evidence, scoring anchors and conflict rules
  • Consensus scoring method supported by individual records and moderation notes
  • Abnormally low bid assessment using cost breakdowns and delivery assumptions
  • Evaluation report documenting process, scores, clarifications and award recommendation

Participants can apply ethical and compliance controls throughout project procurement decisions.

  • Conflict-of-interest declarations completed before supplier access or evaluation activity
  • Segregation of duties across specification, evaluation, approval and payment
  • Anti-bribery controls for gifts, hospitality, intermediaries and facilitation payments
  • Sanctions screening and beneficial ownership checks before contract award
  • Audit trail requirements for procurement decisions, communications and approvals
  • ISO 37001 principles applied to procurement control design

Participants can assess supplier readiness and plan contract mobilisation before delivery begins.

  • Supplier due diligence covering financial health, capability, capacity and legal status
  • Financial ratio analysis using liquidity, solvency and working capital indicators
  • Reference checks structured around scope similarity, performance and dispute history
  • Mobilisation plan defining personnel, systems, sites, data and governance arrangements
  • Kick-off meeting agenda covering deliverables, reporting, interfaces and escalation
  • Supplier onboarding checklist for insurance, securities, access and compliance evidence

Participants can prepare and conduct structured commercial negotiations leading to defensible award decisions.

  • Negotiation plan defining objectives, concessions, authority limits and walk-away points
  • BATNA analysis comparing negotiated outcomes with credible alternative sourcing options
  • Issue matrix separating commercial, technical, legal and delivery negotiation points
  • Should-cost evidence used to challenge pricing and test supplier assumptions
  • Award recommendation paper summarising evaluation, negotiations, risks and approvals
  • Standstill and notification processes managed according to applicable procurement rules

Participants can establish controls for supplier performance, variations, claims and payment approval.

  • Contract administration plan assigning notices, records, approvals and reporting responsibilities
  • Performance dashboard tracking milestones, quality, cost, risk and corrective actions
  • Change control procedure assessing scope, price, schedule and contractual consequences
  • Variation register recording requests, quotations, approvals and implementation status
  • Claims prevention through contemporaneous records, notices and early issue escalation
  • Invoice validation against deliverables, rates, retention and acceptance evidence

Participants can manage supplier performance through completion and capture procurement learning for future projects.

  • Supplier performance reviews using scorecards, corrective actions and escalation thresholds
  • Root cause analysis using five whys and fishbone diagrams
  • Contract close-out checklist covering deliverables, warranties, payments and records
  • Final acceptance process confirming defects resolution and handover documentation
  • Supplier performance evaluation informing future sourcing and framework decisions
  • Lessons learned register converting procurement issues into reusable controls

Participants can build, review and present a complete procurement planning pack for a defined project.

  • Project brief analysed for scope, stakeholders, constraints and procurement dependencies
  • Procurement package strategy developed from make-or-buy and market analysis
  • Procurement schedule integrated with approvals, tendering, award and delivery milestones
  • Statement of work, evaluation model and contract strategy assembled
  • Risk allocation matrix and supplier due diligence controls completed
  • Peer review tests traceability, governance, commercial logic and implementation readiness

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

What you take back to work

  1. Project procurement management plan template
  2. Make-or-buy and procurement packaging model
  3. Sourcing strategy and market analysis template
  4. Tender evaluation matrix and scoring guide
  5. Contract risk allocation matrix
  6. Procurement schedule and contract administration checklist

Who should attend

  • Project Managers — need procurement plans that protect project scope, cost and schedule
  • Procurement Managers — need repeatable methods for project sourcing and tender governance
  • Contract Managers — need stronger upstream planning for contract administration and change control
  • Programme Managers — need coordinated procurement schedules across interdependent project packages
  • Technical Leads — need to translate technical needs into clear specifications and acceptance criteria
  • Project Controls Specialists — need procurement milestones integrated with baseline schedules and cost plans

Skills and tools covered

Procurement strategy developmentContract risk allocationTender evaluation designSupplier due diligenceContract administrationProcurement governance

Tools and standards

PMBOK Guide, Kraljic Matrix, NEC contracts, FIDIC contracts

How the course runs

Training methodology

The course uses short briefings to introduce procurement methods, followed by case work based on capital, technology, services and donor-funded projects. Participants analyse requirements, build procurement schedules, draft sourcing strategies, compare contract options and score sample bids. Group exercises examine market engagement, negotiation positions, risk allocation and supplier performance issues. A procurement-planning simulation connects early decisions with later delivery consequences. Individual application planning helps participants adapt the tools to an active or upcoming project.

Requirements and prerequisites

Participants should understand basic project terminology, including scope, schedule, budget, stakeholders and risks. Some experience working with suppliers, purchase orders, tenders, contracts or project deliverables is useful, whether from procurement, project delivery, engineering, IT, construction or operations. Participants should be comfortable reading simple commercial documents and discussing cost, quality, delivery and risk trade-offs. Previous formal procurement training is not required. Legal training, advanced negotiation experience, accounting qualifications and detailed knowledge of a specific procurement law are not required.

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

You should understand basic project concepts and have some exposure to suppliers, contracts, tenders or externally purchased deliverables. Formal procurement qualifications and legal training are not required.

Bring a current or planned project procurement challenge if you can share it without breaching confidentiality. Useful materials include a scope statement, project schedule, supplier issue, draft specification or procurement policy.

It is designed for project managers, procurement staff, contract managers, technical leads and programme personnel involved in project sourcing. It suits both public and private sector participants.

The course focuses on procurement decisions within a project lifecycle, from scope and packaging through sourcing, award, mobilisation and close-out. General procurement courses may focus more broadly on category management, purchasing operations or corporate supplier management.

Yes. The templates and planning methods can be adapted to construction, IT, professional services, equipment, outsourced operations and donor-funded projects. Participants are encouraged to use their own project context during application planning.

Training runs from 08:30 to 16:30 each day, providing about 6.5 contact hours daily. Early modules build the procurement planning pack; later modules address tendering, contracting, supplier control and the final capstone presentation.

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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