Procurement Project initiation Template. A project plan is a useful tool to keep track off large projects or when you have multiple projects on the go. The templates are useful for the busy professional invited to attend a first kick off meeting but with little time to prepare. Armed with a good set of templates you can attend the meeting for an initial discussion and fact-finding exercise by bringing a printout or taking your laptop, perfect for busy managers who go from one meeting to another.
Impress your stakeholders and leave them with an impression of confidence. By completing your fact-finding in a structured way you can quickly follow-up by sending the Powerpoint Deck and the Project Plan soon after the initial meeting.
Note this is a free and basic version of a project initiation form.
Whether if your procurement department is centralised or decentralised the level of involvement in projects and tenders depends on the percentage of addressable spend that you can a) influence and b) manage. In most instances, you rely on the business to tell you what they need and to capture the information it’s useful to use a project initiation form.
Below is an easy and simple to use project initiation form.
| Project title and overview | |
| Total estimated value over the lifetime of the contract | |
| Project Lead (who is managing this) | |
| Current project status | |
| Current status of existing contracts or agreements | |
| Required date to go out for Tender | |
| Required contract start date | |
| Attach a specification if there is one | Yes ☐
No ☐ |
Remember to ask for the following:
- What are the objectives of the project
- Is this a new or recurring requirement
- Can you get a copy of the previous contract/ spend report
- Who are the main stakeholders involved?
- What does success look like
The project initiation meeting is an initial fact-finding exercise, I typically start with a loose agenda to concentrate my time on getting to know the stakeholder and establishing an initial relationship. Gather as much information as possible and go back to the stakeholder with an updated procurement plan within the agreed timescales. If you would like to go into the meeting more prepared or you are required to present a formal kick-off meeting as part of the project initiation I would use the premium template available in A-Z templates. The spreadsheet has a breakdown of pre-sourcing, sourcing and post tender activities, using this as a guideline will prompt you to ask specific questions but normally requires the stakeholder to have a good idea about their required outcomes. Some will know in advance and some will need small prompts therefore gauge the situation before attending.
This download is a project plan using an excel Gannt Chart and a Powerpoint presentation purchased separately.
The user can adapt the template by adding the project team members, inserting the milestones. The template is a visual document designed for both keeping track and sharing updates with key stakeholders at meetings.
