When managing your contract with SA Government, you should

Communicate regularly

All communication should go through the government contract manager.

Throughout the contract, if anything is unclear, discuss with the government contract manager immediately to ensure there are no uncertainties.

If you need to change the contract, you must discuss and get approval before you start. If there are variations to the contract, make sure they are visible and discuss how to handle them with the government contract manager.

Thorough documentation can help keep your work on track. It is also very important for when there’s an issue or dispute about what has been agreed.

Manage relationships

Good relationship management means dealing with issues before they become a problem. It is important to establish and maintain a constructive relationship with the government contract manager.

You can help maintain a strong relationship by:

• providing positive and constructive feedback
• resolving issues directly with the contract manager if possible.

At the start of a contract, the government contract manager will schedule a kick-off meeting to go though the key aspects of the contract such as deliverables and Key Performance Indicators (KPI). If a kick-off meeting isn't arranged, reach out to the government contact person listed in the contract to request a kick-off meeting.

Monitor & manage delivery

Monitoring your own performance will ensure you identify issues as early as possible.

Keep your government contract manager informed – let them know what is happening during the life of the contract – you might do this by phone, email or attending meetings. You do not need to wait for a scheduled meeting.

There are several activities that you can do to keep the contract on track. These include:

• understanding and meeting any KPIs detailed in the contract, providing progress reports as required
• discussing any challenges with the contract manager as they arise, and proposing solutions
• actively participating at arranged review meetings or after key milestones

Talk to the government contract manager before the end of the contract about if it will be renewed, extended or if you will need to go back through the procurement process to award a new contract.

This will help you to prepare your business for any transition requirements.

Submit invoices to get paid

Provide your invoices to the address stated in the contract. Ensure to include the details of the SA Government agency and government contact person in your invoice to ensure you get paid.