| Course | PJM-5400 Procurement and Vendor Management |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 6 |
| Paper type | Module 6 written assignment: the post-award phase |
| Length | About 562 words, 5 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Thomas Edison State University |
| Program | M.S. in Management in Project Management |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for PJM 5400 Module 6
After the Signature: Administering a Smart Meter Contract From Kickoff to Closeout
Student Name
M.S. in Management in Project Management, Thomas Edison State University
PJM-5400: Procurement and Vendor Management
Mentor Name
Month Day, Year
After the Signature: Administering a Smart Meter Contract From Kickoff to Closeout
Why Administration Matters
Garrett (2010) argues that many contracts fail not at award but in administration, when buyer and seller lose track of obligations, changes and performance. A three-year, $14 million contract touching 48,000 homes needs structured administration from the first day.
The Kickoff
A kickoff meeting within two weeks of award will review the scope, performance measures, reporting, change process, invoicing and contacts. Both parties will name a contract administrator and a technical lead, and agree on a monthly performance review.
Performance Measures
Ellram (1995) argued that buyers should measure supplier performance in terms of total cost, including quality failures and service problems, not only price; these measures capture the costs customers and the utility would bear if performance slipped.
| Measure | Standard | Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Network read rate | 99 percent of meters read daily | A $40 yearly credit for each meter that cannot be read, below standard |
| Installation rate | 2,000 meters a month | Incentive per meter above rate; recovery plan if below for two months |
| Installation quality | Under 1 percent leaks or rework within 30 days | Vendor repairs at its cost; retraining |
| Customer complaints | Under 2 per 1,000 installations | Review of installer conduct |
| Data delivery | Hourly data to billing system by 6 a.m. daily | Service credits |
Managing Changes: The Difficult-Access Request
In month seven, the installer reported that 1,200 meters sit behind finished basement walls, more than the 400 assumed in the pricing schedule. The contract's change clause requires a written change request, review by the utility's technical lead, a price based on the contract's difficult-access unit price and approval by the contracting officer.
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| Request | Installer submits a list of addresses with photographs |
| Verification | Utility inspects a sample of 60 and confirms 1,140 qualify |
| Pricing | Contract difficult-access price, $145 per meter |
| Approval | Contracting officer issues a modification for 1,140 meters, $165,300 |
Payments and Acceptance
The utility will pay monthly for meters installed, tested and accepted. Acceptance requires a successful read for seven consecutive days. Ten percent of each payment is retained until final acceptance of each installation zone, protecting the utility if problems appear.
Disputes
The contract's dispute ladder starts with the contract administrators, moves to project executives after ten days and then to mediation before any litigation. Most disputes should end at the first step if both sides keep records. Bajari and Tadelis (2001) note that changes are where fixed-price contracts become costly to administer, which is why a clear, agreed process for pricing them matters as much as the original price.
Communication During Performance
Monthly performance reviews will use the measures above, with a one-page report shared with the board each quarter. Customer complaints will be logged by customer service and reviewed weekly with the installer's supervisor, so that problems with a particular crew are caught early.
Closeout
| Closeout step | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Final acceptance by zone | Confirms all meters read correctly |
| Release of retainage | Pays withheld amounts after acceptance |
| Warranty start | Begins the 20-year meter warranty and 10-year battery warranty |
| Records and data handover | Transfers installation records and network documentation |
| Vendor performance evaluation | Records performance for future procurements |
| Lessons learned | Captures what to change in the next procurement |
Conclusion
Clear measures, a disciplined change process, payment tied to acceptance and a planned closeout turn a signed contract into delivered results and protect the utility and its customers throughout.
References
Bajari, P., & Tadelis, S. (2001). Incentives versus transaction costs: A theory of procurement contracts. RAND Journal of Economics, 32(3), 387-407. https://doi.org/10.2307/2696361
Ellram, L. M. (1995). Total cost of ownership: An analysis approach for purchasing. International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, 25(8), 4-23. https://doi.org/10.1108/09600039510099928
Garrett, G. A. (2010). World class contracting (5th ed.). CCH.
PJM 5400 Module 6 instructions, in plain terms
The post-award phase is this assignment's subject, and Part 3 of the course project falls due on the course's final day. Expect to plan or analyze contract administration: a kickoff, performance measures, change management, payment and acceptance, dispute resolution and closeout. Use tables for measures and closeout steps, and walk through at least one change or dispute to show how the process works in practice. Plan how performance will be communicated during the contract, not only measured, and walk through one change from request to modification. Set consequences for each performance measure. Name both parties' contract administrators. Plan the kickoff agenda.
How this PJM 5400 Module 6 example is built
The paper explains why administration matters. Sections plan a kickoff and set five performance measures with standards and consequences, linked to research on measuring supplier performance by total cost. A table walks through a change request for difficult-access meters from request to modification. Sections set payment and acceptance rules and a dispute ladder, and a closeout table lists six steps. The conclusion ties them together. A section on communication sets monthly reviews, quarterly board reports and weekly complaint reviews with the installer, so problems with a crew surface early. A closeout table lists six steps from final acceptance to lessons learned. A change table walks a difficult-access request from submission through sampling and pricing to a signed modification. Payment rules retain ten percent until acceptance.
PJM 5400 Module 6 rubric: what earns full marks
Mentors grade this assignment on a complete administration plan, measures with consequences, a sound change process, attention to payment, disputes and closeout, and clear writing. Papers that walk through a real change, including verification, show practical command. Tying payment to acceptance and retaining funds demonstrates financial control. A closeout that includes vendor evaluation and lessons learned shows a complete life cycle. Plans for regular communication during performance show that administration is active rather than reactive. Verification of a change claim with a sample protects public funds. Retainage tied to acceptance shows financial control. A dispute ladder that ends in mediation shows a plan for disagreement before it happens. Clear tables help.
PJM 5400 Module 6 help: mistakes that cost marks
Students lose points by describing administration in general terms, by setting measures without consequences or by approving changes without verification. Others forget closeout. Set measurable standards with consequences. Walk through a change step by step. Tie payment to acceptance. Close out with warranties, evaluation and lessons. Plan regular performance reviews, and verify any claim for extra work before any money changes hands. Close out with warranty dates recorded and a vendor evaluation filed. Tie every payment to accepted work, and hold back retainage until each zone passes final acceptance. A free first sample on your own PJM-5400 post-award assignment is available on request.
Write yours, or have the desk draft it
This paper is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Thomas Edison State University document. Read it for the moves, then write your own to the instructions in your classroom. If you want one built to your exact prompt and rubric, the first custom sample is free and arrives in 24 to 48 hours.
More PJM 5400 and M.S. in Management in Project Management sample papers
- PJM 5400 Module 1: Written Assignment: The Procurement Team and Trust for a Smart Meter Program
- PJM 5400 Module 2: Written Assignment: Choosing Contract Types for Meters, Installation and Integration
- PJM 5400 Module 3: Written Assignment: The RFP, Evaluation Criteria and a Best Value Source Selection Plan
- PJM 5400 Module 4: Written Assignment: Price Analysis and a Fixed-Price Incentive for Installation
- PJM 5400 Module 5: Written Assignment: Negotiating the Award and Debriefing the Losing Bidders
- PJM 5300 Module 1: Written Assignment: A Risk Management Plan for a Blister Packaging Line
- PJM 5200 Module 2: Written Assignment: A Charter and Stakeholder Plan for the Portal Upgrade
- PJM 6400 Module 5: Final Project: A Report to Executives on a Global Project Management Office
PJM 5400 Module 6 questions, answered
Where can I find a free PJM 5400 Module 6 sample paper?
A contract administration plan for a smart meter program, through closeout, is the assignment above.
What does contract administration include?
Monitoring performance, managing changes, paying for accepted work, resolving disputes and closing out.
Why verify a change request before approving it?
To confirm the extra work is real and priced under the contract before public funds are committed.
What is retainage?
A portion of each payment withheld until final acceptance, protecting the buyer if problems appear.
What happens at contract closeout?
Final acceptance, release of retainage, warranty start, records handover, vendor evaluation and lessons learned.