Quote --- on YOUTH , STATE OF MIND --- by Gen Douglas MacArthur

Quote:
Youth is not a period of time.  It is a state of mind, a result of the will, a quality of the imagination, a victory of courage over timidity, of the taste of adventure over the love of comfort. 

A man doesn't grow old because he has lived a certain number of years.   He grows old when he deserts his ideal.  The years may wrinkle his skin, but deserting his ideal wrinkles his soul.

Preoccupations, fears, doubts, and despair are the dust before death. 

You will remain young as long as you are open to what is beautiful, good, and great, receptive to the messages of other men and women, of nature and of God.

If one day you should become bitter, pessimistic and gnawed by despair, may God have mercy on your old man's soul.

Unquote

Gen. Douglas MacArthur

Contract Management Maturity Model ( CMMM) --- Five Levels (Gist)

(Noted for my consumption and ready reference from a write-up found on the web.  Google search will throw many results on this topic).

CMMM is a tool used for measuring  the Contract Management Process capability of an organization,  and to take corrective actions towards continual improvements.   Efficient  contract management processes help organizations to achieve competitive advantage over its competition.    The five levels of Contract Management (Process) Maturity Models are as follows:

Level-1:  Ad hoc & Sporadic

Some  Contract Management Processes are used but they are used in some contracts.   Some Informal Documentation system also exists but it’s use is ad hoc and sporadic.  Processes are not used across all projects.  

Level-2:  Basic.  

Some basic processes are used and are used in selected projects.   Some formal documentation process exist but not used across all projects.  

Level-3:  Structured.  

Fully established processes exist and they are used throughout the organization.

Level-4:  Integrated.  

Here the processes are integrated with other functions or corporate processes in an organization.

Level-5:  Optimized. 

Here, organizations use performance matrix to assess the efficacy of the processes and necessary corrective steps towards continual improvement are taken.  Lessons-of-experience and the best practices learned are recorded and used towards continual improvement of the processes.

Jaikishan  (10th Nov 2014)

Contract Management - Six Key Processes

Google search will throw many results on this topic.   Noted a gist here for my ready reference.

Process-01:   Procurement  Planning

What to procure and what not to procure, how much to process, when to procure, how to procure, ….

Process-02:   Solicitation  Planning

The process involves the preparation of documents required to go ahead with the solitation.  How to solicit (bids, RFQ, RFP), documenting the evaluation criteria, ….

Process-03:   Solicitation

Floating bids/quotation requests,  pre-bid conferences, clarifications, and obtaining the quotes/proposals from prospective vendors.

Process-04:   Source  Selection

Evaluation of the quotes/bids as per the criteria planned, negotiating with eligible vendors, and concluding the procurement contract.

Process-05:   Contract  Administration

Project progress reviews vis-à-vis planned progress, budget vs actuals, change management controls, … complete.   In short, all processes other than  procurement processes indicated above, fall  in this process category.

Process-06:   Contract  Closeout

Even when the physical execution of contract scope is completed, there would be many administrative activities that are to be attended to, to close the contract.   These include all reconciliations, documentations, collecting  work completion certificates, releasing of Bank Guarantees, cancelling of some licenses/registrations,  ….    

This process also includes  post project audit to note the lessons-of-experience.   Accordingly, that experience(s) could be used to improve the processes for implementation in other ongoing projects as well as in new projects.   Continual Improvement.

Jaikishan

7th Nov 2014

 

Tapping The Potential of Retired Professionals

MN2M  (My Notes To Myself).    Comments solicited.

Unlike the earlier generation, many retired professionals from government and private sectors are now seeking placements in private organizations.   Indeed, 60  is too early an age to be inactive  (if one’s service can value-add in an organization).

For the purpose of this blog, I have classified such job-seeking Retired Professionals under two broad categories.    

Category-A:  One who seeks a job to meet one’s financial needs  &/or  is enthusiastic and passionate  about one’s work/profession.  

Category-B:  One who seeks a job to keep himself busy instead of idling at home.     

As a thumb rule, Retired Professionals may be employed in Senior Management positions.   Selectively, in Middle Management positions.   

Professionals in Category-A  can be considered for executive jobs.    For example, a Head of Department or sub-department.   Even, as a CEO.

Professionals in Category-B may be appointed as  ‘advisors/consultants’  under  an appropriate  Department Head.

In all cases, they must be able to value-add in that organization.  Non-negotiable criterion.

 

Jaikishan

7th Nov 2014