Writing Statements of Work: The Heart of Any Contract

Learn simple techniques and best practice methods to ensure high-quality in all your SOW documents

Public Classroom

Course Overview

Widely considered the “heart of the contract,” the Statement of Work (SOW) is the basis of the relationship between the buyer and the seller.

The purchase or sale of products and services can only be executed by skillfully creating the SOW document. This course is designed for practical use by requirements developers, in-house SOW team members and other project managers and contract managers who identify needs and construct quality contracts. Learn all the information you need to consistently develop and administer effective SOWs.

This course employs challenging team exercises and case studies that will take you through the process of building a solid statement of work. Find out how outsourcing needs emerge within companies and how these needs are eventually recognised and articulated. This course defines the essential ingredients of the SOW, including the scope and background statements, a comprehensive listing of responsibilities for both buyers and sellers, deliverables and their schedules, the acceptance criteria and the special terms and conditions of performance.

Course Topics

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1. The Basics of SOWs in Business
   1. The role and importance of the Statement of Work (SOW)
   2. A well-written SOW
   3. The essential elements of a contract
   4. Addressing risk management in SOWs
   5. Basic concepts of agency - agent law
   6. Types of authority at your company or organisation
   7. Basic concepts in contract law
2. The Purpose of the SOW
   1. Relationship between master contract and SOW
   2. Conflicts in contracts
   3. Contract interpretation guidelines
   4. Different approaches to SOWs
   5. Uncertainty and risk in contracting
   6. Categories and types of contracts
3. An SOW’s Concept Development
   1. Needs and requirements evolution in SOW development
   2. Sources of requirements
   3. Initiating requirements identification
   4. Ensuring clarity of requirements
   5. Use of a requirements analysis checklist
4. The Use of a Requirements Definition
   1. The work breakdown structure’s relationship to requirements and the SOW
   2. Integral parts of the SOW format
   3. Outline for typical SOW
   4. Preparing an actual work breakdown structure (WBS)
5. Creating the Narrative
   1. Problems associated with poor writing and poor construction
   2. Guidelines for writing SOWs
   3. Locating errors in a draft SOW
   4. Drafting an actual SOW
6. Quality Assurance Through the Use of an SOW Master Checklist
   1. The purpose/rationale of a SOW master checklist
   2. The Use of the Master Checklist by the SOW writer
7. Standard Tools Used for Preparing Quality SOWs
   1. Standard Outline for a typical SOW
   2. Checklists for identifying typical problems of poor or complicated narratives
   3. Master Checklist for the SOW writer
   4. Basic Project Management Glossary
   5. Basic Contract Management Glossary
8. Long-Term issues for Quality SOWs
   1. Ways to monitor SOWs and performance issues
   2. Responsibilities of team members
   3. Having a sound contract administration plan
   4. Post-award orientation
   5. Proactive problem resolution