Ten Key Challenges in Creating and Deploying Communication Strategies During Post-Award Contract Management

Jim Bergman

Navigating Complexity, Stakeholders, and Execution Realities

Post-award contract management is where contracts move from paper to practice. It’s the phase where deliverables are tracked, obligations are fulfilled, and relationships are tested. At the heart of this phase lies communication – between buyers and suppliers, across internal teams, and with external stakeholders. Yet crafting and executing effective communication strategies is fraught with challenges.

Here are ten key hurdles organizations face when developing and deploying communication strategies during post-award contract management, with cross-sector relevance and practical nuance.

1. Fragmented Stakeholder Ecosystems

Contracts often involve multiple departments – legal, finance, operations, IT, compliance – each with its own language, priorities, and communication style. Aligning messaging across these silos is difficult.

Why it matters: Misalignment leads to conflicting instructions, delayed decisions, and supplier confusion.

2. Lack of Contract Context in Communications

Many communications omit the strategic rationale or key terms of the contract. Without context, stakeholders may misinterpret obligations or overlook critical nuances.

Why it matters: Contextual gaps can result in non-compliance, missed milestones, or strained relationships.

3. Inconsistent Messaging Across Channels

Email, dashboards, meetings, and portals often carry inconsistent updates. Suppliers may receive different versions of the same message from different sources.

Why it matters: Inconsistency erodes trust and creates operational inefficiencies.

4. Delayed or Reactive Communication

Communication often happens after a problem arises – rather than proactively. This reactive posture limits the ability to prevent issues or manage expectations.

Why it matters: Late communication increases risk and reduces the chance for collaborative resolution.

5. Limited Knowledge Transfer from Pre-Award Teams

The team that negotiated the contract may not be involved in execution. Without structured handover, critical insights are lost.

Why it matters: Execution teams may lack understanding of negotiation trade-offs, stakeholder sensitivities, or supplier capabilities.

6. Overreliance on Static Documentation

Contracts are often stored in PDFs or shared drives, with little integration into dynamic communication workflows. Teams struggle to extract relevant information quickly.

Why it matters: Static documents slow down decision-making and reduce agility.

7. Supplier Communication Barriers

Suppliers may operate in different time zones, languages, or cultural contexts. Without tailored communication strategies, misunderstandings multiply.

Why it matters: Poor supplier engagement leads to performance gaps and strained relationships.

8. Lack of Performance-Linked Messaging

Communications rarely tie updates to KPIs or performance metrics. Stakeholders receive generic updates rather than actionable insights.

Why it matters: Without data-driven messaging, teams can’t assess progress or course-correct effectively.

9. Compliance and Confidentiality Constraints

Some contracts involve sensitive data or regulatory obligations. Communication must balance transparency with legal and ethical boundaries.

Why it matters: Mishandled communication can trigger audits, penalties, or reputational harm.

10. Absence of Relational Tone

Communication often focuses on tasks and issues, neglecting relationship-building. Especially in mission-driven or long-term contracts, tone matters.

Why it matters: Relational gaps reduce trust, collaboration, and supplier loyalty.

Final Thought: Communication Is the Contract’s Lifeline

Post-award contract management succeeds or fails on the strength of its communication. These ten challenges are not just operational – they’re strategic. Addressing them requires intentional design, cross-functional alignment, and a commitment to clarity and care.

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Published by Jim Bergman

Jim Bergman is a commercial contract professional with global experience spanning the USA, Latin America, UK, Europe, China, South Korea, Japan, India, SE Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Australia. He has worked on a wide range of direct and indirect spend categories in numerous sectors, developing a deep knowledge of services, goods and technology procurement and sales. Across this wide array of commodity and services experience, Jim has found the keys to success in maximizing value for money through customer-supplier relationships founded on innovative category management and strategic sourcing practices, key performance metrics and measures, as well as Total Cost of Ownership principles and collaborative contracting tenets. He has shared his knowledge through advisory engagements, as well as in developing and delivering training programs both on-line and in classrooms, in both open-enrollment and internal environments. Jim has assisted his clients through all phases and steps of contracting, negotiation, strategic sourcing and bidding processes, demonstrating value generation in excess of $250 million. His audiences and clients have included over 7,000 attorneys and commercial professionals students from over 1,000 corporations and public-sector entities.

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