Beyond the Signature: 10 Essential Ways Contract Managers Drive Post-Award Success

Jim Bergman

The ink may be dry, but the real work is just beginning.

In the world of commercial contracting, the post-award phase is where promises meet performance. It’s where deliverables are tracked, risks are managed, and relationships are tested. And at the center of it all? The contract manager.

Too often, contract managers are seen as paper-pushers or compliance enforcers. But in reality, they’re strategic operators—bridging legal, financial, and operational domains to ensure that contracts deliver what they’re supposed to. They’re the glue that holds the commercial management process together from award to closeout.

So how do contract managers create value after the deal is signed? Here are ten essential ways they lead the charge in post-award commercial management and structured project completion.

1. Operationalizing the Contract

The first step post-award is translating the contract into action. The contract manager ensures that all stakeholders—procurement, finance, operations, and suppliers—understand the terms, timelines, and expectations.

Why it matters: Misinterpretation leads to misalignment. Operational clarity sets the stage for performance.

2. Monitoring Performance Against KPIs and SLAs

Contract managers track supplier performance using scorecards, dashboards, and service level agreements. They ensure that metrics are not only collected but interpreted and acted upon.

Example: In a faith-based university, the contract manager may monitor custodial services for cleanliness scores, responsiveness, and alignment with campus values.

3. Managing Invoicing and Payment Accuracy

They verify that invoices match contract terms—pricing, milestones, and deliverables. They resolve discrepancies, approve payments, and ensure financial compliance.

Impact: Prevents overpayment, underpayment, and supplier frustration.

4. Handling Scope Changes and Amendments

When customer requirements evolve, the contract manager leads the change control process. They assess impact, draft amendments, and secure approvals.

Tip: Structured change management protects against scope creep and budget overruns.

5. Facilitating Supplier Relationship Management

Contract managers are relationship builders. They host performance reviews, mediate conflicts, and foster collaboration between suppliers and internal teams.

Why it works: Strong relationships drive accountability and innovation.

6. Managing Risk and Compliance

They monitor for regulatory changes, contractual breaches, and operational risks. They ensure that suppliers meet legal, ethical, and safety standards.

Example: In a healthcare system, the contract manager may oversee HIPAA compliance for IT vendors.

7. Coordinating Cross-Functional Communication

Contract managers act as the central point of contact—connecting legal, finance, operations, and suppliers. They ensure that everyone is informed, aligned, and responsive.

Impact: Reduces silos and accelerates issue resolution.

8. Documenting and Reporting

They maintain records of performance, decisions, disputes, and amendments. They prepare reports for leadership and support audit readiness.

Tip: Good documentation is the backbone of defensible contract management.

9. Leading Contract Closeout and Transition

At the end of the contract, the manager ensures structured closeout—final payments, deliverable verification, lessons learned, and transition planning.

Why it matters: A clean closeout sets the tone for future engagements and protects institutional memory.

10. Supporting Strategic Sourcing and Renewal Decisions

Contract managers provide insights into supplier performance, cost-effectiveness, and risk exposure. Their input informs renewal, renegotiation, or re-sourcing strategies.

Example: In a manufacturing firm, the contract manager may recommend consolidating suppliers based on delivery reliability and cost trends.

Final Thought: The Contract Manager Is the Strategic Anchor

Post-award commercial management isn’t just about checking boxes—it’s about driving outcomes. And the contract manager is the strategic anchor who ensures that contracts don’t just exist—they perform.

They turn static documents into dynamic relationships. They protect value, manage risk, and enable collaboration. They ensure that when the contract ends, it ends well—with lessons captured, relationships intact, and goals achieved.

So here’s your call to action:

Audit your post-award process. Is your contract manager empowered? Informed? Embedded in the management team? If not—start building the structure.

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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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