Contract Managers Use Post-Award Contract Management Maturity Models to Attain Superior Results

Jim Bergman

Contracts are not just legal documents—they are the engines of business performance. They define obligations, allocate risks, and establish frameworks for collaboration. Yet, too often, contracts are treated as static artifacts—signed, filed away, and only revisited when something goes wrong. This mindset is outdated and dangerous.

The real power of contracts is realized in the post-award phase, where agreements come to life. Post-award contract management is where obligations are fulfilled, performance is monitored, and opportunities for improvement are discovered. It is also where organizations can unlock enormous value—if they have the right tools and frameworks in place. One of the most powerful tools available to contract managers today is the Post-Award Contract Management Maturity Model.

Why Maturity Models Matter

A maturity model is a structured framework that helps organizations assess their current practices, identify gaps, and chart a path toward higher levels of performance. In post-award contract management, maturity models provide a roadmap for moving from reactive compliance to proactive governance and strategic value creation.

Why is this so important?

  • Clarity: Maturity models provide a clear picture of where an organization stands.
  • Direction: They offer a roadmap for improvement, showing what steps are needed to reach the next level.
  • Accountability: Maturity models establish benchmarks that hold contract managers accountable for progress.
  • Continuous Improvement: They foster a culture of ongoing enhancement, ensuring that contract management practices evolve alongside business needs.
  • Superior Results: By following a maturity model, organizations can achieve higher levels of efficiency, resilience, and innovation.

In short, maturity models transform contract management from reactive compliance into proactive governance.

The Stages of Maturity

While specific models may vary, most post-award contract management maturity models include several stages:

  • Initial/Ad Hoc: Contract management is reactive, with little structure or consistency.
  • Basic/Defined: Processes are documented, but compliance is the primary focus.
  • Intermediate/Managed: Performance is monitored, risks are managed, and some value is created.
  • Advanced/Optimized: Contract management is proactive, collaborative, and aligned with strategic goals.
  • Leading/Innovative: Contract management drives innovation, sustainability, and competitive advantage.

Each stage represents a higher level of effectiveness. By progressing through these stages, organizations can transform contract management from a compliance exercise into a strategic discipline.

How Contract Managers Use Maturity Models

Contract managers use maturity models in several ways:

  • Assessment: They evaluate current practices against the model to identify strengths and weaknesses.
  • Planning: They develop improvement plans based on the roadmap provided by the model.
  • Implementation: They put new processes, tools, and practices into place to move to the next level.
  • Monitoring: They track progress against benchmarks to ensure continuous improvement.
  • Communication: They use the model to communicate progress and value to stakeholders.

By using maturity models, contract managers can ensure that post-award practices are not only compliant but also competitive, efficient, and aligned with strategic goals.

Sector-Specific Applications

The importance of maturity models spans industries:

  • Manufacturing: Maturity models ensure supply chains remain resilient, efficient, and sustainable.
  • Healthcare: They ensure compliance with patient privacy regulations and ethical sourcing standards.
  • Technology: They ensure cybersecurity, innovation, and data privacy commitments are met.
  • Retail: They ensure suppliers meet sustainability standards for packaging and sourcing.
  • Construction: They ensure project success, safety compliance, and cost control.
  • Energy: They ensure compliance with renewable energy commitments and emissions reduction.
  • Transportation: They ensure logistics providers meet fuel efficiency and emissions targets.
  • Financial Services: They ensure compliance with evolving regulations and ethical standards.
  • Hospitality: They ensure service standards align with guest expectations.
  • Government: They ensure transparency and accountability in public procurement.
  • Non-Profits: They ensure alignment with donor expectations on sustainability.
  • Faith-Based Universities: They ensure supplier relationships align with mission-driven values and accreditation standards.

These examples demonstrate the versatility and importance of maturity models across diverse contexts.

Keys to Success

To succeed in using maturity models, organizations must:

  • Commit Leadership Support: Senior executives must champion maturity model adoption.
  • Invest in Training: Equip staff with the skills needed to implement maturity models.
  • Foster a Culture of Improvement: Encourage teams to view maturity models as opportunities, not burdens.
  • Leverage Technology: Provide access to digital tools and training on their use.
  • Measure Progress: Define metrics for maturity model implementation and track outcomes.

Risks of Neglecting Maturity Models

Failing to use maturity models can lead to:

  • Compliance Failures: Ignoring regulatory changes can result in penalties.
  • Reputational Damage: Failing to meet commitments can erode trust.
  • Operational Inefficiencies: Outdated practices can increase costs and waste.
  • Relationship Strain: Misalignment with customer expectations can weaken partnerships.
  • Missed Opportunities: Neglecting maturity models can hinder innovation and competitiveness.

The risks are too great to ignore. Maturity models are essential for success in modern contract management.

Energizing the Future of Contract Management

The future of contract management is collaborative, adaptive, and sustainability-driven. Organizations that embrace maturity models as a key enabler of post-award effectiveness will be better positioned to:

  • Respond to market shifts with agility.
  • Innovate faster and more effectively.
  • Build resilient supply chains.
  • Meet evolving customer and stakeholder expectations.
  • Create sustainable, long-term value.

Those that cling to outdated, transactional approaches will find themselves constrained, reactive, and vulnerable. The choice is clear: maturity models, or stagnation.

Conclusion and Call to Action

Contracts are not just legal documents—they are frameworks for relationships and performance. In the post-award phase, the true potential of contracts is realized when professionals move beyond compliance and embrace collaboration. Maturity models are essential for success, providing the structure, benchmarks, and roadmaps needed to drive sustainability, innovation, and resilience.

The benefits are undeniable: agility, efficiency, innovation, resilience, and customer alignment. The risks are manageable with clear processes, strong governance, open communication, flexibility, and measurement. And the applications span industries, from manufacturing to healthcare to faith-based universities.

The message is simple: post-award contract management is not about enforcing obligations—it’s about creating shared value and driving success.

Call to Action: Audit your current post-award contract management practices. Identify where you stand on the maturity model. Develop improvement plans, invest in training, and commit to continuous progress. Use maturity models as roadmaps to attain superior results.

The future of contract management belongs to those who embrace maturity models. Don’t wait for inefficiencies or disruptions to force change—start using post-award contract management maturity models today, and unlock the full potential of your supplier-customer relationships.

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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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