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Supplying Principles and Practices > USPS Supplying Practices Process Step 1: Identify Needs > Form Purchase/SCM Team
Form Purchase/SCM Team
Purchase/SCM Teams play a critical role in the supply chain management
(SCM) process throughout the SCM life cycle. A Purchase/SCM Team is
formed when the Client organization determines that a need exists, and the
need is communicated to the Contracting Officer. The mission of the
Purchase/SCM Team is to provide overall guidance, direction, and oversight
for a given purchase or series of purchases. Assigning roles and
responsibilities (and, for complex purchases, establishing team charters) and
conducting project plan kickoff meetings are critical activities during the
formation of a Purchase/SCM Team.
Because teams have different requirements, roles and responsibilities should
be agreed upon when the Team is formed. Functional roles need not
necessarily correspond to a single individual, job title, or organization in the
Team. While a task may be assigned to a specific individual (e.g., Contracting
Officer, Client, or Item Manager), responsibility for a task may also be given
to a group of individuals capable of performing the work within the Team.
Depending on the complexity of the purchase, a team charter can be very
helpful for defining roles and responsibilities. The team charter sets the
ground rules for the operation of the Purchase/SCM Team, and joining the
Team implies its acceptance. The charter is developed and agreed to by the
Team at the beginning of the project, sometimes during what is informally
called the "kickoff meeting," or when a person joins the Team. It contains the
following information:
• Project objectives
• Expectations of team behavior
• Key roles and responsibilities
• Authority
• Team structure
• Decision-making methodology
• Risks
The project kickoff meeting serves as a vehicle to discuss the project scope
and objectives. It is used to educate the Purchase/SCM Team about the
Client and to reveal the Client's strategy and goals. The project kickoff
meeting transfers information on how the project will be conducted from a
process and procedural standpoint. Generally, the Client and the Contracting
Officer collaborate on scheduling the kickoff meeting. The objectives of the
project kickoff meeting are to:
• Provide an overview of the Client's environment, problems, and
goals
• Achieve consensus on the project scope
• Describe the roles and responsibilities of Purchase/SCM Team
members
• Review the high-level project timeline
• Review project deliverables
• Review key work products for the different phases
• Review tracking processes and deadlines
Supply chain management (SCM) is a team effort. At a minimum, the Team
comprises the Contracting Officer and a representative from the Client
organization. Where assistance from Legal Counsel and/or Finance is
required, these members serve as business advisers. The makeup of a
Purchase/SCM Team may change as it moves through the six SCM process
steps, and the roles, responsibilities, and business skills necessary to
success may change accordingly.
Generally, Purchase/SCM Team functional roles include:
• Client
• Contracting Officer
• Market Analyst
• Pricing Analyst
• Item Manager
In complex purchase situations, multifunctional teams should be created.
Multifunctional teams are made up of representatives from all appropriate
functional disciplines working together to provide the best service to the
Client. Teams may include selected suppliers or consultants.
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