Contract and Procurement Management for Software Engineering

Question: Discuss about theContract and Procurement Management for Software Engineering. Answer: Introduction The Health computing services made a contract with a large international organisation (the Contractor) for taking the services of centralised computing system. As per this, it was a contracted that high quality services related to primary and secondary data centre facility will be provided. The data centre is a service that is used for housing computer systems and related elements like telecommunication and storage. As per this facility, the data centre will support in teaching at regional and other metro hospitals (YUAN, GAO, YANG, and ZHANG, 2011). Besides this, it guaranteed the recovery of crucial information if lost and a high degree of flexibility in handling fluctuating demands in health. The contract was arranged initially for 4 years, according to which current agreement will run till 2016. However, the management of centralised computing system was not done properly by Health because of which the additional cost of Health in IT services increased a lot. Apart from this, the financial management was also poor where a lot of variations were found. The prepared budget and expenditure occurred did not match properly. Pre Award (major issue) The issues were many in the management of contract and its expenditures that were incurred on IT services as a result of frequent errors in IT systems. Author analysed that the contact was developed for Health sector and was expected to record the budget of entire contract properly in sufficient manner so as to keep track of various expenditures incurred (Resh and Marvel, 2012). Besides this, author evaluated that it was expected to check invoice details as well so that a justification related to contractual expenditures can be checked. There were different variations in the contract for which, health did not track expenditures against these variations. As such Health failed to keep track of actual expenditures against the determined budget. Author also identified that company did not maintain a standard procedure to track all types of costing, variation in the contract and differences raised after making variations in initial contract (Rene, 2010). According to Author differences an d expenditures were recorded in a number of places due to which, it created confusions. In addition to this, there was no arrangement of coding various invoices to the contract number which made it difficult to identify that how much was the actual expenditure. In the mid of 2014, the team of Heath attempted to monitor and write down all expenses manually on the basis of invoices totalling (Olatunji, 2014). However, this procedure was not reliable as Health did not follow a stable route to circulate the invoices between groups. The contract managers checked the rates of the invoices, where it was found from the invoices that many of them were overcharged (Joaquin, and Greitens, 2012). Only 1 invoice revealed the exact rate on which the contract was agreed upon. Apart from this, author examined that Health also entered into various lease agreements and that also without having a full knowledge of arrangements within it. In many of the lease arrangements they did not have authority fo r it as well. In such condition, where, company did not have the proper knowledge of lease type, it classified the lease arrangements improperly. As a result, Health made a breach of Treasurers instruction 822. Thus, it is clear that Health was suffering through a number of issues in the management of data centre and contract related to it (Yucong, 2012). Post Award (critical analysis) As per the above issue identified in Health related to financial management of data computing system, it is evident that it is essential to monitor and maintain the records of each and every cost that is incurred by company. According to author, in practical world, the companies enter into a number of contracts and also have variations in them timely. As per this, there must be a centralised system and a procedure which can keep track of all the transactions, changes and cost related information (Resh and Marvel 2012). In Health organisation, there were various areas in which mismanagement occurred that resulted into increased costs for business. Invoices that were made for various types of expenditures were also not recorded properly, because of which ultimately, the firm was not able to differentiate between actual expenses and the budgeted figures. Author argues that, if a company enters into a contract for any type of services, it is essential to be in line with all types of vari ations made in it as well. Most of the times, it is apparent that there are many employees who use to handle a single unit (Mikuov-Meri?kov and Nemec, 2013). In such situation, it becomes confusing to decide that who will execute a particular function. Therefore, for each kind of work there should be a single person who is assigned with a particular task. Yucong (2012) contradicts that the major necessity while entering into a contract is to have a full knowledge about the deal in which a person is making agreement. In case of less knowledge, a person may breach a crucial condition that can cost highly. Apart from this, companies may hire a professional in the field of finance who has a diverse knowledge of financial matters. Thus, author analysed that it will help in managing different contracts, budgets and variations in terms and conditions of contract in a systematic manner. A standard guideline explaining various policies and procedures must also be there which can help in gett ing all processes and functions lined in systematic manner. Health can also adopt an option of consulting an expert in the matters of financial deals who can keep track of all financial matters of organisation. The managers are responsible for studying the contracts, its terms and conditions while entering and agreeing on it so that differences can be identified in later stages related to changes made on it (Fleming and Koppelman, 2016). Conclusion The above report entails about a contract entered into by Health with the Contractor. It has been concluded in the report that as per the contract of availing services related to data computing, the contractor agreed to deliver a number of services through this system. But Health did not manage the system properly, because of which the company had to incur various costs on IT department. The company also failed to manage the finances and budget prepared for the new system. As per this, it has been recommended to arrange some specialists who can aid in giving advisory services for managing finances and expenses related to the data centre facility. References Books and Journals Duan, Yucong. "A survey on service contract." In Software Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Networking and Parallel Distributed Computing (SNPD), 2012 13th ACIS International Conference on, pp. 805-810. IEEE, 2012. Ernita Joaquin, M., and Thomas J. Greitens. "Contract management capacity breakdown? An analysis of US local governments." Public Administration Review 72, no. 6 (2012): 807-816. Fleming, Quentin W., and Joel M. Koppelman. "Earned value project management." Project Management Institute, 2016. Mikuov-Meri?kov, Beta, and Juraj Nemec. "Contract management and its impact on contracting public services: Slovak Republic." Ekonomick ?asopis (Journal of Economics) 7, no. 61 (2013): Nemec. Olatunji, Oluwole Alfred. "Views on building information modelling, procurement and contract management." Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers-Management, Procurement and Law 167, no. 3 (2014): 117-126. Rendon, Rene G. "Critical success factors in government contract management." (2010). Resh, William G., and John D. Marvel. "Loopholes to load-shed: Contract management capacity, representative bureaucracy, and goal displacement in federal procurement decisions." International Public Management Journal 15, no. 4 (2012): 525-547. YUAN, Haizhen, Xiaojun GAO, Chunquan YANG, and Xingping ZHANG. "Status, Problems and Solutions of Energy Management Contract in China [J]." Energy Technology and Economics 1 (2011).

Trustee vs. Delegate Models of Representation

Definitions and Development of the Topic There are two models advanced to explain the issue of representation. These are trustee and delegation models. A trustee model refers to a situation where people in a particular constituency choose their representative in parliament. It is a model of representative. The people entrust the person they choose with the duty of making significant decisions on their behalf.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Trustee vs. Delegate Models of Representation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As such, the representative acts as the trustee of the people in all their matters at both the local and national scene. He/she has a significant measure of autonomy. The elected trustee has the duty of deliberating and making decisions for the greater interest of the people while still putting the national interest first (Burke, 1996). As such, the trustee has the mandate to make decisions on behal f of the people; he can then forego the immediate interest of his constituents in favor of the national interest. He does this bearing in mind that he is given the trusteeship because the voters believe that they collectively lack the necessary knowledge, which the trustee has. As such, they provide this power to the trustee to do it on their behalf. On the other hand, the delegate model of representation is understood as parallel to the trustee model of representation. While it gives the trustee all the rights and the powers to make the decisions on behalf of the people, delegation sees the representative as the mouthpiece of the people. He has no right or power to decide on his own volition (Burke, 1996). As such, this, unlike the trustee model, is a representative democracy. In this model of representation, the people only elect the delegate to represent their constituencies in the parliament. As we understand, a delegate is a person chosen to act/speak on behalf of the people in governance, trade unions among others. From the definition of a delegate as a person speaking on behalf of another party, we learn that unlike a trustee, a delegate only says or acts according to the instructions or interest of the party he is representing. He has no autonomy like a trustee (Burke, 1996). On the issue of closing the enormous naval base in my small constituent, bearing in mind that the presidents’ defense spending reform is aimed at creating a more up-to-date national security budget, an objective that serves the broader national interest. As a senator of this small state, therefore, acting as the trustee of the people, I will aim at supporting the president’s initiative. This decision will be because though the closure of the naval base will have a short-term negative effect on the people. Economically, I will support the president’s decision.Advertising Looking for essay on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper wi th 15% OFF Learn More This I will do putting in mind that the people might not understand the long-term benefit of having an up to date national security. As such, my chances of being re-elected will be compromised. Nevertheless, with the understanding of the longtime benefit of the president’s initiative, I will embark on civic education on my constituents on the long-term interests of the president’s initiative. Conclusion In conclusion, I decided to support the president’s initiative on the closing of military naval bases that no longer serve any crucial benefits. This is even though it may appear as a potential compromise to my re-election and that of the president. On consultation with my party and the president, I will initiate other projects that will compensate for the loss of income caused by the closure of the naval base. This could be by setting a manufacturing plant in place of the naval base. This will bring back the people’s confide nce in me as their trustee. This will also reassure my re-election and build confidence in me by my party members. Reference Burke, E. (1996). Speech to the Electors of Bristol in the Works of the Right Honorable Edmund Burke. New York: Oxford University Press. This essay on Trustee vs. Delegate Models of Representation was written and submitted by user Malaki Daniel to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Finding the Best Option For Your GRE Essay

Finding the Best Option For Your GRE EssayA Princeton Review sample GRE essay can make your essay a lot easier and they can also make your grade reflects the quality of your work more accurately. There are several ways to make the most of these guides, but it is important to know where to look for them and how to find them.A good way to find the answer to this question is to use an online tool that can search for the guide by keyword. These search engines will allow you to enter in all possible keywords, such as 'Princeton Review Sample GRE Essay'GRE Essay.' They will then return different results based on the keywords you have entered into the search engine.The sample GRE essay that you can find online will usually be the entire essay you have worked on and that you have finished. The advantage to using an online tool like this is that you can copy and paste your content onto a word document or even on a page. This will ensure that your content is unique and that you have every oppo rtunity to edit it before submitting it to the exam.A word document or even a webpage will also give you the benefit of being able to edit your GRE essay. You will have the option to add in more questions or if you want to add in your own additional content that you can use to help provide better answers to the questions that you are answering. This will also give you more control over your material.It is also a good idea to use the same words that are used in an example syllabus or practice test. This makes it easier to review everything that you have written. A word document is not the best source of material to use because it is very specific.The best source for writing an authentic, academic essay is to follow a well-known writer that is of high caliber. They will give you the kind of guidance that you need to be successful and they will give you clear directions to write an authentic, quality, academic essay. Some examples of this person are Geoffrey Murnane, Thomas Friedman, J ames Patterson, Robert Kiyosaki, and David Foster Wallace.In order to succeed, you should always learn from the greats. And the great writers that these people have studied have found that the best way to do this is to get a guide such as the Princeton Review Sample GRE Essay. By studying these writers, you will gain an incredible advantage over your classmates and teachers and you will learn how to write that essay so that it is the best you can.

Chaco Canyon, the Architectural Heart of the Anasazi

Chaco Canyon, the Architectural Heart of the Anasazi Chaco Canyon is a famous archaeological area in the American Southwest. It is located in the region known as the Four Corners, where the states of Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico meet. This region was historically occupied by Ancestral Puebloan people (better known as Anasazi) and is now part of the Chaco Culture National Historical Park. Some of the most famous sites of Chaco Canyon are Pueblo Bonito, Peà ±asco Blanco, Pueblo del Arroyo, Pueblo Alto, Una Vida, and Chetro Kelt. Because of its well-preserved masonry architecture, Chaco Canyon was well known by later Native Americans (Navajo groups have been living at Chaco since at least 1500s), Spanish accounts, Mexican officers and early American travelers. Archaeological Investigations of Chaco Canyon Archaeological explorations at Chaco Canyon began at the end of the 19th century, when Richard Wetherill, a Colorado rancher, and George H. Pepper, an archaeology student from Harvard, began to dig at Pueblo Bonito. Since then, interest in the  area has grown exponentially and several archaeological projects have surveyed and excavated small and large sites in the region. National organizations like the Smithsonian Institution, the American Museum of Natural History and the National Geographic Society have all sponsored excavations in the Chaco region. Among many prominent southwestern archaeologists who have worked at Chaco are Neil Judd, Jim W. Judge, Stephen Lekson, R. Gwinn Vivian, and Thomas Windes. Chaco Canyon Environment Chaco Canyon is a deep and dry canyon that runs in the San Juan Basin of northwestern New Mexico. Vegetation and wood resources are scarce. Water is scarce too, but after the rains, the Chaco river receives runoff water coming from the top of the surrounding cliffs. This is clearly a difficult area for agricultural production. However, between AD 800 and 1200, ancestral Puebloan groups, the Chacoans, managed to create a complex regional system of small villages and large centers, with irrigation systems and inter-connecting roads. After AD 400, farming was well established in the Chaco region, especially after the cultivation of maize, beans and squash (the three sisters) became integrated with wild resources. The ancient inhabitants of Chaco Canyon adopted and developed a sophisticated method of irrigation collecting and managing runoff water from the cliffs into dams, canals, and terraces. This practice- especially after AD 900- allowed for the expansion of small villages and the creation of larger architectural complexes called great house sites. Small House and Great House Sites at Chaco Canyon Archaeologists working at Chaco Canyon call these small villages small house sites, and they call the large centers great house sites. Small house sites usually have less than 20 rooms and were single-story. They lack big kivas and enclosed plazas are rare. There are hundreds of small sites in Chaco Canyon and they began to be constructed earlier than great sites. Great House sites are large multi-storied constructions composed of adjoining ​rooms and enclosed plazas with one or more great kivas. The construction of the main great house sites like Pueblo Bonito, Peà ±asco Blanco, and Chetro Ketl occurred between AD 850 and 1150 (Pueblo periods II and III). Chaco Canyon has numerous kivas, below-ground ceremonial structures still used by modern Puebloan people today. Chaco Canyons kivas are rounded, but in other Puebloan sites, they can be squared. The better-known kivas (called Great Kivas, and associated with Great House sites) were constructed between AD 1000 and 1100, during the Classic Bonito phase. Read more about Kivas Chaco Road System Chaco Canyon is also famous for a system of roads connecting some of the great houses with some of the small sites as well as with areas beyond the canyon limits. This network, called by the archaeologists the Chaco Road System seems to have had a functional as well as a religious purpose. The construction, maintenance and use of the Chaco road system was a way to integrate people living over a large territory and giving them a sense of community as well as facilitating communication and seasonal gathering. Evidence from archaeology and dendrochronology (tree-ring dating) indicates that a cycle of major droughts between 1130 and 1180 coincided with the decline of the Chacoan regional system. Lack of new construction, abandonment of some sites, and a sharp decrease in resources by AD 1200 prove that this system was no longer functioning as a central node. But the symbolism, architecture, and roads of the Chacoan culture continued for a few more centuries becoming, eventually, only a memory of a great past for later Puebloan societies. Sources Cordell, Linda 1997. Archaeology of the Southwest. Second Edition. Academic Press Pauketat, Timothy R. and Diana Di Paolo Loren 2005. North American Archaeology. Blackwell Publishing Vivian, R. Gwinn and Bruce Hilpert 2002. The Chaco Handbook, An Encyclopedic Guide. The University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City

7 Secrets to Getting a New Job You Love

7 Secrets to Getting a New Job You Love Competition out there is fierce- and getting fiercer. It can be hard enough to find any job- let alone the one you really want. Here are 7 job hunting strategies to help you find a new job you love  in the new year. 1. Burn your resume.No really. This won’t work in every situation, but as a novel strategy it just might work. Try thinking about a handful of companies you’d really like to work for, even if they aren’t advertising any open jobs. Then start actively researching the company- what they do, who they do business with, what their needs are, etc.Then, start learning to talk shop, and start making friends in that company or industry. This strategy requires basically outsmarting and bypassing the whole employment machine- i.e. never dealing directly with HR. It takes time- sometimes a lot of time- but can be just the strategy to get you in the place you really want to be, doing what you really want to do.2. Be selective.If you have to go a more traditional job search route, make sure you’re only applying to the best listings. Broaden out- look at search engines, job sites, company sites, networking sites, and every other avenue you can find. Consider working with a recruiter to get your resume in front of more decision-makers. Focus and narrow your search to jobs you know you’d really be suited for and places (both companies and geographical locations) where you’d be willing to live and work.3. Figure out what you really want.This is part of being selective- and will help you to hone your list. What do you really want out of your life, both your work life and your real life? How can you make the two work together? Develop and define the job you really want that allows you to fulfill yourself on all fronts. Don’t just look at postings and try to fit yourself into round holes. Craft square opportunities for your square peg and the rest will follow.4. Seek your dream.There’s no rule that says you canâ €™t research a company and a job you’d like, then write to your would-be supervisor at that company and express your enthusiasm for that particular job. Even if there aren’t any openings. Explain that this isn’t just another job to you, but your dream career- and how well you would be suited to both it and to the company.5. Be flexible.The pursuit of dreams can be a long process. Be willing to accept interim work, provided it won’t derail your bigger search, while you’re working towards your ultimate goal. Income can be a real asset to put you in a better position to continue working towards your dream.6. Figure out what you need to do.If there are any specific skills or qualifications you might need to get accepted into your dream position. You can find this out by asking a decision-maker in your field directly. Then start working to acquire those skills. The quicker you get them on lock down, the closer you are to your dream career.7. Get hel p.Ask a trusted friend or colleague for advice. Get a mentor. Make sure it’s someone you can trust to help you reach your goal, then lay out a strategy. It can be very helpful to be accountable to another person, also to have someone giving you a bit of extra perspective in your search.

Nicaragua Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Nicaragua - Essay Example Of the remainder, 17% are white and 9% are black The coastal plains rise to form a mountainous interior. The weather is warm and tropical, though it may be cooler in the mountainous areas. Nicaragua was settled by the Spanish in the 16th century and gained its independence in 1821. US Troops were sent to Nicaragua beginning in 1909 to quell uprisings and political unrest. The Samoza family ruled Nicaragua from 1936 until they were overthrown in 1979 by the Sandanistas. The religion is mostly Catholic which about three fourths of the people follow. Most of the rest are Evangelicals and less than 9% say they practice no religion. Nicaragua has a 68% literacy rate and Spanish is the official language. The government is formed as a republic with an executive, legislative, and judicial branch and they hold free elections on a regular basis. In 1978, due to corruption and government manipulation the people elected Daniel Ortega, a Marxist candidate. He ruled until 1990 when he was voted out when business was opposed to the slow pace of reforms. He was returned to power in 2006 in a free election. Nicaragua is one of the poorest nations in the hemisphere. It has a $2,900 per capita income and experiences high unemployment. It exports agricultural products such as bananas, coffee, rice, and tobacco. It has industries in chemicals, machinery and metal products and tourism is becoming more important. In 2004, they had a $4.5 billion dollar international debt forgiven. Though Nicaragua is poor, elementary education is free for all Nicaraguans. Elementary education is mandatory and many tribal areas have access to education in their native language. Nicaragua treasures academic freedom and Universities have autonomy in regards to the subjects taught. This respect extends to freedom of speech and ideas are openly welcome, as are diverse viewpoints. 30% of the

Old Man Coyote Makes the World- Crow Story -American Indian Myths and Essay

Old Man Coyote Makes the World- Crow Story -American Indian Myths and Legends - Essay Example This channel of communication and mutual understanding was evident from the very beginning of the story where Old Man Coyote wanted someone to talk to rather than someone to rule over. In his discourse with the ducks, He sought their advice rather than impose his own will upon them. Additionally, Old Man Coyote is not the all knowing creator which is commonly presented in western mythos since he does not know if there is anything in the world other than water, he does not even know that ducks can stay underwater for a long period of time. The image of the creator matches the idea of a very powerful being, but the being is not all knowing. Moreover, Old Man Coyote is not very well acquainted with many different ideas of society and social existence which were taught to him by other creatures. For instance, he does not understand war or the need for was as a social conflict that allows certain problems to be settled once and for all or as a means to improve a person’s social standing. Cirape is the character which comes across as the individual which has the wisdom of a god but does not have the strength to put his thoughts into action. Finally, the relationship which the creator animal has with other animals brings about an image of a united family since the characters address each other as younger and elder brothers. The image of family is essential to the progress of the storyline since even characters that are not cooperative and act in hostility are not killed off or banished. The case of the Bear is a predominant one since his rebellion does not take him to hell; rather he is supposed to hibernate for the winter months while the other animals can stay awake. In conclusion, the creation story of the native American mythology is an interesting work since it does give significant insights into native American culture as well as the relationships that a society should have as a result of following that particular culture. Of course