Effective SOW (Statement of Work) writing is essential for every organization as the SOW establishes the basis for managing the contract.
Requirements contained in the SOW gauge contractor performance and overall project results. In defining project objectives, deliverables and tasks, experts in this field insist that the procurement team should establish criteria that will facilitate its ability to link performance to results and to assess whether the project is meeting its objectives.
Some organizations lean on something called SMART to accomplish their SOW objectives. SMART stands for:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Realistic
- Time-bound
These five elements should be kept in mind at all times when writing a SOW. Other important parts of a SOW should include scope of work, milestones, schedules and deliverables.
A scope of work is a designated section for putting down what work needs to be completed in the project, how it will be executed, and how much time the project will take. General steps and process details should all be specified here.
Including milestones information is equally important. If the project is long and complex, it’s often broken down into milestones – interim events for measuring progress. Specifying duration and billable hours for each milestone will help you predict the end date of the project.
A schedule in SOW writing is a project timeline including milestones, tasks, and resources throughout the project’s lifecycle. Depending on the type of engagement you’re in, the schedule can be left until a later point. For example, if retainer agreements are used and you’re delivering services on an on-going basis, there will be less paperwork and, consequently, the schedule could be excluded.
Regarding deliverables, a complete SOW will quantify products or services that must be provided upon the completion of a project. Illustrate them and indicate what is due and when it is due.
Want to learn more? Tonex offers SOW Writing Training, a 2-day course that provides participants with concepts, tools, approaches, and configuration of Statement of Work.
Additionally, Tonex offers over five dozen other courses in Business Skills. Training covers everything from business writing and briefing skills to SOW Writing and Risk Management. Here are just a few of our courses in Business Skills:
Strategic Planning and Management Training (3 days)
Time Management and Organizational Skills (2 days)
Writing for Engineers, Scientists and Technical Managers (2 days)
Scope Management and Baseline Development (2 days)
Conflict Management Training (1 day)
Corporate Social Responsibility Training (2 days)
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