Engineer, Contracts

Job purpose

Review and process ADNOC directorates’ end user planned consultancy and insurance contract requests for the forthcoming year, initiate obtaining expression of interest or prequalification from companies for future tenders, develop end user contract requests into requests for tenders (RFT), obtain management approval of bidder list, act as a focal point between end user and bidders during the tender process, control the tender process from bid issue, handling bid clarifications, through to the bid submittal and technical and unpriced commercial evaluation phase, perform commercial evaluation, including determining negotiation strategy as applicable, prepare award recommendation for management approval, prepare contract award and related contract document for signature, assist end user with kick-off meeting with appointed contractor.

Provide support and advice to end users on evaluation criteria or evaluation methodology, plus various contractual and commercial arrangements, together with evaluating claims or requests for contract variations and maintain follow-up until close-out of the contract file.

Job specific accountabilities (part 1)

• Services tender process and contract award
• Review and process ADNOC directorate’s business unit (end user) draft planned procurement requirements for the forthcoming year, to determine or identify specific aspects to be addressed by end user when submitting a future contract request.
• Attend and provide input to a joint meeting between contracts division personnel and end user, to review end user’s draft planned procurement requirements, guiding end user as to future aspects to consider and address when submitting contract requests.
• Formally submit a checklist of general and specific items that end user needs to address when submitting individual contract requests for service or work requirements, plus reconfirming whether an expression of interest or a prequalification exercise is to be initiated, so as to establish market interest in the future tender.
• Prepare a memorandum for review (as applicable), informing category management team of potential group procurement or category management items identified within the draft planned procurement requirements received from end users.
• Formally in writing, obtain a list of potential bidders from ADNOC commercial directory, together with checking that end user proposed bidders are also registered with ADNOC commercial directory and in a suitable work activity aligned with the scope of the future bid.
• Prepare a write-up to the contracts division vice president (CDVP), describing and justifying that the work activity of the proposed long list of potential companies for an EOI or prequalification exercise is aligned to the scope of the future bid.
• Prepare a standard correspondence template invitation letter (prepared within the SAP Ariba system) for an expression of interest (EOI) or prequalification exercise, with the invitation letter reviewed by CDM and issued by the contracts division vice president (CDVP).
• Participate or review (as applicable) any EOI or prequalification queries received from invited companies and as necessary, coordinate with end user to obtain a written answer to queries raised. Depending on answer(s) received, determine whether answer is to be provided only to the company raising queries, or to all companies invited as an update to earlier scope information.
• Receive, participate or review and compile EOI or prequalification response from invited companies, prepare a standard correspondence memorandum for forwarding received information and documents to end user for review or evaluation.
• Review end user response to EOI or prequalification exercise, due diligence check that response aligns with information or documents received, with no anomalies – arithmetically check any prequalification evaluation scoring.
• Receive end user contract request (CR) through SAP Ariba (as allocated by CDM), review content of CR against previously established checklist of items informed to end user as to information or documents to be submitted with CR and determine whether:
  1. The CR is accepted as being complete for tender purposes, or
  2. CR is to be rejected due to being incomplete (formally confirm to CDM or CDVP to reject in SAP Ariba).
• Prepare write-up listing CR missing information and documents to be submitted by end user; CDM to review and issue when rejecting submitted CR.

Job specific accountabilities (part 2)

• Receive end user updated contract request (CR) through SAP Ariba (as allocated by CDM) and as earlier, review content of updated CR against previously established checklist of items informed to end user, so as to confirm to CDM or CDVP that CR can be accepted as complete for tender purposes.
• Prepare contract development plan for the tender and award of services or works upon receipt of complete and acceptable CR, in coordination with CDM and in agreement with end user.
• Prepare recommendation for bidders list and tender strategy for approval by management or tender board as per the delegation of authority.
• Determine in coordination with CDM the applicable request for tender (RFT) document to be selected from the general procurement initiative (GPI) suite of standard template RFTs and thereafter, using a contracts division checklist commence preparing and compiling the RFT from the CR documents for subsequent review by CDM and amendment as necessary.
• Upon receipt of approval of the bidders list and tender strategy, prepare standard correspondence bid invitation within SAP Ariba system, for review or endorsement by CDM, followed by review and issue by CDVP, with bid document attached. Ensure bidders formally confirm receipt of bid document.
• Review and endorse standard memorandum (to be reviewed and issued by CDM) for forwarding RFT document to end user for review and reference during the bid period.
• Following issue of the RFT and prior to the bid submittal date, coordinate, handle, arrange, prepare and formally in writing record for transparency and audit purposes the following activities:
  1. Receive bidders’ request for letter of assistance (as applicable), review and endorse standard memorandum to Human Capital & Administration (HC&A) requesting letters, receive letters from HC&A and review and endorse standard letter informing bidders to collect and process security passes for the forthcoming site visit.
  2. Follow contracts division checklist to coordinate and arrange with end user a bid clarification meeting and site visit, together with informing bidders of the arrangements and procedures to follow. Attend bid clarification meeting and site visit.
  3. Receive bidder queries through the SAP Ariba system, segregate as to who provides an answer (i.e. end user, procurement, legal, finance, etc.) and obtain formal written answers to queries raised. Depending on answer(s) received, determine whether answer is to be provided only to company raising the query, or more likely, to be issued to all bidders as a bid bulletin through SAP Ariba so as to update the RFT as required, including obtaining bidder confirmation of receipt.
• Receive and open technical and unpriced commercial bids in SAP Ariba.
• Coordinate, handle, arrange, prepare and formally in writing record during the end user technical team evaluation of bids and prior to the commercial bid evaluation, for transparency and audit purposes the following activities:
  1. Receive, coordinate and consolidate end user requested bid clarifications or queries, prepare individual bid clarification standard correspondence to each bidder, including receiving and processing bidders’ response to end user, or other business units.

Job specific accountabilities (part 3)

• If applicable, receive and coordinate end user request for a bid clarification meeting or visit to bidder’s facility, including formally documenting meeting or site visit arrangements, together with receiving and forwarding to end user any additional bidder information submitted. All associated correspondence to bidders or end user.
• Receive technical evaluation report issued by end user unit manager, review report and carry out due diligence checks as per contracts division checklist, if corrections, shortfalls or anomalies are found, prepare standard correspondence memorandum to end user highlighting said matters, in order for end user to correct or revise the technical evaluation report.
• Arrange commercial bid meetings with bidders, review standard correspondence letters formally confirming meeting time, date, location, procedures, etc.
• Prepare recommendation for award of services or works for approval by management or tender board as per the delegation of authority.
• Prepare letter of award (LOA) as per standard correspondence template, register contract in SAP to obtain contract number, upon receipt of award approval, forward LOAs for ADNOC delegated signature and then arrange for contractor’s collection and confirmation of receipt.
• Upon return of one fully signed letter of award (LOA) from contractor, review and check that LOA is correctly executed, review and endorse standard correspondence memorandum distributing LOA to end user and finance; CDM to review and issue memorandum.
• Prepare contract document (in coordination with end user as necessary) through consolidating tender bulletins, bidder’s technical bid submittal and bidder’s replies to tender clarifications into the original RFT document, using contracts division checklist guidelines, for review and checking by CDM.
• Review end user unit manager’s concurrence (or comments) and update contract, if comments are technically correct and or contractually acceptable. Arrange for two original contracts to be printed, then page check and initial each page of both contracts. Review or endorse standard correspondence letter issuing contracts to contractor for signature; CDM to review and issue letter if award has previously been confirmed by a letter of award, otherwise letter issuing contracts will need to be signed by ADNOC’s delegated signatory.
• Review contractor’s two signed original contract documents against contracts division checklist to ensure contracts have been correctly executed by contractor. Arrange for internal circulation for ADNOC signature as per delegation of authority and thereafter:
  1. Review or endorse standard letter issuing one fully signed contract to contractor; CDM to review and issue letter. Obtain contractor confirmation of receipt of contract.
  2. Review or endorse standard regret letter informing unsuccessful bidders of the close of the bid process.
• Prepare and follow contracts division checklist of items to be raised or addressed with end user’s contracts administrator prior to the kick-off meeting with the appointed contractor, together with those items to be raised or addressed to the appointed contractor by the contracts administrator during the kick-off meeting. CDM and CDVP to be kept informed of contracts administrator’s arranged kick-off meeting, should there be a need to attend.

Generic accountabilities

General day-to-day work tasks

• Update the status of tenders or contracts on weekly basis in SAP system to generate and provide reports as required and provide input for key performance indicators (KPI).
• Assist as required and provide input to end user regarding potential prequalification or technical evaluation criteria, in order to achieve a balanced and meaningful evaluation of companies or bidders.
• Follow up with concerned end users on the performance evaluation of contractors and complete close-out of contract files, together with ensuring the commercial directory are fully informed of the performance evaluation.
• Ensure all workflow correspondence and associated documentation, starting from the request to end user for a draft procurement plan and onwards through until the issue of the completion certificate(s) and contract close-out are correctly and fully filed within the SAP Ariba system, in order to provide a central library of tender and contract correspondence, so as to provide continuity, transparency and ease of audit, should there be a request to audit the tender or contract at any time.
• Provide input and update to the annual employee performance assessment system, including necessary review with CDM or CDVP.
• Review, provide input or recommend enhancements and changes to the procurement policies and procedures of the ADNOC group procurement function, as and when directed by the management.
• Liaise with commercial directory in respect of surveys for qualifying new contractors or service providers, including participation in shop surveys as and when required.
• Prepare and update standard correspondence, checklists, tender documents and standard forms as necessary to keep them relevant and valid, including coordination with legal, audit and assurance divisions and finance directorate, as necessary.
• Supervise the contracts engineers in developing contracts, consultancy, change orders and claims.
• Receive and verify claims and requests for variations, apply judgement and advise, propose negotiation strategies, meetings and attend such meetings to settle claims.
• Prepare recommendations for management approval and finalize the issue as appropriate.
• Perform other similar or related duties, as assigned, including preparing necessary documents, reports and analyses information as directed from time to time.

Supervision

• Plan, supervise and coordinate all activities in the assigned area to meet functional objectives.
• Train and develop the assigned staff on relevant skills to enable them to become proficient on the job and deliver the respective business objectives.

Budgets

• Provide input for preparation of the function, division, department or section budgets, assist in the implementation of the approved budget, and work plans to deliver business objectives.
• Investigate and highlight any significant variances to support effective performance and cost control.

Policies, systems, processes & procedures

• Implement approved function, division, department or section policies, processes, systems, standards and procedures in order to support execution of the work programs in line with company and international standards.
• Comply with all applicable legislation and legal regulations.

Performance management

• Contribute to the achievement of the approved performance objectives for the function, division, department or section in line with the company performance framework.

Innovation and continuous improvement

• Design and implement new tools and techniques to improve the quality and efficiency of operational processes.
• Identify improvements in internal processes against best practices in pursuit of greater efficiency in line with best industry standards in order to define intelligent solutions for issues confronting the function.

Health, safety, environment (HSE) and sustainability

• Comply with relevant HSE policies, procedures and controls and applicable legislation and sustainability guidelines in line with international standards, best practices and ADNOC code of practices.

Reports

• Provide inputs to prepare MIS and progress reports for company management.

Internal communications & working relationships

Regular contacts up to department manager or division VP levels with respective ADNOC directorates, who are initiating or administering contracts, so as to obtain clarifications and bid technical evaluations, give advice, etc. Occasional contacts with personnel of finance directorate, audit and assurance division and legal division on matters related to commercial and contractual terms and conditions, claims, etc.

External communications & working relationships

Frequent contacts with contractors, consultants, and service providers at senior management or top management level on matters of technical, commercial or contractual importance and regular contact with other ADNOC group companies equivalent personnel for discussion on corporate areas of cooperation or exchange of information or views.

Minimum qualification

Bachelor’s degree in engineering discipline (preferably civil, mechanical or electrical engineering or quantity surveying) or equivalent.

Minimum experience, knowledge & skills

• 6 years of professional experience in contract development, preferably in an oil, gas or petrochemical environment.
• Sound knowledge of commercial practices, legal aspects and negotiation skills.
• Computer literate and able to use or quickly adapt to specialized software utilized by ADNOC.
• Fluent in English. Fluency in Arabic is an advantage.
• Knowledge of contract law and commercial practice.
• Drafting terms and conditions of contract.
• Knowledge of key areas, such as indemnities, insurances, guarantees, warranties, liquidated damages, etc.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Ability to lead issues and proactively obtain resolution to problems.
• Ability to work on own initiative, without close supervision.
• Good negotiation skills.
• Able to handle multiple contract interactions (multi-tasking), manage a high workload, work in a demanding environment and demonstrate commitment.
• End user focused, responsive with positive outlook.
• Decisive and confident.
• Experience of working in a commercial, projects or business role and interfacing and liaising directly with contractors, consultants, etc.
• Extensive experience and expertise in tender development, preparation and evaluation.
• Thorough knowledge and understanding of oil and gas industry’s operations.
• Demonstrated experience in contract management.
• Good organizational and project management skills.
• High level problem solving skills to resolve complex and sensitive issues.
• Proficiency in the use of a range of office software.
• Interfacing with the legal, finance and insurance team.
• Safety awareness:
  • Take responsibility for supporting and developing the health and safety programme for the department.
  • Set an example for all employees and demonstrate commitment to the company’s health and safety policies and safety promotions.
  • Inform and train employees in the department so they can participate in the development and maintenance of safe and healthy working conditions and systems, plus at all times encourage workers to work safely and without risk to health.
  • Identify, control and report hazards or incidents.

Professional certifications

Professional qualifications, such as MRICS (full member of Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors), etc. Additional qualification in business administration or legal will be preferred.

Work condition, physical effort & work environment

• Physical effort: minimal – regular walking, standing and keyboard use, as required. Occasional visit to outside offices.
• Work environment: mostly air-conditioned environment. Exposed to prevailing environmental conditions during outside visits.