Overview

Successful procurement is often described as a sequence of activities: define a requirement, approach the market, evaluate suppliers, negotiate a contract and manage delivery. In complex environments, however, the process is rarely the hardest part. The greater challenge is translating between the different languages spoken by business leaders, government, procurement, legal, finance, technical specialists and industry—and ensuring those perspectives converge in a commercial arrangement that delivers the intended outcome.

A strategic objective must become a clear requirement; that requirement must inform the procurement strategy and evaluation approach; the selected commercial model must allocate risk realistically; and the resulting contract must establish obligations, incentives, acceptance criteria and governance that support delivery. When these translations fail, organisations can end up with ambiguous requirements, unsuitable suppliers, mispriced risk, weak acceptance decisions, contractual disputes or technology that does not meet the business need.

This masterclass uses the Rosetta Stone as a practical model for creating a common commercial language. It brings together strategic alignment, commercial contracting, supplier performance and risk management, with targeted consideration of AI governance and the acceptance of AI-enabled products and services. Participants will examine how to make risk ownership explicit, define evidence-based acceptance, maintain human accountability and ensure that AI-related assurances are proportionate to the intended use and consequences of failure. Australian and Asia-Pacific examples will help participants connect governance and commercial principles to practical decisions.

The objective is not simply to run a compliant procurement or produce a well-written contract. It is to translate organisational intent into defensible commercial decisions and measurable outcomes.

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

• Explain why complex procurement outcomes often fail at the translation points between strategy, requirements, evaluation, contracting and delivery.
• Translate business objectives and stakeholder needs into clear, measurable and testable requirements.
• Align procurement strategy, market approach and evaluation criteria with the outcomes and risks that matter.
• Identify and allocate commercial, delivery, technology, security and supplier risks to parties best placed to manage them.
• Translate requirements into contract obligations, acceptance criteria, performance measures, incentives and remedies.
• Identify proportionate AI governance controls, including human oversight, transparency, data protection, security, auditability and accountability.
• Develop risk-based acceptance approaches for AI-enabled products and services, including evidence requirements, limitations, escalation and remediation.
• Improve supplier governance and performance management so that contractual compliance supports, rather than substitutes for, successful outcomes.

Featuring Our Speakers

 

 

 

 

Ben Steven
Commercial Manager
Amentum

He is a Procurement and Contract Management specialist with extensive experience complex commercial matters. He has considerable experience in the initiation, evaluation, negotiation and active contract management of these commercial processes for government, institutional and private industry. He possesses an intimate and in-depth knowledge of Commonwealth Contract Suites and first-hand knowledge of the Australian, Tasmanian, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory Government’s procurement policy frameworks, as well as an demonstrated understanding of sourcing and supply processes to deliver Services to government and industry partners.

He delivers optimal value and outcomes, whilst also adhering to a process that is transparent, defensible and efficient. His enthusiasm, innovation and determination has also been exploited in Australian Government process refinement, risk management, business analysis, technical writing and private sector procurement.

An affable and skilled communicator, he is adept at identifying weaknesses in procedure and developing improvements to ensure these limitations do not become an issue. In addition to this, he is a highly skilled and effective listener, capable of rapidly assessing complex issues and then convey the essential issues and recommendations with clarity for his audience.

He has successfully managed commercial and contract aspects for major, high-profile and complex projects. This experience includes collaborating with Business Development and Capture Managers to secure new work by providing invaluable support on tenders. He has extensive experience in authoring, reviewing and approving Approach to Market documents, evaluating submissions, engaging with potential partners and subcontractors, leading commercial authoring for tender responses, and managing commercial approval processes for new business.

He demonstrates a keen ability to navigate complex procurement processes, negotiate contracts, and forge strong partnerships with both internal stakeholders and external vendors. He possesses a deep understanding of the Australian Industry landscape and is well-versed in adhering and reporting against regulatory frameworks and compliance standards, and the requirements of Parliament and other Government requirements.

Who should attend?

Senior procurement and commercial professionals.

• Executives responsible for strategy, transformation, major projects and programs.
• Contract managers and supplier relationship managers.
• Government and public-sector procurement and governance professionals.
• Project, program and portfolio managers.
• Technology, digital, data, cyber security and technical specialists involved in sourcing or acceptance decisions.
• Legal, finance, risk, assurance and compliance professionals.
• Business owners accountable for accepting supplier deliverables, systems or services

Topics Covered

• The Languages of Procurement: Establishing the Common Meaning
• From Strategic Intent to Market and Evaluation
• The Modern Commercial Contract: Risk, Performance and Acceptance
• AI Governance and Risk-Based Acceptance
• From Contract to Outcome: Assurance and Continuous Alignment