Overview & Key Terms
These are the transactional steps included in the future‑state consultant engagements activity lifecycle.
What are Activity Request, Contracting, Invoicing, Payment, and Close‑Out?
This foundational artifact ensures consultant engagements align to strategic goals and approved demand before activities can move forward.
What is the Annual Needs Assessment?
This form captures the legitimate business need, service type, compensation structure, and consultant demand for an engagement.
What is the Activity Request Form?
This team reviews Activity Requests for completeness, accuracy, and readiness before contracting can begin.
Who is the Operational Team?
This status prevents a consultant from being included in an approved activity request.
What is “Pending,” “Expired,” or “Rejected” due diligence status?
These processes support consultant engagements but may not occur every time.
What are the supporting processes (Annual Needs Assessment, Consultant Profile Management, Due Diligence, FMV, and MSA Management)?
In the future state, this role is responsible for initiating the Annual Needs Assessment and aligning with Finance on available budget.
Who is the Responsible Business Unit (RBU)?
Before routing an Activity Request forward, what two consultant prerequisites must be confirmed?
Approved due diligence status and completed FMV tiering.
Why does the system automatically restrict consultants whose due diligence has expired?
To prevent engagements without current risk validation.
This role owns the strategic decision‑making and business need for a consultant engagement.
Who is the Responsible Business Unit (RBU)?
Why must an Activity Request link to an approved Annual Needs Assessment before consultant selection can proceed?
To ensure the activity aligns to pre‑approved strategic need, scope, and capacity.
If a consultant does not yet have an hourly rate in an MSA, what flexibility does the system allow?
An activity‑specific hourly rate may be added, subject to FMV limits and approvals.
Why is cross‑border identification critical during Operational Team review?
Because host‑country compliance input may be required to assess risk.
What control ensures consultant compensation remains defensible and market‑appropriate?
Fair Market Value (FMV) tiering.
This team facilitates and manages the process in the system but does not own the business decision.
Who is the Operational Team?
This committee approval step exists to ensure consultant demand is reviewed holistically—not activity by activity.
What is Consultant Engagements Committee review?
What happens automatically if a proposed hourly rate exceeds the consultant’s FMV tier maximum?
It is treated as an exception and routed for additional approvals.
If information is missing or unclear, what is the intended Operational Team response in future state?
Request additional information rather than advancing or rejecting prematurely.
Why are invoices reviewed against both the contract and proof of performance?
To confirm services were delivered as agreed before payment is released.
What is the key difference between the Responsible Business Unit and the Operational Team in the future‑state model?
The RBU owns the business decision and need, while the Operational Team manages execution and process oversight.
If an Activity Request cannot link to an approved Annual Needs Assessment, what must occur before the request can continue?
The Annual Needs Assessment must be modified and re‑approved.
Why does the future‑state design allow consultant alternates to be identified during Activity Request creation?
To reduce delays if a primary consultant becomes unavailable while preserving alignment to the approved activity.
Why does the future‑state design place routing decisions (contracting vs. compliance vs. cross‑border review) with the Operational Team?
To centralize risk‑informed triage while maintaining segregation of duties.
What risk is the automated close‑out of Activity Requests specifically designed to prevent?
Duplicate or unauthorized payments after services are complete.