The areas to be considered while monitoring and controlling a contract are wide spread. They are:

Physical mobilisation: In this stage, the contractor gathers people, materials and equipment to begin his work. You should mobilise personnel (contract manager), systems and equipment required to manage the contractor?s performance. This has to happen immediately after  contract  award.  The  contract  manager  hired  focuses  on  the following in this stage:

• Initial set of contractor?s submittals are received, reviewed and filed.
• Initial meeting between contract manager and contractor?s job site
• manager is conducted.
• System and facilities for maintaining contract records and conducting contract related transactions are established.

Typical submittal comprises: This includes:

• Evidence of insurance coverage.
• Fabrication/installation procedures (rigging methods, weld procedures and so on.), concrete placement schedules and soil compaction methods.
• Quality assurance and control program documentation.
• Fabrication, supply and construction schedules.
• Detailed schedules for contractor?s submission of technical documents consisting of construction drawings, shop drawings, detailed specifications of materials or sample products in contractor?s scope of supply, Operations and Maintenance (O and M) manuals and so on in accordance with what is agreed in the contract.
• Signed bond forms.

You should realise importance of a good contract records, as these records will greatly facilitate:

• Technical and compliance by both parties.
• Contract auditing.
• Control of correspondence.
• Change control.
• To make progress payments and the final payment.
• For quality control.
• To operate the completed facility.
• As  a  claims  defence;  the  party  which  maintains  the  best documentation prevails in the claims arena.
• If personnel managing the contract can get shifted out of the project, the past records assume great importance in such a scenario.