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David Ward
Commercially aware, I am a seasoned and resourceful professional with more than 35 years' international experience in bid & proposal management for the engineering and technical industries.
Location North Tyneside
Activity
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It would be interesting to know if smaller businesses have a greater tendency to treat all suppliers the same, as opposed to larger companies running 'strategic supplier' programmes. This may indicate a lack of knowledge and training on behalf of the smaller companies. My experience suggests this to be true.
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David Ward made a comment
I've enjoyed it - thank you!
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David Ward made a comment
The 'What's in it for We' approach - a set of tools to drive collaboration - let's get away from adversarial contract management
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That 30% of companies do not treat their most important suppliers any different to the others!
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David Ward made a comment
More collaboration. This would improve communication, build trust, help all parties learn from each other and strive for mutual improvement.
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David Ward made a comment
People are the biggest barriers to change. They have to be taken through a change process that helps them understand the issue causing the change (and how it relates to them) and also what the benefits to them will be they get there.
There is an accepted change curve that initially causes a loss of productivity before recovering over time to add... -
David Ward made a comment
Terrific. I like to see a 'Relationship Management' section in any contract that provides a framework for cooperation and communication - into this can be injected discussions about innovation and anything else that might affect the contract.
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David Ward made a comment
Complexity is a challenge, yet reducing complexity is one of the skills for the future. We need people to focus on the basics of business. If you have a department of 20 people creating metrics to check on everyone else, you're missing the point and becoming horribly unproductive as well. We forget that business is actually quite simple - understand what your...
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David Ward made a comment
Yves is a wise man. Too many times, my clients create a new function to solve an old problem. They build silos that don't talk or share. There is no trust or respect. Design 'create things we can't make'. Production 'can't make what we design'. Quality 'can't measure what we build'. Finance 'do things no-one else can understand''.
A contract should sit at... -
David Ward made a comment
I thoroughly enjoyed reading the Vested Way document - some great examples and very engaging
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Lucky man! You're privileged - it is rare to see this type of flow down. Make the most of it!
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David Ward made a comment
The 'We' requires a great deal of empathy for the other side - understanding how they perceive value, what is important to them and how they act in business - their culture. If you understand that, it is far easier to see how both sides can achieve a mutually beneficial solution. It no longer becomes a case of beat up the other side to get what you want....
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David Ward made a comment
Good negotiation takes a lot of training and role playing to learn the skills, then a lot of planning, discussion and preparation before you enter the room with the 'opposition'. Your must haves and 'like to haves' must be carefully understood. I'm a great believer in 'Purple' negotiation, where both sides can collaborate and win. Avoid 'Red' negotiation -...
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David Ward made a comment
Regular and open communication, at several levels of the organisations involved in the contract; potentially, open book accounting, so costs and profits are clear and apparent; greater sharing of resource, so personnel from both organisations begin to develop a 'sharing' culture - this may take the form of placing part of one company's process into the factory...
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David Ward made a comment
The COVID-19 crisis is certainly a 'Black Swan' event that was recognised. However, Governments are unwilling to put very large amounts of money and resource into mitigating the effects of what they see as 'extremely unlikely', even though the impact is immense.
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David Ward made a comment
I have a tough time thinking about competitors as 'stakeholders'. Using the analysis above, they fall into the 'monitor' category, which tends to be done infrequently. 'Monitor' should refer to the tax authorities, Government policy etc, something that does not move quickly. A competitor needs specific analysis skills applied to them regularly (daily in some...
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David Ward made a comment
Trust plays a key role in this question, as does the desire to build long term relationships. If a supplier has no desire to work with you long term, then you must veer toward control, via the contract (the 'stick'), rather than influencing them via a trusted relationship. A long term (assumed beneficial) relationship will encourage both parties to work...
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David Ward made a comment
A good review. Some low value, low attractiveness suppliers are still necessary in supply chains, and it's best to avoid reliance on one supplier for any parts you require. In the past, I've seen a lot of work done to 'second source' these more transactional parts.
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David Ward made a comment
Where life or death is dependent on the performance against a contract, or the defence of the nation is at risk, then powerful imbalances can exist in contracts (and some would say, rightly so). If a part is needed for a front line aircraft, then, in times of emergency, the Government will impose stringent and wide-reaching contract terms on a supplier. Under...
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David Ward made a comment
I was working for an aerospace company in Utah that had problems with a bespoke sensor made by a French company. The supplier refused to prioritise warranty repairs over other production. I had to fly to Paris and drive 3 hours to the factory, to have an unpleasant meeting with senior staff at the supplier. I came away with commitments to correct the problem,...
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David Ward replied to David Ward
That's very true @OsmanDaema-Bangura - but it is an option that you see with larger companies, such as those that team to build an old rig.
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David Ward made a comment
Interesting thoughts. I believe that a supplier-customer relationship works best when the power is shared, or balanced, and the value benefits both partners 'equally'. In reality this is difficult to achieve, but striving towards a balanced relationship will only deepen trust and lengthen the term of the relationship. People like doing business with those they...
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David Ward made a comment
The stages of supply chain development mirror the same stages for integration with customers - we are also part of a supply chain, unless we are the ultimate 'consumer'. Advanced customer relationships aim for interdependency, so that the customer can't do without the partner, or supplier, and vice versa. The two develop a long term beneficial relationship...
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David Ward made a comment
The ideas around legacy and social value are somewhat alien to the private sector. Until recently, private sector companies were focused on outcomes and profit. Partnership with the public sector in the UK, and especially because of the wonderful legacy of the Games, has re-aligned some private companies to the ideals of legacy, social value, environment and...
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Hi Siloata - click on the link above and go to the IACCM page for signing up to an account. The box that has the price in it (the default is for $200) - click on the box and a drop down appears - the free trial membership is at the bottom. Select this and sign up. I've just done this and it works OK. The trial costs nothing.
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David Ward made a comment
I am renowned for asking stupid questions - it's a skill that any interim manager needs to develop! One of my favourites is; "What if we do nothing?" This helps sharpen up the 'need' and really pull out the value of any proposed change. Change means risk means cost. Few people consider the 'do nothing' option but it must always be reviewed to understand the...
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David Ward made a comment
Any contract must understand 'what good looks like'. What are you aiming to do? What is the outcome? How do we know we've got there and how do we measure it? And more importantly - how do we measure our progress against an agreed timeline during the journey to the end?
That way, we can see if we are on target - if not, we can review, analyse, revise and put... -
David Ward replied to David Ward
Absolutely right Nicholas - it should not come as a surprise to named people in the delivery department that they were in the bid and are on the hook to deliver! But I've seen it happen.......
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Good point Linda - there are a lot more learning points to come from the case study - would be good to get the perspective of the contracts managers from both sides!
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David Ward made a comment
The joy of a low price disappears long before the pain of poor quality subsides.
I'll happily pay extra for good or high quality in pretty much everything, especially services. If I need a plumber, I'll spend a goodly amount of time making sure that he/she is reliable, well thought of and produces high quality work.
Once I've decided on the spec of a...
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David Ward made a comment
I agree very much with these comments.
I find that many companies think they understand what the customer perceives as value, when they don't. Many suppliers don't even ask the simple question!
I see many opportunities for the private sector customer-supplier to work together to reduce cost (and ultimately the 'price' that the customer pays) - there...
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David Ward made a comment
I can see issues that need to be resolved;
1. Target savings profile over time, with defined sharing of savings
2. Agreed downtime of plant to allow upgrades, with no cost to Pilkington
3. Payment of savings to Siemens, and agreed method of energy savings measurement
4. Well-defined scope of project, who is responsible for it? What is the starting point... -
David Ward made a comment
There are many wide-ranging comments here. Value is always key to a contract, and that value has to be recognised by both parties.
One of the most innovative supplier approaches I have seen involved an aerospace supplier in Ogden, Utah, who supplied major parts to Boeing. They used a lot of small parts - shims, a multitude of fasteners, nuts, etc - all of...
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David Ward made a comment
In the nuclear engineering and aerospace fields, the issue of counterfeit parts is a huge concern - and has caused deadly accidents. Something as 'simple' as a counterfeit bolt has caused the loss of an aircraft and a leak of nuclear waste.
Counterfeiting is bad wherever and whenever it happens. If I've paid £20m to develop a perfume, I'm not going to be...
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I bet! I seem to remember that the cold weather that year was an 'Alberta clipper'. Not nice.
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David Ward made a comment
Some very good points @Douglas Macbeth. Very often, I've had to be very tenacious about identifying background IP. It can take some time and a real attention to detail to protect it properly. I remember having to tell a draughtsman to draw a coloured box around a technical drawing to protect some 'foreground' IP in a circuit that we designed for a customer. A...
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David Ward made a comment
As an interim bid manager, I often have to complete the 'Health and Safety' section. Sadly, H&S managers don't seem to see the importance of engaging in a bid. That's sad and frustrating.
Many see the H&S section as a box ticking exercise. So let's put that into perspective.
During one of my assignments for a world leading engineering company, one of our... -
David Ward made a comment
'Good customers' do not take advantage of their supply chains in any respect - and regarding the more appalling behaviours - child labour, slavery etc - how will its own people think about it when they find out? Any brand loyalty will be utterly destroyed. We need far stronger sentences against anyone directly involved in these appalling...
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David Ward replied to David Ward
People are behind relationship management, which is at the core of building trust. I'd suggest that changing people out will damage your ability to develop long term relationships and deep trust.
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David Ward replied to Linda D
Developing trust or developing confidence? Interesting discussion to see which comes first and how do we establish that.
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Great comments @LindaD - putting two brains from opposite ends of the spectrum into the same contract will have interesting and explosive results! And not good ones, necessarily.
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David Ward made a comment
The thoughts are running tonight! Another one - in the aerospace/nuclear and advanced engineering industries, I've seen larger customers - such as Rolls-Royce and Parker Aerospace - put 'Industrial Engineers' (who work for the procurement departments) into key suppliers, especially ones that are new to the company. The idea is not to spy on them, but to help...
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David Ward made a comment
Another quick point - I've seen increasing numbers of contracts (usually quite large ones) require both parties to identify 'key people' for the delivery of that contract. Any changes to that list must be identified and talked through with the other party. If the list changes regularly, that's a bad thing! Instability and too much change adds risk. The other...
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David Ward made a comment
Relationship Management is at the heart of trust building - people do business with people, not bricks and mortar. So how you deal with people is key to your success. The culture of a company is also important and I know that SCMG has done important work here - if your company is full of 'touchy, feely, sensitive' people who rely on trust and sharing to get a...
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David Ward replied to David Ward
It's a long time ago and I've been through several new PC's since then - but I will try to find it. I'll probably be embarrassed at how naive it was. But worth a look.
Risk is one of the factors that limits your ability to grow and survive. I'd caution against always taking large risks - by definition, the numbers will one day work against you. High risks and... -
David Ward replied to LEOPOLDO VENTURA
...and you need a process to capture the comments and learning as you go. It needs to be a rigorous and documented process, to force you to do it. When things get busy, it's one of the things forgotten about or sidelined.
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David Ward replied to Lavonne Whitlock
Great call @LavonneWhitlock . What is often forgotten is that a solid process is needed to capture the data as you go through the contract, which then allows you to develop the lessons. If you don't capture the data at the right time, it's almost impossible to go back and recreate it. And doing lessons learned (or learning by experience - LFE) is a real chore...
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David Ward made a comment
I'd look for;
Risk and reward - how do we manage and mitigate risks - and who is responsible (the Senior Risk Owner - SRO).
Profit margins - how robust are the estimates? How do we measure what our costs and margins are? Is there a cost that we are particularly sensitive to - such as one exchange rate risk, or a supplier with a large percentage of the... -
David Ward replied to David Ward
Great comment Caitlin. I've previously had to deal with large companies with 'Nett 60 days' or even 90 days terms. This means that they pay 90 days AFTER receipt of your invoice and agreeing that it is valid. That can be many months.
I've also had to deal with grant programmes which hold back 30% payment of the grant until the project is completed. You really... -
David Ward made a comment
Thought provoking! As a bid manager, I've seen some of these issues (but not all) which tells me that the industry is somewhat 'mature.
1. Handover issues from sales to bids and then bids to production/delivery. Failure is either of these handovers means that you're unprofessional, inefficient and probably arrogant!
2. Integated teams; for big contracts, if... -
David Ward replied to Steve Grange
A fine summary @SteveGrange . You stole my thunder - I was about to write 'what does good look like' as a, sometimes, tough question to ask both sides in the equation. The answers will tell if both sides are 'aligned'.
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David Ward replied to David Ward
Absolutely right @ReejuKarunakaran - and it takes time, money and patience! But the rewards from such as a 'deep' relationship can be tremendous.
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David Ward made a comment
Understanding what each party wants from a contract is crucial to its overall success. The smaller the supply company you contract with, the more important cash flow becomes. It was a bugbear for decades, until quite recently, that the public sector were slow payers. That has been recognised and the governance around the payment of suppliers has been improved....
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David Ward made a comment
Wherever I've worked around the globe, I've found the approach to contracting to be similar and the challenges to be similar. What has caused me massive issues is the local culture of the organisations I was looking to contract with. This came to a head in China some 5 years ago - people there won't consider you 'serious' until you've made 4 or 5 trips to see...
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Thanks Johanna, really looking forward to it!
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David Ward made a comment
Hello World! I'm David from Whitley Bay in North East England. I've been a bid manager for 40 years, getting involved with customers' needs and creating bids and contracts, as well as negotiating. It's a fascinating but demanding job and one I love. The current C-19 crisis is a great time to refresh my skills. I'm really impressed at the global reach of this...
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David Ward made a comment
The initial thoughts about empire were discussed in Elizabeth's reign, but it was in James's reign that the formal colony of Jamestown was established and survived.
I should point out that Ralegh's colony was founded at Roanoke Island in what is now North Carolina but was originally called Virginia, after the Virgin Queen. Roanoke Island is on the Outer...
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David Ward made a comment
They were the places where he practised his art, allowing the common folk to enjoy his works. The popularity of his plays would have attracted rich benefactors and even the Queen herself. Without them, he had no 'forum' for people to visit and enter into the world of his plays.
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David Ward made a comment
The Tudors certainly matter today - their stamp on the country is still visible. The characters are remarkable and the drama that unfolded is unbounded. They thought big and acted bigger.
The most remarkable subject has been the black Tudors - I need to learn more. -
David Ward made a comment
It is too easy to consider Elizabeth as a remarkable woman in a man's world. She was a remarkable monarch, full stop. (During this course, I've come to realise that 3 of our most remarkable monarchs are/have been women.) That, really, is all that needs to be said.
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Absolutely, well said.
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David Ward made a comment
If the film gets people more interested in history - that's a good thing. If it makes people think that the storyline is what actually happened - that's a bad thing, especially as the facts are so different to the plot of this film!
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David Ward made a comment
She certainly saw the vision of trade in the East, and started off the EIC. But James was the driving force, giving it the monopoly and long term future it craved.
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David Ward made a comment
It certainly did - faction fighting at Court was not what Elizabeth wanted. She hated it. This was one reason why she didn't include much new blood in the Council for many years. Cecil jr was the exception due to his father's influence.
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David Ward made a comment
I believe that Essex was desperate and had one card left to play - gain the Queen's ear and persuade her that he was a loyal advisor. Creating a rebellion is a risky way to do it!
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David Ward made a comment
The initial voyages were certainly under Elizabeth's direction - Ralegh travelled to North Carolina and one of the cities of NC is named after him. Jamestown was founded under James I, but certainly followed in the footsteps of Elizabeth's explorers.
The difficulties posed to the settlers were not presented by the native Americans, who, largely, were... -
David Ward made a comment
The subject of the 'Strangers' is very dear to my heart. As a white Northumbrian, I was surprised to find that 0.5% of my DNA is from Nigeria. Over the last 10 years I've traced my ancestors back some 24 generations, but I've been unable to track down the link to Nigeria. I'm so keen to understand where this link originates.
I'm so pleased to hear that... -
Hi April - I heartily suggest that you do the course 'England in the time of King Richard III' - it is very enjoyable and engaging. It really opened my eyes to the life of Richard. Not what you might expect!
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David Ward made a comment
Most definitely. There has always been a bias towards the kings, as strong and vibrant, even in their older years. Queens are seen as spiteful, bickering and bad tempered, wishing for their earlier years to return. Hopefully, this appalling bias will unwind in years and generations to come.
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David Ward made a comment
I would need to know more about her, but she does seem to have been hounded by bad luck and dying husbands. Her last husband was swayed by the Scottish Queen and seems to have treated her badly. But she had her family and built a great house - perhaps she had the last laugh after all.
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David Ward made a comment
I wouldn't say she was a tyrant in the modern sense - she did not seek absolute power but was easily capable of manipulating her advisors. I'd say she was a calculating bully who feared for her future. A bad temper never gets any better in old age, as the regrets of the past take over.
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David Ward made a comment
I think it was, although Cecil Jr. could not be considered old blood. Hers was a choice between new ideas that might spark infighting, or the status quo.
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David Ward made a comment
Elizabeth supported the Dutch and the French as they sought to repel the Spanish armies from their lands. Both actions angered Philip II. Action in Ireland also meant that Philip's army had to be countered by Elizabeth's Ireland contingents, leading to more bitterness and resentment. There was a continuing belief that Philip would invade, whatever the English...
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David Ward made a comment
Ultimately successful, it came at an unacceptable cost in lives and money. Her policies guaranteed the hatred of the Irish people for decades to come.
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David Ward made a comment
It's only helpful if the last 15 years were distinctly different to her years prior to the Armada - I guess we'll find out!
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David Ward made a comment
Elizabeth was a monarch much loved by her people. She was the 'mother' of England and did whatever was necessary to protect her people and her country. But she followed on from three failed monarchs. At last, the English had a long reigning monarch who could embed the changes wished by Henry VIII. Hers was the starting point for international expansion. She is...
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David Ward made a comment
It is one of the key achievements in English history - even those of us who have not studied the Tudors know about the Armada and Elizabeth. The weather supported us, as usual, and the destruction of their fleet caused a further loss of confidence in Philip. Although he tried again, he had lost his moment and England was secure.
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David Ward replied to Veronica R
It's superb, Veronica. I must get back to the NPG when I can!
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David Ward made a comment
It must have engaged many of the 'populous' in the ideal of positive protection for the Queen. Their opinions mattered, and their support was sought and documented. In this document, all were equal in their support and protection for the Queen. Surely, it also help support the love of the people for their Queen, that she would seek their devotion and protection?
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David Ward made a comment
His actions certainly provoked the Spanish into action, and their losses would delay the Armada. That delay could have saved England. But his effect on the people of England must have been significant. A PR diamond, his tales must have been told in many an inn.
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David Ward made a comment
Not at that time, as the threat of the Armada was to prove. Taking over the Dutch estates would have riled the Spanish and the Pope.
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David Ward made a comment
Enough of it is true to make it almost believable, while telling a good story that will bring the masses flooding into the cinemas - which they did. As I've said before in this course - don't let the truth get in the way of a good story! But so much of it is incorrect that any scholar must surely turn in their grave at the enormity of it!
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David Ward made a comment
The 1586 Babington Plot was the most serious since it had the actual support of Mary, as well as overseas armies supported by the Spanish King and the Pope. It sealed Mary's fate, whether Elizabeth wanted her dead or not.
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David Ward made a comment
Yes it was, and his necessary commitment to his Queen was proven by the emergence of the Babington plot. I understand that there were several other attempts on her life, especially from agents of the Pope and the Spanish king.
Several of my ancestors were from prominent 'pro-Catholic' families in the counties of Lincolnshire, Suffolk and Norfolk. One was...
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David Ward made a comment
I'm very surprised at this revelation! I was not aware that Elizabeth had an interest in alchemy or that she had laboratories built in her palaces. I'm also surprised that such work was not considerable borderline heretical - talking to angels seems to be an activity that would get you into trouble with the church of the time. People were burnt for less!
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David Ward made a comment
She wanted to show the country what would happen to any Catholic rebellion, especially one that aimed to put Mary on the throne. She choose this outcome rather than the 'unpalatable' execution of a rival Queen. Sadly, this terminal ending was only delayed by many years.
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David Ward made a comment
If anything it helped her - since she didn't need to pander to the wants of a husband who might turn into a competitor for the throne. She lived for her country, and her people loved her for it.
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David Ward made a comment
There was give and take from both sides. Courtiers were in competition for position and her affection, while the Queen played the game - possibly for sport but also to ensure loyalty.
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David Ward made a comment
Mary is mostly seen as the victim - a beautiful, intelligent woman who has been denied her rights by Elizabeth. Mary's innocence is betrayed by her plotting to kill Elizabeth and take the throne.
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David Ward made a comment
She certainly was. As a figurehead for any disenchanted 'closet-Catholics' in the English nobility (and there were many), she would have been a powerful reason for rebellion. Securing her release was the issue, and Elizabeth always made sure she was well secured.
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David Ward made a comment
Dudley's family history would have been a major obstacle, as was his relationship with Cecil, a powerful man. As the son and grandson of traitors, it would have caused a mighty scandal if Elizabeth had proceeded. She would have risked losing the love of her nation if the marriage had been announced with Dudley.
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David Ward made a comment
Virginity is a 'disease' and in need of a cure! There have been many teenagers over the years who thought the same!
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David Ward made a comment
Bad acting, bad storytelling and bad direction will kill any film, never mind an historical one. But the worst thing to do is watch an historical movie when you know the 'real' story. The mistakes jump out at you! You become quite a bore at the cinema.
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David Ward made a comment
The country was a great deal more 'Protestant' in 1603 than it had been at any earlier time. Elizabeth had enjoyed a long reign, with the time to embed the changes into society and law that cemented the place of the reformed church into society. Even Henry VIII had not been able to do that.
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David Ward made a comment
In the early days of her reign, they would have thought of her as pliable and naive. There's no doubt that some, or all, took advantage. But I suspect that such an opinion did not last long.
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David Ward made a comment
They way that she was used as a political pawn in Wyatt's rebellion, and the behaviour of Thomas Seymour would have made her 'street-wise' very quickly. As a young girl she must have realised how she could be manipulated. No doubt, that forced her to become award of the political landscape. She was aware of how careful she must be to avoid implication in other...
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David Ward made a comment
Edward was the 'best of a bad lot'. He had enacted great change and followed on from his Father's dreams and decisive actions. But he was a minor and had been dominated by Somerset and Warwick. Most of his change was rolled back by Mary.
Jane was never allowed to show her worth as Queen. A young girl, she was betrayed by the Establishment and bad luck.
Mary... -
David Ward made a comment
She had laboured long and hard to win over the Privy Council and declare war. And yet, when she was offered her chance, a lack of commitment to resources, and poor strategic planning, led to the loss of Calais and thousands of men. As a military leader, she was a failure. And many of the nobles of the land who had supported her, and placed her onto the throne,...
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David Ward made a comment
Creating Martyrs is always a short sighted act that has many unintended consequences. I believe that if Mary had not died so early into her reign, she would have faced a widespread revolt.
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David Ward made a comment
Baldwin's opinion is that the overall change from Catholicism to Protestantism is not yet fully embedded into society. That there is a danger of the country reverting back to the 'old religion'. And how right he was - the experiences of Lady Jane and Bloody Mary show that the conventions, social systems and the necessary machinery of English law and government...
