vendor-management

name	vendor-management
description	Manage subcontractors, offshore partners, and multi-vendor project structures for IT consulting engagements. Use this skill when the user asks to "manage subcontractors", "協力会社管理", "vendor management", "create a RACI matrix", "multi-vendor org chart", "offshore management", "オフショア管理", "パートナー管理", "subcontractor evaluation", "協力会社評価", or needs to structure and govern relationships with external development partners. Also trigger for "再委託管理", "外注管理", "vendor onboarding", "partner selection", and any request to organize multi-company project teams.
metadata	{"version":"0.1.0"}

Vendor Management (協力会社管理)

Manage subcontractors, offshore partners, and multi-vendor project structures with RACI matrices, performance tracking, and governance frameworks.

Why This Matters

Most Japanese SIer projects involve subcontractors (協力会社) — sometimes 50%+ of the team. Poor vendor management is the #1 hidden cause of project failure. The prime contractor is accountable to the client for everything, including subcontractor quality. Managing this well means clear boundaries, measurable quality gates, and governance that catches problems before they reach the client.

Workflow

Step 0: Connect to NotebookLM

Query the RFP for vendor-related requirements:

notebooklm ask "Does the RFP restrict or require specific subcontracting arrangements, including re-delegation (再委託) rules?" --json
notebooklm ask "Are there data residency, security clearance, or location requirements that affect vendor selection?" --json
notebooklm ask "Does the client require approval of subcontractors or key personnel?" --json
notebooklm ask "What are the contractual terms around liability, IP ownership, and confidentiality for subcontractors?" --json
notebooklm ask "Are there requirements for on-site presence, co-location, or specific work locations?" --json

Step 1: Vendor Structure Design

Ask the user:

• Project scale: Total team size and budget
• In-house capacity: Which roles/skills are available internally
• Gaps to fill: Specific skills, capacity, or cost optimization needs
• Delivery model: Full onshore, nearshore, offshore, hybrid
• Client constraints: Security clearances, location requirements, language needs
• Existing partners: Preferred vendors with track record

Step 2: Multi-Company Organization Chart

Design the project organization showing all companies:

[Client Organization]
├── Client PM / Sponsor
├── Client Technical Lead
└── Client Business Users (UAT)

[Prime Contractor (Your Company)]
├── Project Director (統括責任者)
├── Project Manager
├── PMO
├── Technical Architect
└── QA Lead

[Subcontractor A — Development Partner]
├── Sub-PM (A社窓口)
├── SE × N
└── PG × N

[Subcontractor B — Infrastructure Partner]
├── Sub-PM (B社窓口)
└── Infrastructure Engineers × N

[Offshore Center (if applicable)]
├── Bridge SE (ブリッジSE)
├── Offshore PM
└── Offshore Development Team × N

Key rules:

• Every company has exactly ONE contact point (窓口) to the prime contractor
• No direct communication between client and subcontractors without prime contractor involvement
• Bridge SE is mandatory for offshore — they translate requirements, culture, and quality standards

Step 3: RACI Matrix

Define responsibility across companies for key activities:

Activity	Client	Prime PM	Prime Tech	Sub-A	Sub-B	Offshore
Requirements definition	A	R	C	I	I	I
Basic design	C	A	R	C	I	I
Detailed design	I	A	R	R	R	C
Development	I	A	C	R	R	R
Unit testing	I	A	C	R	R	R
Integration testing	C	A	R	C	C	I
System testing	A	R	C	I	I	I
UAT support	R	A	C	I	I	I
Infrastructure setup	C	A	I	I	R	I
Deployment	A	R	C	I	R	I
Deliverable review	A	R	R	I	I	I
Quality assurance	I	A	R	I	I	I

Legend: R=Responsible, A=Accountable, C=Consulted, I=Informed

Step 4: Vendor Evaluation & Selection

Selection Criteria Matrix:

Criterion	Weight	Vendor A	Vendor B	Vendor C
Technical capability	25%
Past performance with us	20%
Cost competitiveness	20%
Resource availability	15%
Communication quality	10%
Financial stability	10%
Weighted Score	100%

Due Diligence Checklist:

• Company registration and financial statements reviewed
• NDA (秘密保持契約) executed
• Security audit / ISMS certification confirmed
• Reference check with other clients
• Sample deliverable quality reviewed
• Key personnel CV and interview completed
• Conflict of interest check (not working for competitor on same client)
• Insurance coverage confirmed

Step 5: Governance Framework

Meeting Cadence:

Meeting	Participants	Frequency	Purpose
Steering Committee	Client + Prime Director	Monthly	Strategic decisions
Project Status	Prime PM + Sub-PMs	Weekly	Progress, issues, risks
Technical Sync	Prime Architect + Sub Leads	Weekly	Design alignment, tech decisions
Quality Review	Prime QA + Sub QA	Bi-weekly	Deliverable quality, defect trends
Offshore Standup	Bridge SE + Offshore PM	Daily	Task progress, blockers

Quality Gates for Subcontractor Deliverables:

Gate	Criteria	Action if Failed
Design Review	Compliance with base design, naming conventions, standards adherence	Return with specific correction items
Code Review	Coding standards, security checklist, performance baseline	Block merge, return for fixes
Unit Test	Coverage ≥ 80%, all tests pass, no critical Sonar issues	Return for additional coverage
Deliverable Acceptance	Template compliance, content completeness, review comments addressed	Return with checklist of gaps

Escalation Path:

1. Sub-PM ↔ Prime PM (operational issues, 1-2 day resolution)
2. Sub Director ↔ Prime Director (contractual, resource, quality issues)
3. Sub Executive ↔ Prime Executive (contract disputes, termination)

Step 6: Performance Tracking

Monthly Vendor Scorecard:

KPI	Target	Actual	Status
Deliverable on-time rate	≥ 90%		🟢/🟡/🔴
Defect density (per KLOC)	≤ X		🟢/🟡/🔴
Rework rate	≤ 10%		🟢/🟡/🔴
Resource turnover	≤ 5%/quarter		🟢/🟡/🔴
Communication responsiveness	Response within 4h		🟢/🟡/🔴
Security incident count	0		🟢/🟡/🔴

Scoring:

• 🟢 Meets or exceeds target
• 🟡 Within 10% of target
• 🔴 More than 10% below target — corrective action required

Corrective Action Process:

1. Issue identified → documented in scorecard
2. Discuss with Sub-PM → agree corrective action and timeline
3. If not resolved in 2 weeks → escalate to Director level
4. If pattern continues → formal warning letter (改善要求書)
5. If no improvement → consider replacement (last resort)

Step 7: Offshore-Specific Management

Bridge SE Responsibilities:

• Translate requirements from Japanese to offshore team's language
• Ensure cultural alignment (reporting style, quality expectations, work hours overlap)
• Review all deliverables before submission to prime contractor
• Daily standup with offshore team, weekly report to prime PM
• On-site presence at prime contractor during critical phases

Time Zone Management (Japan-centric):

Offshore Location	Overlap with JST (9-18)	Recommended Sync Window
Vietnam (UTC+7)	7 hours (10-17 JST)	10:00-12:00 JST
India (UTC+5:30)	5.5 hours (11:30-17 JST)	13:00-15:00 JST
China (UTC+8)	8 hours (10-18 JST)	10:00-12:00 JST
Philippines (UTC+8)	8 hours (10-18 JST)	10:00-12:00 JST

Communication Protocol:

• All formal communication in writing (email or ticket system)
• Verbal discussions followed by written confirmation within 24h
• Shared project management tool (Backlog, Redmine, Jira) — single source of task truth
• Document language: Japanese ↔ English via Bridge SE; never rely on machine translation for requirements

Step 8: Output

Generate as .docx (using the docx skill):

1. Multi-company organization chart
2. RACI matrix
3. Vendor governance plan
4. Vendor scorecard template

Key Principles

• Prime contractor accountability: You own everything the client sees. Subcontractor failures are YOUR failures
• One window (一窓口): Every company has one point of contact. No side channels
• Quality at the gate: Catch subcontractor quality issues before they reach client deliverables
• Relationship over contract: Good vendor relationships are built over multiple projects. Invest in them
• Transparency up, protection down: Be transparent with your client about structure. Protect your subcontractors from direct client pressure
• Fair terms: Pay vendors fairly and on time. Squeezing margins creates quality problems

For vendor evaluation templates and contract checklists, read references/vendor-templates.md.