This unit applies to funeral home and cemetery and crematorium staff and involves a high level of autonomy and responsibility.

Nil

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1

Monitor delivery of contracted services and supplies.

1.1

Identify contracted services and supplies.

1.2

Conduct regular checks and evaluations of contracted services and supplies and delivery timeframes.

1.3

Undertake ongoing liaison with contractors to ensure problems are identified and resolved.

1.4

Identify and document variations between contract and delivery of services or supplies and notify appropriate personnel.

1.5

Take corrective action to rectify variations within scope of authority and document according to workplace policies and procedures.

1.6

Authorise payment for contracted services and supplies according to conditions of contract and workplace policies and procedures.

2

Resolve contractual disputes.

2.1

Investigate disagreements and identify cause and validity.

2.2

Negotiate and agree on terms of resolution.

2.3

Follow contract provisions for dispute resolution.

2.4

Seek legal and management advice where required to resolve disputes.

3

Implement contract transitions.

3.1

Review contract conditions and responsibilities with appropriate personnel to ensure satisfactory completion of contract.

3.2

Authorise contract completion in writing to confirm completed services have been undertaken according to contract objectives and specifications.

3.3

Reconcile final statement according to workplace policies and procedures.

3.4

Evaluate contractor performance level of service against agreed benchmark.

3.5

Coordinate end-of-service or renewed contracts to meet organisation's requirements.

3.6

Assess quality of contract documentation.

Required skills

communication skills, including clear and direct communication, active listening and questioning techniques and responsive negotiation to liaise with contractors, negotiate resolutions and report variations between contract and delivery of services

literacy and numeracy skills to understand written documentation, accurately complete required documentation and reconcile final statements

problem-solving skills to identify discrepancies, take corrective action and investigate disagreements

planning and organisational skills to review and evaluate contractor performance and coordinate end of service or renewed contracts

self-management skills to act through self-direction within scope of authority.

Required knowledge

operation of supply arrangements, resources, management and workplace operating systems

contract formulation processes and authorities

workplace policies and procedures, including business plans.

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

Evidence of the following is essential:

ability to successfully negotiate initial and ongoing contracts, enforce contractual agreements, including delivery timeframes and resolve contractual disputes

knowledge of negotiation, relationship building and communication techniques

project or work activities to monitor multiple contracted services and supplies over a period of time so that the planning, evaluation and monitoring aspects of this unit can be assessed, to ensure consistency of performance and ability to respond to and evaluate different situations.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must ensure access to:

appropriate computers, communication technology and software programs to monitor contracted services and supplies

relevant documentation, such as contractual agreements.

Methods of assessment

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

observation of candidate completing an evaluation of contracted services, liaising with contractors and applying procedures for the authorisation of payments to contractors

written or verbal questioning to assess knowledge of workplace policies and procedures with regard to monitoring contracted services and supplies in the funeral services industry

review of workplace documents completed by candidate

review of portfolios of evidence and third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the candidate.

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended.

Employability skills embedded in this unit should be assessed holistically with other relevant units that make up the skill set or qualification and in the context of the job role.

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Contracted services and supplies may include:

products

maintenance

cleaning

waste.

Checks and evaluations may include:

adherence to timelines

estimated costs

progress toward objectives

adherence to quality standards

sensitivity to work carried out in funeral operations areas

OHS

equal employment opportunity (EEO) practices.

Ongoing liaison may include:

formal meetings

informal meetings

telephone conversations.

Variations may include:

cost

quality and quantity

timeframes

damage.

Appropriate personnel may include:

manager

supervisor.

Workplace policies and procedures may include:

standard operating policies and procedures

standards and certification requirements

quality assurance procedures

OHS procedures

emergency procedures, including fire and accident procedures

security and privacy procedures.

Payment may include:

progressive

lump sum.

Conditions of contract may include:

tender documentation

maintenance plan

defects liability

protection from exposure to sensitive areas of funeral operations, including grieving family.

Legal and management advice may include:

organisation's legal position

legal risks

clarification of technical aspects of a dispute.

Sector

Funeral Services

Governance and Legal Compliance

This unit contains employability skills.