The contract secretariat for operation, management and maintenance
Long-term contracts deserve a secretariat that lasts as long as they do.
Contractors and consultants manage the substance of a contract. Vortex Contracting takes care of the undercurrent: the contract file, the registers, the checks and the process. We do not supply hired hours and we do not sell software licences. What you get is an up-to-date, traceable contract file, and Vortex stands behind it.
After the signature…
Vortex delivers the contract secretariat as a result, not as hours.
In long-term contracts for operation, management and maintenance, agreements tend to erode once the contract is signed. People change jobs, documents drift apart and no one keeps track of what was actually agreed. Vortex acts as the contract secretary for the collaboration, with a neutral role between the parties and a fixed scope for the whole term of the contract.
Who keeps the contract under control today?
| One person | Software | Vortex Contracting | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who keeps the file up to date? | The contract manager, when time allows | Your own staff, as far as they enter data | Vortex, every week |
| What if that person leaves? | The knowledge leaves too | Whatever wasn’t entered is lost | The file stays current and transferable |
| Do both parties see the same thing? | No, each keeps its own version | No, each has its own system | Yes, one shared view is possible |
| Who stands behind it? | No one in particular | You do | Vortex |
One current view
The independent bookkeeping of a contract: one current, traceable contract file, maintained by Vortex, so that both parties know at any moment what applies today.
In operation, management and maintenance, the longest part of a collaboration only begins after the signature. Contractbeeld is built for those years. It does not deal with the substance of the work, but with the foundation underneath: what was agreed, which version applies, what was delivered and what may be invoiced.
- Operational contract baseline. All contract documents brought together into one readable, traceable whole: version 0.0.
- File management. Sources, versions and changes, with every earlier version still readable.
- Agreements and deadlines. Obligations and decision points registered and monitored.
- Finance and performance. Invoices traceable to agreements and delivered performance.
- Meetings and decisions. Recorded, with actions followed up until they are closed.
- Signals and reporting. A monthly process overview, and a signal as soon as something is missing or deviates.
Partnering with Vortex
Two ways to work together.
Tender together
Vortex joins you from the moment a tender is published. We study the documents, sharpen what sets your bid apart on contract control and bid with you. If the contract is won, Vortex runs the contract secretariat for its full term.
Deliver Contractbeeld
You keep the advisory or management role. Vortex delivers Contractbeeld within your project: one current, shared view of the contract for client and contractor.
Process and substance
Vortex secures the contract. The parties manage it.
A secretary does not chair the meeting or decide on its substance, but makes sure that what was agreed is on record. That leaves the contract manager free to do what they are there for: steering the substance and the collaboration.
| Contract secretariat: Vortex | Contract management: client and contractor |
|---|---|
| Processes the change and delivers a new, current view | Agrees on a change |
| Checks source, version and approval | Assesses technically and on substance |
| Monitors deadlines and open items | Takes decisions within its own mandate |
| Flags discrepancies between agreement, performance and invoice | Approves performance and payments |
| Reports what is settled and what is missing | Steers delivery and carries the relationship |
Clients
Organisations we work and have worked for
The company
Vortex Contracting is owned by Koen Schellekens and Renee Swinkels and based in Veldhoven, the Netherlands. We work remotely, in the Netherlands and internationally. We don’t have a meeting culture, and we don’t charge travel time. What you need to know, you hear from us before you ask.
About VortexPlan a 30-minute introduction.
Online via Teams, at a time of your choice. The booking page is in Dutch; the conversation can be held in English.