Public procurement, traceability obligations, a wide range of stakeholders: public sector project management follows rules the private sector doesn't — and it doesn't forgive improvisation.
A project launched by a government agency or local authority almost always goes through public procurement: a formal tender, published selection criteria, appeal windows for unsuccessful bidders. Unlike a private project where the sponsor freely picks a vendor, every step must be documented and traceable to withstand a potential legal challenge.
Submission deadlines and award dates are non-negotiable legal dates: rigorous backward scheduling from the tender onward is almost always essential.
Every decision, every exchange with the vendor must be justifiable after the fact — well beyond the standards of a private project.
Elected officials, technical departments, funders, citizens: a RACI matrix becomes essential once the number of decision-makers exceeds that of a typical project.
Budget often follows a fixed annual calendar, distinct from the project's actual timeline — plan for it in the project charter.
A political steering committee and a technical committee often coexist, with different decision rhythms.
Watch out for: a change in political leadership or a new elected sponsor can call an in-progress project into question — systematically documenting decisions protects continuity against this risk specific to the public sector.
Every decision logged with its date, ready to answer any after-the-fact justification request.
A budget tracked in detail, aligned to voted allocations rather than a rough overall estimate.
A clear status report, free of technical jargon, for an audience not following the project day to day.
Vendors, civil servants, and elected officials don't need the same level of detail on the same tool.
Both the PMI and the APM publish resources specific to project governance in a public context, since governance stakes differ so much from the private sector.
Decision log, simplified reports, and multi-level governance in one tool.