In Project Procurement Management, which output is primarily created during the Plan Contracting process?

Introduction / Context:
Plan Contracting is a process in Project Procurement Management that focuses on preparing the documents needed to solicit proposals or bids from potential sellers. These documents must clearly describe the products or services required and the terms under which they will be acquired. This question asks you to identify the main output of Plan Contracting.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The process is Plan Contracting in the procurement knowledge area.
• The question seeks the primary output of this process.
• Answer choices include procurement documents, schedule diagrams, human resource plans, charters, and risk documents.
• We assume PMI aligned naming conventions.

Concept / Approach:
During Plan Contracting, the project team prepares procurement documents such as statements of work, requests for proposals, invitations for bid, and evaluation criteria. These documents are later used in Request Seller Responses to obtain proposals from sellers. Schedule diagrams, human resource plans, charters, and risk management plans are important artifacts but are created by other processes in time, human resource, integration, or risk management.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Plan Contracting is specifically about preparing the paperwork needed to reach out to potential sellers. Step 2: Identify procurement documents, including statements of work and bid documents, as the natural outputs that enable solicitation. Step 3: Examine the answer options and locate the one that explicitly mentions procurement documents and evaluation criteria. Step 4: Option a states that Plan Contracting produces procurement documents, statements of work, bid documents, and evaluation criteria, which aligns exactly with PMI descriptions. Step 5: Confirm that the other options correspond to outputs of schedule development, human resource planning, project initiation, or risk management, not procurement contracting.

Verification / Alternative check:
Imagine preparing to outsource a piece of work. You would need a clear statement of work, templates for proposals, and criteria by which you will evaluate seller submissions. All of these are drafted in Plan Contracting before you contact the market. This is precisely the output described in option a, which reinforces that it is the correct answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
A detailed network diagram is produced in schedule development processes during time management. The Human Resource Management Plan comes from human resource planning. The project charter and business case are developed during project initiation and early integration management. The Risk Management Plan and risk register are outputs of risk planning and identification. None of these are the primary outputs of Plan Contracting.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners sometimes confuse Plan Contracting with Plan Purchases and Acquisitions. Plan Purchases and Acquisitions focuses on whether and how to buy, while Plan Contracting focuses on what documents are needed to approach sellers. When an exam question mentions statements of work, bid documents, or evaluation criteria, it is usually pointing toward Plan Contracting.

Final Answer:
The primary output of Plan Contracting is procurement documents including statements of work, bid documents, and evaluation criteria.