Proven Best Practices for Contract, Commercial, and Relationship Management
Since 2005, the CATS frameworks have helped professionals and organizations improve management of all processes relating to contracts with proven best practices. What started with contract and commercial management with CATS CM®, developed into a series of best practices by adding CATS RVM® for contract management in project and service management and CATS SRM® for Supplier Relationship Management.
Who We Are
We create and maintain proven best practice frameworks for contract and relationship management. Supported by books, training courses, and certification programs, our methodologies help professionals develop the expertise needed to strengthen business relationships and improve performance.
CATS stands for Contract Administration and Tracking Scenarios. The methodology provides a structured approach to managing contracts throughout their entire lifecycle, ensuring that contractual agreements actively contribute to achieving organizational goals.
Why Best Practices?
Since 2005, the CATS Frameworks have been built on one principle: organizations realize better results when they apply proven best practices instead of reinventing processes from scratch.
Best practices combine the experience of multiple organizations, validated approaches, documented knowledge and continual improvement. They help professionals reduce risk, accelerate implementation and adopt methods that have already demonstrated their value in practice.
Framework Overview
Since 2005, CATS CM® has been the leading best practice methodology for contract and commercial management. Thousands of organizations and professionals worldwide apply this proven standard to maximize the value of their contracts and commercial relationships.
By applying CATS CM®, organizations gain greater control over contractual obligations, mitigate risks, identify opportunities, and realize maximum value from their contracts.
CATS RVM® is the best practice for realization and verification management, bridging the gap between contract and commercial management on one side and project or service management on the other side. It helps organizations ensure that the objectives, outcomes, and performance agreed in contracts are actually achieved.
The methodology provides a structured approach for proactively realizing and verifying contractual performance throughout the execution phase of a contract.
CATS SRM® is the best practice methodology for supplier relationship management. It enables organizations to embed supplier relationship management structurally within their organization and establish a coherent, process-based approach that creates lasting business value.
The methodology provides a clear framework for managing relationships, with both potential and contracting suppliers to ensure the short and long term availability of suppliers that support organizational goals.
Webinars
Online Inspiration Session CATS SRM® Supplier Relationship Management (free of charge)
Online Inspiration Session CATS CM® Contract Management (free of charge)
Books
Supplier relationship management with CATS SRM: Structured impact with today's and tomorrow's supplier
This book describes the CATS SRM® supplier relationship management methodology, a proven and practical methodology for embedding supplier relationship management structurally and process-wise within any organization.
Linda Tonkes
Linda Tonkes is the CEO of CATS Frameworks and CM Partners en author of all the books published on the best practices.
CATS CM version 4 from working on contracts to contracts that work
This book describes version 4 of CATS CM®. This methodology for contract management can be used in both private and public sector organizations, and is valid for both demand and supply side.
Linda Tonkes and Gert-Jan Vlasveld
This book is written together with Gert-Jan Vlasveld, one of the founders of CM Partners in 2005.
Contract management in project and service management
The CATS RVM® methodology
This book describes the CATS RVM methodology that proposes realization and verification management as a way to establish the relationship between contract management and project and service management.
Linda Tonkes and Richard Steketee
This book is written together with Richard Steketee, an experienced consultant in the field of designing and implementing practical executable service and contract management processes.
Insights
The Business Ecosystem is Where Your Suppliers Are. Not Just in Your Supply Chain.
For decades, organizations have been taught to think about suppliers through the lens of procurement, contracts, performance metrics, and supply
Why Process-Based Working and Best Practices Make Organizations Stronger
Introduction Organizations today must respond to change faster than ever before. Clients expect consistent, high quality service, regulatory requirements are
CATS sourcing Framework: How do you connect purchasing, contract management and supplier relationship management?
Imagine a car with all its components carefully laid out: the engine, wheels, gearbox, steering system, and electronics. Each component
Offerings
FAQ
What are the CATS Frameworks?
What is a best practice framework?
What does CATS stand for?
What is the difference between CATS CM, SRM and RVM?
CATS CM focuses on contract management, SRM on supplier relationship management, and RVM on realization and verification management. Each framework addresses a different aspect of managing agreements and relationships.
Are the frameworks internationally applicable?
Yes. The frameworks are designed to be applicable across industries, sectors and countries while remaining adaptable to local requirements and organizational contexts.