Procurement professionals must increasingly be viewed and used as partners, with shared objectives and accountability for project (procurement) success. Although these professionals may not report directly to the project manager, they should be, like the project manager, accountable to the same people and for the project's success.
Procurement professionals, based on training and good judgment, must be empowered to exercise discretion to ensure a successful outcome, rather than adhere to rigid processes. Rigid processes will make the job of procurement professionals more difficult because they will no longer rely on the process to make decisions. Professionals will need to be well-trained and render expert judgments, often altering processes to ensure that a good outcome is achieved.