The contract management plan is an input/output document that outlines the method in which a specific contract will be administered and executed. The contract management plan document will traditionally include a number of items such as requirements of documentation delivery and requirements of performance. A contract management plan can come in many forms. They can be formally written documents, in which nearly every detail is touched upon, or they can be written very informally, containing only top level information which can be filled in with more specificity at a later time. Contract management plans, as with most elements of the effective management of projects, should in fact be implemented as early in the life cycle of a project as possible. In the event circumstance change, it may be possible to modify a contract management plan with the agreement of all parties. A contract management plan is a subsection of the projects main project management plan.
This term is defined in the 3rd edition of the PMBOK but not in the 4th.