Who prepares the statement of work (SOW) for external projects?

In external procurement, the SOW is written by the customer or buyer organization to describe the work that must be performed, the deliverables required, and any applicable standards. This document forms the basis of the contract and is provided to vendors so they can prepare their proposals - the customer defines the need, so the customer writes the SOW.

The project management team works within the scope defined by the SOW but does not create the original SOW for external projects - they may develop an internal SOW for procurement.

The project manager may refine or work from the SOW, but for external projects the customer organization is responsible for preparing this foundational procurement document.

The Chief Financial Officer oversees financial matters and does not have a defined role in preparing technical or scope-related procurement documents like the SOW.