A four-person project team must deploy a company-wide application to staff and contractors in a country. To meet tight deadlines, a local firm experienced in deployment and change management will be contracted. How should the project manager empower the local firm?

The correct option emphasizes setting clear expectations and requirements, then allowing the contractor to execute with periodic progress reports. This approach empowers the contractor by providing autonomy within defined boundaries, leveraging their expertise while maintaining oversight. Micromanaging (option B) undermines the contractor's expertise and is inefficient. Supervising the contractor's staff (option D) or having the project manager supervise all deliverables (option A) also reduces the contractor's autonomy and shifts responsibility inappropriately, as the contractor is hired for their specialized skills and should be accountable for their deliverables. The project manager's role is to manage the contract and its outcomes, not to directly manage the contractor's internal operations or staff.