WHAT ARE THE KEY SUCCESS FACTORS FOR PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION

DONNA MAY R. MORALES 4AR-2

1. Background
Even while many transportation construction projects are eventually finished on
schedule and under budget, a closer look is likely to show that the original
budget and schedule were altered or expanded and the original goals were not
met. The grantee is responsible for completing the project in accordance with
the budget and timeline laid out in the FFGA because full funding grant
agreements (FFGA) for major transit projects issued by the Federal Transit
Administration typically require grantees to complete the work within the terms
outlined in the FFGA.
There will probably be a stronger emphasis on meeting the initial project
budget and schedule due to the heightened competition for funding for transit
projects. The FTA Project Management Oversight Program was established to
give the FTA unbiased feedback on the project's status, including scope, budget,
schedule, management procedures, and quality assurance, as well as to make
sure the grantees' Project Management Plan (PMP) is sufficient and being
carried out. Similar control procedures have been put in place by a number of
State and Local organizations that support significant transit projects.

2. The Lesson
Participants in the project are realistic about the team's performance,
recognizing clearly what can be accomplished with the resources available
at each stage of the project.
Adequate Project Management Plan and supporting documents including:
1. Well developed change order procedures and documentation. Often
changes mandated by operating departments should be controlled. In
some cases the change order process does not include features to
categorize the reasons for the changes permit the identification of trends
associated for such increases.
2. A well-developed PMP at the beginning of the project phase should be
undertaken.
3. Well developed supporting procedures with good checks and balances.
4. Adequate safety procedures and practices.
5. Adequate QA/QC procedures and practices.
 DONNA MAY R. MORALES 4AR-2

Adequate input during planning design and scoping, i.e.,

a. Good relationships with outside agencies, such as utilities, local political
units resulted in timely and adequate inputs during the design, and
timely implementation of their responsibilities.
b. Agencies are able to control and document project scoping issues.
c. Timely and unchanging input and continuing coordination and
participation from the agencies operational staff.
d. Timely and decisive decision making relative to processing of change
orders and other project issues.
e. Strong control and documentation of project changes.
Adequate project management and project control capability that includes:
1. Experienced staff
2. Adequate number of staff positions
3. Define Succession or Attrition Plan
4. Adequate project management tools and systems
5. Strong control over project scope changes
6. Good QA/QC program and implementation
7. Good safety management program and implementation
8. Timely acknowledgement and respond to project issues, submittals,
requests for information, change orders, and other unanticipated issues
9. Acknowledging and addressing issues quickly
10. Use of partnering techniques and quickly resolution of disputes
Well managed ROW acquisition/project access
11. Adequate plan for determining required permits and obtaining these
permits as early as possible (Project Development or early in Engineering)
12. Experienced Real Estate professionals part of project staff
Adequate Schedule
13. Well developed and documented schedule logic, basis, and assumptions
14. Flexible contractor interfaces to accommodate mitigation of potential
delays
15. Realistic schedules with adequate float to accommodate unknowns
16. Adequate schedule contingency.
17. Well developed schedule trend identification and analytical tools
DONNA MAY R. MORALES 4AR-2

Adequate cost estimating and budget

1. Well developed, documented, and implemented cost estimating process
including trend identification, risk analysis, and forecasting
2. Adequate contingency is provided considering the level of project
completion and related project risks.
3. Appropriate construction delivery process and contract packaging process
to achieve project and agency goals and objectives
Comprehensive public outreach, information and communications program
4. Good management of the public outreach programs to identify issues
important to project partners.
5. Good public relations with timely identification and mitigation of project
issues.
Well developed, fair and comprehensive contract documents
6. Plans and specification are complete.
7. Contract documents with adequate project management tools.
8. Fair contract documents that allocate risks to the parties who can best
control the risk.
9. Design changes are controlled and acted upon on a timely basis
10. Tools to facilitate partnering concepts and dispute resolution are supported.
Adequate underground investigation during preliminary engineering of:
11. Private utilities
Public utilities
12. Soil conditions
13. Hazmat conditions
14. Physical location utilities that are likely to impact the project
15. Record drawings to verify and identify actual conditions
16. Environmental issues
 DONNA MAY R. MORALES 4AR-2

Realistic constraints
1. Transit Agency Board/senior management/political leaders understand and
support the project, project staff with realistic expectations of the project
staff.
2. Independent internal project management oversight is used as a positive
management tool.
3. Design consultants are encouraged to provide independent input and
creative ideas and solutions to project issues.
4. The project scope, budget and schedule are not artificially constrained to
inhibit achievement of the project goals and objectives.
3. Applicability
Major transit-related projects are among the most difficult to plan, design,
build, and manage throughout construction. For such initiatives to be
implemented successfully, best practices in these fields must be used. This is
especially true for significant transit projects, when external pressures have a
significant impact on scope, time, cost, and quality. The public's and financial
partners' support for transit agencies' further future projects will rise as a result
of their track record of successful projects.
The "Key Factors for Successful Project Implementation" are not meant to be an
exhaustive list of factors that will positively affect a project or a "Silver Bullet"
that, if used, will ensure a project's success. However, if these elements are
included in the project's planning, development, and execution, the risks will be
lower and the likelihood of attaining the project's objectives will be higher. No of
the magnitude of the project, these factors still apply.
4. References
49 CRF Part 633 - Project Management Oversight; Final Rule
49 CRF Part 633 - Project Management Oversight; Final Rule
International Standards Organization (ISO) 9000 - Quality management and
quality assurance standards - guidelines for selections and use.
Project and Construction Management Guidelines 1996 Update, June 1996
Final Report, EG&G Dynatrend, Inc.
Best Practice Procurement Manual, December 1998
Comments submitted to FTA by John Holak, Risk Manager for Urban
Engineers, November 2015