PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN Increasing the Use of Minority, Women and Veteran-Owned, and Small

Businesses for Goods and Services Procurement

MAY 31, 2015 Prepared By: Lucas Minor and Warren Wessling

The Evergreen State College MPA Program

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Table of Contents Version ..............................................................................................................................................3

Background Information ....................................................................................................................4

How to Use This Document ...................................................................................................................... 4

Definitions ................................................................................................................................................. 4

About the Washington State Health Care Authority ................................................................................ 4

Mission .................................................................................................................................................. 4

Values .................................................................................................................................................... 4

Project Overview ...............................................................................................................................5

Project Background ................................................................................................................................... 5

Project Purpose ......................................................................................................................................... 5

Goals ......................................................................................................................................................... 5

Objectives ................................................................................................................................................. 5

Stakeholders ............................................................................................................................................. 6

Scope ................................................................................................................................................6

Work within Scope of Project (WWS) ....................................................................................................... 6

Work Outside of Scope of Project (OOS) .................................................................................................. 6

Assumptions, Dependencies, Influences and Constraints ....................................................................7

Assumptions & Dependencies .................................................................................................................. 7

Influences .................................................................................................................................................. 7

Constraints ................................................................................................................................................ 7

Project Organization ..........................................................................................................................8

Roles & Responsibilities ............................................................................................................................ 8

Project Organizational Chart ..................................................................................................................... 8

Work Plan ..........................................................................................................................................9

Key Dates & Milestones ............................................................................................................................ 9

Staff Training ........................................................................................................................................... 10

Budget and Staff Effort Estimates ........................................................................................................... 10

Work Breakdown Structure & Deliverables ............................................................................................ 11

Communication Plan ............................................................................................................................... 12

Control Plan ..................................................................................................................................... 13

Risk Assessment ...................................................................................................................................... 13

Risk Analysis ........................................................................................................................................ 13

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Risk Mitigation Recommendations ..................................................................................................... 13

Contingency Plans ............................................................................................................................... 14

Data Collection Plan ................................................................................................................................ 14

Quality Assurance ................................................................................................................................... 15

Process Improvement ............................................................................................................................. 15

Process Improvement Cycle ................................................................................................................ 16

Habit Loop ........................................................................................................................................... 17

Change Management .............................................................................................................................. 17

Close-Out Plan ................................................................................................................................. 17

Close-Out Tasks ....................................................................................................................................... 17

Lessons Learned ...................................................................................................................................... 18

Project Approval Signatures ............................................................................................................. 18

Appendix A – Templates ................................................................................................................... 20

Appendix B – OMWBE Memo to HCA ................................................................................................ 21

Appendix C – Post-Kickoff Meeting Client Memo .............................................................................. 22

Appendix D – HCA Organizational Chart ............................................................................................ 24

Appendix E – Detailed Work Breakdown Structure & Deliverables .................................................... 25

Workflow #1: Train Intern on Project-Relevant Items ............................................................................ 25

Workflow #2: External Outreach & Liaison Work (Intern) ...................................................................... 25

Workflow #3: Evaluate/Update Fiscal Coding ........................................................................................ 26

Workflow #4: Develop and Implement OMWBE contract posting best practices ................................. 26

Appendix F – PMP Communication Directory .................................................................................... 27

Appendix G – Smart Trust™ Matrix ................................................................................................... 28

Appendix H – Reference and Resources ............................................................................................ 29

Appendix I – PMP Development Team Charter .................................................................................. 30

Team Charter .......................................................................................................................................... 30

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Version

Version Date Version Description

1.0 May 1, 2015 First draft

2.0 May 12, 2015 Second draft

2.1 May 13, 2015 Revised second draft

3.0 May 31, 2015 Final draft

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Background Information

How to Use This Document This Project Management Plan (PMP) is provided as a device to communicate project expectations and

milestones and to provide a framework for project execution. It outlines the purpose and scope of the

project, goals and objectives, budget, deliverables, timeline for completion, key dates, and designation

of project tasks amongst the team. The PMP is intended to be a living document to be adapted as

needed to account for new information, outside influences, risks that are realized, and shifting

stakeholder needs. Tools are provided throughout the document to address necessary project changes.

Additional project management resources can be found in Appendix H.

Definitions HCA – The Washington State Health Care Authority.

Intern – A student from The Evergreen State College Master of Public Administration program,

who will be hired to play an integral role in executing the PMP.

M/WBE – Minority and/or women businesses certified by OMWBE; also includes veteran-owned

businesses certified by the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA), and small businesses.

OMWBE – The Washington State Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises.

Object/Sub-Object Codes – Codes used in state financial reporting systems to categorize

expenditures.

PMP – Project Management Plan.

PMP Development Team – Team responsible for developing PMP (Evergreen MPA students).

Project Manager (PM) – HCA designee responsible for leading project implementation.

Project Sponsor – HCA designee with full authority over various project go/no-go decisions.

WEBS – Washington’s Electronic Business Solution portal where Washington State agencies post

contracting opportunities, and where vendors can submit their proposals.

About the Washington State Health Care Authority The Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) oversees Washington State’s Medicaid and

prescription drug systems, PEBB, and other health-related programs.

Mission Provide high quality health care through innovative health policies and purchasing strategies.

Values People First Innovation Respect

Public Service Collaboration Service

Excellence Leadership Stewardship

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Project Overview

Project Background In January, HCA received a memo (see Appendix B) from the Washington State Office of Minority &

Women’s Business Enterprises (OMWBE) urging all state agencies to increase their use of minority,

women and veteran-owned, and small-sized business enterprises (M/WBE) in contracting for goods and

services by at least 20% for 2015. This initiative is part of the Governor’s broader Results Washington

strategic plan to create a more efficient, effective and transparent state government. Specifically, Goal

2.4.1.a. calls to: “Increase state agency and educational institution utilization of state-certified small

businesses in public works and other contracting and procurement by 2017 to: Minority-owned

businesses: 10%; Women-owned businesses: 6% and Veteran-owned businesses: 5%.” HCA chose an

aggressive target of reaching 1% for 2015 (2014 M/WBE spend was 0.26%). HCA completed a “Supplier

Diversity Plan,” using a template provided by OMWBE, and has met with OMWBE to clarify objectives.

Some activities have been identified in the plan, though details and timelines need to be clarified, much

of which will be covered in this PMP.

Project Purpose To provide a detailed project management plan (PMP) that allows the Washington State Health Care

Authority (HCA) to implement the Governor’s and OMWBE’s directive to increase the use of minority,

women and veteran-owned, and small business enterprises (M/WBE) in contracting for goods and

services. HCA’s aspirational goal is to increase M/WBE expenditures from 0.26% in of total expenditures

in 2014 to at least 1% for 2015, and hopes to continue to increase this number going forward.

Goals The goals of this project are to:

1. Ensure HCA spends at least 1% on M/WBE vendors in 2015 and spending continues to grow in

subsequent years. Note: This calculation currently excludes purchases made on credit cards

(known as P-cards).

2. Evaluate fiscal coding processes to ensure accurate capture of existing M/WBE contract

expenditures.

3. Build awareness in the M/WBE business community of contracting opportunities with HCA.

4. Increase procurement of goods and services through M/WBE vendors. Note: key opportunities

exist in IT and facilities maintenance services.

Objectives The primary objectives are:

1. To create an atmosphere of awareness and commitment towards contracting with minority,

women and veteran-owned, and small businesses (M/WBE) within the Washington State

Healthcare Authority.

2. To maintain compliance with state objectives, especially M/WBE procurement targets, as set

forth by the Governor’s Results Washington initiative.

3. To serve as a reputable state agency conducting fair, equitable and inclusive business practices

through increasing contracts with M/WBE businesses.

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Stakeholders Client:

Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA)

Outside stakeholders who may impact this project or may be impacted by this project include:

The Washington State Office of Minority & Women’s Business Enterprises (OMWBE)

Certified minority, women and veteran-owned, and small businesses

Qualified minority, women or veteran-owned, or small businesses who are not yet certified

The Washington State Governor’s Office Results Washington Team

Scope This section outlines clear expectations of what will and what will not be part of this project. Only items

considered “within scope” will be part of this project. Defining these boundaries is essential to ensuring

the project remains manageable and stays on track in regards to budget, schedule and work load.

Work within Scope of Project (WWS)

For PMP Development Team:

o Develop a project management plan (PMP) with specific steps for HCA to increase

M/WBE share of spend. PMP will include plans for:

Fiscal staff training on system contractor coding to ensure accurate capture of

M/WBE spend.

Contracts staff training on WEBS posting best practices to attract M/WBE bids.

Increasing outreach to certified and potential M/WBE businesses for contracting

goods and services.

Key PMP elements will include: work plan, control plan, risk management plan,

communications plan, and a quality assurance plan.

o Finalize PMP with Project Sponsor and handoff to HCA Project Team to execute.

For HCA Project Team:

o Execute/implement the PMP.

o At the end of the project, closeout and hand off to the operations team.

Work Outside of Scope of Project (OOS)

Modifying the existing contractor coding system.

Establishing staff training content or protocols.

Hiring and onboarding intern.

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Assumptions, Dependencies, Influences and Constraints A number of assumptions, dependencies, influences and constraints frame the project environment. It is

essential to be aware of these to ensure the Project Team can stay focused and be aware of factors that

can affect project success. If assumptions, dependencies and influences shift, or constraints prove to

threaten project success, proactive measures should be taken. Risk Assessment and Mitigation tools and

a Change Management process are provided in the Project Control Plan, later in the document.

Assumptions & Dependencies HCA will hire an Intern, who has enough time and authority for project success. The PMP

Development Team recommends a 3-month paid internship at $10/hour, 15-20 hours/week.

HCA’s Accounting Manager has committed fiscal staff time to ensure they receive proper coding

training, and that all new processes will become part of staff’s regular workflow going forward.

HCA’s Contracts Administrator has committed contracts staff’s time for training on WEBS

posting best practices to encourage M/WBE bids, and project implementation.

Current contract processes are missing key elements necessary for targeting M/WBE vendors.

There is substantial potential in the IT sector to connect with new M/WBE vendors.

HCA executive leadership is fully on-board with implementing this project and making

substantial M/WBE procurement progress, and to be in compliance with OMWBE and the

Governor’s Results Washington initiative.

HCA expects refined fiscal coding and contract procedures to be in place by September 15, 2015.

All team members will foster a ‘trust-first’ work environment where everyone is trusted to

contribute and follow-through on their commitments. Covey and Link’s (2012) Smart Trust

model is a useful and recommended framework (See Appendix G).

Influences OMWBE will begin publishing “report cards” on state agency progress on M/WBE procurement

on their public website. This creates an increased sense of urgency to ensure marked progress is

made towards the 1% goal.

OMWBE is measuring progress based on the calendar year (state accounting follows a July-June

fiscal year). There is a sense of immediacy to implement changes before the calendar year ends.

Constraints No new financial reporting software can be developed or implemented. HCA must operate

within existing state financial reporting programs.

Only goods and services procurement are counted towards M/WBE calculations. P-card

purchases & services provided directly to HCA clients cannot be counted towards M/WBE spend.

Non-intern staff time is limited to devote to the project, so careful time management is critical.

Intern’s time is limited each week and is dependent on getting needed information from staff.

Vendors can only be counted towards M/WBE totals if they are certified. Vendors may not know

details of the certification process, and there may be unknown barriers to vendors being able to

receive certification.

While HCA leadership supports this project, a dedicated funding source has not been identified.

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Project Organization

Roles & Responsibilities PMP Development Team:

Evergreen MPA Students: Warren Wessling and Lucas Minor. Students are responsible for

developing the PMP. Once complete, PMP will be handed off to HCA staff for implementation.

HCA Project Team:

Project Sponsor and Authorizer: Susan Lucas, HCA Chief Operations Officer. Susan has full

authority for a project go/no-go decision.

Project Manager: Melanie Anderson, HCA Contracts Administrator. The Project Manager will be

the primary contact between HCA and PMP Development Team. During the implementation and

closeout phases, the Project Manager will coordinate all Project Team efforts, and will supervise

the HCA Intern.

HCA Intern: TBD. The Intern is responsible for research, liaison work between HCA departments,

and between HCA and OMWBE; this individual will also assist in creating training materials for

contracts and fiscal staff, and conduct outreach to M/WBE and potential M/WBE vendors.

HCA Accounting Manager: Deanna Kehr. Deanna will be responsible for training fiscal staff and

will be available as needed to provide relevant financial reports and coding information.

HCA Contracts Team and Fiscal Staff will play a key role in supporting the plan.

HCA Chief Legal Officer: Annette Schuffenhauer, will provide additional support as needed.

Project Organizational Chart

See Appendix F for a Project Team Communication Directory

Project Sponsor

(Susan Lucas, COO)

Project Manager

(Melanie Anderson, Contracts

Administrator)

Accounting Manager(Deanna Kehr)

Fiscal Staff

Project Intern(TBD)

Contracts Staff

PMP Development Team

(Luke Minor & Warren Wessling)

Chief Legal Officer

(Annette Schuffenhauer)

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Work Plan

Key Dates & Milestones The following chart details project phases including anticipated completion dates.

Phase Activity Est. Comp. Date

Project Initiation

Initial client meeting with Project Sponsor 04/13

Client memo submitted, outlining high-level project details 04/20

Follow-up meeting with Project Manager 04/22

Milestone 1: Project Planning Go/No-Go Decision 04/22/2015

PHASE OUTPUT/INPUT FOR NEXT PHASE: AUTHORIZATION TO PROCEED

Project Planning

High-level planning, Scope of Work identified 04/24

PMP Drafting 05/22

Final PMP delivered/presented to HCA 06/02

Milestone 2: Planning Complete; Students Handoff to HCA 06/02/2015

PHASE OUTPUT/INPUT FOR NEXT PHASE: COMPLETE PMP

Project Plan Handoff to HCA Team

Intern training plan (assumes Intern hired in early June) 06/15

Project Sponsor, Manager review PMP w/ HCA Project Team 06/19

HCA Project Team discusses timelines and work breakdown 06/22

Milestone 3: Project Execution Go/No-Go Decision 06/24/2015

PHASE OUTPUT/INPUT FOR NEXT PHASE: AUTHORIZATION TO PROCEED

Project Execution

Intern finishes training, begins work on project 06/26

Work through PMP 09/07

Address risks, issues, conflicts and changes as they occur On-going

Milestone 4: Project Complete, Objective Met 09/07/2015

PHASE OUTPUT/INPUT FOR NEXT PHASE: PROJECT COMPLETED

Project Closeout

Wrap-up meeting/celebration 09/10

Discuss “Lessons Learned” 09/10

HCA Project Team finishes all work, hands off to operations 09/14

Milestone 5: HCA Project Team Disperses 09/14/2015

PHASE OUTPUT: ON-GOING PROCESSES HANDED OFF TO OPERATIONS

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Staff Training There are three key areas of staff training necessary to successfully complete this project:

Training Topic Who When Resources Involved

Overview of PMP, OMWBE, & contracting and coding processes.

Intern

At start of project execution phase (completed by

6/24/15)

Estimated 15 hours of training involved, with at least 4 hours guided by Project Manager and/or staff (Note: HCA new staff on-boarding/training plan is outside of the scope of this project).

OMWBE Training – How to target M/WBE vendors and WEBS posting best practices.

Contracts Staff

Complete by halfway point of

project execution phase (completed

by 7/24/15)

Up to two hours of each Contract Staff member’s time. It is recommended that an OMWBE staff member conduct the training; although HCA staff could also conduct this training.

Coding Training – Ensures proper fiscal coding to accurately capture M/WBE spend.

Fiscal Staff

Complete by halfway point of

project execution phase (completed

by 7/24/15)

Up to two hours of each Fiscal Staff member’s time. It is recommended that an OMWBE staff member conduct the training; although HCA staff could also conduct this training.

Budget and Staff Effort Estimates This project will not be capital-intensive, but will involve allocation of staff time. The largest expenses

will be the cost of hiring an intern and the cost of the Project Manager’s time for coordinating the

project. The PMP Development Team recommends a three month paid internship at $10/hour, 15-20

hours per week. See detailed Work Breakdown Structure (Appendix E) for more staff effort details.

Item Description/Assumptions Total Effort (staff hours)

Cost (dollars)

Wages for Intern 3-month paid internship (assumes $10/hr, 20 hrs/wk)

240 $2,400

Supplies for Intern Recommend workstation and state-issued mobile device

2 $500

Training costs for staff (10 fiscal and 13 contracts staff)

2-Hours of paid training for all contracts and accounting staff (assumes avg. $25/hr wage and 23 staff members)

46 $1,150

Update contract posting procedure manual & create training materials

Assumes 1 staff member to assist intern at $25/hr, 10 hours total

10 $250

Update fiscal coding procedure manual & create training materials

Assumes 1 staff member to assist intern at $25/hr, 10 hours total.

10 $250

Wages for Project Manager Assumes $36/hr, 4 hrs/wk 48 $1,728

Wages for Accounting Mgr. Assumes $36/hr, 20 hours total 20 $720

Total 376 $6,998

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Work Breakdown Structure & Deliverables Within the project execution phase, there are four key workflows: 1) Train Intern on project-relevant

items; 2) External outreach & liaison work; 3) Evaluate and update fiscal coding procedures; and 4)

Implement OMWBE contract posting best practices. Below is an abbreviated workflow breakdown. See

Appendix E for detailed Work Breakdown Structures that include roles, schedules, and estimated effort.

Incr

ease

rep

ort

ed M

/WB

E Sh

are

of

Spen

d t

o 1

%

Train Intern on Project-relevant items

(Project Manager)

Become familiar with PMP & OMWBE initiative

Training on HCA operations relevant to project

Basic training on fiscalcoding

Basic training on contracting process

External Outreach & Liaison Work (Intern)

Direct Outreach to M/WBE businesses

Identify and attend M/WBE outreach events

Research and connect with potential M/WBE vendors

Schedule OMWBE outreach event at HCA for potential

M/WBE vendors

Collaborate with OMWBE

Contact OMWBE 2-3x per month

Liaison between OMWBE & HCA - pass along new info

Collaborate with other State Agencies for ideas - esp. L&I

Evaluate/Update Fiscal Coding(Fiscal Team/Intern)

Assess, develop and implement new processes

Develop process document/ training manual for staff

Facilitate two 1-hour trainings for fiscal staff

Test and audit new coding procedures

Implement OMWBE contract posting best practices

(Contracts Team/Intern)

Assess, develop and implement new processes

Develop process document/ training manual for staff

Facilitate two 1-hour trainings for contracts staff

Verify revised coding procedures with OMWBE

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Communication Plan A detailed communication plan is key to ensuring project success. Below are communications activities

used throughout the project.

Phase Communication Medium Description Audience Initiator Schedule

Project Initiation

Kickoff Meeting Face to Face Gather background info & discuss objectives/scope.

Project Sponsor

PMP Dev. Team

4/13/15

Client Memo & follow-up

Email Recap kickoff meeting & seek

a go/no-go decision. Project

Sponsor & PM PMP Dev.

Team 4/19/15

Follow-up Meeting

(one-time) In-Person

Meet with PM to further refine scope & deliverables.

PM & Acct. Administrator

PMP Dev. Team

4/22/15

Project Planning

PMP Development Check-Ins

Email and Phone

Verify information to ensure deliverables stay on track.

PM &/or Sponsor

PMP Dev. Team

4/19-6/2/15

PMP Drafting &

Revising Email/

Doc. Review

Prepare, review & revise drafts.

PM PMP Dev.

Team 4/19-6/2/15

PMP Handoff

PMP Presentation In-Person with

Visual Aids Overview of final PMP.

Project Sponsor & PM

PMP Dev. Team

6/2/15

Final Follow-up with HCA Team

Email or In-Person

Final check-in to clarify details.

Sponsor, PM & HCA Team

PMP Dev. Team

By 6/5/15

Project Execution

PMP and Project Schedule

Document Foundation for all project

communication. Sponsor, PM &

HCA Team PM

6/15 - 9/7/15

Project Execution Kickoff Meeting

In-Person Review PMP, & outline roles,

deliverables & schedule. HCA Project

Team PM, Project

Sponsor By 6/22

Project Check-ins In-Person or

Email

Discuss project status

(formal or informal).

HCA Project Team

PM & Intern Weekly

One-on-one Meetings

In-Person Discuss project status. PM & Intern PM & Intern Weekly

(Mon/Fri)

Misc., as needed communication

Email Ensure deliverables &

schedule stay on track. HCA Project

Team HCA Project

Team As Needed

Change, Risk & Issues Logs

Logs and email Communicates any changes,

challenges & risks. HCA Project

Team PM & Intern As Needed

OMWBE Check-Ins Email &/or In-

Person Share M/WBE spend

progress, & seek advice. OMWBE Intern 2-3x/ Month

M/WBE Outreach In-Person, Email

& Phone Attend OMWBE-sponsored &

other outreach events. M/WBE Intern As Available

Monthly Check-In w/ Sponsor

In-Person Update on progress and

challenges/changes. Project Sponsor

PM 1-2x/Month

Project Closeout

Project Team Closeout Meeting

In-Person Review project successes, lessons learned & next steps.

HCA Project Team/Sponsor

PM & Intern By 9/10/15

One-time Meeting with Operations

In-Person Finalize handoff details,

clarify roles going forward Operations

PM, Project Sponsor

By 9/14/15

Post Project Support

Email or Phone Support to operations for 1-2

months following handoff Operations PM As Needed

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Control Plan

Risk Assessment

Successfully managing risk is an essential component of any project. Three key areas of risk to the

success of the project have been identified and are denoted below. For tracking purposes, a “Project

Issues List” has been provided in Appendix A. This will help the project team monitor issues, identify

patterns and proactively mitigate risk. Note: Staff training is the most likely area of potential difficulty for

the project manager and may cause consternation amongst the contracting and fiscal staff.

** Higher impact of risk and lower risk manageability indicate the most important risk area(s) **

Risk Analysis

Staff training is the most likely area to impact the project due to the importance of the staff

initiating and maintaining the coding and contracting processes.

The “OMWBE Scorecard” also has a high risk impact to successful completion of the project, as

the Governor’s Office may identify non-compliance with the mandate if results are not met.

Intern Experience has the least risk manageability, as HCA cannot control the size and quality of

the candidate pool when hiring the intern. A lack of prior experience may significantly impact

accurate and timely completion of the project to ensure HCA is meeting its M/WBE goals.

Risk Mitigation Recommendations Use the “Project Issues List” template in Appendix A to ‘get in front of’ potential issues.

Maintain the communication plan and keep staff involved during the execution phase.

Develop signals for work stoppage and empower intern with knowledge management.

High

High

Low Low

Area of

Greatest

Challenge

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Contingency Plans If project assumptions and dependencies fall through, contingency plans should be developed and

implemented to ensure the project stays on target to meet the stated goals. Four contingency plans are

outlined below, based on failed assumptions/dependencies that present the most risk to the project.

Additional plans may need to be developed if additional risks are realized.

Plan 1 - Insufficient Staff Training: As the Intern provides more clarity to the Project Manager regarding

certification and coding processes from other state agencies, the staff may discover their initial training

was insufficient. Potential solution:

Staff members involved in creating “awareness” training for utilization of M/WBE business

enterprises must be prepared to incorporate additional training modules on an “as-needed”

basis for future employees, as well as current employees unaware of changes in the process.

Plan 2 - Succession Planning: Related to insufficient staff training, if there is a turnover of one fiscal or

contracts staff member, there is a 20% effect on the training being passed to newcomers while the

updated contracting and coding processes are still being institutionalized. Potential solution:

Incorporate coding process into all staff training and re-iterate at staff meetings for the next 12

months to ensure all contracting requirements are considering M/WBE certified businesses.

Plan 3 - M/WBE Certification: Unknown barriers to M/WBE certification may be discovered in the

process of conducting outreach to potential M/WBE vendors. It may also be discovered that existing

HCA contracts are not prepared in a way that encourages and/or allows bidding by M/WBE certified

vendors (e.g. closed contracts for specialized procurements).

The contracts team must know the constraints of the certification process prior to contracting

with additional M/WBE businesses. Additionally, efforts should be made to increase awareness

of M/WBE best practices amongst program staff who draft contracts for their departments.

Plan 4 - Intern Experience: The hiring authority may be limited by the candidate pool who applies for

the internship. While the hope is that a well-qualified candidate will be selected, risk remains. The

relatively short time frame for training and implementation may threaten project completion.

The hiring team should look for any prior experience within the HCA, contracting, and/or

knowledge of M/WBE certification, and ensure training adequately prepares the Intern with a

working knowledge of these processes prior to project implementation. This will reduce the

necessary learning curve for the Intern heading into project execution.

Data Collection Plan This will include collecting, synthesizing, and maintaining all of the data for the project to be

implemented in other departments concerning similar projects.

The Intern will be armed with a task-list that organizes his or her findings and weekly reporting

will be implemented to provide clear, concise written communication to the project manager.

The contracts staff will maintain lists of potential M/WBE candidates and crosscheck with

certified businesses according to the Intern’s findings.

15

The fiscal staff will discuss fiscal coding with the Project Manager and look for opportunities to

gather data for possible outreach to current potential M/WBE businesses that lack certification.

The Project Manager will provide updates (as-needed) to the contracts and fiscal staff upon

discovery of key data from the Intern’s research of the M/WBE certification process.

All data collected should be synthesized by the Intern and discussed during the weekly and monthly

project updates. The Intern will maintain copies of all data for handover to the Project Manager upon

closeout of the project. The Project Manager will maintain all project data and it is recommended that

findings are shared with other agency staff to ensure communication across HCA as applicable.

Quality Assurance

The Project Development Team recommends that “quality assurance” serve as a required agenda item

at weekly project team meetings. The Project Manager is ultimately responsible for quality control and

the following processes are aligned with the work breakdown structures to ensure quality at each phase

of the project and of all project deliverables.

Process

Workflow Quality Assurance Process

Who Is

Responsible?

Intern Training Intern has a solid understanding of the coding, accounting and

contracting processes and is well versed on the components and

requirements within the Project Management Plan (PMP).

Project

Manager

Outreach &

Liaison Support

Intern is aware of the M/WBE certification process and develops a

document to prepare contracts staff for training and institutionalizing

M/WBE contracting into routine processes.

Project

Manager

Evaluate and

Update Fiscal

Coding

Intern is aware of the M/WBE certification process and develops a

document to prepare fiscal staff for training. Fiscal staff maintain a

working copy of the training manual and ensure future staff are

knowledgeable on proper procedures for accurately capturing

M/WBE vendors.

Trainer /

Accounting

Manager

M/WBE Best

Practices

Developed into

Training Plan

Upon completion of the project, the Project Team shall hand-off the

project materials to the operations team for implementing across the

agency and incorporating other agency ‘best practices’ into HCA

procedures.

Project /

Operations

Manager

Process Improvement To improve the project management environment, HCA must identify a documented project process to

initiate, plan, execute, control, and close-out projects. It is vital the project team incorporate lessons

learned across the project and share with staff outside of the project to improve the organizational

project management maturity. The project planning team recommends the following models for

continuous improvement (see the next two pages):

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Process Improvement Cycle

1. Discover – Target specific areas to improve and look for processes to share across departments.

2. Improve – Document existing processes effective within HCA that could be implemented.

3. Implement – Standardize common processes to build “off-the-shelf” plans where applicable.

4. Refine – Adapt newly implemented processes to fit needs of new department.

5. Monitor – Measure results through standard formats, detect patterns.

6. Repeat

Process Improvement Cycle

Source: http://www.kossallysystemsconsulting.com/

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Habit Loop Another model proposed by Duhigg (2012) focuses on

the ‘habit loop’ ingrained in the daily processes

individuals and organizations. His model proposes that all

habits are composed of a three-part cycle:

1. A ‘cue’ initiates the habit loop and is

followed by;

2. A ‘routine’ that is the automatic response connecting the ‘cue’ with;

3. A ‘reward’ that is the benefit of that course of action.

Achieving the reward reinforces the actions taken and restarts the habit cycle. In order to change habits,

Duhigg suggests swapping out the ‘routine,’ rather than trying to overhaul the whole habit. By finding a

better course of action to achieve the desired result and weaving it into the habit loop, lasting change is

possible. Duhigg’s book, The Power of Habit, provides further details on this model.

Change Management

Ideally, all changes will be made by way of team consensus on an as-needed basis. However, since

consensus cannot always be reached, the Project Manager will make the final decision in the absence of

consensus. It is also recommended that the Project Manager seeks advice and/or approval from the

Project Sponsor, especially for significant changes. Changes occurring with regularity will be addressed

at the weekly and/or monthly meetings. All changes approved by the Project Manager and/or Project

Sponsor will be tracked in the following change log (see Appendix A ‘Project Change Request Template’).

Close-Out Plan At the end of the execution phase, it is essential to properly close the project out, discuss project

successes, lessons learned and future recommendations. The project deliverables and processes created

will need to be handed off to operations to integrate into daily operations. A summary of key close-out

tasks is provided below:

Close-Out Tasks

Task Description Audience Initiator Effort Schedule

Prepare Materials for

Handoff

Compile all developed training materials and coding and contracting process documents into a package to

handoff to operations.

Operations Intern 5 Hours By 9/7/15

Project Team Closeout Meeting

Review project successes, lessons learned & next steps. Celebrate!

HCA Project Team/Sponsor

PM & Intern

1-2 Hours By 9/10/15

Meet with Operations

Finalize handoff details, clarify roles going forward.

Operations PM, Project

Sponsor 2 Hours By 9/14/15

Post Project Support

Support to operations for 1-2 months following handoff.

Operations PM Indeterminate As Needed

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Lessons Learned

At closeout, the project team should engage in a lessons learned workshop including the following

principles:

Discuss the project successes;

Identify what could have been improved during this project;

Share in staff appreciation and recognize good work by the entire team.

Project Approval Signatures Although this plan is not a binding contract, the signatures below confirm the project plan has been

reviewed and all parties generally agree with its contents, including timeline for completion, designation

of tasks, and deliverables.

________________________________ ______________

Susan Lucas, Project Sponsor Date

________________________________ _______________

Melanie Anderson, Project Manager Date

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Appendices

20

Appendix A – Templates

PROJECT CHANGE REQUEST LOG TEMPLATE

Project Name: M/WBE Vendor Increase Project Sponsor: Susan Lucas

Change Request #

Originator Description of Change

Date Risk Impact

Schedule Impact

Staffing Impact

Spending Impact

Change Approved? Yes/No

1

2

3

4

5

6

©The Griffin Tate Group, Inc.

PROJECT ISSUES LIST

DATE ISSUED: PROJECT NAME: M/WBE Vendor Increase

ISSUE # DESCRIPTION PERSON WHO NEEDS RESOLUTION

PERSON RESPONSIBLE TO RESOLVE

DATE RESOLUTION

NEEDED

DATE RESOLVED

HOW RESOLVED

1

2

3

4

©The Griffin Tate Group, Inc.

WORKING GROUP & MEETING AGENDA

Date: Participants:

Agenda Items Who’s Responsible Due Date Notes

Issues

Risk Review

Change Requests

Priorities

Training Status

Research Findings

Process Improvement

Parking Lot “other concerns”

** may be covered during “15-minute Standups”, “Weekly/Monthly Check-Ins”, and all formal and

informal meetings regarding this project **

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Appendix B – OMWBE Memo to HCA

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Appendix C – Post-Kickoff Meeting Client Memo

Date: April 19, 2015

To: Susan Lucas and Annette Schuffenhauer, Washington State Healthcare Authority (HCA)

From: Lucas Minor and Warren Wessling -- MPA Students, The Evergreen State College (TESC)

CC: Laura Wood and Catherine Georg, HCA; Amy Gould, PhD, TES

Subject: Increasing Minority & Women-Owned Business Contractors for HCA

Project Purpose

To provide a detailed plan that allows HCA to implement the Governor’s request to increase use of

minority and women owned business enterprises (M/WBE) in contracting for goods and services. HCA’s

aspirational goal is to increase M/WBE expenditures from 0.26% in 2014 to 1% for 2015.

Meeting Purpose & Summary

On Monday, April 13 at 1:30pm, Warren and Lucas met with Susan Lucas, Chief Operating Officer, and

Annette Schuffenhauer, Chief Legal Officer in Susan’s office at the HCA. Susan and Annette shared key

documents outlining preliminary details of the project. The remainder of the meeting was spent

discussing high-level details including: identification of project goals, scope, potential risks, stakeholders,

quality control measures, key deadlines, and time, staff and resource constraints.

Background Information

HCA oversees the state Medicaid and prescription drug systems, PEBB, and other health-related

programs. In January, HCA received a memo from the Washington State Office of Minority & Women’s

Business Enterprises (OMWBE) urging all state agencies to increase their use of minority and women-

owned enterprises (M/WBE) in contracting for goods and services by at least 20% for 2015. HCA chose

an aggressive target of reaching 1% for 2015 (2014 M/WBE spend was 0.26%). HCA completed a

“Supplier Diversity Plan,” provided by OMWBE, and has met with OMWBE to clarify objectives. Some

activities have been identified in the plan, though details and timelines need to be clarified.

Within Scope for PMP Development

Students will develop project management plan (PMP) with specific steps for HCA to increase

M/WBE share of spend. PMP will include plans for:

o Staff training on system contractor coding to ensure accurate capture of M/WBE spend.

o Increasing outreach to minority and women-owned businesses for contracting goods

and services.

o Closing out and handing off PMP to HCA for an intern to implement the project.

Key PMP elements will include: work plan, control plan, risk management plan, internal

communications plan, and a quality assurance plan.

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Outside of Scope for PMP Development

Modifying the existing contractor coding system.

Establishing staff training content or protocols.

Hiring and onboarding plan for intern.

Implementing the final PMP.

Goals

Ensure 2015 M/WBE share of spend is at least 1%, and remains at or above 1%.

Improve contract coding to ensure accurate capture of existing M/WBE contracts.

Increase contracts with M/WBE vendors - key opportunities exist in IT services.

Stakeholders

HCA is the primary client. Client agents include:

o Susan will act as project sponsor and has full authority for a project go/no-go decision.

o Annette will provide additional support as needed.

o Laura Wood, Contracts Administrator, will be our primary contact going forward.

o Deanna Kehr, Accounting Manager, will be available as needed to provide relevant

financial reports and coding information.

o Intern (not yet hired) will be responsible for plan implementation.

o The HCA contracts team will play a key role in supporting the plan.

Outside stakeholders may include: OMWBE, Governor’s Office, M/WBE certified vendors, and

qualified M/WBE whom are not yet certified.

Risks

The 1% target is considered an aggressive goal.

Contracts staff already feel overwhelmed and may push back.

A prior project utilizing an intern became too broad for proper implementation.

Relative difficulty in extracting data from contractor system.

Meeting Follow-Up

The meeting adjourned at 2:23pm.

Warren and Lucas will connect with Laura Wood, Contracts Administrator, to arrange a follow-up

meeting for next week to gather more specifics about HCA’s contracting and coding process. Going

forward, Laura will be the main point of contact for HCA, Susan will act as project sponsor and

authorizer, and Annette will be available as needed to provide information and support. All additional

face-to-face meetings will be arranged on an as-needed basis, and the primary communication means

will be through e-mail. Susan and Annette were notified of the formal presentation of the project plan

on June 2 at 6:40pm; Laura will be notified when we meet with her next week.

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Appendix D – HCA Organizational Chart Executive Leadership – Rev 3/1/15

25

Appendix E – Detailed Work Breakdown Structure & Deliverables To see an abbreviated, visual version, see Work Breakdown Structure in the main document.

Workflow #1: Train Intern on Project-Relevant Items Workflow Owner: PM

Deliverable and Associated Tasks Team Member(s)

Responsible

Estimated Effort (Staff Time in

Hours) Schedule

Project Overview: Introduction to Project Team, PMP & details of OMWBE initiative

Project Manager Total of 20 Hours 6/15 - 6/24/15

Facilitated training Project Manager 4 Hours 6/15 - 6/24/15

Self-directed learning Intern 16 Hours 6/15 - 6/24/15

Training on HCA operations relevant to project (accounting & contracts)

Project Manager Total of 4 Hours 6/26/15

Basic training on fiscal coding Acct. Manager

and/or Fiscal Staff 2 Hours 6/26/15

Basic training on contracting process PM and/or

Contracts Staff 2 Hours 6/26/15

Total 24 Hours

Workflow #2: External Outreach & Liaison Work Workflow Owner: Intern with support of PM

Deliverable and Associated Tasks Team Member(s)

Responsible

Estimated Effort (Staff Time in

Hours) Schedule

Direct Outreach to M/WBE businesses Intern (w/ PM

oversight) 42 Hours 6/27 – 9/7/15

Identify & attend M/WBE outreach events

Intern (w/ PM oversight)

20 Hours 6/27 – 8/7/15

Research and make personal contacts with potential M/WBE vendors

Intern 20 Hours 6/27 – 9/7/15

Schedule outreach event at HCA, where potential M/WBE vendors can learn about getting certified (HCA books event, OMWBE facilitates)

Intern 2 Hours Schedule event by 7/31. Hold event by 8/14.

Collaborate with OMWBE Intern 20 Hours 6/27 – 9/7/15

Contact OMWBE 2-3x per month Intern 10 Hours 6/27 – 9/7/15

Liaison between OMWBE & HCA - pass along new info

Intern 10 Hours 6/27 – 9/7/15

Collaborate with other State Agencies for ideas and best practices - esp. L&I

Intern 10 Hours 6/27 – 9/7/15

Total 72 Hours

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Workflow #3: Evaluate/Update Fiscal Coding Workflow Owner: Accounting Manager and Intern

Deliverable and Associated Tasks Team Member(s)

Responsible

Estimated Effort (Staff Time in

Hours) Schedule

Assess, develop and implement new processes for fiscal coding

Accounting Manager & Intern

44 Hours Total 7/6 – 7/24

Analyze, research, and develop process document and training manual for staff (incorporate research from OMWBE & other state agency best practices)

Fiscal Staff Team Member & Intern

20 Hours (10 each) 7/6 – 7/22

Facilitate two 1-hour trainings for fiscal staff

Accounting Manager & Intern

24 Hours (2 hours for each facilitator

and participant) 7/24

Test and audit new coding procedures Fiscal Staff 10 Hours 7/27 – 7/31

Total 54 Hours

Workflow #4: Develop and Implement OMWBE contract posting best practices Workflow Owner: PM and Intern

Deliverable and Associated Tasks Team Member(s)

Responsible

Estimated Effort (Staff Time in

Hours)

Completion Date

Assess, develop and implement new processes for contract posting

PM & Intern 50 Hours Total 7/13 – 7/31/15

Analyze, research, and develop process document and training manual for staff (incorporate research from OMWBE & other state agency best practices)

Contracts Staff Team Member &

Intern 20 Hours (10 each) 7/13 – 7/29/15

Facilitate two 1-hour trainings for contracts staff

PM & Intern 30 Hours (2 hours for each facilitator

and participant) 7/31/15

Verify revised coding procedures with OMWBE

PM & Intern 5 Hours By 8/7/15

Total 55 Hours

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Appendix F – PMP Communication Directory Below is the contact information for HCA Project Team members and the PMP Development Team:

Team Name Title Email Phone

HC

A P

roje

ct T

eam

Susan Lucas Project Sponsor susan.lucas@hca.wa.gov (360)725-1703

Melanie Anderson Project Manager melanie.anderson@hca.wa.gov (360)725-1271

Deanna Kehr HCA Accounting Mgr.

deanna.kehr@hca.wa.gov (360)725-9815

Annette Schuffenhauer

HCA Chief Legal Officer

annette.schuffenhauer@hca.wa.gov (360)725-1254

(Fill in once hired): _______________

Project Intern

(Fill in once identified):

Other Project Team Members: - Fiscal Staff - Contracts Staff

PMP Dev. Team

Lucas Minor TESC Student minluc01@evergreen.edu (360)389-8119

Warren Wessling TESC Student weswil12@evergreen.edu (520)266-9892

28

Appendix G – Smart Trust™ Matrix This matrix shows the different zones of trust. Smart Trust™ combines a high propensity to trust with

analysis and informed judgment. In this zone, the goal is to lead with trust until your trust has been

broken. “It is the only zone that gives us the judgment we need to discern when to trust, when not to

trust, and how to extend trust in a way that minimizes what can go wrong and maximizes all that can go

right.” (Covey and Link 2012). To learn more about Smart Trust™, refer to the book of the same name.

29

Appendix H – Reference and Resources Project Management Resources

Cooke, Helen S., and Tate, Karen. (2011). The McGraw-Hill 36-hour course: Project management (2nd

ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

<Image Source: www.amazon.com>

Project Management Tools: http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/

Related Useful Resources

Covey, Stephen M.R., and Link, Greg. (2012). Smart trust: The defining skill that transforms managers

into leaders. New York, NY: Free Press.

<Image source: www.amazon.com>

Duhigg, Charles. (2012). The power of habit: Why we do what we do in life and business. New York, NY:

Random House.

<Image source: www.amazon.com>

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Appendix I – PMP Development Team Charter

Team Charter

Purpose To provide a detailed project management plan (PMP) that allows the Washington State Health Care

Authority (HCA) to implement the Governor’s request to increase the use of minority, women and

veteran-owned business enterprises (M/WBE) in contracting for goods and services. HCA’s aspirational

goal is to increase M/WBE expenditures from 0.26% in of total expenditures in 2014 to at least 1% for

2015, and to maintain this level going forward.

Team Member Roles and Responsibilities The workload for this project will be split evenly between group members Warren Wessling and Lucas

Minor. The work will be evenly distributed as outlined below:

Team Member General Class Assignment Duties

Warren Wessling Lead role in facilitating meeting discussion to ensure key points are addressed and captured

Lucas Minor Lead role in coordinating meeting times and locations with client

Set up Google Drive for shared file management

Both Develop questions for client meetings

Actively participating in client meetings

Communicate with each other and meet weekly to ensure project is on target to meet deadlines

Alternating deliverable submission duties

Careful note-taking to define project objectives

Client Memo

Team Charter and Scope of Work

PMP Drafts (all)

Final PMP

Development of Visuals for Final Presentation

Delivery of Final Presentation

Communication Plan Communication is recognized as the key to project success. Regular formal and informal communication

will be employed to keep the project on track. Weekly meetings will be held Thursday evenings during

breaks in the first year cohort core class meetings. Between meetings, frequent email and text message

check-ins will be used to communicate project status updates. The team will use Google Drive and

Google Calendar to keep project materials and deadlines organized. Primary communication means with

the HCA staff will be through email and by phone. Additional face-to-face meetings, Google Hangouts

and work sessions will be scheduled on an as needed basis.

31

Agenda Items for Each Team Meeting Check-in for clarification of meeting purpose, verify current status of upcoming assignments, decide

logistics of future meeting dates, and work through the details of each current assignment. Each

meeting will end by identifying action items that each team member must address before the next

meeting or deliverable deadline.

Definition of Graduate Level Work It is agreed that all deliverables will display critical thinking skills and clear comprehension of subject

matter. All internal and external, verbal and non-verbal communication will be concise, comprehensible

and professional. Written assignments are to be well constructed, display high-quality writing

conventions, and be thoroughly reviewed and edited before final submission. All submissions are

expected to meet stated deadlines and be free of errors and omissions. Team members are expected to

be adaptive and supportive, while fostering an inclusive environment that allows for innovation, trust,

open dialogue and inclusiveness of diverse viewpoints.

Conflict Resolution Plan Unresolved issues can create significant risks to project success. As conflicts arise, work will be stopped

to address issues and team members will determine a mutual agreement or compromise. The first step

will be to address disputes internally. If a satisfactory solution cannot be reached, students will seek

guidance and resolution support from faculty.

Definition of a Successful Team Project The project will be considered a success if the final PMP meets the client's satisfaction and if all team

members work well together and learn from the experience. A successful project will also be one in

which we grow professionally, academically, and personally, while fine tuning skill sets and tools that

will further our success as professionals and public administrators.

PMP Development Schedule

Deliverable Week (starting week of April 6)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Team SWOT Analysis

Arrange Initial Client Meeting

Initial Client Meeting

Client Memo

Project Charter/Scope

Draft 1 of PMP

Additional PMP Drafts

Visual Aid for Presentation

Final PMP Draft (Due 6/2/15)

Final Presentation (6/2/15)