THE WELCH COMPANY
440 Davis Court #1602
San Francisco, CA 94111-2496
415 781 5700


S U M M A R Y


DIARY: April 3, 1997 12:10 PM Thursday; Rod Welch

Meeting with Max on Richmond/CSB organization and project launch.

1...Summary/Objective
2...Richmond Construction Launch Schedule Prototype
3...Leadership Vital to Project Success
4...Marketing Communication Metrics Requires Education Because it is New
5...Communication Metrics Support for Const. Services Branch, and RMS
6...Lessons Learned - Obtaining Accurate Intelligence Needs Support
7...Communication Metrics "Intelligence" is a Leadership Aide
8...COE Advertise in CBD for Communication Metrics
9...Welch Communication Metrics Scope of Services
10...RMS, CSB Expansion, Project Management, Litigation Support
11...CBD Advertisement for Communication Metrics Procurement


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CONTACTS 
0201 - Corps of Engineers, SFD            415 977 8400 fax 8483
020101 - Mr. Thompson F. Keesling, Architect; Assistant Chief =415 977 8473/8701
020102 - Construction Operations Division   =415 977 8480
0202 - Corps of Engineers, SFD            415 977 8400 fax 8483
020201 - Mr. Max R. Blodgett, II, P.E., L.S.
020202 - Construction Operations Division   =415 977 8480

SUBJECTS
Keesling PM for Richmond
Automated Management in District, Keesling
Project Management Review
Automated Management, Keesling's Assignment
Richmond Project Launch, 970328
Construction Launch Planning
Objectives/Requirements
Schedule Launch Project
Construction Svcs Branch, Organization
Communication Metrics Advertise for Bids
Accountability is Avoided

1813 -    ..
1814 - Summary/Objective
1815 -
181501 - Follow up ref SDS 30 0000, ref SDS 27 0000.
181502 -
181503 - Submitted and reviewed schedule revisions prepared yesterday, per the
181504 - record at ref SDS 29 0000.  Max inquired about progress on a CBD
181505 - procurement for Communication Metrics and expressed concern that this
181506 - scope would be performed under an AE.  He feels the contract should
181507 - be between CESPN and Welch.
181508 -
181509 -
181510 -  ..
1816 -
1817 -
1818 - Discussion
1819 -
181901 - Richmond Construction Launch Schedule Prototype
181902 -
181903 - Max has read the construction launch schedule for Richmond, including
181904 - the notes to explain the activities, ref OF 6 0000, which were
181905 - delivered yesterday, ref SDS 30 7339.  He feels it reflects a good
181906 - sequence of activities for launching projects, but is concerned about
181907 - meeting the target date to be ready for Richmond.
181908 -
181909 - I explained the idea to meet tomorrow with Tom, Leonard and Mike about
181910 - progress on the Richmond schedule, including RMS, per our meeting on
181911 - 970320. ref SDS 23 8994
181912 -
181913 -
181914 -  ..
181915 - Leadership Vital to Project Success
181916 -
181917 - Max asked if he needs to attend the meeting?
181918 -
181919 - We considered the advantage of executive leadership to support the
181920 - accelerated schedule for starting Richmond, as shown in the project
181921 - launch schedule. ref OF 6 8849
181922 -
181923 - Max can expedite decisions and offer ideas for meeting the schedule.
181924 -
181925 - He can obtain results and offer immediate guidance on questions he
181926 - raised in the meeting on 970320 about control points for the RMS task.
181927 - ref SDS 23 1011.  His experience in the District and in managing
181928 - construction can be a major help in expediting solutions to developing
181929 - the organization and facilities needed to launch Richmond in a timely
181930 - manner that gives the project a better chance to succeed.
181931 -
181932 -     [On 970625 leadership was critical to claims management on the
181933 -     Oakland Harbor project. ref SDS 39 8401]
181934 -
181935 -     [On 970919 reviewed leadership again. ref SDS 40 1960]
181936 -
181937 -
181938 - Marketing Communication Metrics Requires Education Because it is New
181939 -
181940 - Max asked about progress getting a contract for Communication Metrics
181941 - support in CON OPS?  He said the launch schedule for the Richmond
181942 - project should be compensated.
181943 -
181944 - I submitted a copy, ref OF 2 line 19, and explained the intent of Task
181945 - Order 2 for the Luster contract to provide Communication Metrics for
181946 - Richmond.  I noted the launch schedule was prepared as a marketing
181947 - sample to show the correlation between Communication Metrics and macro
181948 - scheduling using conventional Project Management methods, called CPM.
181949 - This was necessary because questions arose in the District Contract
181950 - Division about the meaning of "organic subject structure" called for
181951 - in Task Order 2 Requirement paragraph 3a(5), ref OF 2 line 120.  COE
181952 - proposed changing it to simply "subject index" in an alternate scope
181953 - of services, ref OF 4 line 116. So, I had to provide an intellectual
181954 - bridge from something familiar to the new concept of organic knowledge
181955 - identification needed for Communication Metrics.  Since COE uses CPM
181956 - scheduling and WBS is a common part of CPM, I developed a prototype
181957 - schedule for Richmond as a marketing aide for COE to understand
181958 - Communication Metrics by showing how the WBS provides a structure for
181959 - integrating new elements and tracking work performance in SDS, which
181960 - is critical to Communication Metrics.  Therefore, this is a marketing
181961 - expense to educate the customer, rather than an operational expense
181962 - that is compensable.
181963 -
181964 -
181965 -  ..
181966 - Communication Metrics Support for Const. Services Branch, and RMS
181967 -
181968 - Max asked if Task Order 2 includes support for Leonard in the
181969 - Sausalito office of the Construction Services Branch?  He noted that
181970 - it is important to provide help in managing a growing work load,
181971 - including implementing the CCA Guide, which he specifically requested
181972 - on 96
181973 -
181974 -     [On 970501 Max inquired again about providing help for CSB. see
181975 -     ref SDS 35 2207]
181976 -
181977 - I explained that Requirements paragraph 3b calls for supporting the
181978 - CSB, ref OF 2 line 200.
181979 -
181980 - He asked about planning implementation of RMS?
181981 -
181982 - We considered Task Order 1 Requirement 3c for the AE to assist COE in
181983 - planning implementation of RMS and supporting the Project Engineer in
181984 - carrying out the plan, ref OF 3 line 225.
181985 -
181986 -
181987 -
181988 -  ..
181989 - Lessons Learned - Obtaining Accurate Intelligence Needs Support
181990 - Communication Metrics "Intelligence" is a Leadership Aide
181991 -
181992 - Max expressed concern about Welch working as a subcontractor under
181993 - Luster since Communication Metrics captures alignment of contractor
181994 - performance with requirements.  COE learned the lesson on the Oakland
181995 - project that alignment can cause hurt feelings that cause pressure to
181996 - avoid visibility of deviations in order to avoid accountability, ref
181997 - SDS 2 line 179, and ref SDS 6 line 806.
181998 -
181999 - Max expressed concern that Communication Metrics support for CSB under
182000 - a contract to support the Richmond project seems awkward.  He feels
182001 - this leadership support should be an instrument of CON OPS.
182002 -
182003 -
182004 -  ..
182005 - COE Advertise in CBD for Communication Metrics
182006 -
182007 - Max asked about progress to advertise for Communication Metrics
182008 - support in the CBD (Commerce Business Daily), as discussed on 961226
182009 - with Tom Keesling concerning DE's objectives, ref SDS 4 line 123, and
182010 - later with Tom Benero and Max on 970110 at ref SDS 6 line 805?
182011 -
182012 -       [See follow up on 970501, ref SDS 35 2207, and general review on
182013 -       970516, ref SDS 36 3333.]
182014 -
182015 -       [See inquiry by Max again on 970530, ref SDS 37 line 141.]
182016 -
182017 - I explained my understanding from discussions with Max and with Tom
182018 - Keesling on 970220, ref SDS 7 line 253, that COE decided procurement
182019 - of Communication Metrics could be expedited by subcontracting through
182020 - AE services on Richmond, ref SDS 8 line 229.  As it has turned out,
182021 - the AE contract has been slower than hoped to provide Communication
182022 - Metrics support for launching the project and for organizing CSB,
182023 - which are needed now.
182024 -
182025 - Additionally, AE's proposed staffing, ref SDS 21 line 220, ref SDS 25
182026 - line 150, and submission of alternate language for Communication
182027 - Metrics, ref SDS 24 line 215, indicates potential for protracted
182028 - procurement on the one hand, and for resistance to adequate
182029 - implementation of task order 2, contrary to COE objectives for strong
182030 - accountability of contractor performance.
182031 -
182032 - Max seemed to indicate an advertisement for Communication Metrics in
182033 - the CBD should proceed.
182034 -
182035 -
182036 -  ..
182037 - Welch Communication Metrics Scope of Services
182038 - RMS, CSB Expansion, Project Management, Litigation Support
182039 -
182040 - We considered the advantages of a procurement for CON OPS to use
182041 - Communication Metrics to support implementation of RMS and District
182042 - Project Management on Richmond, per Max's request on 961206 and Welch
182043 - letter dated 970108, ref DIP 1 line 32, issued at ref SDS 5 line 114,
182044 - rather than making the assignment through the Richmond AE.  This
182045 - procurement would:
182046 -
182047 -        [See memo for this support to DE ref SDS 34 4839.]
182048 -
182049 -        [On 970501 reviewed progress issuing contract. ref SDS 35 2207]
182050 -
182051 -        [On 980520 developed scope of services again. ref SDS 41 0829]
182052 -
182053 -     •  Provide assistance with the CEFMS project that produces a
182054 -        record of implementation, as "lessons learned," for training
182055 -        and improvements.
182056 -
182057 -     •  Research existing procedures, regulations and District
182058 -        capabilities to formalize Project Management implementation,
182059 -        similar to the meeting with Tom Keesling last Friday, ref SDS
182060 -        27 line 90, and reflected by re-writes for AE scope of services
182061 -        on Inspection, RMS and Communication Metrics, ref SDS 10 line
182062 -        78, and by the CPM schedule and activity descriptions to launch
182063 -        the construction phase of the Richmond project, as a generic
182064 -        plan for District projects.
182065 -
182066 -     •  Provide CON OPS support for implementing RMS and the Project
182067 -        Management processes, including the Construction Contract
182068 -        Administration (CCA) Guide, and provide direct, daily feedback
182069 -        from implementation at the project level about the actual
182070 -        practices and problems that need to be addressed in developing
182071 -        useful and practical District-wide policies and procedures.
182072 -
182073 -     •  Provide support to organize the Construction Services Branch
182074 -        for expanding to manage a larger volume of work and
182075 -        implementing RMS, per meeting with Max, Tom, Leonard and Mike
182076 -        on 970320, ref SDS 23 5883.  Organization structure, personnel
182077 -        descriptions and work flow need to be formulated based on
182078 -        projected work load.
182079 -
182080 -     •  Provide litigation support on Oakland, per Max's idea on using
182081 -        the SDS record, ref SDS 9 8839.
182082 -
182083 -        [See follow up where a need for litigation support occurred,
182084 -        ref SDS 32 8033 and ref SDS 38 9045.]
182085 -
182086 - This procurement would provide the skilled people, plus the methods
182087 - and tools of Communication Metrics that expedite the work and provide
182088 - the quality of service needed at this crucial time.
182089 -
182090 - There was consideration of Tom Keesling meeting with Tom Benero about
182091 - how to accomplish this support.  Max feels the scope of services for
182092 - Richmond AE Task Order 2 could be modified to describe generic support
182093 - and advertised similarly to Task Order 2 Requirements para 3b that
182094 - covers CSB.  It would take 60 days (probably more like 90 - 120), but
182095 - in the meantime efforts could continue under the Richmond AE contract,
182096 - and simply modify the AE contract, as actual events unfold.
182097 -
182098 -      [See memo to DE implementing these ideas at ref SDS 34 4839.]
182099 -
182100 -
1822 -
1823 -
1824 - 1318 visited with Tom Keesling
1825 -
182501 - Advised of discussion with Max.
182502 -
182503 - Tom has a call in to Leonard about meeting tomorrow to review CSB
182504 - organization and Mike's RMS Information Flow chart.  He will let me
182505 - know later today, if Leonard wants to meet and if so what time.
182506 -
182507 -
182508 -  ..
182509 - CBD Advertisement for Communication Metrics Procurement
182510 -
182511 - We discussed initiating a CBD advertisement for a separate procurement
182512 - of Communication Metrics to support CON OPS, per above, which would be
182513 - sponsored by Tom, since he is most familiar with Communication
182514 - Metrics, and it would be focused on his assignments as Project Manager
182515 - for CEFMS, RMS and to formalize Project Management in the District,
182516 - per our meeting last week. ref SDS 27 0000
182517 -
182518 -      [See follow up with Tom on on 970409, ref SDS 31 5737, and on
182519 -      970418, ref SDS 33 2005.]
182520 -
182521 -
182522 -
1826 -
1827 -
Distribution. . . . See "CONTACTS"