However, agency compliance is voluntary. Most agencies have not developed a systematic approach to the training and development of program managers. It is largely up to individuals to seek out such certification and it is not clear there is any assurance that this investment will pay off because agencies may not have defined jobs to require the certification. In addition to the lack of a legislative mandate, civilian agency efforts are hindered by the current hodgepodge of job series involved in acquisition and in program management more generally.
Program managers lack a professional community within the federal government that can provide support and a voice on issues affecting the development of program management. Currently, individuals performing program management roles in many agencies work in relative isolation. They are often unaware of colleagues within the government and have no ready way to connect and discuss common issues and share best practices.
Also, they are unable to participate as a group in discussions of policy affecting the development of program management within the government.
This lack of community and a collective voice hinders efforts to build and improve program management capabilities across the government. The discipline of program management 11 is a body of principles, practices, and techniques that continues to evolve over time to provide a rigorous, repeatable approach to managing large, complex change initiatives effectively and efficiently.
It provides a framework for integrating and aligning the diverse functions and stakeholders within and across organizations around the common end of managing change. In the absence of this discipline, successful program management depends largely on luck and the heroic efforts of individuals. OMB has issued guidance on project and program management policies and processes and for the training and development of project and program managers. However, this guidance has not been consistently adopted or utilized.
The Panel has identified seven conditions it believes are important to institutionalize program management discipline across the federal government. These include:. An integrated approach to the development of government-wide program management policy and oversight of agency implementation.
As discussed earlier, OMB has demonstrated more comprehensive approaches towards program management policy as it relates to acquisition and IT. However, the designation of a single responsible individual with clear responsibility and authority for coordinating program management policy would assist in promoting this effort government-wide.
A key factor in the success of change management initiatives is the active support of top leadership. This support is essential to help ensure the alignment of diverse groups within the organization, whose normal incentives e. Also, top agency leadership backing is needed to engage the support of key external stakeholders such as OMB, Congress, and, in some cases, other agency partners.
These groups must be engaged early and often to obtain and maintain agreement on priorities and resource needs, which is essential to execute a program efficiently and effectively. Top agency leadership support is critical not just for success of individual programs, but also to the institutionalization of program management within an agency.
As discussed earlier, the institutionalization of program management within agencies is itself a large-scale, complex change initiative involving significant changes that will require sustained support from top leadership to succeed.
Integration of program management into strategic planning, goal-setting, and performance improvement processes. The successful implementation of policy and business transformation initiatives depends on a thorough planning process wherein the goals and requirements—people, processes, and technology—of the initiatives are clearly thought through. Program management staff must be closely involved early on in the front-end planning of initiatives to help ensure that goals are feasible and the requirements for implementation are provided for.
Program management staff should also be involved in the development of performance measures to help ensure the use of metrics that are appropriate to the task. Also, the development of program management capabilities needs to be integrated into agency planning and budgeting. Toward this end, the development of program management capabilities and how they relate to achieving mission goals should be articulated in agency strategic plans. Agency strategic plans and associated performance management processes mandated by the Government Performance and Results Act of GPRA and the GPRA Modernization Act of provide a framework for integrating the development of program management capabilities into agency and federal government performance improvement efforts and communicating program management needs to Congress.
In particular, the GPRA Modernization Act provides an important tool—the establishment of priority goals at the agency and federal government level to focus performance improvement efforts. Clearly established roles and responsibilities of agency executives and stakeholders in program management processes. Successful program management depends on alignment among the different groups within an agency.
Toward this end, the agency should clearly define the roles and responsibilities of agency leadership, and functional e. These roles and responsibilities should be clearly spelled out in project and program management policy.
To help ensure accountability, these roles and responsibilities should be incorporated into individual performance plans where feasible. Pertinent training in program management may also be necessary to ensure understanding of roles and responsibilities. While OMB has issued government-wide guidance on project and program management policies and procedures and providing for the training and development of project and program managers, adoption and utilization has been inconsistent.
The lack of a clear owner with the support and capacity to implement this guidance is part of the problem. Program management organizations PMOs can provide a continuing engine for institutionalizing and sustaining program management discipline within the organization over time. One important role is to develop and communicate project and program management policies and procedures and to help ensure their consistent application across the organization.
Another important role is to actively support the training and development of project and program managers within the agency. The PMO would develop and carry out plans for training and development linked to strategic agency planning. Program management organizations also can play an important role in integrating program management into GPRA-mandated strategic planning and performance improvement processes.
PMO staff would have the expertise needed to assist agency leadership in goal-setting and appropriate measures of performance. To realize this potential, PMOs must have clear responsibility and authority for these roles and the backing of senior leadership. A government-wide job series for program managers that spans business functions with a career path that extends into senior career executive management ranks.
The IT program management job series and career path is an important step given the central role played by IT in realizing many policy and business transformation initiatives. However, IT is only one part and not always the most important part of change initiatives.
A general program management job series with a career path is still needed to build the cadre of project and program managers needed to support the broader range of change initiatives the government must undertake.
Of course, one size does not fit all. This job series and career path would have to be designed with sufficient flexibility to accommodate the different functional demands of agency missions and change initiatives. This can be anticipated based on the evolution of the DAWIA, which was amended to accommodate the different needs of weapons development and facilities management.
Program managers at the career executive level can help address major challenges to effective and efficient program management noted earlier—uncertain funding, changing priorities, and turnover and extended vacancies in appointed agency leadership positions. Experienced program managers at the career executive level would be better able to engage key stakeholders, including agency leadership, congressional oversight staff, and OMB, to communicate program management needs and to build and sustain support for program goals and funding over time.
An organization bringing together senior program management officials from across the government to advise on government-wide policy, share leading practices, and oversee the development of expert program management resources. Such an organization could enable the development of program management capabilities across the government by providing perspective on policy, identifying and disseminating leading practices, and providing a vehicle for connecting agencies with expert assistance in their efforts to manage programs and build capabilities.
This latter role may be especially important in the early stages of building program management capabilities across the government.
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Aviation Regulation. Banking Regulation. Mondaq Advice Centres. United States. The contract will include the approved scope and budget, as well as a deadline for project implementation. If approved work cannot be conducted by the deadline listed in the contract, the municipality or transit authority must alert MassDOT as soon as possible but at a minimum of 60 days before contract expiration.
Contract extensions may be provided on a case-by-case basis with proper justification. However, extensions are not guaranteed, and awardees should work to implement projects under the originally approved timeframe.
If a project can no longer be implemented as originally approved, the awardee must reach out to MassDOT to discuss a possible change in scope. Any scope changes must be approved by MassDOT and incorporated into the award contract via an amendment.
Scope changes are not guaranteed, and agreements may be nulled at MassDOT discretion if projects can no longer be implemented as originally approved. New in , the Shared Streets and Spaces Program provides funding on a reimbursement basis instead of up-front payments that were provided in the past. In order to receive award funds, recipients must submit a Reimbursement Request , Payroll Form if necessary , List of Materials Form and required supporting documentation via email to their District State Aid Engineer after expenses are incurred.
The forms can be found online , as well as up-to-date State Aid Engineer contact information. Once all necessary information has been provided, MassDOT will process the payment electronically to the account set up specifically for this purpose. This reimbursement process is the same as that used for Chapter 90 and Complete Streets Funding Program projects.
This change from up-front payment to reimbursement ensures MassDOT is adequately able to track project spending and progress in order to meet fiscal reporting requirements. Spending reports from prior program years have also indicated that immediate up-front payments to awardees are not necessary.
Projects may be implemented by municipal staff. If hiring consultants or contractors to conduct the work, municipalities must adhere to all applicable local and state regulations related to the implementation of a project, including the advertisement and award of a contract to complete approved work. All work must be conducted by a MassDOT prequalified firm or contractor. Applicant municipalities must secure all necessary local approvals, including but not limited to planning boards, conservation commissions, relevant public safety entities, and other municipal bodies before work begins.
More information on how to apply can be found on the Highway Access Permit page. MassDOT will contact municipalities and transit authorities after project implementation is underway in order to request completion of a MassDOT-provided progress report. Completion of this report within the stated timeframe is required of all awarded municipalities and transit authorities.
After a project is completed, awardees are required to submit a final report provided my MassDOT. Failure to submit required progress and final reports by the provided deadlines may result in the entity being ineligible for reimbursement or additional funding in future award rounds.
Can engineering and design services for eligible projects be funded, or is funding only for construction? Applicants are urged to take advantage of the free Technical Assistance that is offered as a part of the program. The Technical Assistance teams can provide design services.
Contact information for Technical Assistance providers can be found on the Technical Assistance page. Project costs incurred prior to the issuance of a Notice to Proceed under this program are not considered eligible expenses.
Municipalities and transit authorities may submit up to two distinct applications but may be awarded only one grant. A single application can contain multiple sub-projects, however, provided the different pieces make sense as a thematic whole. Equipment Only projects do not count against any application limits. Can a municipality or transit authority receive more than one grant per fund round? We are a municipality working with private property owners to implement a Shared Streets and Spaces project.
Is a lease agreement for public use of the private property sufficient for us to apply for these Shared Streets and Spaces funds? Municipalities may receive funding for improvements on private land as long as a legal agreement for the public use of the land has been obtained.
Improvements made to private property that are not open and available for public use are not eligible under this grant program. Applicants are strongly encouraged to begin the access permit approval process with their Highway District Office prior to applying for a MassDOT grant.
View the Highway Access Permits page for more information on how to apply. Nothing about this program will change the control or ownership of any municipal roadway. If municipalities or transit authorities want to perform an evaluation specifically related to the awarded project, those costs would need to be included in the grant request.
Can Shared Streets and Spaces work be performed by municipal Public Works personnel or other municipal staff as opposed to hiring a contractor? Before any work begins, municipalities and transit authorities will enter into a contract with MassDOT for the completion of an approved project. MassDOT will gather all necessary information from the recipient to initiate the contract shortly after award notification is sent.
Please note that this is different from prior program rounds. This means that municipalities and transit authorities will request funds from MassDOT after costs have been incurred. In order to receive award funds, awardees must submit a Reimbursement Request , Payroll Form if necessary , List of Materials Form and required supporting documentation via email to their District State Aid Engineer.
In order to receive award funds, award recipients must submit a Reimbursement Request , Payroll Form if necessary , List of Materials Form and required supporting documentation via email to their District State Aid Engineer after expenses are incurred.
This reimbursement process is the same as that used for Chapter 90 or Complete Streets Funding Program projects. The Reimbursement Request collects basic project information, as well as how much money was approved, how much has been spent to date, and how much is currently being requested for reimbursement. This form must be signed by the appropriate municipal staff. The Payroll Form is used to record personnel time on Chapter 90 projects. If you plan to repair or renovate your home, government programs may make it easier for you to afford those home improvements.
Home improvement loan programs help with home repairs and modifications. They are the most common type of government financial assistance for home improvements. Some programs are available nationwide, while others are only available at the state or county level. Loan amount and repayment terms are limited based on the type of property. Find out about the k Rehabilitation Mortgage Insurance Program.
Your local or county government housing department. Find information about energy efficient modification loans or incentives in your state. Review a list of FAQs about tax credits and find rebates near you for Energy Star products and energy efficiency home improvements. Cash-out Refinance Loans , which can be used to pay for home repairs and improvements. Disabled Veterans Housing Assistance. Seniors can find tips on home safety in the Consumer Awareness Strategies section of the homemods.
It has fact sheets and resources such as:. The Lifetime Home, an interactive resource to make your home safer as you age.
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