2/09/17 NetWorkshop
On February 9th we held our first NetWorkshop of 2017, sponsored by Parsons and hosted by the Northern California World Trade Center: Public Agency Collaborative Partnering Strategies. Attendees learned more about how public agencies use Partnering to improve project outcomes!
Panelists:
Scott Jarvis,
Chief Engineer, CA High-Speed Rail Authority
Jarvis discussed how HSR uses Partnering to navigate the complexities of long-term and multi-national mega projects, such as those currently ongoing with HSR. In the face of complexity, Partnering helps resolve issues and avoid major delays.
Celia McAdam,
Executive Director, Placer County Transportation Planning Agency
On the award-winning Lincoln Bypass project, McAdam saw the Partnering process improve brainstorming and communication and maintain public expectations. From her perspective as a funding agency and stakeholder, Partnering was a no-brainer, and something that all teams should do.
Ken Solak,
HQ Partnering Program Manager, Caltrans Division of Construction
Solak discussed his hands-on experience with many Partnering teams at Caltrans, which has a robust Partnering program. Given their long history, they are now looking for ways to improve the process, turning to research and innovations to do so.
Moderator:
Mark Leja,
Executive Consultant, Hill International
Collaborative Partnering Strategies
- Let each other know where you are coming from, so no one has to guess.
- Besides budget and number of working days, consider other factors of complexity when determining which projects to Partner.
- Involve stakeholders in the planning stage. Having another perspective— politically, financially, and logistically— is valuable, and their involvement will help prevent issues down the line.
- Meet with the contractor in quarterly facilitated sessions and have executive management meetings in between.
- Question your assumptions. If you assume that everyone on your team understands the value of each element of Partnering, you may overlook an area for improvement in your collaborative effort.
- Invite stakeholders to your Partnering Steering Committee Meetings to help them understand the project and to enhance communication.
- Hold meetings in person. While you should take advantage of technology, you must first build trust with the team, and that is best achieved through face to face communication.
