Transforming Incident Procurement Project (TIPP)
Initial TIPP Communication Strategy, #2017-001 Communication Documents, Web Site and Collaborative Portal Establishment
Purpose
- Identify immediate communication needs of the TIPP.
- Recommend an appropriate set of communication tools and tactics to meet those needs.
- Outline responsible parties to ensure approval of recommendations and subsequent actions are taken to successfully implement each tactic.
Communication Background, Objective, and Key Messages
Background
Wildfire response requires the ability to react in a quick, efficient manner to minimize damage and protect resources. An important component to a successful response is the access to the appropriate resources. Determining the length of time that an asset will be required is unpredictable, making it difficult to obligate the appropriate level of funding for contracted services and assets. The Departments of the Interior and Agriculture recognize the importance of modernizing the processes to acquire incident resources and assets, while ensuring compliance with Federal financial management and acquisition policies.
TIPP is a joint effort of the two Departments to meet incident management mission requirements, comply with Federal financial management and procurement mandates, improve accuracy and timeliness of obligation reporting to reduce duplication, increase efficiency, and use new technologies.
The Joint Executive Board tasked the TIPP Actively Pursuing Excellence (APEX) Team to: 1) develop background and supporting materials, and 2) identify short- and long-term strategies to meet these mandates. Accurate, timely, and concise internal and external communication with the diverse set of stakeholders for this project is essential to the Team and TIPP’s success.
Strategy Objective
The objective for Strategy #2017-001 is toidentify the initial set of tools and tactics to assist the APEX Team in establishing protocols for: 1) dissemination of accurate, timely, and concise internal and external communication to the Project’s diverse set of stakeholders, the Fire Management Board, and the Joint Executive Board and 2) develop a process for stakeholders to provide feedback, comments, and suggestions to members of the APEX and TIPP Extended Team members. This strategy tiers from the drafted (yet-to-be-approved) TIPP Communication Framework.
Key Messages
- The Transforming Incident Procurement Project (TIPP) is a joint effort of the USDA and DOI to: 1) meet incident management mission requirements, 2) comply with Federal financial management and acquisition mandates, 3) improve accuracy and timeliness of obligation reporting, 4) reduce duplication and increase efficiency, and 5) utilize new technologies.
- Office of Management and Budget (OMB) financial management and procurement mandates were the catalyst for TIPP.
- There are no pre-determined solutions.
- The APEX Team will work with subject matter experts (members of the TIPP Extended Team) to draft short- and long-term strategies to meet these mandates for review and approval by the Joint Executive Board.
- This is an opportunity for the Departments to modernize and improve the financial and acquisition processes.
- Customer and user input are vital to future success.
Recommended Actions, Roles and Responsibilities
Activity / Budget/Resources* / Deadline/
Timeframe / Responsible Party / Success Criteria
APEX Team Charter / $0 / Dec 31, 2016 / Joint Executive Board / Signed Charter
Leaders’ Intent Letter / $0 / Dec 31, 2016 / Joint Executive Board Co-Chairs / Signed Letter
TIPP Communication Framework / $0 / Dec 31, 2016 / Joint Executive Board Co-Chairs / Approved
Identify external, public facing website / $0 / Dec 1, 2016 / Project Managers in consultation with Communications / Website is identified
Develop site plan for TIPP webpage / $0 / Dec 15, 2016 / Communications / Site Plan is approved
Develop content for TIPP webpage
- Front Page content
- Key Messages
- Questions & Answers
Create page and load content / $0 / Ongoing / Webmaster / Webpage is live; work ongoing
Identify internal communication portal available across Departments / $0 / Dec 1, 2016 / Project Managers in consultation with Communications / Internal site is identified
Develop site plan for TIPP internal communication portal / $0 / Dec 15, 2016 / Communications / Site Plan is approved
Develop content and set up portal / $0 / Dec 15, 2016 / Communications / Site is active
Develop appropriate set of Executive Briefing communication tools / $0 / Ongoing / Communications in consultation with Project Managers / Ongoing
*$0.00 are shown because there is no outlay of funds (e.g., for contractor support, website hosting, etc.); program management (FS funded), communications (jointly funded), webmaster (FS funded) staff time are involved with theseactivities.
Executive Meeting Management
A well-informed Joint Executive Board is key to the overall success of TIPP and will assist in timely rendering of decisions required to implement the short- and long-term actions to meet the mandates of OMB, while supporting the incident management mission.
Meeting Management
In order for the Joint Executive Board members to be prepared to render informed decisions at the conclusion of planned executive briefings, the TIPP project managers will provide: 1) a meeting agenda, with decision topics clearly identified, and 2) advanced materials on informational and decision topics at least five days prior to the date of the briefing.