Project Management Team
Mission
The purpose of the Project Management Team (PM Team) is to manage the project development, administer all project elements, and provide overall guidance and oversight. The PM Team is the primary decision-making body and reports directly to the Executive Leadership Group (ELG), made up of executive leaders of the California State Coastal Conservancy (Conservancy), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG), who will ultimately approve the plan. Each agency on the PM team has its own mandates and objectives that will be incorporated into the final plan design.Composition
The Project Management Team (PM Team) is comprised of staff of the Conservancy, USFWS and CDFG. Adjunct members of the PM Team include staff of the Santa Clara Valley Water District, Alameda County Flood Control District, and the US Army Corps of Engineers, as well as the Project Lead Scientist. The collaborative planning coordinator from the Center for Collaborative Policy and a staffperson from the Resources Legacy Fund (representing the private foundation funders) participate in PM Team meetings. As needed, the technical design consultants will also participate in PM Team meetings.
View team member biographies.
Roles and Responsibilities
The PM Team provides the overall leadership for the planning process and is responsible for all components of the planning effort, including but not limited to: scientific assistance and review; overall plan design; public participation and outreach; public policy impacts and analysis; budgeting and funding; dispute resolution; integration of the planning process with flood management, public health, and regulatory entities; and state and federal legislative and local government relations. They make all major decisions pertaining to the project and are responsible for overseeing the preparation of the final restoration plan and distribution of the plan to the ELG for executive-level approval.
The role of the adjunct PM Team members is to:ensure that the PMT is adequately integrating overall flood management issues as well as local flood management projects into the restoration plan; work collaboratively towards a feasibility report that could allow for Corps implementation for components of the project; contribute their expertise in reviews of s project scopes of work and technical and environmental documents; ensure early and active input of local flood agencies in the plan alternatives development, analysis, and preferred alternative selection; collaborate on funding efforts for project implementation; and assist the PMT with outreach to local community organizations agencies, and other stakeholders.
The role of the Project Lead Scientist on the PM Team is to ensure ongoing communication among the PM Team, the Project’s Science Team and the National Science Panel.
The PM Team will establish, communicate, and adhere to the Project’s Guiding Principles throughout the planning process.
Decision-making
The PM Team makes all key decision pertaining to the restoration plan. They commit to a consensus-based decision-making process. Consensus in this case means “unanimity of all voting members. Each voting organization will have one vote. Any Partner with two or more representatives on the PM Team will be required to determine the existence or lack thereof of unanimity within their organization, prior to engaging in a decision-making effort with the other Partners.
When partners cannot achieve unanimity on a management, policy or technical decision, they will resort to a majority vote. Invoking majority vote automatically triggers decision review by the ELG. Voting member agencies can recuse themselves from a decision if they choose.
Communication and Reporting
The PM Team commits to ongoing transparency in their reporting and decision-making. The PM Team will produce an annual progress report that is made available to the public. The PM Team will also provide regular reports to the ELG. These reports will be made public and posted on the project website. The PM Team will provide ongoing direction to organizational elements under their direct management. This may include written memos to consultants, stakeholder working groups, etc. These memos will be part of the public and contractual record for all activities on the project and will be used as the basis to assess levels of completion and performance by different aspects of the planning process. The PM Team will prepare regular reports to the core Stakeholder Forum. The PM Team also provides periodic updates and reporting to the foundations.
Neutral Facilitation
As requested or needed, the PM Team meetings will be facilitated by a professional facilitator or facilitation team.
Types and Frequency of Meetings
Currently, the PM Team meets twice monthly for internal project management. The PM Team currently meets quarterly with the ELG. One or more PM Team members will attend Stakeholder Forum meetings and may also periodically participate in selected Work Group meetings. One or more PM Team members will also attend National Science Panel, Science Team, and Local Government Forum meetings. The PM Team will also participate in at least twice-yearly public workshops.