Project Proposal
Content
The team selects an idea for a team
project that would benefit an employer.
The team describes the project and the
rationale for the choice.
The team identifies the stakeholders and
how they will benefit from the project.
1
Met
Not
Met
The project was described.
X
Identify Stakeholders and
Benefits.
X
X
The team discusses the resource
requirements for the project.
X
The team identifies steps to take to
assemble, develop, and manage the
project team.
X
The team discusses the importance of
project sponsorship and project
leadership during project execution.
X
Comments:
A team project, Trucking
Company
X
The team uses the questions asked in
Week 1’s “Overview of a Project
assignment to create an overview of this
proposed project.
The project proposal summary is 350 to
700 words in length.
Partial
Met
Provided an overview in the
intro.
Highlighted the resource
requirements.
Steps were identified.
Highlighted project
leadership.
Word count 1088.
Good conclusion.
Good intro.
X
Total
Available
Total
Earned
5
5
Good APA format.
Good title page.
Good headings in the layout
of the paper.
Good references and
citations.
Good job!
A TEAM TRUCKING
2
Project Proposal
A Team Trucking
CPMGT/300
A TEAM TRUCKING
3
Project Proposal
The A Team Trucking LLC Company fills a void in the California high-speed rail system
by implementing a contract sole dependent on supporting the rail company. California currently
is ramping up the development and implementation of a high-speed rail system, which enables A
Team Trucking LLC an opportunity to generate revenue. However, the market is exclusive to
contract companies, who have contracts with the state of California, however; the company
during the early phase could explore sub-contracts with those companies working around the
vetting system.
Rationale
The project shall require the purchase, lease, or sign rental agreements for semi-trucks
and trailers to accomplish the contract. Leasing equipment provides the best option for our
business, since it is a 100% write off for taxes, as where purchasing equipment only allows the
company to depreciate the asset. Therefore, it would be best to lease the equipment, which
permits the business to have newer equipment with less worries of maintenance issues. An idea
of cost effectiveness is listed below;
Lease Equipment Used Truck: $800 a month (CastOwl.com, 2018)
Lease Equipment New Truck: $2,500 a month (CastOwl.com, 2018)
Lease Equipment Dump Used Trailer: $1,533 (Rental Yard, 2018
The Stakeholders
Stakeholders for the start-up to prolonged future will be two different companies. One of
which is ABC Electric, who has a lot of work with the CHSR and is the reason we have this
opportunity. ABC Electric will receive a $5 hour per truck broker’s fee. The other stakeholders
include a small trucking company we called B-Team Trucking. They will be our Sub contractor.
A TEAM TRUCKING
4
Their payment is $5 an hour in brokers fees, plus any truck and trailer used for A-Team truck,
which is about $10 an hour each. If A-Team needs a loan for future growth, the lender will also
be considered a stakeholder.
Resource Requirements
The most important resources to have are the drivers, budget, supplies and knowledge.
Not only do you not want to spend too much, you want to make sure the money you are spending
is well spent. The employee behind the wheel of the truck is based off inexperience, as are many
other projects. Experience means everything for the project. You want to provide or be provide
the best supplies. Where to get it and how is all about knowing who to talk to where to go. The
faster they can go the faster yet, well preformed they will do. Networking if you will would be a
key to getting a successful project such as this done.
Steps to Assemble the Project Team
Based on the needs of the project discovered during the initiation phase, the project team
will need to consist of people with certain skill sets that can translate into the High-Speed Rail
industry. The team that will be assembled will need to be able to address each function of
contract work for the A Team Trucking LLC. The A Team Trucking is the client and will be a
principle stakeholder in this project. The project team will consist of team members who will
have an understanding in the areas of labor, insurance, loan financing and accounting. Also
needed is someone on the team to handle any receivables and administration, just to have a point
person to keep things organized. The team members will come primarily from the A Team
Trucking Company while there are a couple that may come from outside of the company because
of their specific skill set.
A TEAM TRUCKING
5
Steps to Assemble the Project Team
The first step in putting together the project team will be to identify the team members.
Qualified team members from both inside and outside the A Team Trucking Company will be
used. Each team member will be responsible for each of the following areas: equipment cost,
labor, insurance, funding, sustainability and administration. The communication between the A
Team Trucking Company, the project team and California High Speed Rail, who is the end user,
will be done by the project lead.
The Objective
The objectives of the project will be given to the established project team members. This
team will have a project lead but will operate in a self-managed structure. The team members
will have the authority to complete their objectives in their own fashion. They can report back
any challenges to the project lead.
Steps to Develop the Project Team
To develop cohesiveness between the team members, there will be a daily feedback
session to discuss objectives, discuss challenges and share knowledge about available resources
that may benefit one of the other team members. The project lead can inform the team of any
changes the client or the decision maker may have wanted, and the team can discuss how to work
in those changes
The Importance of Project Sponsorship During Project Execution
The project sponsorship is important for many reasons, especially considering that the
success of the project depends on sponsorship to provide motivation and structure to the project.
Another reason that project sponsorship is so important is because it is the main source of
income funding for the entire project.
A TEAM TRUCKING
6
The Importance of Project Leadership During Project Execution
Like sponsorship, leadership is an important factor as well. Leadership plays an important
role in project execution because it provides guidance and delegation. Leadership is also
important because it helps to select the project team, taking care of sponsors, and taking care of
stakeholders. Without leadership in place, there is a risk of the project coming out unsuccessful.
Conclusion
A-Team trucking is a proactive company ready to maintain their client, CHSR with any
and all needs they may have in reference to trucking. We are available 24hrs a day to load and
move material if needed. We thank you for the opportunity to service your needs and appreciate
the time you have taken out of your schedule to look over our company. We hope to hear from
you in the near future. We are standing by with trucks and certified safe drivers to work together
with others to complete the largest construction site in America. Again thank you for this
opportunity, A-Team Trucking LLC.
A TEAM TRUCKING
7
Reference
CastOwl.com. (2018). How Much Does it Cost to Rent or Lease a Semi Truck?
Retrieved from https://www.costowl.com/automotive/auto-semi-truck-rent-cost.html
Great Western Leasing and Sales. (2018). End Dump Trailers. Retrieved from
https://www.greatwesternleasing.com/semi-trailers/end-dumps
Rental Yard. (2018). TRAVIS End Dump Trailers For Rent. Retrieved from =
https://www.rentalyard.com/listings/trailers/for-rent/list/category/352/dump
trailersend/manufacturer/travis
Content
Met
Partially
Met
Not
Met
Comments:
Project Requirements/Risk/Cost
The team prepares a project requirements
matrix, a risk assessment matrix, and a cost
breakdown for the project.
The team collects and evaluates the highlevel project requirements.
The team prepares a project requirements
matrix that includes the requirements, phase
of project, responsible party, cost to
complete, and duration to complete.
1
x
The team prepares a project
requirements matrix on risk,
requirements and cost
breakdown.
X
The team collects and
evaluates the high-level
project requirements.
X
The team prepares a risk assessment matrix
that includes the risk, potential of risk
occurring, level of impact to the project, and
how the risk can be mitigated.
The team prepares a project cost breakdown
sheet.
A requirement matrix was
prepared.
A risks assessment was
conducted. Risks were rated
high, medium and low. Did
not identify any mitigation
steps. -.5
x
A cost sheet prepared.
x
The paper—including tables and graphs,
headings, title page, and reference page—is
consistent with APA formatting guidelines
and meets course-level requirements.
Word count 1449
x
Intellectual property is recognized with intext citations and a reference page.
x
Paragraph and sentence transitions are
present, logical, and maintain the flow
throughout the paper.
x
Sentences are complete, clear, and concise.
x
Rules of grammar and usage are followed
including spelling and punctuation.
x
Good APA formatting
Good references
Transitions are present.
Clear and concise sentences.
Good grammar.
Assignment Total
#5
4.5
Additional comments: Good
job on developing the matrix
for requirements, risks and
cost. Add mitigation steps
to the risks matrix. Good
job.
Project Requirements/Risk/Cost
2
Project Requirements/Risk/Cost
CPMGT/300
Project Requirements/Risk/Cost
3
Project Requirements and Risks
Project requirements can be classified into three categories: business, solution, and
stakeholder requirements. Business classification would be the requirements for starting a
trucking company in California, such as filing with the state to form an LLC, DOT numbers for
equipment on the roads, and filing forms with the government make A-Team Trucking a veteran
owned company. Solution classification would be the deliverables or product we transport
making it to their destination as per contractual agreement. In the case with CHSR, that would be
the moving of fill dirt from location (A) to location (B). Stakeholder classification would be to
ensure the needs are being met from A-team trucking. B-Team Trucking as a stakeholder needs
the work to produce work for their trucks and extra trailers. CHSR as a stakeholder wants ATeam to produce in enough time to stay on their schedule with the building of the CHSR. Team
leaders must maintain all these requirements making all parties involved feel the success ATeam is providing to them all.
Phases of the Project and Duration
Identifying requirements for the project requires categorizing task into the five
phases. For example, the initiation phase encompasses meeting with lenders to acquire funding
for the new organization. Equipment utilization like rental or purchases is a planning phase task
to consider for the project. The execution stage leads to occupancy of a facility and taking
passion of equipment. The monitor and control phase are continual during all phases of the
project ensuring the organization maintains a schedule. The closure stage for the A-Team
Trucking Company project requires the project manager to complete final reports and
documentation for future projects, and a lesson learned from the venture. The Requirements
Traceability Matrix (RTM) delivers a visual and documented flow of the project for the project
Project Requirements/Risk/Cost
4
manager and stakeholders (Project Management Knowledge, 2018). The RTM (Table 1.1)
delivers project requirements for the A Team Trucking Company.
Responsible Party
Responsible party involves all the team members of the project that make it be successful
(Musings, 2017). Every project requires effort from everyone in the team and each team member
has a responsibility to play. The stakeholders have the role of supporting the project in terms of
finances and decision making. The project manager has many responsibilities in a project such as
sharing of any information or change of the project to the team members, planning,
implementation and execution of the project milestones. The human resources department has
the role of hiring qualified members and training team members to reduce project management
issues such as poor commitment, coordination and milestone timely achievement. The finance
and accounting team has the role of making sure that the budget of the project follows and any
resources are used properly. The project team coordinator, who helps the project manager, has
the role of providing information of the best fit for their need and identifying what they will be
upgrading to and go with the best cost of their needs.
Project Requirements/Risk/Cost
RE
Q.
ID
1
Source /
Request
or
Create Team
A Team
for Project, and Truckin
identify internal
g
and external
Compan
stakeholders
y
Perform SWOT Lender
REQ.
Description
Org / Dept.
Owner
5
Business
Justification /
Need
Create a New
Firm to Fill a
Market Void
Duration
Status
Comments
1 week
Complete
Team
established and
to accomplish
project
Arrange
meeting with
lender upon
completion
Project cannot
move forward
without
completion
Marketing
Identify if
business is an Idea
or Opportunity
1 week
In
Progress
2
Secure
Financing
Owner
Project
Manger
Required for
Project
Continuation
2 weeks
Open
Facilities
Owner
Project
Manager
Location for
Operations
4 weeks
Open
Dependent on
Financing
Equipment
Operatio
ns
Manager
Project
Manager
Cost Estimates for
Leasing and
Purchasing
3 weeks
In progress
A complete
Cost Analysis
3
4
5
Risk
From the moment of initiating a project, the elements of potential risk should be a
concern and a focus in the project planning. It should be monitored throughout the project to help
keep control of the scope, time and cost of the project. “Good risk management starts in the
project initiation process with careful consideration of what the project is supposed to achieve
and how it is to be done—whether it is worth doing, whether it is possible to pull off, and, if so,
what it will realistically take to do so” (Cobb, 2012). The focus for A-Team Trucking Company
is to provide satisfactory deliverables in the planned time and cost. Having a plan to reduce the
Project Requirements/Risk/Cost
6
risks that A-Team Trucking may be faced with is the goal of the project team. In planning, we
have looked at each element of possible risk and rated the effect of each risk on the overall
project. We then worked that element of risk into our project plan. We then ask each team
member to take ownership of any slow-downs because of risks that are becoming problems.
RISK FACTORS
LOW
MEDIUM
HIGH
Maintenance
-
Regular
maintenance
-
New vehicle
repair
-
Used vehicle
repair
Weather
-
Driving delays
-
Unexpected
wildfires
-
-
Mud
Inclement
weather
inhibiting dirt
removal
-
Maintenance
costs
-
Flooding
Leasing
availability
-
Workman’s
compensation
-
-
Time
constraints
-
Funding for
truck
purchase
Delayed truck
arrivals
Budget
-
Project budget
-
Payroll
Time
-
Vendor
delays
REGULATIONS
-
Competitor bids
-
Permits with the
State of
California
-
Contract bid
for California
LABOR
-
Properly insured
-
Drivers with
CDL license
-
Contract bid
for California
-
Good driving
record
-
Good
Attendance
Project Requirements/Risk/Cost
7
Level of Impact to the Project
Deciding on what impact we want to have is the first and most important question to
address when designing any programme, project or intervention. It will enable us to:
•
Support a mission
•
Be accountable to sponsors, stakeholders, customers and beneficiaries
•
Know what works in the interventions we fund, to adapt and to do more
•
Improve policy and practice
•
Make choices and set priorities about the way we design our programmes and about what
we fund (Philanthropy capital, er_impact_measurement.pdf)
How Risk Can Be Mitigated
To mitigate risks, two important steps must be taken into consideration. The first step you
must take is to figure out the potential risk factors. Once the risk factors are determined, you can
assess the possibility of the risk factors occurring. With the possibility of risk factors being
determined, a contingency plan can be set in place. Whenever risk factors are determined early
on, there can be steps taken to help minimize the risk. It is more effective and less cost
consuming to mitigate risks rather than try to fix them after the problem has already occurred.
Because of thus, mitigation should be monitored on a regular basis. If risks cannot be managed
and something were to happen, that risks should be documented to make sure it does not happen
again.
Project cost breakdown
Project Requirements/Risk/Cost
Phase
Initiation
Launch
8
Requirement
Place opening bid for
California High Speed Rail
Purchase of Initial fleet of
bottom dump trucks needed
for project launch
Responsible Party
Duration
Cost
Project Manager
30 Days
$5,000
Project Manager
2 weeks
$1,100,000
Planning
Assemble the project team
and involve them in the
planning process. The
approximate payroll amount
Project Manager
2 Weeks
$12,000
Planning
Assign project tasks and
objectives to team members
Set-up contract agreement
with staffing company to hire
drivers at launch
Staff and train drivers in
California High Speed Rail
regulations
Payroll processed for staff
Project Manager
2 weeks
N/A
Project Team
Member
20 Days
40% mark-up
for hires
Project Team
Member
1 Week
$18,000
Project
Administrator
Project Manager
Project Team
Coordinator
Project Manager
1 Year
$936,000
1 Year
1 Year
$1,500,000
$60,000
1 day
n/a
Total Cost
$3,631,000
Planning
Launch
Execution
Execution
Execution
Closing
Maintenance and repairs
Dispatch and logistics
coordination
Project Summary Report to
Stakeholders including
financials
Conclusion
In conclusion, we have various phases of project planning. These phases include the three major
categories; requirements, risks, and costs. In the requirements matrix, we covered the
requirements, phases of the project, responsible parties, costs, and the duration for completing
the project. In the risk assessment matrix risks, potential of risks occurring, level of impact, and
Project Requirements/Risk/Cost
9
how risk can be mitigated were covered. Overall, A-team trucking faces many risks that have the
potential to be mitigated with the right preventative tools.
References
Project Requirements/Risk/Cost
10
An introduction to impact measurement.
http://www.philanthropycapital.org/publications/improving_the_sector/improving_chariti
es/inspiring_impact.aspx
Cobb, A.T. (2012). Leading project teams: The basics of project management and team
leadership (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Sage Publications.
Musings, M. (2017). Project Management Case study. Retrieved from Marx Project Management
Wisdom: http://www.maxwideman.com/papers/woody2000/opportunity.htm
Project Management Knowledge. (2018). Requirements Traceability Matrix. Retrieved from
https://project-management-knowledge.com/definitions/r/requirements-traceabilitymatrix/
Breaking Down the Work
CPMGT/300
The Work Breakdown Structure
The work breakdown structure for A Team Trucking Company includes a decomposition of the
tasks to be assigned to the project team. This will include the time, cost and resources needed to
complete the project. The overall deliverable will be the use of bottom load dump trucks to assist
with the California High Speed Rail development. We have created a Gantt chart to help
facilitate the project scheduling.
Work Breakdown Structure
Gantt Chart
Phases
The A Team Trucking Company project required three phases, which consisted of several task in
each phase. The task was assigned to the appropriate departments and vendors for completion.
Assigning task within the phases permits the project manger the ability to allocate resources like
staffing and cost. Identifying task delivers the ability to meet deliverables from reporting to
accomplishing the project. Below is a breakdown of the three phases with task.
Tasks
Phase one consisted of the planning phase and determining if the business idea is an opportunity
to start a new business. Also, this phase determines the cost of starting the A Team Trucking
Company. The last task for phase one is to secure funding for the new organization, which is a
dependent task for the remainder of the project. The following list is the entire task for phase
one:
•
Create a Team for the Project, identify internal, and external stakeholders
•
Business Plan
▪
Perform SWOT
▪
Market Analysis
▪
Financial Plan
▪
Executive Summary
▪
Funding
Phase Two
Phase two transfers into the execution aspect of the project. This phase will deliver land,
equipment, facilities, and operation requirements. The task during phase two requires many
concurrent tasking to expedite the project. The deliverable for phase two is to assess and obtain
equipment and facilities for the A Team Trucking Company. In addition, the operations
requirements are evaluated and reviewed with the owner for final approval. Listed below is a
snapshot of the task for phase two:
▪
▪
▪
▪
Facilities
▪
Determine Requirements
▪
Evaluate Properties for Bidding
▪
Meet with Owner for Review and Approval
Equipment
▪
Options for Lease or Purchase for Trucking Equipment
▪
Arrange Meeting with Owner for Final Decision
▪
Obtain Equipment
Land
▪
Evaluate Real Estate fro Storage of Equipment Near Contract Locations
▪
Owner Meeting for Final Decision
Operations Requirements
▪
Cost Analysis for Employees versus Subcontract Employees
▪
Liability Insurance Estimates
▪
Establish Management Team
▪
Review Options with Owner for Cost Analysis, Insurance, and Employees
Phase Three
Phase three is the final stage of the project consisting of closeout. The close out phase
task are as follows:
•
Closeout
▪
Final Reports
▪
Cost Estimates versus Actuals
▪
After Action Review (AAR)
▪
Lessons Learned
▪
Final Reports, AAR, Lessons Learned, and Cost Analysis Archived for Future
Projects
Resources
Assigning tasks is very important to the overall plan of the project. When doing a work
breakdown structure, it’s critical to assign tasks to team members who are a best fit for the tasks.
This is usually done in the beginning part of the project planning. It is also key to assign the
project manager to the tasks where vital communication comes into play. This helps with
communicating time line issues to the stakeholders. All members of the project team along with
the project manager should participate in every phase of the project.
Duration
Time is all about getting a project done, when it’s due. The first thing that’s important is
to keep in mind every task has a deadline. So, how fast and what can we do to make sure it’s
completed on time is know how does what. Duration is all about estimation, how fast can we go?
How much work is left? How much time do I have? Sometimes, we can look at a project and say
a few weeks other times a few months. Either way knowing when its due, gives an idea of fast
we to move and still deliver good quality. Time is just the beginning to duration when
considering other factors. If a job were to start in January, the amount of time to finish would
usually take about a month. Though that would depend on the reason for needing the truck to
being with. It all comes down to why the truck was needed.
Experience can help any duration of a project, if someone is familiar with task it can be
done at a faster rate rather than having someone new to the concept. Having different tasks for
them may not be a bad idea as well because they will move faster than most. “Never stop
learning, because life never stops teaching.” (Simmons, 2016) So, basically if they were to finish
one task adding another wouldn’t be a bad idea. For A Team Trucking Company someone who
was to know about the leasing of resources would get the job faster than a person who starts with
square one. Duration and experience are practically the best combination for any project. The
more experience someone is equipped with the faster any project is dealt with.
Quality of work is another huge factor, how much attention to details is important is
something duration is depending on. If you are wanting the job to be completed with the best
quality, and willing to do the hours. For A team Trucking Company, it was to see how we could
offer the best quality of trailers and trucks. Taking the time to see how we could save the
customers money gave us the best option of giving them the best quality of our service. It’s about
making sure everyone is satisfied with the work you present them, though the duration you have
so you can deliver what is expected. You don’t have to rush or give terrible service for everyone
to be happy. You just know when to take short cuts and when to focus on the quality. “Quality is
not an act, it is a habit.” (Aristotle.n.d).
Resources are a key thing to have for any project. Without having resources there’s no
way you would be able to get anything done. A few things problems can occur having them such
as losing them or having to wait for more to come to you. Resources also can have a duration
problem such as how long you can use them or long you can wait on them. Every project is
different, but every role is the same, so it’s important to have the right resources and time to
make sure you have everything you need. A team Trucking Company was about making sure the
customer or client were able to use the proper equipment they needed. It was all about how
resources of supplies that made it happen.
Start and finish dates
In order for a product to run smoothly and be accomplished in a timely manner, start and
end dates need to be established. Whenever a team initially begins to developer a project, start
and end dates are usually one of the first items of discussions. These dates are going to determine
how long a product is going to take, more importantly, how long each activity of the project is
going to take. One of the main reasons that a Gantt chart is established is to help group member
see the specific times each task is set to be completed by.
The start date is going to determine when each task of the project can begin. In between
each task beginning and ending, there should be lag time accounted in. Lag time is the going to
be the amount of time in between two tasks. Lag time must be established between each task in
order to prepare for any delays or shortfalls in any of the tasks. Because of potential lag times,
the Gantt chart may be repetitive in the case that a start or end time could potentially differ.
Predecessors
The predecessors on the Gantt chart are determined by who previously completed a task
that would correspond with the next task. The phases are designed to begin with all funding for
this endeavor. Next would be the leasing and purchasing. The final phase would be in the
communication of success. Each phase would need to be proceeded with a successful transition.
Milestones
There are accomplishments that happen along the time frame of the project that should be
noted in the project schedule. This not only shows how well the project is coming along but it
builds experience that can be used for future reference in standard operating procedures. In this
case the two milestones that took place were in getting financing for equipment and land and
approval for funding of the project.
Conclusion
In the end it’s all about leading a project to its full potential. Though the duration of any
project must be considered when handling the schedule and timeline of what’s next or what is
being dealt with. Experience, time, quality, and resources are always a must, so making sure that
you have these and a team willing to put in long hours. Duration isn’t about making a task
difficult; it’s about making a making a project had a better chance of being successful. If there
was any hope to make a client, stakeholder, or customer satisfied you will want to meet their
demands any way possible. Knowing when to do it is a huge step of making that happen. There
might be some bumps in the road but knowing when to execute your plans is everything when
challenged with time. Learning how to do any project gives you skill, learning how to deliver
that project on time gives your work more reputation.
References
Aristotle Quotes. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved October 11, 2018, from BrainyQuote.com
Web site: https://ww.brainyquote.com/quotes/aristotle_379604
Stacey L. Simmons (2016) DentistryIQ.com Retrieved, October 11,2018, from DentistryIq.com
Web site:https://www.dentistryiq.com/article/2016/01
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