Consulting Plan and Recommendations

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Executive Summary

Unable to address the many funding obligations throughout the organization, the 6th Recruiting Brigade Budget Department jeopardizes thousands of dollars that is urgently needed to fund the organization's projects.
Currently the 6th Brigade Budget Department fails to obligate yearly allocated funding. The result of this inaction is lost funding for the year. This causes a strain on the department and organization, as well as an overall financial loss.

To reach the target of obligating 100 percent of yearly allocated funding, there is a need for tighter management control and computer programming to schedule and prioritize work. The budget department has an appropriate number of personnel, however, it must adjust its' management system and techniques to succeed.
We have analyzed the situation by interviewing staff, reviewing metrics, and spending time with the budget department's management to determine the root cause of the problem. Priorities and deadlines for funding opportunities are not systematically passed on to the part of the organization that must take action. There is a lack of management structure in the department that must be rectified through training as well as setting clear objectives and key performance indicators. A computer prompting system has been suggested to assist in this solution. Management has been made aware of the need for change and acknowledges that the benefits to the solution outweigh current process and potential problems, and agrees to the changes. The improved methods will result in 100 percent on time funding for the organization.

On the basis of our analysis, we recommend that the 6th Recruiting Brigade Budget Department utilize our expertise to do the following:

- Establish structure within the department to clarify chain of command and set responsibilities for project tasks
- Develop computer program to aid as a management tool in processing funding in a timely manner
- Set regular check points through key performance indicators to track and report progress
- Participate in training to facilitate these changes and maximize opportunity
Undertaking these tasks will correct the situation and enable the budget department to operate at its' fullest potential, eventually increasing allocations for the entire organization. All work will be documented and communication will be constant, with reports delivered weekly.
We are available to answer any questions or address any concerns you may have. Getting to the root of this problem and executing this solution will enable the department to become effective and ultimately lead to more success for the entire operation.

The budget department is in need of consultant to help the unit obligate the yearly allocated funding. Currently, the budget department fails at this task and funding is lost for the year. This causes a strain on all involved and could be remedied with the expertise of a consultant. ??

In order to develop an effective client and consultant relationship with the budget department, it is important to set a kick off meeting between the key stakeholders and managers. This is an opportunity for management to participate and stress the importance of the project, thus sending a powerful message to all involved. A meeting agenda should be available. This agenda can be drafted by the consultant, and reviewed by staff to ensure that all points are covered. This should be distributed to participants in advance of the meeting. The project scope and schedule should have already been established through the proposal and contract. At the meeting, it is important to discuss the scope and schedule so that they are clear. At this time, all participants will have the opportunity to ask questions, clarify items, and discuss the project. This is also an opportunity to verify roles and responsibilities. Clearly defining who does what is an important component to success. A point of contact between the consultant and the business unit should be selected and introduced.

It is crucial that the business unit's expectations are shared openly and honestly at this meeting. This can avoid unstated expectations and confirm that all parties are in agreement. It is also important to define project success factors. For optimal success, these should be written down, so that all understand how success will be quantified. This will also serves as a way to build enthusiasm for the project. ?

To further develop rapport between the consultant and the organization, it is necessary to verify communication protocols and progress reporting. Progress reporting should be done on a regular basis. It is suggested that ideal progress report forms are designed to focus on real progress and issues, are simple to understand, easily shared, track results month to month in relation to planned activities, and focus on real results rather than process and activity ...