proposal: gis needs assessment for the town of clinton,...

February 27, 2015

107 SE Washington Street, Suite 435

Portland, OR 97214

Attn: Bryce Gartrell

[email protected]

Toll Free: 866.370.4278

Local: 503.235.3579

Fax: 503.235.7064

Proposal: GIS Needs

Assessment for the

Town of Clinton, CT

Table of Contents

Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3

Company Information ................................................................................................................................................................................ 4

Experience ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 5

References ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 9

Resources to Be Used .................................................................................................................................................................... 11

Technical ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 16

Project Management ............................................................................................................................................................................... 21

Tasks, Deliverables, & Dates ........................................................................................................................................................ 21

Project Management Methodology ......................................................................................................................................... 22

Report ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 24

Cost ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 25

Proposal: GIS Needs Assessment for the Town of

Clinton, CT

Company Information www.gartrellgroup.com //

Introduction The Gartrell Group is pleased to present the following proposal for guiding the Town of Clinton in performing a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) needs assessment. Our proposed approach to work is informed by experience gained from performing many similar projects for local government. We offer Clinton a proven and continually refined assessment methodology designed to:

Promote an improved understanding of the opportunities and benefits that may extend to different Town departments and to Clinton’s citizens through the introduction of a GIS;

Provide Clinton with a series of GIS implementation options and recommendations which are developed with sensitivity to the Town’s technical, staffing, and financial resources;

Clearly and specifically document the needs to be addressed and the capabilities to be offered by a GIS platform for each reviewed Town department and organization;

Equip the Town with critical decision-support information in the form of business justifications and return on investment assessments related to the implementation of geospatial resources;

Include thorough and detailed cost estimates related to implementation and maintenance of a GIS platform for the Town, with options for phasing the implementation in the interest of spreading out capital investments and serving highest priority geospatial resource needs first.

Our consulting team expects that, by the completion of the envisioned needs assessment, members of the Town of Clinton project team will:

Have an improved understanding of current best practices and options related to the function of GIS in serving the needs of local government;

Have detailed findings and professional recommendations for a phased GIS implementation that is well-suited to the Town’s needs, resources, and prioritized needs.

Feel confident with the information provided through the assessment to move forward with decision making related to GIS platform selection and next steps as they are defined in a simple, well-defined implementation strategy.

In reviewing the Town of Clinton’s request for proposal (RFP) for this project, we have not encountered any issues that give us concern nor do we find reason to suggest alternative approaches to those specified. Your RFP is refreshingly well-constructed, clear, and thorough and offers a very practical reference for how a GIS needs assessment for Clinton may be successfully completed.


Clinton, CT


Company Information

The Gartrell Group Firm Overview

Established in 2003, the Gartrell Group (TGG) has grown to become a leading advisor in the field of location intelligence and GIS. We are headquartered in Portland, OR and serve a globally distributed clientele that includes private, public, and not-for-profit organizations.

TGG’s core service offerings include:

Strategic Planning, Needs Assessment, and Program Support

Our strategic planning, needs assessment, and program support services are designed to help our clients capitalize on opportunities which arise when GIS is being integrated into an organization for the first time or when its role is begin broadened or reassessed. These services include:

Strategic Plan Development and Process Support

GIS Program Design, Implementation & Maturity Assessment

GIS-Related Needs Assessment

Dynamic Facilitation, Discovery Workshops, Stakeholder Interviews

Quality Assurance (QA) Support and Program Management

Program Sponsorship Cultivation & Support

Technical Services

Our technical services include:

Enterprise GIS technology platform design and implementation

Enterprise integrations between business systems and GIS

Cross-platform application design and development

Geodatabase and warehousing design and implementation

Provision of GIS Hosting services and cloud-based services


Clinton, CT


Experience

GIS Needs Assessment Projects

As noted, needs assessment and strategy support services are key components of our service offering. Over the past five years, we have at all times had a needs assessment engagement in progress and we are continually refining our related methods and practices. Following are examples of several recent GIS needs assessment projects TGG has performed. Details about significant aspects of each project are included.

Client: Hennepin County, MN (Minneapolis)

Project Brief: TGG led a needs assessment for the County GIS program focused on

developing improved executive support and increasing collaboration across

County lines of business.

Note: Project involved the first use by a private firm of a very recent innovation in

GIS needs assessment – the URISA GIS Maturity Model.

Related blog post: (http://www.gartrellgroup.com/using-urisa-gis-

capability-maturity-model/)

________

Client: City of Portland, Portland, OR

Project Brief: TGG led the City’s effort to develop and adopt a new strategic plan for the

Corporate GIS office (CGIS).

Note: Project involved facilitation of multiple stakeholder workshops with both

internal customers of GIS services and regional partners involved in

providing and consuming geospatial data and information products.

Related blog post: (http://www.gartrellgroup.com/strategic-planning-city-

portland/)

__________

Client: Kleinschmidt Group - Essex, CT; Pittsfield, ME; Strasburg, PA; Haymarket,

VA; Lexington, SC; Birmingham, AL; Gresham, OR; Boulder, CO; Fitchburg,

WI

Project Brief: TGG performed a GIS needs assessment for this hydroelectric consulting and

engineering firm.

Note: Project involved evaluation of cloud-based infrastructure to support

collaboration among distributed staff, to achieve cost savings and to

increase system maintainability.

http://www.gartrellgroup.com/using-urisa-gis-capability-maturity-model/

http://www.gartrellgroup.com/strategic-planning-city-portland/


Clinton, CT


Client: The Nature Conservancy, Washington, DC

Project Brief: TGG facilitated a series of stakeholder workshops focused on assessing the

geospatial requirements and functional goals for an integrated GIS software

platform to support the needs of the Nature Conservancy and a strategic

corporate partner.

Note: Project involved specifying capabilities for a geospatial software solution

featured in this New Yorker article

(http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/05/12/green-is-good). More

detail is available in our blog here (http://www.gartrellgroup.com/what-

does-the-nature-conservancy-have-in-common-with-dow-chemical-

company/).

________

Client: Seattle City Light, Seattle, WA

Project Brief: TGG is currently engaged with this public utility in designing and

implementing the first GIS software platform for the Environmental Affairs

Division. Our work began with a detail needs assessment involving a series

of facilitated workshops with potential customers and end users from a

variety of disciplines within the Division.

Note: Project profile included in our service portfolio

(http://www.gartrellgroup.com/portfolio/gis-platform-seattle-city-light/).

__________

Client: Idaho Transportation Department, Boise, ID

Project Brief: TGG led ITD’s Division 4 through a GIS needs assessment to identify

opportunities for improved capabilities and efficiencies.

Note: Project findings included a ranked evaluation of multiple candidate software

products and recommendations for phased implementation.

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/05/12/green-is-good

http://www.gartrellgroup.com/what-does-the-nature-conservancy-have-in-common-with-dow-chemical-company/

http://www.gartrellgroup.com/portfolio/gis-platform-seattle-city-light/


Clinton, CT


Approach and Methods Related to GIS Needs Assessment, Stakeholder Engagement, and Technology Selection Support

TGG has gained the trust of many clients seeking assistance in defining their strategic direction and developing plans for optimized implementation of geospatial technology. We are strongly committed to the idea that technology is most effective when it is implemented in connection with well-defined business and technical objectives and within a strategic framework. Toward this end, we strive to continually improve our GIS strategic support services and to offer leadership in this service area.

As an example, TGG is currently distinguished as the first private consulting firm to have adopted and applied a new Municipal GIS Program Maturity Assessment Methodology that is being developed by the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association (URISA). In addition to having completed numerous GIS needs assessment projects for diverse organizations, TGG as a company and three individuals on our team (two of whom are featured on the proposed delivery team for this project) were recently presented with Special Achievement in GIS (SAG) awards at the Esri International User Conference. These awards were related to our team’s innovative integration of map-based emergency management software and cross-agency security systems – an implementation strategy developed through extensive requirements analysis involving business units and stakeholders from multiple federal, state, and local agencies.

The Town of Clinton’s project team will find our consultants to be well-versed in best practices and in the fundamentals of the management, technical analysis, and facilitation skills which will be critical to successful completion of this project. You will also find that we share and cultivate a spirit of innovation and that our methods for helping you to identify an appropriate technology strategy are not prescriptive. We share a sense of curiosity about technology that manifests in creative solution recommendations developed in response to the defined needs of an organization and not by a desire to repeatedly implement the same solution or product.

It is important to our team members that we conduct requirements development work and related communication in such a way that the stakeholders investing their time and contributing to the process have a strong sense that they are being listened to and that their needs are clearly reflected in the findings and recommendations that result. We can help Clinton’s project team create and preserve a sense of engagement among your community of stakeholders which will be vitally important to obtain the benefits of your investment in this assessment and the GIS infrastructure that may follow.

Experience with the Public Sector and Especially Local Government

We have served more than 50 public agencies and work extensively with local government. Many of our customers have engaged our team to provide ongoing GIS program support services; providing these services keeps us current with the day-to-day business of government and helps us remain abreast of significant technical and operational trends related to using GIS in the public sector.

Several members of our team were formerly local government employees and have in-agency experience designing, implementing, expanding, and maintaining GIS programs and infrastructure to support the functions of towns and small cities. From Public Safety and Law

http://www.gartrellgroup.com/using-urisa-gis-capability-maturity-model/

http://events.esri.com/conference/sagList/?fa=Detail&SID=1500

http://events.esri.com/conference/sagList/?fa=Detail&SID=1500


Clinton, CT


Enforcement to Planning to Finance to Information Technology to Building Services and Public Works, we know the functions, missions, and challenges of local government. We come equipped with a practical understanding of how GIS is used by the peers and “comparables” of the Town of Clinton and of what represents the current set of best practices as concerns implementing and using GIS. Importantly, we can also offer a view from the trenches of what not to do and can help the Town of Clinton decipher marketing from reality and avoid pitfalls and expensive misadventures that can stem from ill-informed GIS decisions.

Following are examples of other local government clients for whom we have performed GIS needs assessments:

City of New Orleans, LA

City of Tigard, OR

Port of Vancouver, WA

San Diego Council of Governments, San Diego, CA

Washington County, OR

Metro, Portland, OR

City of Oregon City, OR

City of Wilsonville, OR

City of Sherwood, OR

City of Beaverton, OR

City of Gresham, OR

City of Hillsboro, OR

Portland Public Schools, Portland, OR

Town of Friday Harbor, WA

San Juan County Assessor’s Office, Friday Harbor, WA


Clinton, CT


References

Each of the following professional references has direct experience working with the Gartrell Group team on projects related to GIS needs assessment.

Reference 1:

Client: City of Tigard, OR

Contact: Preston Beck, GIS Supervisor

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 503-718-2404

Project Brief: TGG has collaborated with Preston’s team on numerous projects. Needs

assessment engagements have been focused on the development of a

Citywide strategy for mobile GIS; this involved leading multiple

stakeholder workshops, developing and documenting prioritized

requirements and defined needs, and presenting solution options and

recommendations which ultimately informed a strategic plan for mobile

GIS. Other needs assessment efforts have focused on integrating City

business systems such as a Laserfiche document management system

with the GIS platform (an effort presented at the Esri International User

Conference in 2013)

Relevance: Local government; small suburban town featuring significant natural

resource areas; cross-departmental GIS-related needs assessment.

Reference 2:

Client: Seattle City Light

Contact: Al Solonsky, Project Manager


Phone: 206-386-4580

Project Brief: For the past twelve months, TGG has been engaged with the

Environmental Affairs Division of Seattle’s electric utility to help design

and implement the Division’s first real GIS platform. The work began a

GIS needs assessment conducted through a series of stakeholder

workshops spanning several practice areas and disciplines within the

http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc13/papers/880_64.pdf


Clinton, CT


Division.

Relevance: Local government implementing GIS for the first time; stakeholder

workshops and interviews; similarity in deliverables to those sought by

the Town of Clinton.

Reference 3:

Client: Kleinschmidt Group

Contact: Jennifer Austin, Project Manager


Phone: 207.487.3328, Ext. 288

Project Brief: In late 2014, TGG completed a needs assessment for this New England

based hydroelectric engineering and consulting firm. The completed

portion of the project focused on identifying and documenting user needs

throughout the organization and on helping to improve the economy,

efficiency, and capacity of Kleinschmidt’ s GIS systems. Our final

deliverables included a series of system options and recommendations.

An anticipated future phase of work will involve developing an

implementation plan based on the top priorities and recommendations.

Relevance: New England-based organization with offices in Connecticut; similarity in

requested deliverables; some focus on potential use of cloud-based GIS

infrastructure.


Clinton, CT


Resources to Be Used

We offer the Town of Clinton two of our senior consultants to perform on-site task work related to completing your desired GIS needs assessment. Bryce Gartrell and Dr. Tim Fiez each individually have 20 years of experience working in the GIS industry and have worked together on many projects similar in nature to the one defined in your RFP. Lina Haggard, one of our Senior GIS Analysts, will contribute to portions of work that may be completed off-premises. Resumes for each of these three individuals follow.

Bryce Gartrell

Role

Project Manager & Sr. GIS Business Analyst

Education

MS, Spatial Information Science & Engineering: University of Maine

BA: Reed College

Skills and Experience

Bryce is a managing partner of the Gartrell Group and our lead business analyst. He has 20 years’ experience in designing, developing, maintaining, and supporting geospatially integrated software systems. He has been an individual contributor, a team lead, and a manager in creating technical solutions designed to help organizations optimize and more fully integrate geospatial information as an enterprise asset. Bryce has extensive experience working with federal, state, and local government and has industry-leading experience in completing user needs assessments and strategic planning related to the introduction, modification, or expansion of GIS programs. He is experienced leading and working on diverse teams and enjoys the opportunity to collaborate with clients to solve complex technical and organizational challenges.

Distinctions

Recipient “Special Achievement in GIS” (SAG) Award 2012

Guest speaker and panel member, GIS Business Summit, 2012

Esri “New Partner of the Year – Pacific Northwest”, 2005


Clinton, CT


Sample Projects Relevant to GIS Strategic Planning

Client: Fidelity National Title

Role: Lead Business Analyst / Workshop Facilitator

Project: GIS Strategic Planning, 2015

Client: Seattle City Light, City of Seattle, WA


Project: Needs Assessment and Strategy Development for 2 Year GIS Work Plan, 2014-2015

Client: Kleinschmidt USA


Project: GIS Needs Assessment & Technology Roadmap, 2014

Client: Hennepin County, MN


Project: GIS Program Maturity Assessment, 2014

Client: The Nature Conservancy


Project: Needs Assessment Related to Geospatial Data Collection & Processing System, 2014-2015

Client: City of Portland, OR


Project: New Strategic Plan for Corporate GIS, 2013

Client: Oregon Department of Land Conservation & Development


Project: Database Foundation Plan, 2012


Clinton, CT


Client: City of Oregon City, OR


Project: Rapid Needs Assessment & Strategic Plan for GIS, 2011

Client: Oregon METRO


Project: Rapid Needs Assessment as part of GIS Web Services Project, 2010

Client: City of New Orleans, LA

Role: GIS Architect

Project: GIS Needs Assessment & GIS Platform Design & Implementation, 2005


Clinton, CT


Dr. Tim Fiez

Role Senior Solution Architect

Education

MS, Computer Science: Washington State University Ph.D., Crop Science: Washington State University


Tim is a managing partner of the Gartrell Group. He is a software

solutions architect and developer with over 20 years’ experience

performing application design and development with a focus on geospatial systems. He has

been an individual developer and a technical team leader for geospatial solutions implemented

across a number of disciplines including energy, emergency operations, transportation,

agriculture, natural resources, retail, and banking. Tim uniquely combines technical acumen

with communication and listening skills, and our staff and clients appreciate his leadership in

designing solutions attentive to the goals and needs of end users. Key areas of interest include

mobile GIS, task automation, and geo-statistical analysis.

Distinctions

Recipient “Special Achievement in GIS” (SAG) Award, 2012

Sample Projects Related to GIS Needs Assessment

GIS Needs Assessment for The Nature Conservancy, 2014-2015, Solution Architect

GIS Needs Assessment for Fidelity National Title, 2015, Solution Architect

GIS Database Design & Implementation for Seattle City Light, 2014-2015, Solution Architect

GIS Portal Requirements Definition of Surveying and Mapping, LLC, 2014-2015, Solution Architect

GIS Strategic Plan for Portland, OR, 2013, Business Analyst and Workshop Facilitator

GIS Needs Assessment for Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development, Solution Architect, 2011

GIS Needs Assessment and Platform Design for METRO, 2010, Solution Architect

Mobile GIS Needs Assessment for the City of Tigard, 2010, Solution Architect


Clinton, CT


Lina Haggard

Role Senior GIS Business Analyst

Education

Certificate in Applied GIS: University of Utah

BS, Business Administration: University of Wyoming


Lina is a diversely skilled GIS practitioner with strong analytical

and management skills and extensive experience working with geospatial modeling and analysis. Over a twelve year period, Lina developed a widely admired

GIS program at the Utah State Trust Lands Administration. Her achievements at the TLA included designing and implementing an integrated desktop, web, and mobile GIS system for the enterprise. This included a sophisticated data collection tool suite to support the work of

widely distributed staff working in remote areas of the state. She also led efforts to expand GIS capabilities to non-technical staff through the thoughtful design and rollout of a web-based

application that simplified work tasks for many previously techno-phobic customers within the TLA. Since working at the TLA, Lina has worked for the Norwegian Mapping Authority where she ran several projects involving processing of LIDAR data from airborne sources for land

coverage and topographic derivatives. Lina joins the Gartrell Group team as a senior GIS Analyst and is currently engaged in helping several of our customers expand their GIS

capability through the design and development of enterprise GIS systems.

Sample Projects Related to GIS Needs Assessment

GIS Database Design & Implementation for Seattle City Light, 2014-2015, Solution Architect

GIS Web Map for Portland State University, 2015, Project Manager

Mobile GIS Strategy for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, 2014, Project Manager

GIS Portal Requirements Definition of Surveying and Mapping, LLC, 2014-2015, Solution Architect

GIS Needs Assessment & Software Selection for Idaho Transportation Department, 2014, GIS Business Analyst

GIS Needs Assessment & Technology Roadmap for Kleinschmidt Group, 2014

GIS Web Map Portal for Haverford College, 2014


Clinton, CT

Project Management www.gartrellgroup.com //

Technical The following sequence of tasks detail the manner in which TGG intends to complete a GIS needs assessment for Clinton and to satisfy all stated goals for this project.

Task 1: Project Manager Coordination

Once contract documents are executed, TGG’s project manager will engage with the Town’s project manager (and any desired additional GIS Taskforce members or Town staff) to discuss project management protocols and to prepare an agenda for a Kickoff Meeting. During this discussion, TGG’s project manager will share examples of

standard weekly status reports and other materials related to tracking, administering, and reporting on work and progress. The managers will also discuss delivery and acceptance procedures. The goal will be to mutually agree on

reporting mechanisms and review processes that will satisfy the Town’s preferences. The project managers will also discuss communications protocols and will review a proposed Kickoff Meeting Agenda offered by TGG’s project manager. They will schedule the Kickoff Meeting and the presentation, stakeholder workshops, and interviews which are to follow it immediately, identifying people who will most likely need to be interviewed individually or remotely.

Goals: Initiate the project; Agree to communication and reporting practices and frequency; Agree to acceptance process for deliverables; Finalize agenda for Kickoff; Agree to Kickoff participants and schedule meeting.

Deliverables: Finalized Kickoff Meeting Agenda, Scheduled Kickoff Meeting, Scheduled Presentations, Workshops, and Interviews that Follow Kickoff.

Task 2: Kickoff Meeting

TGG’s two lead consultants will meet on-site with agreed participants from the Town of Clinton. Personal introductions of project members from TGG and the Town will be made, with explanations of peoples’ roles and responsibilities related to the project. After discussion of the project background, we will review the scope of work,

task sequence, and specified deliverables to confirm that a common understanding of the project goals, desired outcomes, and execution methods is shared by all.

Goals: Clarity on project scope; Smooth transition from project initiation to project execution phase.

Deliverables: Meeting summary notes and any documented action items.

Task 3: Presentation on Municipal GIS

Soon after the Kickoff Meeting, TGG’s on-site consultants will offer a presentation to Clinton’s GIS Taskforce, and invited representatives of City departments, boards, commissions, other constituents, and external partners. The

purpose of the brief presentation will be to showcase a variety of examples of how GIS is being used effectively by different municipalities. We expect that people with extensive knowledge of and exposure to GIS will be a distinct minority at the Town and hope that the presentation will help educate and inform stakeholders about some of the potential uses and benefits of GIS for different municipal departments and operations. We hope that this will help to inspire thinking and discussion among Clinton’s GIS stakeholders (potential stakeholders) and that it will be very conducive to the facilitated needs assessment and visioning workshops that are to follow.

Goals: Informed and inspired stakeholders ready to explore how GIS might improve Clinton’s operations and services.

Deliverables: NA


Clinton, CT


Task 4: Information Technology Infrastructure Review

Next TGG’s consultants will work with City IT support staff so we may capture detailed information about

the Town’s information technology resources and how they are deployed and managed. We will gather

information about the Town’s technical environment, any server architecture you may have, any key

business systems or enterprise software, and any key datasets and data bases and related workflows.

We will also make note of the number of IT staff and their particular skillsets and areas of focus and

interest.

Goals: Identify the Town’s technical resources as these may impact recommendations down the road.

Deliverables: Detailed notes on Clinton’s IT environment (presented in draft and then revised according to feedback/correction).

Task 5: Facilitated GIS Stakeholder Workshops

To the greatest degree possible, we will endeavor to meet with the Town’s various groups of

stakeholders (by department, discipline, committee, etc.) in groups; we find that the substance of

conversation and the articulation and refinement of high level geospatial needs and goals tends to be

best in groups, especially when they involve stakeholders from somewhat diverse operational areas. Our

consultants are practiced in leading these workshops, encouraging focused discussion, and eliciting

valuable information that may be used to define key areas of need. We use a variety of information

gathering techniques in our stakeholder workshops including current state/future state visioning and

problem solving, developing affinity circles and mind maps, and, more recently, borrowing from the GIS

maturity assessment model recently published by URISA (it includes a large variety of analysis areas and

topics, even for an organization that has not yet implemented geospatial tools).

Goals: Engage with as many stakeholders as possible from different Town departments and interest groups;

Guide them in envisioning future GIS capabilities and expressing their current needs; Thoroughly documenting and prioritizing discovered needs.

Deliverables: Detailed notes / findings from workshops

Task 6: Workshop Follow-Up and Individual or Small Group Interviews

In this task we will seek the same information as obtained in Task 5, but with individuals and smaller

groups who were unavailable or not suited for inclusion in the larger workshops. We will also follow up

with individuals and groups from Task 5 to assure our understanding and the accuracy of gathered

information and to fill any discovered gaps in our documentation or knowledge.

Goals: Engage with individuals and small groups who did not participate in the stakeholder workshops; Guide them in envisioning future GIS capabilities and expressing their current needs; Thoroughly

document and prioritize discovered needs.

Deliverables: Detailed notes / findings from interviews


Clinton, CT


Task 7: Develop & Draft Initial Findings

After our on-site consultants have met with all targeted Town constituents, they will closely review and

compile all captured information into a draft Findings document. This will include key information

gathered from Tasks 4, 5, and 6 and will detail, among other things:

Prioritized geospatial needs from all groups and individuals interviewed, grouped by discipline but linked to show needs that are consistent across multiple sub-groups;

Details about the Town’s current IT environment and any relevant plans for near term change;

Information about the technical training and proficiencies of different potential GIS customers and customer groups within the Town;

Information about identified categories of potential GIS users and customers;

Information about critical business flows and processes for the Town in general, and for particular sub-groups/departments;

Information about key drivers and business imperatives related to an improved GIS capability in Clinton.

The draft Findings document will be delivered to the GIS Taskforce and we will present and review the document together via webinar. Feedback from the Town’s project team will be used to revise and finalize the Findings document.

Goals: Engage with individuals and small groups who did not participate in the stakeholder workshops; Guide them in envisioning future GIS capabilities and expressing their current needs; Thoroughly

document and prioritize discovered needs.

Deliverables: Findings document (draft & final) capturing discovered GIS-related needs.

Task 8: Data Assessment & Gap Analysis

Fulfilling GIS-related needs tends to require one or more geospatial datasets. In order to accurately

estimate the full cost and effort of a future GIS implementation, we will need to invest some attention to

characterizing the status of data that may be required. This task will begin with a close review of all

identified needs in the Findings document and the production of a simple Data Catalog that lists the data

that would be required to satisfy each of those needs. Once this Catalog is complete, we will engage

with Town staff to determine the presence and/or absence of each dataset in the Catalog, noting any

manipulation, development, or improvement that may be required so the data is sufficient to serve the

GIS-related need to which it has been linked. A small list of status conditions will be applied to each

dataset in the Data Catalog, preparing us for forthcoming cost and effort estimating exercises.

Goals: Identify gaps in data that will be required to satisfy GIS-related needs; Provide the Town with a list

of data that will be needed and some recommendations for where and how it might be developed or procured.

Deliverables: Data Catalog with analysis findings (draft then revised according to received feedback)


Clinton, CT


Task 9: Midpoint Review

At this point, we will have collected and compiled a significant body of information and we will be prepared to begin the work of reviewing and selecting appropriate GIS technology that might be applied to meet the defined needs and data gaps. Before commencing this next phase of task work, we will conduct a webinar with Town project members to collectively review and discuss work and deliverables to date and to revisit the topic and anticipated outcomes of upcoming steps. (This will be in addition to regular weekly communications and updates that are supplied by our project manager).

Goals: Share feedback about the project to date, lessons learned, and assure the plan for outstanding project work is mutually clear and acceptable.

Deliverables: Meeting notes, action items.

Task 11: Technology Review

This task will begin with the development of a technology comparison and selection criteria matrix which will be used to vet and score different GIS solution options. The criteria will relate directly to the GIS related needs from Task 7. Using the matrix to score and filter in and out different GIS platform options to consider, we will develop a list of no less than three substantially different GIS platform options and they will be ranked according to their matrix scores and a summary of their pros and cons will be documented as well.

Goals: Identify multiple technology solutions for Town to consider; Rank them and provide narratives that offer insight into their pros and cons and the reason they are suggested for consideration.

Deliverables: Product comparison matrix, ranked with notes on each presented option.

Task 12: Findings & Recommendations

In Task 12, we will compile and integrate all project deliverables from the project to date. It will include:

Discovered needs by group, department, committee, etc.;

Results of the Data Gap analysis;

Findings and conclusions from the Technology Review;

A series of detailed recommendations responsive to all of the above findings. This will directly address sample questions from the Town’s RFP related to questions of business value, users, and investments (p.6 of 15).

This document will be presented to and reviewed with the project team via webinar and then revised according to received feedback from the Town project team.

Goals: Gather all findings to date; Produce a compelling set of GIS-related recommendations.

Deliverables: Findings & Recommendations document (draft and final).

Task 13: Phased Implementation Plan


Clinton, CT


Task 13 will involve applying all previously gathered and presented data to the development of a detailed and phased Implementation Plan for the top-ranked and mutually approved GIS platform option. The Plan sequence will be informed by the Town’s greatest identified business drivers and areas where GIS related investment is predicted

to give the greatest results in terms of productivity, efficiency, or capabilities for each dollar spent.

The Plan will detail:

Recommend practical steps for GIS platform implementation to serve all identified needs and users/user groups;

Estimated costs and time/resource requirements on the part of the Town to support the effort;

Recommended phasing of the implementation work so the Town may distribute and plan for capital investments in GIS and build GIS capacity at a realistic pace;

Recommend any needed one-time or ongoing training and/or staff acquisition or development that may be needed to optimize the town’s GIS investment;

Recommendations for how the Town should resource the implemented GIS at different phases to assure that is maintainable and sustainable;

The Implementation Plan will be mutually reviewed with GIS Taskforce and revised according to feedback received. Once finalized, TGG’s two lead consultants will return to the Town to present the Plan in person to all key groups and individuals.

Goals: Provide a clear and sufficiently detailed Implementation Plan.

Deliverables: Implementation Plan (draft and final).

Task 14: Project Closeout

The project managers will review all project deliverables and details to assure that the work has all be completed

and delivered as committed. A brief project retrospective webinar will be held with select project members. Final

project accounting will be completed. All project data and resources will be archived

Goals: Close-out project

Deliverables: NA


Clinton, CT


Project Management

Tasks, Deliverables, & Dates

Following are the specific tasks, deliverables they will provide, and expected dates during which they will be executed.

Task ID Title Deliverables Dates

1 PM Coordination

Meeting

Finalized Kickoff Meeting Agenda, Scheduled Kickoff

Meeting, Scheduled Presentations, Workshops, and

Interviews that Follow Kickoff.

Week 1

2 Kickoff Meeting Meeting summary notes and any documented

action items.

Week 1

3 Presentation on

Municipal GIS

NA Week 1

4 IT Infrastructure

Review

Detailed notes on Clinton’s IT environment

(presented in draft and then revised according to

feedback/correction).

Week 1

5 Facilitated

Workshops

Detailed notes / findings from workshops Week 1

6 Follow Up Interviews

/ Small Group

Workshops

Detailed notes / findings from interviews Week 1-2

7 Draft Initial Findings Findings document (draft & final) capturing

discovered GIS-related needs. Week 3

8 Data Assessment &

Gap Analysis

Data Catalog with analysis findings (draft then revised

according to received feedback)

Week 3-5

9 Midpoint Review Meeting notes, action items. Week 5

10 Technology Review Product comparison matrix, ranked with notes on

each presented option.

Week 5-7

11 Findings and

Recommendations

Findings & Recommendations document (draft and final).

Week 7-8

12 Phased Implementation Plan (draft and final). Week 9-10


Clinton, CT


Implementation Plan

13 Project Closeout Retrospective and final acceptance Week 10

Project Management Methodology

Project Management Our team’s internal practices for managing projects are guided by a project management methodology (PMM) that is consistent with the core principles and components of the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). Quality Control (QC) and Quality Assurance (QA) methods and practices are an integrated feature of our management methodology. These QA and QC methods are deeply integrated into our firm’s culture, methods of work, and expectations for individual performance and accountability. The approach to work and sequenced tasks outlined below is based upon the premise that this project will be completed in a series of standard phases as follows:

Stage 1: Project Initiation – During this Stage, client expectations are clarified and communicated to our team. The deliverable is a project team that understands the key objectives and direction of the project, has expectations aligned with the City, and is prepared to move into the Planning Stage.

Stage 2: Project Planning – The Project Planning Stage involves the detailed planning that must occur before initiation of project task activity. This Stage results in the creation and client approval of all planning documents, in preparation for a project kick-off meeting with project stakeholders. The deliverable is a well-documented Project Plan that is agreed upon by the project team.

Stage 3: Project Execution – During the Project Execution Stage, the detailed scope documents created during the Planning Stage are used to guide project accomplishments. The stakeholders are apprised of planned project activity, and the actual work is begun. Project monitoring and reporting begins and recurs throughout the project. The deliverables consist of completed project outputs that conform to agreed-upon criteria.

Stage 4: Project Control – Throughout the project life cycle there are numerous internal and external events that can cause changes within the project. External events can include new technology introductions, budget changes, or issues/opportunities with peer agencies. Examples of internal events are business policy changes, errors or omissions in requirements and specifications, personnel changes, or changes in emphasis brought forth by the client. Changes influence project direction and may

Major stages in the TGG Project

Management Methodology (PMM)


Clinton, CT


require adjustments to cost, time, scope, contract, and other project objectives.

The active management of change is an important element of delivering a satisfactory project. Managing change is an iterative process, performed for the duration of the project, which includes a formal process that specifies the steps by which official project documents or deliverables may be changed. It identifies the paperwork, tracking, processes, and approval levels necessary for authorizing changes.

Phase 5: Project Closeout – The Project Closeout process ensures that all client requirements have been met. The Project Closeout Phase begins with a comparison of project outputs to established closeout criteria, confirms that all deliverables have been signed off by the City, and resolves any discrepancies that may exist. It includes a “post mortem” report, ensuring that that the project provides a learning experience for all involved by documenting successes and pitfalls to be aware of in future projects.


Clinton, CT

Report www.gartrellgroup.com //

Report Following are the deliverables to be provided through execution of this project as proposed:

Presentation on the state of the art concerning GIS in municipalities (PowerPoint or Prezi Slideshow);

Initial Findings Document (Microsoft Word and/or Adobe Acrobat), Including:

o Details on Town of Clinton Information Technology environment;

o Detailed business needs related to GIS as captured in stakeholder workshops and individual interviews, prioritized according to perceived business value;

Findings and Recommendations Document (Microsoft Word and/or Adobe Acrobat), Including:

o Data Catalog indicating datasets required to satisfy identified GIS-related needs, the presence or absence and/or condition of these datasets;

o Platform options developed through Technology Review with rankings and comparative scores presented in a product comparison matrix;

o Overall narrative offering recommendations for product selections and data development and acquisition strategy.

Phased Implementation Plan (Microsoft Word and/or Adobe Acrobat), Including:

o All compiled and integrated content from other document deliverables.

o Recommend practical steps for GIS platform implementation to serve all identified needs and users/user groups;

o Estimated costs and time/resource requirements on the part of the Town to support the effort;

o Recommended phasing of the implementation work so the Town may distribute and plan for capital investments in GIS and build GIS capacity at a realistic pace;

o Recommend any needed one-time or ongoing training and/or staff acquisition or development that may be needed to optimize the town’s GIS investment;

o Recommendations for how the Town should resource the implemented GIS at different phases to assure that is maintainable and sustainable.

Project Closeout Retrospective Notes (Microsoft Word and/or Adobe Acrobat)

Final Presentation of Implementation Plan to Various Stakeholders at the Town of Clinton (PowerPoint or Prezi)


Clinton, CT

Cost www.gartrellgroup.com //

Cost The costs below are inclusive of project management fees. No travel will be charged for execution of this project.

Task Subtotal Grand Total

1. Project Manager Coordination $1170

2. Kickoff Meeting $1200

3. Municipal GIS Presentation $3110

4. IT Infrastructure Review $900

5. Stakeholder Workshops $8,800

6. Individual Interviews and Workshop Follow-Up $31,10

7. Draft Initial Findings $3,740

8. Data Assessment & Gap Analysis $3,480

9. Midpoint Review $1,600

10. Technology Review $6,220

11. Findings & Recommendations $3,910

12. Phased Implementation Plan $6,960

13. Project Closeout $7,760

$51,960

proposal: gis needs assessment for the town of clinton,...

Documents