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U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration

MEMORANDUM

The Office of Program Administration and Office of Human Resources are jointly soliciting candidates for the 2008 Project Management Certificate Program. We are seeking your support to nominate employees currently involved in the stewardship and oversight of major projects to participate in this project management certificate program. As you know, oversight of major projects is a serious responsibility that impacts the public's trust and confidence in the FHWA as a whole. Formal training in project management will increase the Division Office's proficiency and effectiveness in all of its stewardship and oversight roles.

This program was developed in response to the challenge to become proficient in multidisciplinary skills, such as project, risk and financial management, to effectively oversee major projects. Successful major project oversight and stewardship requires our employees to develop and maintain industry standard project management techniques and skills throughout the project's life cycle. The Major Projects Team and the Training and Development Group identified key components to training and educating major project oversight managers and others who have responsibility for overseeing and guiding major projects.

Several factors led to the decision to focus on project management training.

1. Project Management Plans are now required for all major projects. A strong background in industry standard project management principles and skills will be necessary when working with State Departments of Transportation and their consultants to develop these documents.
2. The knowledge of project management principles and skills will provide major project oversight managers with recognized credentials and credibility.
3. Project management skills are an important element in all FHWA leadership positions and this training will help prepare major project oversight managers for future leadership positions.

The program outlined below emphasizes project management competencies to obtain basic project management principles and skills though a certificate program recognized by the Project Management Institute. Although there is flexibility in the program, ESI International is the provider of choice, as FHWA currently has a Blanket Purchase Agreement which provides a significant discount on all ESI International courses. If employees have already begun another certificate program, or if the ESI International certificate program is cost prohibitive, employees may be able to select another certificate program and provider as long as these five conditions are met:

1. The training must be in the field of project management.
2. The training provider must be a Project Management Institute Registered Education Provider - there are over 150 in the United States.
3. The training must consist of at least three separate courses, including one introductory course in project management and two courses from the following areas:
   • Leadership/Management
   • Communications
   • Project Scheduling
   • Project Cost Control
   • Risk Management
4. The total training must be at least 40 hours of classroom time.
5. A training certificate must be awarded upon successful completion.

The basic certificate program is the beginning of the development track. We envision supporting qualified FHWA employees seeking advanced academic degrees and professional certifications in project management. Several PMI Registered Education Providers, including ESI International also have aligned themselves with academic institutions so completed coursework may be evaluated for credit in an advanced degree program. Thus, there are opportunities for immediate training in specific coursework leading to a certificate as well as the potential for more in depth study leading to a degree.

The Training and Development Group anticipates setting aside central funds for tuition and necessary travel. The Training and Development Group and the Major Projects Team will approve training plans and travel and set priorities as requests are submitted. Training proposals should include the certificate program outline, the number of courses with tuition costs to be taken this fiscal year, and estimated travel costs. The proposal should be submitted to the Major Projects Team by February 15. Proposals will be evaluated and employees will be contacted for further action.

This certificate program is focused on employees who are currently major project oversight managers, employees who will be major project oversight managers within the next year, and employees who have a significant role in the stewardship and oversight of major projects.

For new employees or those who are pursuing a career track that involves major project stewardship and oversight in the future, we encourage completing on-line project management courses in the DOT Electronic Learning Management System (eLMS).

Currently, there are 40 courses in eLMS in the project management curriculum. The courses are in the following project management areas:

• Project Management Basics
• Planning and Initiation
• Building a Project Plan
• Procurement Planning
• Resource and Cost Planning
• Activity and Schedule Control
• Risk Management
• Quality Assurance

Successful completion of a selection of these on-line courses will be recognized as a positive commitment by the employee to project management training which will be considered by the Training and Development Group and Major Projects Team when selecting future participants in this certificate program.

The benefits of completing a project management certificate program are immediate and will provide the stepping stones for overall career development. We know that FHWA has a talented and committed workforce that is prepared to meet the challenges of an accountable and responsive organization.

If you have any questions, please contact Jim Sinnette of the Major Projects Team, at 202-366-0479 or Laurie Montgomery of the Training and Development Group, at 202-366-9437.