Last updated: 12 Feburary 2013

The second decisional milestone during the feasibility study is the Tentatively Selected Plan Milestone where the Vertical Team agrees on the PDT’s recommendation of a tentatively selected plan and proposed way forward on developing sufficient cost and design information for the final feasibility study report. Because the PDT is writing the feasibility study report as it goes –and is targeting a 100-page study report, by this milestone a draft feasibility study report has been prepared.


During this phase of the feasibility study, the PDT using a reasonable level of detail to collect data and model alternatives to analyze and evaluate effectiveness with the intent of identifying a Tentatively Selected Plan (TSP). The team will decide during the scoping phase the method and criteria for TSP selection. The team will conduct IPRs, as needed, with the PDT and Vertical Team. Updates to the risk register, decision management plan(s) and documentation of key decisions (decision log) should be products of the IPRs.

The Tentatively Selected Plan (TSP) Milestone meeting ensures Vertical Team concurrence on the TSP or the Locally Preferred Plan (LPP) that will be released as part of the draft feasibility study report for public and agency review and the analysis the PDT used to reach that decision. As with the Alternatives Milestone meeting, it can be an in-person or virtual meeting to meet the needs of the study.

Read-aheads for the TSP Milestone meeting include the updated report synopsis, current risk register, current decision management plan for the next major planning decision, and decision log documenting key decisions to date. Note that read-ahead submissions are not being submitted for review; they are being submitted to inform the discussions and decisions at the milestone meeting.

Iterative DQC and MSC QA checks, and Vertical Team interactions are expected to have addressed the adequacy of the draft report content prior to the TSP milestone.

Before the TSP Milestone meeting, the PDT should have:

• Prepared the draft feasibility report which includes a summary evaluation of the final array of alternatives and a rationale for the TSP selection.
• Secured an LPP waiver from the ASA(CW) if an LPP is being pursued.
• Updated the Risk Register.
• Updated the team’s process documents as needed with the next steps of the study – the decision management plan, review plan, etc. The decision management plan should be focused on the needs of the study and focus on the decisions to be made. It is not simply a list of tasks or a replacement of the Project Management Plan.
• Following the milestone meeting, an updated decision log documenting decisions and agreements will be vetted with the Vertical Team.

With vertical team concurrence with the recommendation, it will be a relatively small effort to finalize preparations to release the report for public comment. Draft feasibility report documentation should follow ER 1105-2-100, Appendix G, general evaluation guidelines (Exhibit G-1) and be compliant with NEPA and other applicable laws, policies and regulations (Exhibit G-8). The PDT will be required to provide a level of detail of documentation on the TSP that is commensurate with other alternatives analyzed during this phase. It is expected that limited additional TSP detail will be included for this public draft report. Details related to the Selected Plan will be developed and evaluated as part of the next phase of the study. Following the TSP Milestone, the Chief of Office of Water Project Review determines if the analyses and findings to date are sufficient to approve release of a draft report and NEPA document for concurrent public and policy review, ATR, and, if required, IEPR.

Resources

• Planning Charette
• Using a Risk Register
• Decision Log
• Develop Report as you Go
• Review Primer (May 2012)