NAWILIWILI — A new document designed to bring accountability to Kaua‘i County projects may soon become standard, providing a step-by-step report of all capital improvement projects.
The Project Initiation Document puts down in writing specifics about a project’s intention, funding, development and timing, County Administrative Assistant Gary Heu told Kaua‘i County Council members Monday.
“It kinda forces us to put a little more skin in the game,” he said.
Heu said the county envisions a capital program management system which would ultimately review and approve proposed projects online.
The PID would allow the county to obtain online real-time financial and variance updates, online work-order status and revisions, capabilities and budget approvals, according to Heu.
Heu said he didn’t want to be critical of the actual review procedures for capital projects, but added that the current process can get “fairly convoluted.”
“As decision-makers we are only able to make decisions with the best information that is provided to us,” Heu said.
A sample PID provided council members an overview of what it would look like.
In section I, the PID Project Title provides an overview of that particular project. Next it shows the project’s purpose; then it goes on to list various milestones, objectives, the project’s scope, deliverables, identifiable constraints and assumptions.
In Section II, the PID presents a business case, listing benefits, funding sources, cost and time-scale, plus a cost/benefit analysis. In this section the PID also includes a comprehensive risk analysis, encompassing risk identification, prevention, management and monitoring.
In Section III, the PID identifies all those who are responsible for the project, and their corresponding roles.
In Section IV, the PID lists how the project evolves, and dates when it is expected to be delivered, with a detailed, step-by-step schedule.
Heu said the PID is still in development and will take a lot of thought, effort and education. “This will be years in the making; this is not something that we go down to CompUsa, pay 100 bucks, plug it in and have something running.”
The PID, however, would need some funding in order to move forward. Heu suggested that a high-level position in the mayor’s office that is currently dollar-funded could be used to create a Capital Program Manager position.
“I’m very pleased to see us moving in this direction,” Councilman Jay Furfaro said in support of the PID.
Budget and Finance Committee Chair Daryl Kaneshiro said he liked the idea of the PID.
“It shows us straightforward how the money is being spent,” he said.
Councilman Tim Bynum said when the PID was first shown in late 2009 it was well-received by council members, who looked at it as a “living-document,” with current updates.
“I hope that’s the case,” he said.
Heu said the position would be best for someone experienced in managing capital products, with basic understanding of the process, familiar with government capital programs and with a certain degree of operational knowledge, but also someone with outstanding personal-relationship skills.
“If you’re not able to work well with many different individuals across the various entities this position will need to work with, I think that will be a challenge,” Heu said.
Bynum said he is concerned that a $75,000 salary for the position might be too much even for someone with talented managerial skills, but too little for an engineer with a deep level of understanding of the procurement process and how to move projects forward.
Council Chair Kaipo Asing said the initiative has his full support. “No question in my mind.” Asing said he hopes Heu can get it done correctly.
• Léo Azambuja, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or lazambuja@kauaipubco.com.
