Project Management Plan Fedex Express Dangerous Goods: Prepared by Michael Broussard 4/20/23
Project Management Plan Fedex Express Dangerous Goods: Prepared by Michael Broussard 4/20/23
1.4. References
1.5. Definitions and Acronyms
1.6. Evolution of the Plan
2. Project Organization
2.1. External Interfaces
2.2. Internal Structure
2.3. Roles and Responsibilities
5. Revision History
1. Overview
While FedEx Express safely and reliably ship millions of dangerous goods every year, as years
past more shipments were not properly documented or labeled correctly. Currently, FedEx
Express facilities follow specific protocols for dangerous goods that are highly dependent on the
staff available or DG trained employees available. With the increase of DG errors, the global
dangerous goods department saw the importance of minimizing these errors and identifying areas
of the operation that could use improvement and minimize the errors. The project aims to
improve the documentation and labeling of DG shipments and reduce errors by implementing a
standardized system across all FedEx Express facilities. Major deliverables will include an
assessment report and implementation documents to be used at the new baseline procedure
across FedEx express.
The purpose of this project is to improve the documentation and labeling of Dangerous Goods
(DG) shipments and reduce errors in DG shipment processing across all FedEx Express facilities.
The project aims to replace the current system of accepting DG materials with a standardized
system with checks and balances that will be used uniformly across all FedEx Express buildings.
The project's scope includes identifying areas of the operation that require improvement,
minimizing inconsistencies and errors, and ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory
requirements.
The business needs that this project aims to satisfy include improving the safety of DG shipment
processing, reducing the risk of accidents and injuries, and enhancing customer satisfaction by
providing reliable and consistent DG shipment processing. The satisfaction of these needs will be
determined through quantitative and measurable business objectives, including a reduction in the
number of errors in DG shipment processing and an increase in the percentage of DG shipments
that are properly documented and labeled.
The success of the project will be judged based on the criteria defined by key stakeholders,
including the global dangerous goods department at FedEx Express, project managers, and
regulatory agencies. Key performance indicators such as the number of DG shipment errors, the
percentage of DG shipments that are properly documented and labeled, and customer feedback
will be used to evaluate project success.
Specific issues to address include the identification and examination of individuals responsible
for managing DG shipments, the development of a standardized system for accepting DG
materials, the implementation of best practices for minimizing inconsistencies and errors, and the
creation of a safer environment for handling DG shipments. The project will require the
allocation of appropriate resources, including personnel and budget, to achieve project objectives
within the planned timeline.
The project management deliverables are to be prepared by the Project Manager and to be
handed over to the Operations Manager, Project chair, and the Project Advisor. The summary-
level project management deliverables are listed below in the order they are produced:
Project Charter
Scope Statement
WBS & Initial Schedule
Statement of Deliverables
Project Management Plan
Technical Report
Formal presentation
Project Summary Report
The project deliverables are to be prepared by the Project Manager and to be handed over to the
Project Chair/ Sponsor and DG committee. The project deliverables are listed below in the order
they are produced:
Assessment Report
Provides a detailed report analysis of the current DG Protocols and guidelines
followed in the department.
Provides a detailed assessment on best and effective DG Protocols and guidelines
that should be formulated for the department.
Project Assumptions:
AS-1 The standardized system for accepting DG materials will be adopted and
effectively used by all FedEx Express facilities. This assumption is based on the belief
that the new system will be successfully implemented and adopted by all facilities,
leading to a consistent and streamlined approach to handling DG shipments.
Project Constraints:
1.4. References
AWB (Airway Bill) Specifies the terms under which the air
carrier is agreeing to transport the goods and contains
limitations of liability, contract between shipper and
carrier.
DG Dangerous Goods
Dangerous goods are substances which can be hazardous to
the environment.
SmartDG Program that electronically manages how such dangerous
goods are accounted for at a facility. It replaces a paper
checklist with a digital one.
CSA Customer service agent
WB Workbench
PM Project Manager
PMP Project Management Plan
Ops Manager Operations Manager
IT Information technology
This project plan will be updated at any time there is a major change in any of the following
areas:
o Schedule
o Scope
o Cost or budget changes
o Project Milestones
o Newly identified project constraints/ dependencies/ assumptions
o Risk
o Staffing changes
Any changes to the project management plan will be communicated to all relevant stakeholders
in a timely and clear manner, including updates to the project schedule, budget, scope, risks, and
deliverables.
2. Project Organization
It's important to identify and engage with these external stakeholders throughout the project to
ensure that their needs and concerns are considered and addressed, and to establish effective
communication channels to keep them informed about the project's progress and outcomes.
Communication will occur in a non-formal nature using text and email regarding questions
about DG protocol and concerns.
DG Committee Operations
IT Department
Manager
Project Manager
DG Specialists
Project Chair
A project kickoff meeting was held within four weeks of the project's initiation. The purpose of
this meeting was to bring all internal project stakeholders together to review the project scope,
goals, and objectives and risks. The project manager will lead the meeting and will provide an
overview of the project plan, project schedule, budget, and resources required. During the
project's life cycle, the project chair and the project manager will conduct status meetings. The
project manager will be responsible for preparing project management deliverables, which must
be approved by the project chair. Similarly, the project manager will be responsible for preparing
project deliverables, which must be accepted and approved by the project chair.
The sources of staff for this project will be internal from our department and from other
departments within our organization.
Available internal candidates, skill sets, and dates of availability:
Project Manager: 5 years of project management experience
Dangerous Goods Specialist: 3 years of experience in managing dangerous goods
shipments.
Operations Manager: 4 years of experience in management
IT Specialist: 4 years of experience in IT systems implementation
The skill set required for this project includes knowledge of FedEx’s SmartDG program. All DG
specialists should have great familiarity of dangerous good main procedures.
During the project life cycle, both hardware and software resources will be required, which will
be obtained during the initiation and planning phase of the project.
a) Hardware Resources
3 Desktop computers
b) Software Resources
Project Chair
The commitment from the project chair towards the success of this project can be
realized through the weekly review meetings held with the project manager where
the project chair provides overall project oversight and direction. The project
chair also ensure that project goals and objectives are clearly defined and
understood.
Project Manager
The commitment from the project manager towards the success of this project can
be realized by maintaining communication with stakeholder and keeping them
informed weekly of project progress, adhering to a specific timeframe and budget.
Operations Manager
IT Specialist
The commitment from the IT specialist towards the success of this project can be
realized by providing technical support to project staff as needed.
ODG
Monitoring
Initiating Planning Executing Closing
&Control
55 Hours | $1320 125 Hours|$2540 340 Hours|$59500 90 Hours |$5500 115 Hours |$8000
10 hours| $120 21 Hours|$525 340 Hours |$59,500 40 Hours| $3000 65 Hours\ $6500
Generate
Develop Project Construct WBS performance
Charter reviews
35 Hours |1050 15 Hours|$300 30 Hours| $1500
Develop Initial
Schedule
16 Hours|$320
30 Hours|$600
During the project life cycle, the project manager will be responsible for preparing both project
deliverables and project management deliverables, which will be subject to review by the project
chair. To monitor project progress and review documents, project meetings will be held on a
weekly basis as scheduled by the project chair and attended by the project manager. Meetings
will typically take place every Monday with the duration subject to the review needs of the
deliverables. Meeting minutes will also be recorded by the project manager.
Change requests.
Lessons learned document.
Performance reviews
MS project files
WBS
Deliverables.
Privacy requirements
Project information will be treated as private data and not shared with anyone
other than the internal stakeholders,
Work shared on sharepoint, or teams will not be shared outside of the department
desktop computers and can only be used by the PM for work.
All project deliverables and all documents will be archived on a local drive in the
desktop computers used by the project manager for future retrieval.
The scope change control process will be followed to manage changes to the project scope. Any
changes to the project scope will be evaluated for impact on project objectives, schedule, budget,
resources, and risk factors before approval. The process for controlling scope changes is as
follows:
Requirements control process: The requirements control process will be followed to manage
changes to product requirements. The process for controlling requirement changes is as follows:
Measuring and reporting: The project manager will measure and report on changes to project
scope and product requirements using the following mechanisms:
Assessing impact: The impact of scope and requirement changes will be assessed using the
following mechanisms:
1. Evaluation of the impact on project objectives, schedule, budget, resources, and risk
factors
2. Review of project plans, estimates, and commitments
3. Communication with stakeholders and customers as appropriate
Incorporating tasks: Tasks and effort to perform the scope and requirements control steps will be
incorporated into the project’s work breakdown structure and schedule. The project manager will
ensure that these tasks are adequately resourced and scheduled appropriately. Any changes to the
scope or requirements of the project will be reflected in the updated project plans and schedules.
Methods and tools: The project manager will use project tracking tools to monitor the schedule
performance. The tools will be used to generate reports that will identify areas where corrective
action is required. The project manager will work with the project team to identify the root cause
of the deviations from the planned schedule and will develop a corrective action plan to address
the issues.
Contingency buffers: Contingency buffers will be built into the project schedule to allow for
unexpected delays or issues that may arise during the project lifecycle. If the actual performance
falls behind the planned estimates, the project manager will tap into the contingency buffers to
bring the schedule back on track. If the contingency buffers are insufficient to address the issues,
the project manager will work with the project team to develop a revised schedule.
Schedule modification: If schedule modifications are required, the project manager will work
with the project team to develop a revised schedule. The revised schedule will be reviewed and
agreed upon by all stakeholders. The project manager will update the project plan, including the
work breakdown structure and schedule, to reflect the revised schedule. The project manager will
communicate the revised schedule and gain commitment from all stakeholders to adhere to the
new schedule.
The budget for the project will be established during the planning phase and will be based on the
cost estimates for the work breakdown structure (WBS) components. The budget will be
reviewed and approved by the project manager before the execution of the project. The project
manager will be responsible for monitoring and controlling project expenditures against the
budgeted amount of $76,860.00.
The following control mechanisms will be used to measure the cost of work completed:
Tracking actual costs against the budgeted costs for each WBS component.
Comparing actual costs to the earned value of the project to determine the cost variance.
Tracking the actual hours worked by each team member against their budgeted hours.
The following methods and tools will be used to manage the budget:
A budget spreadsheet or other tracking tool will be used to record budgeted and actual
costs.
The Project Manager will prepare regular cost reports at the end of each month or after
completing each milestone.
Any variances from the budget will be identified, and corrective actions will be taken to
address the variances.
The Project manager will be responsible for forecasting and controlling budgets and
expenses monthly and will be responsible for tracking actual hours and for reporting
actual and estimated project hours by milestone.
Communication methods: Regular meetings, emails, and reports will be used to keep all
stakeholders informed of project progress weekly.
Communication frequency: Project status updates will be provided on a weekly basis to
all stakeholders. Additional meetings and reports will be scheduled as needed.
Tracking mechanisms: The project manager will use a MS Project tool to track project
progress and will regularly update the tool with status updates.
Reporting requirements: The project manager will produce weekly status reports that
summarize progress to date, highlight any issues or risks, and outline plans for the
upcoming week. The reports will be shared with all stakeholders, and feedback will be
solicited to ensure that all parties are aligned on the project status and next steps.
Escalation procedures: In the event that issues arise that require escalation, the project
manager will communicate the issue to the appropriate stakeholder(s) and work with the
team to develop and implement a solution.
Documentation requirements: All project-related documentation will be stored in a shared
location that is accessible to all stakeholders. The project manager will be responsible for
maintaining the documentation and ensuring that it is up-to-date and accurate.
Change management procedures: Any changes to the project scope, schedule, or budget
will be communicated to all stakeholders in a timely manner, and the project manager
will work with the team to develop and implement a plan for managing the change.
Project statuses will be reviewed by the project chair during scheduled meetings. The analysis of
the start and end dates of the deliverables will determine the project's schedule and cost progress.
In case of any schedule or budget issues, the schedule and budget control plans will be referred
to for corrective actions. All changes to the metrics will be documented and updated in the
project management plan and stored in the project documents repository for future reference.
Risk Matrix:
Ineffective Communication
Legal and regulatory compliance
Inadequate training
The specific risk response strategy would depend on the severity of the risk and the
organization's risk tolerance. A combination of risk response strategies may also be used.
It will be the project manager’s responsibility in handling the issues as they occur.
Any problems or issues that arise on the project will be documented in the issue log. The
project manager will review the issue log weekly during project status meetings to
identify any new problems or issues that need to be addressed.
Each issue will be prioritized based on its impact on the project objectives and the
severity of the issue. The project manager will assign a priority level to each issue.
The project manager will assign an owner to each issue and will work with the owner to
develop an action plan for resolving the issue. The action plan will include the steps that
will be taken to resolve the issue, the resources required, and the timeline for resolution.
The project’s decision-makers for issues such as requirements baselining, requirements
changes, resource contention, and priority conflicts will be identified at the start of the
project.
The status of each issue will be tracked in the issue log until it is resolved. The project
manager will update the issue log with the status of each issue and will review the log
during project status meetings to ensure that all issues are being addressed in a timely
manner.
If an issue cannot be resolved at the project level, it will be escalated to the project chair
for resolution.
All stakeholders will be informed of any problems or issues that arise on the project and
the steps being taken to resolve them. Regular communication will be maintained
throughout the project to ensure that all stakeholders are aware of the project’s status and
any issues that may impact the project’s objectives.
At the end of the project life cycle, the project manager will produce a lesson learned document
along with a miscellaneous costs document as part of the project management closing activities.
Also, as part of the project closing activities,
Planning Schedule
PMP
Risk management plan
Resource selection
Alpha Testing
Monitoring &Control Change Requests
Performance Reviews
Initiating Stage: In this stage, the project is defined, and a project manager is
assigned. The project manager will gather information about the project's goals,
objectives, scope, and stakeholders.
Deliverables:
Project Charter
Stakeholder Register
Planning Stage: In this stage, the project manager will develop a detailed project
plan, which includes a schedule, budget, and resource allocation plan. They will also
identify potential risks and develop a risk management plan.
Deliverables:
Project Management Plan
Work Breakdown Structure
Risk Management Plan
Executing Stage: In this stage, the project plan is put into action, and the project
manager will coordinate the project team to complete the project's tasks.
Deliverables:
Deliverables of the project
Approved Change Requests
Monitoring and Controlling Stage: In this stage, the project manager will
monitor the project's progress and compare it to the project plan. They will also manage
any changes or risks that arise and take corrective action when necessary.
Deliverables:
Performance Reports
Change Requests
Risk Register
Closing Stage: In this stage, the project is completed, and the project manager
will finalize the project's documentation and conduct a project review.
The hardware required for the development, testing, and operation of this project includes
desktop computers with adequate processing power and memory to handle the development
software and tools. Additionally, a server will be required to host the project repository and
necessary databases.
Software Tools:
The following software tools will be used for this project:
Sharepoint for collaborative documentation
Microsoft Office for documentation and communication purposes
Documentation Standards:
Documentation standards will be in accordance with industry standards and project
requirements. Documentation will be stored in a centralized repository accessible to all
internal stakeholders. Documentation will be version controlled to ensure that all team
members are working with the most up-to-date information.
Deployment Procedure:
The new procedure will be established during the project life cycle. This procedure will
include testing, user acceptance, and release management. The deployment process will
be executed with the approval of the DG committee and DG specialists.
Quality Assurance Practices:
Quality assurance practices will be in accordance with industry standards and project
requirements. Technical peer review and testing will be conducted to ensure the quality
of the product.
The purpose of this quality assurance plan is to ensure that all project deliverables and
project management activities are completed to the highest quality standards. This plan
outlines the quality assurance activities that will be performed throughout the project and
the roles and responsibilities of the project team.
The following documents will be produced by the Project Manager with help from the Its
specialists and DG specialists in various phases, including initiation, planning, execution, and
project closure: installation and maintenance guides, user guides, reference manuals, on-line help
systems, release notes, and other relevant documents. The documentation plan identifies the
responsible parties for preparing and reviewing each type of document, the target delivery and
baselining dates, and details of the document's distribution and storage.
To avoid this in the future, the project team decided to improve the current risk management
procedure. The new procedure involved identifying potential risks early in the project lifecycle,
assessing the likelihood and impact of each risk, and developing mitigation strategies to address
them. This helped the team to avoid or minimize the impact of potential risks on project
performance.
Version 1 TEPM 6391_Draft Project 04/30/23 Preparation of PMP for the first
Draft 1 PMP_MB_V1 Manager time, which will be submitted
to the Project Chair for review