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Topics to Address When Writing a Transition Plan
Here is a list of topics and issues to consider when writing a Transition Plan for a proposal. A good approach for you to take is to put yourself in the place of the customer and consider what questions they would have about how you will implement what you propose. Then build your Transition Plan around the answers to those questions.
Organization. What will the project organization be on Day 1 of the contract? Will the Project Manager and all of the key staff be in place? If not, one approach is to propose a Transition Team that will get the project started until it can be handed over to the permanent staff.
Project Implementation Logistics. Once the contract is signed, what needs to happen for the project to start? Do facilities need to be opened? Do staff need to travel? Do payment terms and billing formats need to be finalized?
Staffing. Do you know all of the staff, by name, who will work on the project? Have there been any changes since the proposal was submitted? If staff need to be recruited, then which ones and how long will it take? If you will be proposing a Transition Team, then who will be on it? If possible, you should include names for functions like recruiting, contracts, and accounts payable.
Knowledge Transfer. How will project staff get up to speed on the customer’s current state? Will customer documents or interviews be required? Will an incumbent contractor be involved? How will this be scheduled and managed? Will training be required? If so, what form will it take and who will be involved, including both instructors and students? Will one or more site visits be needed? If so, how will this be scheduled and who will be involved?
Resources. Will inventory or materials need to be gathered, staged, or prepared for use on the project? Will materials need to be procured? Will facilities need to be identified and leased? How long will it take?
Phase-In. Once the project starts, how long will it take to reach full capacity? Will you start slowly and work up to full speed? Will you have any tests, prototypes, samples, or other events prior to full production? When will full production begin?
Client Involvement. What support will you need from the customer? This can range from badges and permits to documents, meetings, or even training. For some of the action items in your transition plan, you will need the customer to participate at some level.
Disruption. Ideally, there won’t be any. But depending on the type of project, there could be. Disruption can result from construction or it can result from a temporary decrease in productivity while an incumbent contractor leaves and you begin. If there will be any disruption, explain how much and what you will do to minimize it.
Risk. Identify all of the sources of risk during the transition period and show what you will do to mitigate them.
Schedule. Once you have identified the action items required to start the project, you need to lay them out in sequence and duration. For complicated projects, Gantt charts are usually used. Be sure to include all meetings, interviews, events/milestones, exchanges of documents/information, etc. A well designed Gantt chart can demonstrate that you have more than enough time to complete your Transition Plan, even if something slips.
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