Excerpt From Project Management Plan, Recruiting Plan, etc.

1.0 Management Approach

PMP Planning
TROP is uniquely qualified to meet the challenges for Institute for
Telecommunication Sciences (ITS). We are ready to work with the ITS Contracting
Officer and/or Contracting Officer Representative in accordance with ITS project
requirements. TROP has 15 years experience in program support management for
Web Application Support Services. We have a core competency in standardizing
and streamlining business process in accordance with industry best practices
helping federal agencies use IT as a strategic enabler.
TROP can deliver support for application development, testing, implementation, and
configuration of, related to operations at ITS. We are also ready to manage
upgrades, maintenance, and problem resolution for ITS. Please see PMP Planning
Diagram (Figure 1) for Phased Approach to High Level Requirements, Project
Description, Risks, Milestone Schedule and Budget Planning.

Figure 1 PMP Planning Diagram

Benefit to ITS
A structured integrated approach to Program The delivery of consistent, high quality products and
management
services.
ITS oversight of TROPs management
Metrics-driven Continuous Process Improvement for
activity
outreach activities

Management Plan
Our organizational structure is set up to directly support the diverse needs of ITS.
TROP provides the leadership and management skills to successfully accomplish all
requirements and provide professional management for the project. TROP
consistently provides highly competent, knowledgeable, and experienced
managers/leaders to support our clients mission. These individuals will be
responsible for managing our ITS team and ensuring TROP exceeds all the
requirements of the ITS Division.
Staffing Plan
TROP possesses a state-of-the-art Talent Management capability that is the
cornerstone to our ability to deliver the appropriate personnel with speed, agility,
and a high degree of efficiency. The core of
this capability lies within our Talent Operations
Center(s) (TOC).
TROP maintains two (2)
separate TOCs geographically located to offer
support throughout the U.S. and OCONUS
(Figure 2), ensuring rapid mission solution
support.
TROP has an aggressive recruiting capability,
ensuring our ability to quickly meet any
contingencies and/or surge requirements.
Figure 2 - Our Talent Operation Centers are located to
Our internal candidate database houses
provide nationwide support
more than 400,000 pre-screened profiles as
illustrated in Figure 3. Additionally, we have access to millions of additional
candidates through subscriptions to all the major Internet resume databases. We
actively explore other candidate resources, including print ads in newspapers and
trade journals, job fairs, trade fairs, college fairs, college placement offices, alumni
associations, website banner ads, professional user groups, trade associations and
outplacement centers. We also have an extremely effective employee referral
program. Due to the success of these programs, we are able to secure the most
highly qualified candidates for customers positions by tapping into the passive job
seeker market.

TROPs recruitment methods are used on a continual basis to identify the best
candidates with skills that are in demand or hard to find. Our efforts to identify the
best candidates do not stop with the initial requirements; TROP maintains a virtual
bench of candidates for each active
Figure 3 Our candidate database houses 400K+resumes of
contract we manage. This virtual bench
known, vetted candidates
is a used to refresh and provide surge for
our contracts. Our goal is to ensure that we have a reserve of qualified candidates
to fill any vacancy that occurs.
Staffing Approach
TROP offers a unique capability to rapidly and effectively respond to planned or
unforeseen spikes in client requirements. Recognizing that customers business
environment may necessitate rapid adjustment of plans; our Personnel Management
system is fully capable of meeting both anticipated and unanticipated surges in the
requirements. A high-level overview of our Sourcing Approach is shown in Figure 6:

When evaluating potential employees, TROP closely screens candidates for their skill sets,
communication abilities, education, accomplishments, and the candidates interest in providing
specific services as required by the clients program requirements, as well as their ability to work
as team players. All this ensures that only the most highly qualified candidates, with verified
records of accomplishment, will be proposed for placement on the program.
To meet surge or high priority requirements, our PM can immediately draw on TROPs extensive
resources. One of our key strengths resides in our access to highly qualified SMEs available
through our immense resume database system. When needed, we can absolutely provide
personnel to meet surge requirements virtually anytime, anywhere. Our approach to support
quick augmentation is an accelerated version of our normal process: A quick initial meeting is
held to organize, identify the problem and develop an appropriate course of action with the
approval of the COTR and/or CO Conduct internal search for qualified talent
Reassignment of qualified personnel as required Commence work in parallel while the PM
back briefs the CO, COTR, and will brief customer management as needed
If resources are
not
available
internally,
we
respond by hiring
new staff, outside
consultants,
or
adding additional
subcontractors.
We continually
make significant
investments
in
our
applicant
tracking software,
recruiting
software,
and
other tools we use
to our customers benefit.

Figure 4 - Talent Operations process ensures an average

turnaround of two weeks or less for candidate
identification

Resume Database/Software Team TROP maintains a robust, company-wide

proprietary candidate database, which is currently populated with current
candidate resumes and profiles. This software allows our Talent Operation
Specialists (TOSs) to identify a large pool of potential candidates and then quickly
narrows that pool down to the candidates who are best matched for our customers
requirements. Here are some of the features built in to our system that allows our
TOSs to deliver results to our customers on time and on target: Web Based
System: Our software is web based allowing our entire TOSs nationwide to interact
with our customer requirements and candidates in real time. Automated
Agents: Agents are set up within the online system that constantly searches both
our internal database as well as external database systems for candidates with skills
that match the needs required on our most important programs. Once the agent
identifies a candidate, it is delivered to the TOSs desktop. Skills Inventories:
Each candidate within our system has a detailed skills inventory associated with his
profile. Our software parses this information directly from candidate resumes into
the database. We are then able to match candidates skills directly with the skills
required by the clients job requirements. Automated Postings: As we enter
client job requirements into our system, they are automatically posted to the
Internet for potential job seekers with the click of a button.
Short Notice Requirements
TROP maintains an extensive database of pre-screened professionals and technical
experts as well as part-time employees and referred candidates who are
immediately available with required qualifications, licenses and certifications as
required. This allows TROP to maintain a database of skilled candidates who are
familiar with our processes and procedures and are ready to work on short notice
periods; these candidates can be hired and on-site within days if necessary. In
addition, TROP has staff located at our Program Offices throughout the country, as is
the case with our office in Detroit, MI. These professional and technical experts
provide a reach-back capability to allow us to provide support staff either on-site,
nationally or remotely located on our contractor site as required in order to meet a
short-notice from our client. This approach provides ITS with a flexible, costeffective resource solution and accessibility to a wide variety of professional and
technical talent.
As with our short notice staffing capabilities noted above, in the event that an
individual and/or our subcontractor departs the contract for any reason, TROP will
assess the scope of work and supported efforts, realign supporting personnel and
allow zero degradation of the mission and/or zero degradation of the supported ITS
customers. TROP ensures that all the employee absences will be scheduled in a
manner that ensures sufficient personnel are available during all the hours of
operation. TROP will also maintain and publish a calendar to assist in the deconfliction of tasking, planned leave or absences, and travel requirements.
Collectively, these products will help ensure smooth operations and enhance overall
management of all the program personnel. This planning will allow TROP an ample
time to have a qualified replacement in place to cover all the scheduled leave and
absence periods of an assigned employee. In the exception scenario when a
qualified replacement is not immediately available, TROP will work with the

government representative to mitigate any issues that may arise and ensure that a
sufficient alternative solution is determined.
Surge Capabilities
Our Talent Management Capabilities allow TROP the flexibility to ramp up and down
an entire program within a short time frame. Historically, we have provided our
customers with the required personnel within one (1) to five (5) days of
identification of the requirement. This rapid turnaround is directly attributable to
our large number of TOSs (Task Order Specialists) in the field. We have a dedicated
team of over fifty TOSs across the company with the proven capacity to fill and
support hundreds of vacancies in a very short time. TROP has a complete pool of
experienced personnel with career experience in planning, administrative, material
handling, and storage management and even in providing subject matter
expertise in ASP.NET and CSS development on the Umbraco CMS system
(Open source ASP.NET CMS system) and ASP.NET/SQL development of
proprietary
databases
to
perform
ongoing
maintenance
and
improvements to the ITS publications database, the ITS public Web site,
and the interface between the two to ensure that ITS technical research
results continue to be disseminated to the public in a manner that
conforms to applicable Federal policies for Federal agency public Web
sites..
Our corporate culture is one that easily meets variable fluctuations in staffing
requirements as evidenced by multiple programs we have executed in recent years.
Employee Management

We are committed to provide and retain the best people with specialized
technical skills, professionalism, flexibility, and experience required achieving
success on our contracts. We maintain a quality and stable working
environment and a system of incentives and rewards, including competitive
salaries, benefits, and incentive compensation that attract and retain high
caliber employees. Our focus is on providing a superior work environment,
opportunity for professional growth and development, career advancement,
and a solid infrastructure of benefits to employees and their families that
contributes to our long-term success and strategic growth. A superior work
environment is created when managers care about their employees while
providing them with challenging work assignments and career opportunities.
Task Leads are trained to provide enlightened and supportive guidance to
employees. They make certain that each person has a thorough
understanding of his/her job requirements. They take time to learn about
each persons career goals and provide the training necessary to enable
each person to remain current with technology.
We offer an outstanding compensation plan, which has a significant and positive impact on
maintaining a stable work force. We regularly conduct reviews of our performance-based
compensation structure. Working with a nationwide compensation and benefits consulting firm,
we produced and implemented a compensation plan that reflects the most current trends in
compensation practices. Our salary ranges are based on professional compensation surveys

enabling us to ensure the competitiveness of our compensation package in each geographic area.
TROP is committed to match the current benefits of transferring employees. This includes
recognizing years of service on the program for the purposes of vacation accrual and vesting in
the 401K. We also have full-time Employee Care / Benefits Coordinators on staff whose job is to
be completely dedicated to the needs of our employees in the field. They are trained in all the
aspects of the benefits and payroll processes. They are in place ensuring that the benefits are
administered smoothly and our employees are paid in a timely fashion. As mentioned previously,
employee training is of extreme importance to us and our employees have significant resources
available to them, for skill and other training, through our corporate training programs. In
addition, we have a formal employee assistance program as a part of our benefits package for
employees who seek professional help with personal problems unrelated to work activities.
Rapid Security Screening

Key to efficient staffing is the security screening process outlined in Figure 7 that determines
personnel with current clearances and a Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI)
completed within the past 5 years if a SCI clearance is required. This is critical in staffing
positions requiring a TS clearance with SCI access. Our staffing process results in the assignment
of staff members with current clearances and an SSBI completed within the past 5 years. We also
require applicants to complete a security questionnaire that outlines foreign travel, citizenship of
immediate family members, credit and medical history, and arrest record. This information
allows us to confirm an applicants ability to quickly obtain and maintain the clearance and
access required.
Figure 5 - Security Screening Process of Efficient staffing is achieved by employing our
structured security process.
In meeting the mission requirements, TROP uses its proven and documented ISO
9001:2008 processes, a tailored QCP, and a proactive approach, staffing and
resource management to ensure the ITS mission continues without interruption. Our
approach ensures streamlined operations through: Contract Management
supervision of all the subordinate managers who provide technical oversight of
performance at every level, within every location; A web-based, reach back
capability that streamlines coordination with sites and provides document
sharing/review; and includes video conferencing to enhance technical oversight and
continued staffing. Back up bench support and candidate screening process to
minimize the impact of staff members leave, illness or turnover and within all
requirements.
The Contract Manager is responsible for ensuring that the deliverable are reviewed
against the contractual requirements and any agreements made in the Deliverable
Expectation Document presented to the ITS point of contacts prior to contract start
up. The Contract Manager ensures that the assigned deliverable is reviewed from a
technical perspective, compiling responses from other reviewers, as necessary and
determines if the deliverable should be accepted or rejected based on the results of
the review. This process is conducted twice a month to analyze the progression of
our onsite staff at ITS and construct a monthly report showing all the deliverables
promised and highlighting where each individual is in terms of his progression
towards his end goal. This monthly report is presented to TROPs Program Manager

for this effort who will have the final authority in the approval of all the deliverables
and the progression made on each individual deliverable assigned prior to contract
start up. The Program Manager reviews the deliverable, list of consolidated
comments, and recommendation of the Contract Manager and meets to discuss the
recommendation.
Utilizing these reports it is the goal of TROP management to maximize workforce
effectiveness in order to successfully accomplish the mission for the ITS. TROPs
scheduling will allow our organization to review and manage worker hours both on
an individual basis, group or team basis, office basis or a department basis. Our
employees will be managed using our timekeeping system that allows TROPs
managers to: View and edit individual employee schedules Update employees
schedules directly on time cards Create an audit trail of changed data Notify
supervisor of employee leave requests so that an approved leave is factored into
individuals schedule.
TROPs Program and Risk Management Methodology is interwoven into our Contract
Program Management Approach. The objective is to proactively identify and
mitigate any risks before they become issues and problems on the project. Risk
management will illuminate and identify the threats to the project as early as
possible, allowing for a successful outcome. TROP assigns a Program Manager (PM)
to proactively manage risks before they become liability. The PM along with clients
team will develop, as needed, detailed risk management plan, including a
Risk/Mitigation Matrix, for maintaining the integrity of project deliverables,
monitoring TROPs team members performance, milestones, and schedule. As soon
as TROPs PM discovers a potential for lapse in a performance, the contributing
source or an issue is identified and a remedy plan is put in place to bring
performance back on the track.

TROP is well-experienced, utilizing the iterative Risk Matrix Approach, in the identification,
management and analysis of risk event impacts, probabilities, mitigation strategies, and
communication. This approach is based on ISO 9001 and industry best practices. Key to the
methodology is the participation of all your stakeholders and TROP personnel to assess and
address CMS deployment related risks. Our risk management for you emphasizes on identifying
all technical, schedule and cost risks associated with each technical and management
requirement. Our Risk Management Team (RMT) will identify potential obstacles to meet its
schedule, cost and technical objectives. This includes program administration, management, and
implementation risks associated with all CMS program elements. TROPs risk management
approach is a well-organized and systematic process that will efficiently identify, prioritize,
develop, and document contingency plans and mitigation strategies related to risk. TROP will
perform early planning and aggressive execution throughout the assessment and mitigation
phases. We believe in maintaining rigorous Risk Registers and actively reviewing and updating
them for weekly status reports and meetings with key stakeholders. TROP will conduct the
following risk mitigation strategies: Early prototype/review of functionality Additional
testing, particularly stress testing Training on new environment Get a prototype deployed
ASAP on new environment Add time to the schedule to allow for slippage.
Quality Control Plan:

Figure 6 - Risk Management Approach

TROP defines quality as the ability to establish ongoing relationships through

providing processes and continuously improved services to better satisfy the needs
of the ITS and our employees. Our goal is to deliver services in accordance with the
ITS requirements and expectations and to provide a work environment that
positively contributes to our employees wellbeing. This is the TROPs Win-Win-Win
philosophy. Performance deliverables and quality metrics, as set by ITS, will be
tracked and used for performance management and improvement.
We will incorporate a series of checkpoints as needed to meet the QASP as per the
PWS into each task under the contract. These consist of a series of key performance
requirements that are tied to a set of objectives, as per the PWS. The metrics
provided by the client define the acceptable performance standards, dates of
completion, measurement frequency, measurement and surveillance methods, and
the Government Acceptance Criteria. TROPs Quality Assurance monitoring will
serve a focal point in execution of the contract. A significant element in ensuring
accuracy, consistency, and quality are the built-in Quality Assurance (QA) reviews
that are performed on all the deliverables to our clients. In our management
approach, we have incorporated internal reviews and reviews with customer. This
mechanism ensures that quality is built into every product we deliver. Agreed on
reviews will be scheduled as milestones in the task plan for each task order. We
recognize that the reconciliation of cost and schedule information on the monthly
progress report is both complex and critical to accuracy. As a result, we have
incorporated several QA reviews in our process for generating this report to ensure
accuracy, completeness, currency, and quality. Both the Project Manager (PM) and
the QA analyst will provide a second review to ensure that all the changes have
been incorporated and that the report is complete, accurate, and consistent.