8(A) STARS II

• Keep our commitments
• Demonstrate expertise by always finding a way to get things done
• Be accountable to our customers and ourselves
• Demonstrate a passion for quality
• Strive to deliver a “wow” factor to our customers in each encounter
• Adhere to sound fiscal policies to ensure long-term financial stability

At the start of each contract, an account manager is assigned to serve as the single point of contact for communications and relationship management. Each project is assigned a dedicated project manager and a lead engineer. Consistent communication and feedback throughout the project are aligned to the original plan to ensure successful achievement of all deliverables.

IPC creates and maintains an enterprise SharePoint portal for templates and checklists, as well as for project and schedule management. We document and manage all interactions on contracts and subsequent task orders with traditional tools such as Microsoft Project and ConnectWise, a specialized software system. ConnectWise provides a single interface that includes all customer profile elements, all documents, artifacts, project management tools, time accounting, subcontractor management, and invoicing. By having a single repository IPC ensures that each project is efficiently, accurately, and proactively managed to completion.

During the initial phase of a contract, IPC creates and utilizes a standard Statement of Work (SOW) template to address both what is in scope and out of scope for the project. This process allows our team as well as the client to understand how changes within the scope of each project will be managed. The IPC SOW process is designed for transparency and accuracy.

Once the statement of work is complete, we create a project in ConnectWise built around the necessary details. At this stage, if products are required as part of a solution, these purchases are fully integrated and scheduled and their impact on the timeline and budget of a project is fully realized.

During the next stage, the project manager builds a full project plan and assigns resources for the successful completion of the project. The project manager will establish a kickoff agenda and invite the required team members from both IPC and the client organization to participate. During the kickoff, the team will discuss the SOW, re-establish the project success criteria, initiate the project plan, outline the project schedule, review project milestones, and establish a communication plan. The cadence for future meetings and reporting will be established and tracked in ConnectWise. Depending on the scope of the project, in addition to the lead engineer, additional resources may be assigned based on the schedule and skillset required to complete the project. All time and costs incurred during a project will be tracked in ConnectWise allowing IPC to easily offer timely and accurate reporting and cost control.

IPC engages each project client at all levels of the company, from the project team to project leadership. This provides both ownership at the team level and the executive level for the successful completion of projects. It also helps facilitate innovations and efficiencies in how we manage multiple projects across one client and overall for our entire client base.

The use of one system and process for contract and project management provides automated options for tracking project status and results. For example, the project manager will be notified immediately of missing time entries and budgetary concerns through the use of customizable triggers that are consistently set up in ConnectWise. We are also able to track broader data sets such as our roster of engineers, certifications, and clearances, enabling us to make smart decisions regarding project staffing. The system also provides version control for documents assisting with managing large volumes of information across multiple team members per project. IPC has found that the combination of our processes, the use of ConnectWise to track and manage all aspects of our work as well as the focus of our project manager, aid in keeping all parties involved in sync with each other and help to minimize risk.

IPC brings a high-level of technical, project and account management expertise to each assignment. If a project requires assistance beyond the scope of our in-house expertise, we will partner with knowledgeable and certified subcontractors who are subject matter experts for assistance and guidance. Once a client is assigned a team within IP Consulting, to the greatest extent possible, the team remains consistent throughout the project. We feel this detail assists with maintaining a knowledge base, reduces errors associated with inexperienced staff, and provides multiple consistent layers of expertise. The entire team tracks time and status related to the project plan in ConnectWise. Subcontractors are provisioned access to Connectwise on a per-project basis and instructed on its use. Through the ConnectWise system, we are able to provide real-time project and budget reporting details on every task order we undertake.

IPC has a robust library of templates and checklists that are leveraged to ensure consistency in process and delivery. The project team will customize the necessary artifacts and checklists as needed for the unique aspects of each project. Version control and document management tools are firmly in place to provide a streamlined and efficient workflow. A formal ‘lessons learned’ step is conducted minimally at the completion of each project to capture necessary tuning and to maintain our best-in-class delivery methodology. The project and program management team manages this repository, however the tool set is available to all employees and subcontractors.