Page 242 - Global Project Management Handbook

LESSONS LEARNED: REBUILDING IRAQ IN 2004 12-3

● The law established a new entity, the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), to imple-
ment the program. Within the CPA was the Program Management Office (PMO). The
mission of the PMO was as follows:
● Build infrastructure.
● Bolster and enhance the construction industry.
● Employ Iraqis.
● Leave so that local people would develop the skills and knowledge to operate, main-
tain, and grow the infrastructure. An assumption tied to this one is that Iraq will have
substantial oil money in the future to continue growing the economy and rebuilding
the infrastructure.
● To implement the program, the following types of private-sector firms were retained:
● Six engineering firms, one for each sector. The role of the engineering firms was to
define the projects for the sector, task the projects to preselected DB firms, review
project designs, monitor project progress, manage the budget for the sector, and drive
a capacity-building program (defined in detail later) whereby the Iraqis would be
trained to operate and maintain the facilities. These six engineering firms were called
sector program management office contractors (SPMOCs).
● Thirteen DB contractors. One to three DB contractors were selected to perform work
in a given sector. These firms were referred to as sector program management office
design build contractors (SPMODBs).
● One security firm, to provide security for the PMO and armed escorts and convoys to
project sites. Separately, each DB contractor was required to have its own security
operation and provide its own security at both its camps and its project sites.
● Two information technology (IT) contractors. Contractors were hired to provide help-
desk support, to set up and maintain a network of personal computers, and to provide,
implement, and support the project tracking and project database software.
● One program manager. One contractor was to manage integration of the preceding
contractors and implementation of the overall program. this contractor was referred to
as the program management office contractor (PMOC).
● With the program being implemented by the private sector, the role of the government
was to be limited to fiduciary or “owner-related” activities. In essence, the entire rebuild-
ing program was outsourced to over 20 private-sector contractors. Figure 12.1 illustrates
the program structure as originally conceived.

● The Army Corp of Engineers was designated to be responsible for the construction
management function on all projects.
● As noted earlier, to facilitate speed of implementation, all contracts were awarded on a
cost-plus basis, and contractors were paid on a cost-plus basis to mobilize their teams in
Iraq before the projects were defined.
● To further facilitate speed of implementation, certain selected projects were to be imple-
mented by other execution agencies such as USAID and the contracting sections of the Air
Force, Army, and Navy. While the implementation of these projects was the responsibility
of the executing body; budget and program management functions remained with PMO.
This latter created some problems because at times some of these agencies did not have the
people on the ground in Iraq with the right skill sets to manage construction projects.

Overarching Goals
The coalition lead by the United States defined the four-step program shown in Table 12.2
to achieve freedom in Iraq.