Start-Up Plan
Global Solutions and Outreach Programs (GSOP)
Overarching Strategy
1. Obtaining $350 million is the key pre-requisite to initiate the GSOP. Success in solving wicked problems using the wicked-problem approach requires that the many efforts be initiated simultaneously during startup. Step-by-step, business as usual approaches will not work.
2. An Administration Team must be in-place and functioning prior to initiating the GSOP. This team can be established from scratch, or a donor may already have an administration capability to support the GSOP. The Administration Team must function throughout the three-year GSOP. (We include the tasks, staffing and cost to establish and maintain the Administration Team.)
3. An on-site Administration Start-Up Team is needed to establish and oversee the Administrative Team throughout the first year of GSOP start-up and operations. The Administration Start-Up Team can then disburse and be on call remotely.
4. An on-sight Technical Operations Start-Up Team is needed to establish and oversee the Operations Teams that will execute the GSOP. The Operations Start-Up Team will function throughout the first year of GSOP start-up and operations and can then disburse and be on call remotely.
5. As young engineers, economists, social experts and other needed specialists are hired to execute the GSOP, they will be immediately oriented, trained and empowered by the Operations Start-Up Team to facilitate (lead) the Operations Teams and to execute the GSOP.
6. As full-time staff is hired, they will assist in selecting other candidates to fill team positions.
7. A small Operations Vanguard Team of pre-selected and oriented engineers, economists and social experts will, upon GSOP start-up, immediately begin work on a sub-set of GSOP tasks. Their “learning-curve” experiences will benefit others as they are hired and begin their work during program start-up. These vanguard efforts will overlap in time with the full GSOP start up and help build program momentum.
8. We will use contractor and consultant support during start-up of the Administration Team.
Start-Up Actions
A. Administration Start-Up Team
1. Establish or acquire a legal entity (non-profit organization, private or government) to accept and administer program money and other necessary administration functions. (Will use expert consultant/contractor to assist.) (Priority 1, prior to GSOP initiation)
2. Form a Board of Directors if a private organization is established. (Priority 1, prior to GSOP initiation)
3. Hire full-time participants for Administration Team. (Priority 1, prior to GSOP initiation)
- Administrator to oversee Administration Team. (1 Administrator)
- Administrators for payroll and fringe benefits (health care, disability insurance, employee
owned retirement account, sick and annual leave). (3 Bachelor degrees)
- Comptroller to oversee budget and money in and out. (2 Analysists)
- Accountant to track finances. (2 Accounts)
- Secretaries, receptionists for Administration Team and Operations Teams. (1 Secretary for
Administration Team, 4 Secretaries for Operations Teams.)
- Bachelor degree to acquire office space for collocated participants and administrate office
space rental, travel expenses, moving/relocation expenses, temporary duty station
expenses. (2 Bachelor degrees)
- Bachelor degrees to hire candidates after selection by Operations Start-up Team.
(2 Bachelor degrees)
- On-call contractor legal support. Hire law firm to provide as needed legal support.
4. Select and acquire office space for collocated participants. (Priority 1, prior to GSOP initiation)
5. Recruite, select and hire three full-time engineers or equivalent for the following five ongoing administrative tasks (#6-10). (Priority 1, prior to GSOP initiation)
6. Recruit young engineers, economists, social experts and other needed specialists (20’s and 30’s) for the Operations Teams to execute GSOP in accordance with the GSOP Personnel Plan. (Priority 1, prior to GSOP initiation)
7. Establish and maintain a “Technical Advisory Committee" (TAC) of senior technical experts for
independent GSOP peer review, guidance and assistance. (Priority 2, during GSOP initiation)
8. Establish and maintain a Visibility Team to keep public officials, corporate leaders, donors and the public informed of the GSOP and its results. (Priority 2, during GSOP initiation)
9. Maintain and update the GSOP Web site. (Priority 2, during GSOP initiation)
10. Establish and maintain an interface with the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), The Climate Solutions Community (TCSC), and Global Climate Collaboration (GCC). (Priority 2, during GSOP initiation)
Notes: Dick Hutchinson's college roommate and good friend, Ronald Frey suggested the above staffing for the Administration Team. He spent his career in university administration and retired as Director of Human Resources with 23 people in his group at the University of Vermont. He offered the following additional comments:
a. Starting off with small admin staff and expand as needed – easier to hire than fire.
b. Consider linking GSOP organization to an established organization such as a university to obtain administration support. A university might agree if they see advantages in doing so – prestige
of attaching GSOP to school, student and faculty involvement in GSOP on part-time basis…
c. Need to consider office equipment and software. Having one software system to do all the needed admin functions is desirable. Should be used elsewhere beforehand to have bugs removed.
d. For full-time and part-time GSOP staff (including Admin people), have agreements to renew on annual basis. Or, agree to x months’ notice before terminating at will.
e. Other considerations include child care, life insurance, “flexible spending accounts” administered by employee to buy things on tax deferred basis, Fair Labor Standards, Employment records for each employee, affirmative action records if use government funding, travel, moving/relocation expenses, temporary duty station expenses, health care ($7-8K per year per full-time employee, companies will help set up), disability insurance, defined retirement account (Employee owned with non-profit contributing 10%), sick leave, and annual leave.
f. Use a consulting firm to plan and help to set-up Admin Team and functions.
g. Small Business practices will apply to GSOP.
B. Technical Operations Start-Up Team
General actions.
1. Evaluate and select candidates to serve as Operations Team facilitators. (Priority 1, GSOP initiation)
2. Orient participants on GSOP. (Priority 1, GSOP initiation)
3. Train participants, primarily facilitators, on wicked-problem approach. (Priority 1, GSOP initiation)
4. In consultation with participants, assign to GSOP teams and solution work units. (Priority 1, GSOP initiation)
5. Mentor and empower participants to facilitate (lead) all aspects of the GSOP. (Priority 1, GSOP initiation)
6. Orient the Technical Advisory Committee, after it is established by the Administration Start-Up Team, on the GSOP and the wicked problem approach and introduce participants. Then, assist
Operation Team facilitators to provide quarterly reviews to the Technical Advisory Committee. (Priority 2, during GSOP initiation)
7. Mentor and empower facilitators to select additional candidates to work on their areas of responsibility. (Priority 1, GSOP initiation)
8. Establish a GSOP Coordinating Committee comprised of the facilitators of the three People’s Projects Operations Teams and the Outreach Operations Central Team. Together, they are the GSOP execution authority. (Priority 1, GSOP initiation)
9. Mentor and empower facilitators to initiate international outreach to encourage all nations to participate in the GSOP. Work with existing international organizations (AIChE, International Energy Association…) to gain international visibility and GSOP participants. Obtain support in the UN through the Federal Administration if possible. (Priority 2, during GSOP initiation)
10. Select, initiate, mentor and empower the Operations Vanguard Team to quickly begin working on the identified vanguard tasks. Vanguard Team members will need to be identified, oriented on the GSOP and trained on the WPA prior to GSOP start up to assure that they are ready and available at start up. (Priority 1, prior to GSOP initiation)
11. To expedite hiring and assign people where they are best qualified, involve Priority 1 full-time hires in selecting Priority 1 part-time hires and in selecting Priority 2 full-time hires. Involve Priority 2 full-time hires in selecting Priority 2 part-time hires and in selecting Priority 3 full-time hires. Involve Priority 3 full-time hires in selecting Priority 3 part-time hires.
Specific start-up plans
A. Operations Teams for 3 People's Projects
1. Organize Operations Team 1 - PP1, Operations Team 2 - PP2, and Operations Team 3 - PP3 for the three "People’s Projects" with sub-teams organized around sub-tasks and solution options. (Priority 1, GSOP initiation)
2. Select young (20’s and 30’s) chemical and other engineers, economists, and social experts augmented with other needed specialists/consultants to facilitate and execute the three People’s Projects. (Priority 1, GSOP initiation)
3. Operation Team facilitators will young (20’s and 30’s) full-time and part-time (4 hr./wk.) working engineers, economists, and social experts augmented with other needed specialists/consultants to serve on Operation Teams and sub-teams. (Priority 2, during GSOP initiation)
4. Use annuitants on a volunteer basis. (Priority 3, during GSOP initiation)
B. Operations Teams for Outreach
1. Organize Operations Team 4 - Outreach Central Team comprised of 10 young (20’s and 30’s) chemical and other engineers to start up and facilitate the State Outreach Teams, and to provide quarterly reporting. (Priority 1, GSOP initiation)
2. Operations Team 4 facilitators will select for each State two full-time young (20’s and 30’s) chemical and other engineers to serve as State facilitators. (Priority 1, GSOP initiation)
3. State facilitators will select 20 part-time (4 hr./wk.) chemical and other engineers to serve on their State teams. (Priority 2, during GSOP initiation)
4. International outreach to local communities and industry is the end state goal; need to convince other countries and regions to fund their respective outreach efforts. The International Outreach team in People's Project 1 will assist in these efforts. (Priority 2, during GSOP initiation)
C. Operations Vanguard Team and Tasks
Vanguard Tasks and Manpower are shown below.
People’s Project 1 Vanguard Team:
1. Operations Team 1, 1 full-time ChE.
2. Standardization, 1 part-time ChE (4 hr./wk.).
3. Evaluate 1 option under “Halt net release of atmospheric CO2 by 2050, 2075 and 2100,” 1 full-time and 5 part-time ChE.
4. Identify options and evaluate 1 option under “Adapt to unavoidable climate change impacts by 2050, 2075 and 2100,” 1 full-time and 5 part-time ChE.
5. Integration and reporting, 1 full-time ChE.
6. Economists, 1 part-time economist.
7. Social/Political, 1 part-time social expert.
8. International Outreach, 1 full-time ChE.
People’s Project 2 Vanguard Team:
1. Operations Team 2, 1 full-time ChE.
2. Evaluate 1 option under “Stabilize the Earth’s energy balance to halt global warming, adjust the Earth’s energy balance to return to prior conditions by 2050, 2075 and 2100,” 1 full-time and 5 part-time ChE.
3. Identify and evaluate 1 option under “Address ocean acidification and other problems,” 1 full-time and 5 part-time ChE.
People’s Project 3 Vanguard Team:
1. Operations Team 3, 1 full-time ChE.
2. Climate monitoring, models and future conditions, 1 full-time and 5 part-time ChE.
3. Evaluate 1 advanced technology option currently in R&D to “Halt net release of atmospheric CO2 by 2050, 2075 and 2100,” 1 full-time and 5 part-time ChE.
Outreach Program Vanguard Team 4
1. Outreach Program Central Team 4, 1 full-time ChE.
2. Initiate outreach within two selected states, 2 full-time ChE, 10 part-time ChE.
Total Vanguard Team personnel: 14 full-time ChE, 43 part-time ChE, 1 part-time economist, 1 part-time social expert. (Hiring Priority 1, prior to GSOP initiation)
Note: Vanguard personnel and costs are included in the Personnel Plan and the Cost Plan. Their tasks are included in the GSOP Problem Diagram. The one-year labor cost for this group will be $3 million, which is included the Cost Plan.