Fugro EarthData, Inc'

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Fugro EarthData, Inc.
Successful Public Private Partnerships Myth
and Reality Anne Hale Miglarese Fugro
EarthData, Inc. 25 September 2007
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Introduction

• Ive looked at life from both sides now.
• SC Water Resource Commission SC Department of
  Natural Resources
• NOAA Coastal Services Center
• Fugro EarthData International
• Every day, whether we are in the public or
  private sector, we are engaging in partnerships.
• The operative word is successful.

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Successful Partnerships

• What are the ingredients of ANY successful
  partnership?
• Common goal(s)
• Clear mission(s) directed to achieve that goal
• Mutual trust
• Clear, candid communication
• Open-mindedness
• We are dedicated professionals who care deeply
  about our mission-
• empowering society to use geography for better
  decision making.
• NSDI, Digital Coast, National Map, NC One Map,
• So what are some of the factors that holds us
  back from achieving successful partnerships?

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Realities

• Bureaucracy we both face
• Convoluted procurement cycles, a dozen different
  corporate approvals required, legal review by
  people who often dont understand the scope of
  work.
• Difficulty in coordinating our common
  requirements
• Data requirements
• Data Sharing agreements
• Cost sharing agreements
• Resources to accomplish the mission
• Insufficient funding to accomplish the mission
• A harmonized public message on the value of
  geographic information and tools
• Lack of talented and experienced resource pool
• Competing agendas
• My program, my department, my company, ..

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Myth vs. Reality

• Myth Private sector profits are outrageous!
• Reality Maybe in oil but not in mapping!
• Average margin on large/statewide mapping
  projects is 4-6.
• Myth Public sector employees dont work as hard
  as private sector.
• Reality People are people. Those who enjoy
  working hard and have work to do will work
  regardless where they are employed.
• Myth Private sector employees make more money
  than public sector employees in the same job.
• Reality not true, pay parity is very close when
  you consider the differences in benefit packages.
• Behavior Each party is trying to get over on the
  other so everyone holds their cards close to the
  vest.
• Reality Most government and private sector
  people are simply trying to do their jobs as well
  as possible and achieve their mission.

Myths are what hinder our partnerships!
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So what can we do?

• Redefine partnership
• Webster defines it as one of two persons
  contractually associated in business.
• Implies that partnerships are dictated by
  contracts, not mutual goals, needs and desires.
• Insteadthink of partnerships as being defined as
  cooperative ventures between public and private
  sectors, built upon the expertise of each
  partner, that best meets clearly defined needs
  through the appropriate allocation of resources,
  risks, and rewards. (Canadian Council for
  Public-Private Partnerships)

Council definition specifies best meets
clearly defined public needs Author suggests
modifying to recognize both parties needs.
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Partnership Redefined

• Resources
• Together define what resources are required to
  accomplish the project in the given timeframe.
• Recognize that no one has unlimited resources,
  i.e. neither the public nor the private sector
  can just go hire more people.
• Risks
• Articulate and appreciate the risks for both
  parties
• What will it mean to the government if the
  mapping is not completed in time for the
  revaluation?
• What will it mean to the company if the weather
  does not cooperate?
• Rewards
• Communicate about the cost of doing business
  (whether public or private) and discuss how to
  share in the rewards.
• Let us advocate on your behalf to audiences that
  you may not be able to directly address

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What else can we do?

• Recognize what you can control and focus on it.
• Scope development
• Quality assurance
• Risk mitigation
• Recognize realities that we all face and approach
  solutions jointly
• Growing trend toward outsourcing
• Changing workforce demographics recruitment,
  retention, and training in geospatial profession
  are critical issues for us all!
• Limited resources demand collaboration to achieve
  our missions

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What else can we do?

• Communicatecandidly!
• Separate the procurement process from the
  business relationship.
• Share information strategic plans, vision
  documents, lessons-learned
• Emails, reports, etc. are fine for some
  communications but the serious issues require
  lifting the phone or getting on a plane to meet
  face to face.
• Communicating about solicitation, contracts, and
  the work itself, etc.
• Plan, plan, plan so that neither party has 1 week
  to write an RFP, 1 week to respond, and then 2
  days to negotiate a contract, all the while the
  leaves are coming out!
• Include pre-proposal meetings, QA time, etc.
• When issues arise, communicate proactively
• No one likes bad news but bad news is better than
  no news, followed by no delivery.
• Appreciate each others motives BUT accept that
  they do not have to be MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE.
• You can have government stewardship AND corporate
  profits. In fact, you MUST have both to fully
  realize the value of geospatial technology.
• Assume the best, not the worst, of your
  counterparts

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Partnerships

• Thank you!