In every company, the fundamentals are the same – operations, sales and marketing, finance and admin.  If you want to get approval for a project, it is Important to demonstrate the benefits to each are of the business.  Here is an outline of items to consider when looking to develop a proposal.

Operations

1. Cost of ownership
   • Labor required – staffing
   • Energy consumption
   • Perishables – helium, fuel, etc.
   • Opportunity costs
2. Maintenance
   • Regular/scheduled downtime
   • Expertise required to maintain
   • Service and support strategy
   • Operator skill level to operate
3. Logistics
   • Part flow and frequency
   • Expected support required

Sales and marketing

1. Sales tools – Is this something to brag about?
2. Capacity – Does this increase the ability to take on more business?
3. New customers – Helps leverage experience for obtaining new customers.
4. Technology – Does this technology give sales and marketing something to talk about? Does it uniquely...

Every capital project is different, yet every capital project has similar components that are the fundamentals to excellent execution.

Every project should have a measurable return. Most of the time, this will be a return on capital. However, there are exceptions that focus on safety and quality. It is important that as a project manager you have a clear understanding as to why the company is making an investment in the first place. When you know why, you can make certain to align expectations and communications accordingly.

Developing an Executive Summary for the project saves time and becomes a reference point throughout the project. The executive summary is a roll-up of all the major aspects of the project including justification, timing, cycle times (if applicable), budget, stakeholder commitments, and other key aspects worth noting in one spot.

The Ideal Partner Summary defines the ideal partner for your company. The ideal partner should be clearly...