INSPIOR Comprehensive Project Management
INSPIOR Event Managers have over 50 years of combined experience producing expositions, special events, trade shows, corporate events and interpretive exhibitions; they insure the provision of all services. At INSPIOR we prepare in-depth plans, as needed, and the tools to support them, all backed by our policy of total involvement and commitment to our client. INSPIOR Project Management for Online Events includes:
- Virtual events
- Program Scheduling
- Mobile Media
- Online Seeding
- Portal / Microsite Development
- Landing Page Design
Our film and television production subcontractors have been in continuous operation for over ten years and have won every major award in broadcasting--primetime Emmys, Writers' Guild of America, Peabody, duPont, Sundance, International Documentary Association, etc. They are consummate professionals, can easily produce in film, video, streaming video online, Viral Video Production and are successfully managed INSPIOR Event / Exposition Program Managers.
Our expositions / trade shows, subcontractors has been fabricating high-quality exhibits for museums, corporate facilities and visitor centers for over fifty years with staff of over eighty people and an 180,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility.
Our Audiovisual Systems Designer subcontractor has over 40 years experience producing world-class interactive exhibits for museums, audiovisual systems for sports stadium pre-game events, trade shows and visitor centers.
INSPIOR provides coordination and interaction between our firm's event management, employees and subcontractors to provide all services including labor, materials, equipment, facilities, and travel necessary to provide planning, design development, evaluation, fabrication, transportation to the site, and installation of all exposition and interpretive media including:
- Logistics planning,
- Logistics implementation,
- Logistics transportation (inbound, outbound, internal, and external)
INSPIOR manages and coordinates all environmental graphic design, media planning, design development, and production for the media, including video and film. Work includes providing comprehensive research and information necessary to complete the planning, design, and production for all of the media elements and front-end and formative evaluations of all media developed. When needed, INSPIOR works with Architectural & Engineering (A&E) Contractors responsible for facility/building renovations.
INSPIOR has no obligations, which create conflict of interest or which could impact the work. INSPIOR Event/Exposition Program Managers maintain quality control for all in-house and/or subcontracted work. Monitor the course and quality of work to ensure that assignments are completed in compliance with the clients' requirements to meet and exceed expectations. INSPIOR Event/Exposition Program Managers monitor technical progress including the surveillance and assessment of performance and recommending to the client changes in requirements; interpret the Scope of Work; perform technical evaluation as required; performing technical inspections and acceptances required by INSPIOR clients; and assisting the client team in the resolution of technical problems encountered during performance and execution of the following:
- Event Management
- Deploying INSPIOR Event Management Software
- Deploying INSPIOR Event Planning Software
- Deploying INSPIOR Online Event Registration Services
- INSPIOR Event Kiosk Design and Registration Services
- INSPIOR Event Management Systems
The INSPIOR Project Management process typically proceeds as follows:
(1) INSPIOR Event/Exposition Program Manager(s) manage coordination of Project Definition, the INSPIOR Project Managers collect and organize responses to the evaluation and prepare an electronic report of the Front-End evaluation that contains information regarding methodology used to gather information, demographics and size of study groups, and a summary and analysis of the information collected and results of the literature search.
(2) INSPIOR Event/Exposition Program Manager(s) use INSPIOR Event/Exposition Program Managers exhibit numbering system or if requested substitute alternate numbering systems.
(3) INSPIOR Event/Exposition Program Manager(s) perform or insure the performance of the following:
Reviewed Material: Review all submittals for legibility, accuracy, completeness, and compliance . INSPIOR Event/Exposition Program Manager(s) Accurately cross-reference all details within any single or multiple document(s). Receive and review comments and instructions on all submittals, which have been reviewed by the client, and ensure that the information is provided to the appropriate unit and/or person within the INSPIOR organization for use in the project.
(4) Project Coordination and Schedules: INSPIOR Project Manager(s) prepare all meetings and schedules and submit them to the client for review and approval. We also maintain and track the project schedule to ensure that the project is completed according to the schedule.
(5) Client-furnished property: Receive all client-furnished property and ensure that materials are provided to the appropriate unit and/or person within the INSPIOR organization for use in the project.
(6) Communication Plan: INSPIOR Event/Exposition Program Manager(s) submit a communication plan to the client for approval. In addition, INSPIOR Event/Exposition Program Manager(s) participate in weekly conference calls as needed to ensure communication with the project team and a biweekly conference call through the design phase with subcontractors and project team. At a minimum, INSPIOR Event/Exposition Program Manager describes the progress of work being performed and results achieved during the week, any indication of potential or current problems that may impede performance, and the proposed corrective action. INSPIOR Event/Exposition Program Manager(s) record and distribute the minutes to the conference call.
(7) Submittals: Prepare and submit information to the client for review and approval. For the purpose of this contract, a submittal is defined as all samples, documents (i.e., drawings, schedules, facsimiles), electronic files, and other materials that together represent the level of development of work at a given time, and shall be provided by the client or to the client for review and approval.
INSPIOR Project Management includes the following:
- Digital Asset Management
- Research
- Planning
- Concept
- Strategy
- Logistics
- Execution
- Design
- Interactive Audiovisual Systems Design and Production
- Fabrication Services
- Location Scouting
- Fulfillment
The above areas are not intended to be all-inclusive. INSPIOR Comprehensive Project Management Services include Quality Control for all work performed.
Quality Assurance Team
A. INSPIOR Quality Control provides quality control to ensure that all elements of project work meet the requirements of INSPIOR client specifications and that all modifications are implemented. INSPIOR Exposition Program Manager(s) provide routine inspections of shop-fabricated work and subcontracted work. INSPIOR Event/Exposition Program Manager(s) oversee quality of all work. INSPIOR Event/Exposition Program Manager(s) ensure that all work not acceptable or compliant with the specifications is corrected prior to inspection or review by the client.
B. INSPIOR's Schedule - we track Event management systems progress to ensure that the project is completed according to the schedule. Exposition Program Manager(s) coordinate and confirm the dates for shipment, delivery, and installation of the work at the exhibit site with the client.
C. INSPIOR's Meetings - INSPIOR Event/Exposition Program Manager(s) meet with the client in accordance with the project needs.
D. INSPIOR Event/Exposition Program Manager(s) travel in accordance with and as specified by client requirements.
E. INSPIOR Event/Exposition Program Manager(s) receive all client-furnished materials and inspect the materials to ensure that the quality is suitable for use in the full program development (Concept, Strategy, Logistics, and Execution). INSPIOR Project Manager(s) notify the client immediately if client furnished materials are not received in sufficient time to meet critical milestones, if damaged, or when use of the material would result in an unsatisfactory product.
F. INSPIOR Event/Exposition Program Manager(s) Organize Resource Materials - INSPIOR identifies and compiles all resource materials into a production package and ensures that this material is forwarded to the appropriate unit or person within the client's organization for use in the project.
G. Submittals - INSPIOR Project Manager(s) Coordinate all INSPIOR submittals and review them for legibility, accuracy, completeness, and compliance. INSPIOR Project Manager(s) forward all submittals to the client for review and approval. INSPIOR event management systems Manager(s) receive all reviewed submittals and take appropriate action according to the approval or rejection by the client.
1. Approved Submittals - Ensure that all changes, revisions, or additions are noted, and fabrication drawings and instructions are updated and forwarded to the client.
2. Rejected Submittals - When submittals are rejected, the client notifies INSPIOR Event/Exposition Program Managers, in writing, identifying the reasons for rejection. INSPIOR Event/Exposition Program Manager(s) revise and/or correct and resubmit, identifying changes.
H. Final Inspection - Inspect completed work, including that of subcontractors, prior to final inspection by the client and shipment to the site. INSPIOR event management systems Manager(s) ensure that all elements of the project are complete and ready for the final inspection. INSPIOR Event/Exposition Program Manager(s) notify the client prior to the inspection if any elements will not be ready for final inspection as scheduled.
I. Delivery and Installation - INSPIOR event management systems Manager(s) ensure that all event/exposition services work is delivered and installed as scheduled. In the event that the client reports problems during or after shipment, delivery, and/or installation, INSPIOR Project Manager(s):
1. Determine the nature of the reported problem, damage, or production error and provide a proposal for resolution to the client for review and approval; and
2. Ensure that approved corrections or repairs are made in a satisfactory manner within the time scheduled by the client.
J. Closeout Package - Compile, prepare, and forward a closeout package to the client.
INSPIOR Meetings and Inspections
INSPIOR Project Manager(s) meet with the client. After all scheduled meetings, INSPIOR Project Manager(s) prepare and provide written documentation to the client enumerating all issues discussed and decisions made relative to the project.
Typical INSPIOR Meetings and Inspections are as follows:
A. Post-award Conference - The minimum agenda for this meeting will include the following:
(1) General project review, including discussion of the following:
a. INSPIOR and Client team responsibilities;
b. Specifications and other work requirements;
c. Special contract requirements;
d. Correspondence procedures;
e. Subcontractors;
f. Delays and extensions;
g. Contract modifications;
h. Changes;
i. Submittals;
j. Project schedule;
k. Orientation onsite, including key personnel, location, and special conditions onsite; and
l. Billing and payment procedures.
m. Review of project plan and design.
n. Review of client-furnished reference and source materials.
o. Provide client-furnished material to the INSPIOR team, including drawings, plan documents, reference and source materials, and other related materials.
(2) Inspect and measure artifacts, verifying final dimensions.
B. Progress Meetings and Inspections - The client will schedule progress meetings to coincide with project work inspections at the client's facility. The minimum agenda for the progress meetings typically include the following:
(1) Inspection of work in progress and completed work;
(2) Identification of problem areas and discussion of proposed solutions;
(3) Review of schedule;
(4) Discussion of planned progress during succeeding work period; and
(5) Discussion of work standards and practices to maintain quality.
C. Pre-installation Meeting - The client will meet with INSPIOR Event/Exposition Program Managers, Installation Team, and others of the client's staff, at the client's facility, prior to shipping and installation of the exhibits. The minimum agenda for the Pre-Installation Meeting will include the following:
(1) Inspection of the fully setup staged exhibits Setup and Installation.
(2) Review of existing conditions at the installation site, identifying potential problems and proposed solutions.
(3) Review of installation schedule, including:
a. Sequence in which work will be shipped, unloaded, setup, and installed; and
b. Projected work schedule onsite, including working days and hours.
(4) Review of Preliminary Maintenance Manual, Project Closeout.
D. Site Visits - INSPIOR Event Manager(s)shall travel to the site/convention center to meet with the client and review existing conditions prior to fabrication of the exhibits. INSPIOR Project Manager(s) shall make additional trips to the site as specified in individual Task Orders in order to review conditions that have changed or to examine artifacts not available to be viewed previously. At a minimum, INSPIOR Project Manager(s) perform the following:
(1) Assess existing conditions for onsite work. Take detailed measurements of the event space to ensure proper fit of all event/exposition elements. The client shall assess locations of heating and ventilation ducts, doors, windows, lighting fixtures, wall switches and controls, security system alarms and sensors, changes in floor level, floor finishes, ceiling beams, building structures and finishes, and other elements which impact on proper fit and operation of the exhibits;
(2) Assess existing conditions which impact on the installation of the exhibits, including: unloading areas, doorway clearances, curbs, stairs, elevators, available storage areas, available areas for setup of power tool work stations, offsite facilities for disposal of debris, parking, and local availability of food, gas, hardware, and other supplies and services;
(3) Assess existing electrical and lighting systems for determination of their impact on installation and operation of all exhibit elements; and
(4) Inspect and measure artifacts, verifying final dimensions.
E. Installation - Travel to oversee installation of exhibits at the site by the INSPIOR Installation Team, Setup and Installation, and to submit the Final Maintenance Manuals to the client-Project Closeout.
INSPIOR Internal Review Procedure
(1) Internal Review Procedure: A series of checkpoints in the project development life cycle at which a project is reviewed. Reviews are conducted by an INSPIOR Quality Assurance Reviewer not associated with the daily conduct of the project.
a. INSPIOR Quality Assurance Checklists — used as part of the quality assurance process. These checklists contain a series of questions concerning the quality of work being performed. They are prepared by the INSPIOR event management systems project team members responsible for the work and are jointly reviewed by INSPIOR Event management and the quality assurance reviewer. Used in this way, checklists serve as memory aids so that all relevant points are properly considered.
b. At the conclusion of each review the INSPIOR Exposition Program Manager will discuss findings with both the project team. The Quality Assurance plan for the project consists of three intervals: Concept Development Review, Design Development Review, and Implementation / Production Review.
c. At the completion of the Concept Development phase, the INSPIOR Quality Reviewer will analyze project organization, staffing, approach and timetable. The Quality Reviewer will then discuss his findings with the Client and the INSPIOR Exposition Program Manager.
d. At the completion of the Design Development phase, review the Analysis deliverables in preparation for the Release Design phase. The Quality Reviewer will then discuss his findings with the INSPIOR Exposition Program Manager.
e. At the completion of the Design Development phase, review the deliverables of the Design for completeness and preparation of the project team to begin the Implementation / Production phase. The Quality Reviewer will then discuss his findings with the Client and the INSPIOR Exposition Program Manager.
f. INSPIOR Training and Operations Guide: INSPIOR task order staff members are trained using proven methodologies and an internal training guide. This guide is edited and updated following every project debriefing. When challenges arise, problems are evaluated and procedures put in place to avoid reoccurrence. When procedures work well, the innovative approach or factors that lead to that success are documented and implemented for future projects. By engaging staff in this process, team members learn continually and strive for on going effective results.
g. Weekly Staff Reports: Our task order staff members prepare a "Project Report" each week. This report provides detailed information on the staff workload and responsibilities. It ensures that supervisors do not overburden any team member with unreasonable expectations and deliverables.
h. Staff Project Reports also serve as a useful management tool when project timelines are changed by the client or staff assignments are changed. They ensure the accurate transfer of details from one staff person to another. They also serve as a management tool in enabling staff to complete multiple projects at the same time and have a clear understanding of where priorities lie with respect to one client verses another. Feedback is provided each week on staff "Project Reports" by supervisors.
i. Marketing Communications Templates: All material developed for projects is carefully filed and labeled to enable staff to draw from the best possible library of work spanning many years. This helps staff achieve the highest level of productivity in developing such materials and language and cuts down on the amount of editing required by supervisors. Templates are developed for almost all communications vehicles anticipated in providing the range of services available. Productivity is also enhanced by carefully developing relationships with principal experts and leaders in all the areas where we have to produce or conduct communications activities. This enables our staff to identify information sources, receive responses and make intelligent decisions with the client much faster, saving the client time and money.
(2) Quality Assurance Team: INSPIOR Exposition Program Manager(s) directly supervises and performs a quality assurance audit of project deliverables. This audit examines the project requirements and specifications and compares the deliverable to the specifications to determine any deviations and the reasons for the deviations, if any. The audit also assures that proper procedures are being followed, that required project documentation has been developed and that project status reports accurately reflect the status of the activity. When required, an audit report to management provides findings and recommendations to bring the project into conformance with specifications, standards and/or procedures.
a. INSPIOR defines quality assurance as a planned and systematic approach to the evaluation of the quality of and adherence to work standards, processes, and procedures. The primary standard used in INSPIOR audits is the task requirements specifications developed as part of the task order initiation process.
b. The Company Officer will perform a quality assurance audit of all large, technically complex tasks. Specifically, as a task nears completion, he will compare the task products to the task requirement specifications to determine any deviations (if any) and reasons for the deviations. The audit will assure that proper procedures are being followed, that required documentation has been developed, and that the task status reports accurately reflect the status of the activity. When required, the Company Officer will prepare an audit report providing work effort shortcomings and recommendations to bring the task work effort into conformance with specifications, standards and/or procedures.
c. For all projects, the INSPIOR Project Team performs quality control audits, which examine project requirement specifications and compare project deliverables to specifications to determine any deviations and the reasons for the deviations, if any. The audit also assures that proper procedures are being followed, that required project documentation has been developed and that project status reports accurately reflect the status of the activity. When required, a non-compliance report to management provides findings and recommendations to bring the project into conformance with specifications, standards and/or procedures.
(3) Subcontractor Management: Our firm uses subcontractors on an as-needed basis which is determined at the beginning of each project when defining scope. INSPIOR has overall responsibility for contract performance: quality work, on schedule and within budget. Below are our firm’s measures to ensure quality control of subcontractors work.
a. The expenditures, progress, and productivity of subcontractors are reviewed in the same manner as INSPIOR work and are consolidated into joint reports to the client where applicable.
b. Progress reports are INSPIOR reports even when they draw upon and may refer to the reports received from subcontractors. INSPIOR is responsible for ensuring their accuracy, completeness, and timeliness. Difficulties or delays of subcontractors will be investigated and discussed with clients in the same way as difficulties or delays that INSPIOR may encounter.
c. Planning of subcontractor assignments is as detailed as INSPIOR task planning. Periodic review points for subcontractor tasks are clearly established. Subcontractor staff working under an INSPIOR task leader are encouraged to work directly on a day-to-day basis with the task leader rather than through corporate channels.
d. INSPIOR participates in subcontractor tasks as much as is practical; in this way, we provide oversight as well as coordinating subcontractor work with other tasks and monitoring costs and schedules.
Section B:
(1) Productivity Enhancement: Our proposed Quality Control Program will gather supporting data to improve performance on a continuous basis, allowing the Task Order Manager to identify problem areas; assess and improve our contract organizational structure; and reassign, add, or remove staff to improve contract performance.
The following tools will be applied to enhance productivity:
a. Microsoft Project or an equivalent software package will be used to control staff resources by task order deliverable.
b. Our task order staff will be provided the latest technology in graphic design and web site development including offerings from Adobe, Macromedia and Web Studio.
c. Our corporate servers will host collaborative software to enhance the productivity of task order teams and allow our staff to work on design documents simultaneously for different locations.
(2) Cost Reduction Methods: Planned-versus-actual costs to produce task order deliverables will be reviewed weekly to determine cost performance and potential actions to reduce costs. Our corporate support group will assist task order team members in finding less costly solutions, e.g., outsourcing, for routine data entry and php coding tasks. We will also review and modify processes and procedures and apply technology solutions to improve contract productivity and reduce costs.
(3) Problem Review & Solutions: Our leadership is trained in Total Quality Management. Our firm has incentives in place to encourage employees to bring problems to the attention of supervisors immediately. Often, if caught early, a problem or mistake can be fixed with no impact on the overall work product. While supervisors will require employees to state clearly what they learned from any mistakes for the future, employees are not chastised or criticized for errors, but rewarded for identifying them early enough while they can be rectified at no expense to the client.
(4) Customer Relations: Each of our clients has a principal coordinator assigned to them for immediate day-to-day communications. The coordinator handles all interface with other members of the team working on the project. While clients may interface directly with other team members on their assignments, they have the option of only having to deal with one person allowing for a one-stop-shop approach. Furthermore, all clients are provided with the cell phone numbers of the principals for use in case of difficulties. This ensures that the customer can at any point contact a supervisor without delay in the event of problems, or any communication concern. We also have a "same day response" policy on email for all clients which ensures that, while the request may not be settled immediately, clients will always be kept informed of progress status.
(5) Urgent Requirements: In addition to the efficient communications policy for clients noted above, we pride ourselves on performing well with short lead times. Since much of our work has been done in connection with government officials and policymakers, we are accustomed to dealing with urgent project requests. We have produced excellent events and communications products and services consistently over the years despite extraordinarily short lead times.
INSPIOR Simultaneous Clients:
(1) INSPIOR Simultaneous Clients: We use weekly staff reports and monthly projection schedules to determine if we are in a position to perform to our high standards on any given project. Our firm acknowledges that many projects have periods where our staff are in a position to actively work on an effort, and periods where we are on hold or awaiting approval on a certain milestone or element. Therefore, staffs are assigned to multiple projects and use the tools mentioned above to ensure that employees are not stretched too thin. This ensures that staff achieves maximum productivity and provide good value to the client. We also maintain a diverse work portfolio, with some deliverables on slower schedules. This enables staff to always have work ahead and puts the incentive in place for completing the work in a reasonable time as opposed to stretching it out over more hours. We require staff to complete timesheets, which are monitored both for client reporting, individual productivity as well as future pricing estimations.
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