Overview
Of the six engagement elements detailed in RP 1185, there are two that relate to the planning step of the four-step Plan-Do-Check-Act/Adjust (PDCA) iterative process:
Although Section 4, Commit and Align, is identified as part of Act/Adjust in the PDCA cycle, the section does include requirements that should be incorporated into program planning and development.
In this section, we will provide guidance on key aspects of the planning and program development process. For example,
- Engagement policies, goals, budgets, and resources that management should make available
- What it means to identify and understand stakeholder interests and concerns and to confirm the accuracy of their information
- Engagement considerations throughout the pipeline life cycle
- Methods of engagement and communication tools
- Managing inquiries and responses
- Understanding stakeholders’ potential interests
- Training needs or considerations
The time to begin engaging with stakeholders is as early as possible, even if just with subsets of the total stakeholder population. For example, certain stakeholders may have valuable information on potential routes to add to the development and planning process of a new pipeline or expansion project. Sharing early can help avoid costly delays or potential re-routing later in a project.