Key Actions by:

Start-up

The start-up standards focus attention on this critical, and often challenging, phase of the project management cycle. When start-up is poorly planned or executed, it affects the entire project. CRS teams often wait too long to initiate project start-up planning and activities. As a result, many projects are “late out of the gate,” and have trouble completing activities per the schedule set out in the proposal.

The CRS project management standards encourage a new understanding of “start-up,” particularly for donor-funded projects. While the timing of start-up will differ depending on the funding opportunity and project context, the standards emphasize early, timely start-up—both for CRS and our partners—complementing the emphasis in the design phase standards on developing activity schedules with realistic timeframes for project start-up.

WHEN DOES START-UP START?

  • For projects where there is a very high win probability (i.e., non‑competitive, solicited proposals), start-up activities can begin shortly after proposal submission.

  • For competitive proposals, certain start‑up activities may begin prior to any formal notification from the donor, if CRS is confident of winning or if other considerations necessitate initiating pre-notification start-up planning.

  • For highly competitive proposals where CRS’ win probability is low, start-up activities might begin only after formal notification from the donor of an intent to fund (i.e., during the award negotiation).

KEY MEETINGS AND EVENTS DURING START-UP