Before the first project number goes into a capital improvement plan (CIP), it is worth stepping back and answering a few basic questions.
- What do we actually know about the condition of this asset?
- What happens if this asset fails, and who is affected?
- Is this project justified by evidence, or by how long it has been on the list?
- What would deferring this project one more year realistically cost or risk?
- Who needs to understand and support this recommendation before it can move forward?
Utilities that can answer these questions clearly tend to have an easier time defending their CIP to a board, a council, or a funding agency - because the plan can explain its own reasoning instead of relying on trust alone.
The full article, with guidance on documenting the answers to each question, is coming soon.