P2Rx Program Manager Guidance (3/22/01)

Background

Since 1997, the Pollution Prevention Resource Exchange (P2Rx) has been laying the groundwork for a seamless national network of easily accessible, high quality pollution prevention (P2) information that promotes waste reduction throughout the United States. A group of eight regional information centers currently make up P2Rx. The centers include Northeast Waste Management Officials Association (NEWMOA) in Massachusetts, Waste Reduction and Resource Center (WRRC) in North Carolina, Great Lakes Regional Pollution Prevention Roundtable (GLRPPR) in Illinois, Southwest Regional P2 Information Center in Texas, P2 Regional Information Center (P2RIC) in Nebraska, Peaks to Prairie Center in Montana, Western Regional Pollution Prevention Network (WRPPN) in California, and the Pollution Prevention Resource Center in the state of Washington. The overall mission of this project is to improve access to quality P2 information throughout the United States. The group meets face-to-face twice per year and coordinates through monthly conference calls. Significant outcomes of past efforts have been the formation of a national network of regional information centers, a standard setting process, criteria for operation of regional centers and common activity and web measures.

The goals of the group are to work together to decrease duplication, increase leverage of resources, and develop tools for providing better pollution prevention information to the regional centers' clients and to the nation as a whole. This is achieved through the growing development of P2Rx as a cohesive national network, as evidenced by improved accessibility of quality information, two annual meetings, conference calls, list servers, workgroup activities and projects. The P2Rx Program Manager coordinates these activities, facilitates discussion among the regional centers, nurtures the independent centers into a cohesive distributed network and promotes development of P2Rx services.

Responsibilities of USEPA

USEPA serves as the primary funder via a grant and as an advisor to both the P2Rx Program Manager and the P2Rx Centers. USEPA provides funds to the P2Rx Centers under the Principles for P2Rx Funding, provides P2Rx and the Program Manager with national and political trend analysis, and markets P2Rx back to USEPA and other Federal Agencies.

Responsibilities of P2Rx Centers

P2Rx Centers fulfill P2Rx Regional Center Criteria http://www.p2rx.org/AdministrativeFiles/criteria11.htm

and P2Rx Principles http://www.p2rx.org/principles.htm. (obsolete 9/10/01) In addition, each P2Rx Center provides information to the rest of the Centers and the P2Rx Program Manager on potential funding opportunities for the national network, supports the position of the Program Manager and markets their services in their regions and states.

Term of P2Rx Program Manager

The P2Rx Program Manager serves a two-year renewable term. Every two years the position will be solicited so that other P2Rx Regional Centers and outside organizations may submit proposals indicating interest in serving as Program Manager and cooperatively pursuing funding for the P2Rx network. The term of the P2Px Program Manager may be modified based on a performance review by the P2Rx Regional Center Directors and USEPA. (Such a review process has not yet been established.)

P2Rx Program Manager has carried out the following activities:

·Coordinate and direct group tasks and information sharing among the P2Rx regional centers through monthly conference calls, e-mail, operation of Website and two face-to-face meetings per year.

·Facilitate subcommittee activities and coordinate those groups with P2Rx as a whole by developing and acting upon issues identified

·Direct the standards setting process in developing potential standards for the Programs Database, Sector/Topic Hub, Partnerships and any other appropriate components

·Administrate and moderate the nin and p2rxweb list servers

·Assist with the promotion of the P2Rx network to current and potential partners such as EPA, OECA Compliance Assistance Centers, NIST, NPPR, DoD, DENIX, SBDC, SBAP, federal regulatory agencies, state and local technical assistance providers and other appropriate P2 Specialists

·Coordinate grant proposals among the centers where appropriate

·Direct development, expansion and integration of the P2Rx web site to facilitate information and resource sharing and to market/promote P2Rx services nationally

·Compile regional information center's web site and activity measures and submit an aggregate report to USEPA every six months

Previous products and deliverable have included:

1Quarterly reports and a final report will be submitted to EPA to describe coordination activities. This report will detail the activities of the P2Rx group, coordination accomplishments and web measurement for www.p2rx.org.

$The Program Manager will furnish a brief monthly summary about P2Rx activities to EPA for use in promotion of the centers and by the regional coordinators.

$Two face-to-face meetings per year will be held with P2Rx members.

$Following meetings, a fact sheet outlining action items and a work plan will be produced for EPA and for the regional coordinators.

$Monthly conference calls will be held with the P2Rx group.

$Monthly conference calls will be scheduled with USEPA to communicate about concerns from the centers and obtain regular feedback from EPA

$Quarterly conference calls will be scheduled with the EPA Regional Grant Coordinators

$The P2Rx website, www.p2rx.org will be expanded and date sensitive information will be maintained weekly.

$Guidance documents will be produced on issues as needed

$P2Rx Aggregate Activity and Web reports will be submitted to USEPA compiling all of the regional centers' activity and web measures twice a year

SAMPLE Tasks of the P2Rx Program Manager

Task 1: Organize and lead monthly Administrative conference calls
The Program Manager will provide for and facilitate the monthly P2Rx conference calls for the Administrative group. The Program Manager will develop an agenda for the calls based on perceived needs as derived from active P2Rx meeting facilitation and frequent communication with P2Rx members, and customers. The agenda and meeting facilitation is intended to effectively use meeting time and move P2Rx towards accomplishing collective goals developed from the mission. The calls will also provide time for issue discussion, subcommittee updates and discussion of performance concerns. The Manager will also provide minutes, and identify conclusions and recommendations to the group from the call for P2Rx members. Minutes will be posted on the P2Rx web site.

Task 2: Facilitate subcommittees and coordinate these groups in developing and acting upon issues

The P2Rx Manager will identify and facilitate resolution of important issues within the P2Rx group. As issues are identified, the Manager will provide administrative support to the Regional Centers interested in advancing discussion with the P2Rx group. The Manager will work with subcommittee chairs to facilitate or ensure timely progress and communications. The Manager will sit on all subcommittees.
Task 3: Coordinate two face-to-face meetings per year

The P2Rx Program Manager will organize and lead two face-to-face meetings per year including ensuring meeting logistics are addressed. The Program Manager will develop an agenda and provide documentation and recommendations to P2Rx members and USEPA regarding progress on previous action items. The Program Manager will follow up the meeting with an updated work plan that includes new and ongoing action items identified in the meeting.

When making decisions that will require collective action and commitment of disparately distributed P2Rx resources, the Manager will seek to maximize the efficient use of funds by appropriate means, such as co-locating with other meetings of P2Rx interest or opportunity for marketing.
Task 4: Oversee list servers

The Program Manager will ensure the P2Rx list servers are properly moderated and administered.
Task 5: Oversee the standards setting process

The Program Manager will oversee drafting and developing strawman standards such as the partnership document. The Program Manager will ensure that the process moves forward in a timely manner, that documents are appropriately posted, and that time lines are met. The Program Manager will also monitor activities to ensure agreed upon standards are implemented.

Task 6: Assist with national promotion of P2Rx network
The Program Manager will continue to assist with the promotion of the P2Rx network to external organizations on a national level that will benefit from the services provided by the network. The Program Manager will continue to rely on the expertise of the P2Rx centers to identify possible avenues for promotion and will assist members that are interested in promotion efforts. Specifically, the Program Manager will work to assist with promoting partnerships with the Compliance Assistance Centers, NPPR, DoD, DENIX, SBDC, SBAP, NIST MEPs and other similar organizations as deemed appropriate.

The Program Manager will participate in National Pollution Prevention Roundtable conferences and other national meetings that may be appropriate. The Program Manager will also attend regional roundtable meetings held by member centers as time and Centers' interest warrants.

Task 8: Coordinate and/or facilitate coordination of grant proposals among the centers where appropriate
One of P2Rx=s purposes is to promote greater organizational efficiency by complimenting (or integrating) the strengths of each of the Centers. The Manager will assist the centers in finding complementary areas of expertise and promoting discussions about proposals and projects.

Task 9: Direct the development, expansion and integration of the P2Rx Website

The P2Rx website, www.p2rx.org, serves as an important marketing tool for the regional information centers and P2Rx's network of information tools and resources. The site also contains an Administrative section that includes meetings and conference call summaries, information on various activities of the regional centers, and other information that is important for working together. The Program Manager will ensure that information and resources are added to the site, including more information about P2Rx and regional center services. The Program Manager will assist USEPA staff to update and maintain the date-sensitive material at http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/p2home/p2rx.htm. Consultation will continue with the P2Rx group, particularly the web and marketing groups, to identify priority areas for development.

Task 10: Compile regional information center's activity measures and submit aggregate report to USEPA every six months

In response to the need for objective metrics, the P2Rx group has developed and adopted a minimal standard for activity and web measurement. These standards support compliance with the GPRA by providing a common reporting standard that will greatly facilitate the aggregation of statistics from the participating regional centers. It also provides individual centers with a starting point for their own measurement protocols, and encourages benchmarking and information sharing between centers.

Adoption of these activity and web measures is voluntary. The following describes the process to be used by participating centers and the Program Manager:

· Each center integrates the approved activity measures into its own forms/systems. The activity and web measures will be collected on a continuous basis.

· Every six months each center will compile activity and web measures information.

· The Program Manager sends a template of the activity and web measures to the centers for their six-month activity measures.

· The Program Manager aggregates and disseminates the data to the regional centers, P2 coordinators, project officers, and others as recommended by the regional centers. The information will also be used to update other P2Rx materials including the P2Rx web site.

Task 11: Participate in the transfer of national coordination
The Program Manager will work with the future designee to transfer coordination roles, including identification of the invisible, but important, components of coordination, becoming more familiar with the workings of the regional centers and providing assistance on administrative tasks. The Program Manager will communicate actively with the staff and the other regional centers to effect a smooth transition.

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