Project Initiation Worksheet (PIW)

Frequently Asked Questions


Another form?  Why do I have to fill out another form?
What is a PIW?
What is it used for?
What are the approval levels for a project?
Is the PIW necessary even if all I want is a rough idea of the cost for minor office renovation?
What is a realistic timeframe for projects?
What are some of the factors or circumstances that impact the life of a project?
What can I do to help speed up this process?
Why do projects take so long and cost so much?
What if I want to use more than one Deptid on a project?
What if I don’t know which Deptid or Projid to use until I have estimated costs?
What if the Deptid or Projid Holder is the same person as the Dean/Director?
What is a Project Contact?
How do I include other people as the Project Contact?


Another form?  Why do I have to fill out another form
The PIW form is a management tool for multi-trade construction and renovation projects as well as departmentally funded projects including furniture only projects. The PIW ensures that we have all the information and approvals necessary such as funding and space allocation before planning efforts start. Also, the PIW ensures communication and documentation between all Facilities Departments as well as Risk Management and Telecommunications. Once the PIW is received the work loads of staff are evaluated and the project is assigned to a project manager.


What is a PIW?
PIW is an acronym for Project Initiation Worksheet. It is a required form for all departmentally funded projects totaling over $3,500. This form contains all the pertinent information necessary to begin a project with Facilities.

If you are unsure as to whether or not your request will total over $3,500 we ask that you submit it regardless and once we determine it is under that threshold we will advise you on how we will meet your request.


What is it used for?
The PIW is used to catalog the various project requests we receive.  This single-stream source helps the Senior Construction Manager and Associate Director of Facilities Maintenance analyze project requests and assign Project Managers and Superintendents more effectively.  It is also a way for us to procure pertinent information about a project request using one tool, such as funding sources, the proper approval levels, contact person information and general description.


What are the approval levels for a project?
First – All PIW submissions must have a Deptid, Deptid Holder signature and Dean/Director signature.  Without this information the PIW is considered incomplete and will not be processed.

Second – Projects whose budget is over $5,000 must be approved by the Budget Office. Facilities will procure this approval level once the budget is determined to exceed the threshold.

Third – Projects that involve space reassignment must be approved by the Provost. Facilities will procure this approval level once it is determine space reallocation is involved.


Is the PIW necessary even if all I want is a rough idea of the cost for minor office renovation?
Yes.  The PIW is relied upon to delegate responsibility for projects to the appropriate Facilities staff. The PIW is a tool used to manage the myriad of projects that the Facilities Complex is called upon to complete.


What is a realistic timeframe for projects?
As always, it depends on the scope of each project, but usually you can expect a 6-10 month timeframe from the time we receive the PIW to the close-out date. For example, if you would like your project to be complete by the beginning of the Fall semester (August), please submit your PIW no later than February. If you would like for the project to be completed by the Spring semester, please submit your PIW no later than June of the previous year.  We are aware that projects are not usually foreseen months in advance and that most of them happen unexpectedly, so we will try our best to accommodate you and your request – we just ask that you be equally understanding of the circumstances that affect how quickly we can complete your project. Usually, the more complex a project, the longer it will take to complete.


What are some of the factors or circumstances that impact the life of a project?


What can I do to help speed up this process?
Please submit the PIW with as much lead-time as possible once your department has determined a need for initiating a project and secured a funding source.  Please be sure it is submitted with all the required information and signatures.


Why do projects take so long and cost so much?
Facilities must build and maintain all university structures to meet strict codes and standards that have been set for institutions of higher education.  We must ensure that each project is constructed in accordance with various local, state, federal and university regulations and policies.  So regardless of whether the request is completed in house or with outside contractors, it is our responsibility to meet and maintain these standards. One of our favorites is this award winning article, “The High Cost of Building a Better University”.


What if I want to use more than one Deptid or Projid on a project?
For extenuating circumstances, multiple Deptid accounts can be used to fund a single project. As the norm, we ask that you provide us with one “primary” Deptid that we can post charges against.  Through the Financial Reporting Office, the department can process an Interdepartmental Order (IDO) or Account/Budget Authorization form (ABA) and transfer funds to the primary Deptid to cover the costs if funds are spread out over several different accounts.

If you believe that you have to use multiple accounts for a single project, please provide us with the “primary” Deptid where it asks for “Deptid or Projid.”  Next, under “Unidentified Funding Justification” click on “Other (explain):” and briefly tell us that the “Use of multiple Deptid is possible, please.”  This will alert the assigned Project Manager of your request and/or need for multiple accounts and it can be explored during the preliminary programming communication.

Charges will never be made against your Deptid or Projid without informing you first and procuring your consent and approval of said charges.


What if I don’t know which Deptid or Projid to use until I have estimated costs?
Please remember that the Deptid or Projid you put on the PIW will be considered the “primary” Deptid or Projid – as described above in the multiple Deptid or Projid question.

As such, it is just the account that you are giving us authorization to make charges against.  Under most circumstances, it is possible to choose this account before charges are ever made with the understanding that you can transfer funds to that primary account by processing an IDO or ABA with Financial Reporting.

Charges will never be made against your Deptid or Projid without informing you first and procuring your consent and approval of said charges.


What if the Deptid or Projid Holder is the same person as the Dean/Director?
In this case, one signature/approval is sufficient, but if possible we ask that you please have them sign in the “Deptid or Projid Holder Approval” box and make a note in the “Dean/Director Approval” name box saying “same as Deptid.”


What is a Project Contact?
A Project Contact person is the one who will work with the Project Manager to develop the scope of work for the project. The Project Contact should be the one that the Project Manager can contact to get approval for the construction plans, finish selections, color selections, project budget, etc.

We ask that you please choose one person from the requesting department that will stay with the project for its entirety.


How do I include other people as the Project Contact?
We ask that you please just provide us with one Project Contact that will be available for the entire life of the project, but if other people should be involved as well you can make a note of it in the Project Description section.  You may just say something like “Multiple project contacts involved:” and list the names after the colon.