This predesign study identified and evaluated options for a reservation system for Washington State Ferries (WSF), and recommended a preferred alternative that would most benefit ferry customers, ferry-served communities, and WSF. BERK designed the project process, which included collaboration with WSF staff through weekly meetings and internal technical work teams, as well as an external stakeholder group. Working with WSF staff and stakeholders, we developed goals for the reservation system and business rules to meet those goals, identified information technology needs, and analyzed terminal and vehicle processing impacts. We defined five different reservation system alternatives, analyzed the long-term operating and capital costs of each alternative, and created an implementation plan and budget for the preferred alternative that aligned with the 16-Year Transportation Budget. Additionally, we were responsible for meeting facilitation and development of materials for both the internal technical teams and the stakeholder group. We developed a final report that met the Office of Financial Management's transportation predesign requirements, addressed the complexities of this IT and infrastructure project, and clearly communicates the alternatives and decision-process to the non-technical reader.

BERK conducted a Lease Management Services and Cost Study for the State Auditor's Office, in support of the Governor's government reform initiative calling for the use of shared services to improve service delivery and reduce agency costs. The project included the following components: analysis of lease management activities, costs, delivery systems, and structures in 10 state agencies that comprise about 60% of state's leased space; evaluation of activities and costs of services provided by the Department of General Administration (GA) and Office ofFinancial Management; research into industry standards and smart practices in public and private sectors; and development of recommendations to simplify and streamline state lease management practices, reduce costs to taxpayers, and improve agency service delivery. In addition, BERK developed several communication pieces detaining GA's planned new approach to real estate management, including a 4-page folio, 1-page schematic, and 2-page summary for cabinet level.

BERK is working with the Washington State Transportation Commission on the development of the Washington Transportation Plan 2030 (WTP 2030). The Draft WTP 2030 was released on August 3 for public comment. The Plan provides a vision and strategies for meeting statewide transportation needs and makes policy recommendations across all transportation modes and areas of the state. Working with the Commission and local partners, BERK will facilitate Listening Sessions in five locations around the state in September. Comments are also being gathered via an Online Public Input Tool and the WTP 2030 Blog. The Final WTP 2030 will be adopted in December.

BERK is working with The Seattle Public Library to develop a Strategic Plan for future services. BERK has designed an inclusive planning process that will incorporate input from the community and key library stakeholders throughout 2010. Our staff is facilitating five meetings of a project Advisory Committee, comprised of thought leaders of the Seattle community, who will help shape the Plan and stakeholder engagement. We are engaging community members and Library staff through citywide conversations about the future of the Library, surveys, focus groups, public forums with expert panels, and a review and revision of a draft document. Synthesizing this broad input, BERK is working closely with the Library's leadership team to craft an actionable Strategic Plan that will define the direction and priorities of the Library.

BERK worked with Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark and DNR's Executive Management Team to craft a five year roadmap to fulfilling the Goldmark Agenda. The plan establishes strategies and implementation steps for redirecting key aspects of the agency's policies and programs that address emerging issues such as the restoration of the Puget Sound. Project components included facilitation and strategic planning support, two rounds of staff engagement, and stakeholder outreach, including two web-based surveys and statewide open houses inviting comment on the draft plan. The final product includes Vision and Mission Statements, Guiding Principles, Goals and supporting Major Initiatives, implementation assignments and timelines, and introductory and explanatory text throughout the document.

BERK updated the State's 2005 GIS Strategic Plan, which is based on extensive input from the statewide GIS community, reflects current business needs in Washington, and will support the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI). We engaged stakeholders from different categories, including federal and state agencies, counties, regional organizations, cities, tribes, businesses, and others - through five statewide input sessions and an online survey. Based on stakeholder input analysis, new goals, objectives, and action items were established. In addition, a Business Plan was developed for two initiatives within the Strategic Plan, which provides decision-makers and the GIS community a concrete framework for action in the next several years.

We are working with the Seattle Girls' School to develop a five-year strategic plan to ensure that the School will continue to meet its mission while maintaining financial sustainability. The Plan will identify the long-term vision for the School, identify short-term and immediate goals, and support decision-making for reaching the stated objectives. We are conducting financial, market, and competitive analysis to identify strategic issues and opportunities for SGS, and to help inform development of alternative options to be considered in the strategic planning process. We will facilitate seven meetings of the Strategic Planning Team that includes representatives from the Board of Trustees and the School's leadership team.

BERK worked with the City of Seattle's Office of Economic Development and a Steering Committee, made up of local business owners, residents, property owners, social service providers, and other interested stakeholders to develop Pioneer Square 2015: A Strategy for Seattle's First Neighborhood.

Working with the Pierce County Arts & Cultural Services Division we created a poster sized Arts & Cultural Asset Map. This schematic communicates the vast array of assets contained within the County to both celebrate and raise awareness of the area's organizations, events, venues, learning programs, and artist initiatives.

We designed and developed a marketing folio for the City to raise awareness of the community and its assets, summarize the recently adopted Economic Development Strategy, and highlight ongoing public investment in the City. The folio included photographs, maps, and other visual elements to highlight Kenmore’s location in the Puget Sound Region, demographics, community assets, City investments in the downtown area, development opportunities, and the City's business-friendly practices and process.

BERK conducted extensive market research and supported development of a WSF Marketing Plan to rebuild the organization's brand and increase ridership. We completed extensive research and analysis of existing data on WSF ridership trends, customer characteristics, travel patterns, and broad demographic and economic trends. This effort integrated and compared the many disparate data sources collected over the years to provide a quantitative and analytical foundation for the Marketing Plan. The final Marketing Plan outlined key messages, target markets, and action strategies that spanned the breadth of WSF operations to improve the customer experience, WSF's reputation, and long-term ridership. The final market research report provided WSF with a broad baseline of replicable demographic, economic, and customer characteristic indicators that can be used to inform WSF strategic management decisions today and in the future.

BERK worked in conjunction with Hill & Knowlton and ZAAZ on a study conducted by WSDOT to determine the feasibility of monetizing the WSDOT website. The study identified how the agency could potentially leverage its website assets to generate new revenues for the agency. BERK researched hundreds of government websites and conducted phone interviews with five other government organizations that have advertising programs on their websites; we summarized the primary monetizing structures currently used in the industry and estimated the range of potential revenues and costs of implementing a new WSDOT program.

BERK analyzed the Coeur D'Alene Reservation's market position and economic development opportunities, building off of the vision and ambitions articulated in the Tribe's Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS). Quantitative analysis, including location quotients, employment and wage analysis, journey-to-work maps, and estimation of retail sales leakage, were combined with stakeholder interviews to identify target industries with potential for employment generation and retail niches that may be expanded to augment the goods and services available on the Reservation.

Commissioned by the 2009 Legislature, this study analyzes the feasibility and practicality of implementing funding methods identified by previous studies, the JTC, state agency and legislative staff, and the consultant team. The principle objective of the study is to identify specific steps for the legislature and agencies to begin implementing viable mid-term and long-term transportation funding approaches. BERK's role in this effort included quantifying the revenue impacts to the state, cost impacts to different profiles of tax payers, and the revenue distribution impacts and spending restrictions associated with numerous potential alternative funding sources. In addition, BERK conducted a risk assessment that considered the potential impact of increasing vehicle fuel efficiency standards, changing fuel consumption patterns and, increasing market penetration of hybrid and electric vehicles relative to assumptions included in Transportation Revenue Forecast Council projections. BERK prepared meeting materials for regular staff workgroup meetings and JTC meetings and presented progress and findings to the JTC throughout the course of the project.

BERK worked with the Washington State Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics on a Cost of Service and Fee Analysis Study. The study identified the Center's current fixed and variable costs and allocated them to core business areas and services provided under the Vital Records Program. Using the cost allocation results as a foundation, the study then examined the Center's current funding model, assessing cost recovery and revenue stability. Recommendations for changes to the fee structure focused on ensuring financial sustainability for the program by adjusting fees to improve cost recovery on business lines where that was possible. In addition, the study identified longer term options for transitioning away from reliance on the sale of paper certificates to subsidize other activities. Equity amongst customer groups and implementation constraints around fees negotiated by the department, set in WAC, and set in statute were also evaluated. The project included process mapping, research on practices in other states, and development of a financial model that the Center can use to assess its fee structure going forward.