Making friends with your HOTO checklist
The Insight
In Defence projects, many see the ‘checklist’ as their enemy. Just a large, insurmountable stack of information that must be delivered to enable Hand Over/Take Over (HOTO) sign off – A.K.A ‘validation’.
When the checklist is not fully understood, a guessing game is played. This results in two common tactics to achieve validation:
Scattergun: Submission of all the information that has been collected during the project with the hope that all the necessary items are contained somewhere within.
Wait & See: Information is only submitted after a specific request is made.
These tactics can result in wasted time, missed information, or rejection of HOTO.
The HOTO checklist is often perceived as just another hurdle that needs to be jumped. Many struggle with the way it is written. In actuality, the HOTO checklist can be your best friend.
The Impact
Right at the beginning of the project, the HOTO checklist tells you everything that you will need to deliver to achieve sign off (validation). Every item that is marked as ‘required’ on the checklist is what is needed to achieve this. By systematically adhering to each point within the checklist, and ‘checking’ off each item, there is a clear path towards validation.
If you have access to the HOTO checklist at tender time, you have the bonus of being able to accurately put together your fee. This is where the friendship begins.
The checklist helps you plan your structure for the project and the subsequent submission of documentation at the appropriate time. It can also help you provide relevant and accurate status updates.
At this point, you can clearly identify all the requirements that are needed to achieve HOTO and can put together an accurate, conforming tender with an appropriate fee structure for all aspects of the project – not just HOTO.
The checklist ensures you do not veer off track. It helps you determine just how close you are to achieving the end of HOTO and the ultimate goal – sign off.
When used properly, the HOTO checklist is your friend.