As discussed in the case study, it is important before a project is executed a clear project management plan is drafted. In the context of the ACME Fabricators project, discuss the significance of a project management plan

This project takes place in South Australia. in September 2020, ACME Fabricabors advised its staff that their new facbry and offices out in semi-ural Angle Vale would be ready for completion by the end of Apd 2022. ACME was a responsible company and liked to keep their premises clean and fidy and their staff happy. The new premises at Angle Vale were developed on a 4.5-hectare site, previously used for grain crops. Consequenty, ACMEdecided thatsignifcantlandscaping would be required bo enhance the amentiy of the otherwise bare land. The senior execufve group pictured some land contouring with an attractive green lawn, and trees and shrubs to soften the impact of ohenwise slakk commercial buildings. Accordingly, they notionally allocated $232,000 for the project, and devebped atenderdocument that called tor the woik to be completed by the fime they moved to the new premises. They then invited proposals for landscaping and quotes for the work. A company called Arbor industries submitted an artist's sketch for the ACME evaluaton team to picture what the landscaping would look like. Arbor was selected with a bid of $175,000, substantally lower than any other submission. Arbor then prepared a detailed land scaping plan based on exis fing drawings of the site provided in the tender. Arbor met with the ACME senior executves b agree on a project start date, access and security of plant and equipment, and a fixed price contract A contract was duly signed. The project was scoped and planned by Arbor, with specific milestones for site works, imigation, turf laying, and tee and shrub planting. Arbor had undertaken many simiar jobs on city sites in the pastand based on the knowledge and skills of the project team, they did not think that a fomal project management plan woud be needed. All they wanted was agreement on the scope of the project and the key deliverable dates. From experience, they wanted to deal with only one person from ACME and it was agreed that the finance manager, a senior execufve, would be responsible for the project. Arbor commenced work on the 16 th of November 2020 with site preparation including weed eradication. Work progressed smoothly until20th of January 2021, when heavy vehiclesdeivering machinery, plantand equipment to the site significanty damaged the newly prepared and leveled ground for the lawn. The Aitor projectmanager arranged his firstmeeting with the ACME fnance manager to complain thathe would have to re-do the site for the lawn which would take an extra 35 days. The finance manager agreed thatit was not Arbor's fault and that work would have to be re-done, but as there was no more funding available he suggested that the project manager make the savings somenhere else from wilhin the project. This was agreed butnotdocumented. By the end of January the landscaping site works were frished and the irigaton system was installed Planting was b be done in three phases - shrubs, bushes and small tees first, then larger trees and finaly the lawn. Shrub planfing would take approximately 4 days, tees 7 days and the lawn would be laid in three separate operations over 2 days. On the firstday afer fhe planting commenced, some of the project team notced a few small plants seemed to be missing or broken off. These were quicdy replaced. Within the first 3 days after the last planting, however, it was noted that around 35% of the plantings had been destoyed by rabbits or hares (as it was later delemined. Remember, this is in Australia.) The Project Manager was very concemed and called anothermeefing with the ACME finance manager. Although sympatheic, he finance manager agreed that tee guards needed b be placed around tees but that was a confingency that the Arbor Company should have considered. The Arbor projectmanager indicated that pests were ACMEs problem and again the finance manager indicated that Arbor should make savings elsewhere within is contract. The Arbor project manager reviewed his budget and costs and determined hat the only way b re-coup te lossesfrom having to replant the shubs and protecthem, was to plantfewerplants and smallertrees which came at a much lower cost. Another way to make some savings was to ty and re-design the imigation system using fewer sprinklers. Instant lawn was tentafvely ordered tor around the middle of March 2021 so that delivery would miss the hotest part of the year. Uniortinately, the commercial lawn growers had heay demand at that fime and advised that the last shipment could only be made by mid February 2021. This was necessary to allow them time to plant new lawn ready forwinter and spring clients. Arborhad no choice but to accept delivery in mid. February 2021. As ittumed out itwas parculaty hot when the lawn delivery was made over the 2 days, with hot gusty northerly winds. By the third week of February 2021, the projectwas ahead of schedule by about three weeks due to the early delivery of tha lawn, although the larger tees and plants had yetb be planted. Unfortunately, water Doverage of the lawn proved to be barely enough in windy cond ifons and, with the sprinkler head reducion, lid not fully water all areas. By this fime Arbor was over-budget by about $24,000. Since the orighal project as scoped and started, the original finance manager had secured a new position with another company nd was set to leave in the third week offebruary 2001, just as the lawn started bo brown off and die in atches. The new finance manager, who started one weck later, was asked by the company b continue in e role of her predecessor on the project