You are managing a software development project that is halfway through its schedule. Recently, you have noticed several additional features being requested by stakeholders, which were not part of the original project plan. This has led to delays and budget overruns. Which of the following actions would best help you manage and control project scope creep?

a$.$

Immediately reject all new feature requests to ensure the project stays within the original scope, timeline, and budget.

b$.$

Implement a formal change control process to evaluate and approve or reject new feature requests based on their impact on the project$$s scope, timeline, and budget.

c$.$

Allow the project team to decide which new features to include based on their expertise and available resources.

d$.$

Delay addressing the new feature requests until the project is closer to completion to avoid disrupting the current workflow.

e$.$

Accept all new feature requests to maintain stakeholder satisfaction, even if it means extending the project timeline and increasing costs.