Modeling the project capacity of the Sacramento District Army Corps of Engineers

Abstract

Each year the Sacramento District of the United States Army Corps of Engineers must submit an estimate of its available project capacity for input to the President's Budget request. Currently, the District estimates this amount based on past experience and regression analysis on limited data. We develop a project capacity and leveling model for the Sacramento District Office. We use historical data provided by the Sacramento District from 2009 to 2011 to build and test the mixed integer linear programming model. The model assists the District with estimating its capacity for additional work for budget submission. Results of the model show the effects of allowing projects to shift forward or back in time in the schedule and adding project work on employee utilization, contractor utilization, and leveling monthly project work. We recommend expanding the model with more detailed resource requirements for each project to identify for the Sacramento District where to allocate its scarce resources to achieve the best effects for total project portfolio management.