MEMORANDUM
DATE: March 27, 2025
TO: Brian Kane, Chair of Administration and Finance Committee
FROM: Tegin Teich, Executive Director of Central Transportation Planning Staff to the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization
RE: State Fiscal Year 2025 Goals and Third Quarter Updates
In June 2024, the executive director, Tegin Teich, completed an annual performance evaluation with Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) representatives, following the process described in the MPO’s Operations Plan. The evaluation team included the following:
This memo includes the complete set of state fiscal year (SFY) 2025 goals established in the review as well as a summary of progress towards goals completed in the third quarter (January through March 2025).
The executive director’s evaluation included the following SFY 2025 goals organized by the categories in the agency’s Strategic Plan. These categories have been abbreviated compared to the description in the evaluation.
The third quarter of SFY 2025 brought with it unprecedented challenges in navigating the introduction of executive orders and changing guidance from a new federal administration. While we experience unanticipated needs that divert resources from planned to urgent issues each year, the third quarter of SFY 2025 brought unique challenges to running a federally funded agency. In the context of the change in administration at the national level, leadership team resources have been diverted towards planning for and navigating uncertainty in federal funding and guidance. The following updates should be considered in the context of the demands of this quarter.
In February 2025, the feasibility and cost of carrying out a branding exercise, which was to be funded by $100,000 of the de-obligated PL funds inclusive of a 20 percent match from MassDOT, was reassessed. In the context of fiscal uncertainty and leadership team capacity, a decision was made to delay the release of the Request for Proposal (RFP) for branding services until further notice.
The RFP for web design services, however, is moving forward. This is an effort to perform a comprehensive overhaul of bostonmpo.org to bring the design up to date, build dynamic functionality for data display, and enable mobile responsiveness. At the time of submitting this report, a review of received proposals is underway. This effort is funded by $100,000 of de-obligated PL funds inclusive of a 20 percent match from MassDOT.
Based on initial review of 13 multi-year plans in the latter part of 2024, in 2025 leadership team members provided multi-year plan authors with near term priorities to guide write-ups of work plans for the FFY 2026 UPWP. In March, the leadership team will review the entire set of UPWP draft write-ups for consistency, opportunities for further collaboration, and feasibility within limited resources.
There are no updates for Quarter 3.
A full refresh of the Compensation Plan began in August 2024 and is ongoing. In Quarter 3, the executive director, deputy executive director, and director of finance and operations discussed draft results with other directors to obtain feedback. More information is being sought from the consultant to fully update the Compensation Plan.
The RFP to request lease options is almost finalized and is intended to be released in the fourth quarter of the SFY. Options to relocate will be considered in the context of planning for fiscal uncertainty.
YW Boston was engaged in Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 of SFY 2025 to carry out an initial diagnostic to understand the current state of DEI at the agency and recommend a path forward in terms of DEI work. In Quarter 3, the diagnostic was shared with the agency’s DEIA Working Group and then with all staff. The working group is reviewing the diagnostic to provide input into the Request for Quotes for the organization-wide assessment to identify, define, and develop an action plan to overcome barriers and help achieve goals related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. This effort will be funded by an initial $35,000 of de-obligated PL funds.
The process to develop an up-to-date fiduciary agent agreement has been ongoing since the prior SFY and has been a significant effort for both MPO and MAPC staff supporting the legal, human resource, financial, and procurement activities. The appendix draft continues to be reviewed by the executive leadership team and MAPC.
CIVIL RIGHTS NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC
Welcome. Bem Vinda. Bienvenido. Akeyi. 欢迎. 歡迎
You are invited to participate in our transportation planning process, free from discrimination. The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is committed to nondiscrimination in all activities and complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin (including limited English proficiency). Related federal and state nondiscrimination laws prohibit discrimination on the basis of age, sex, disability, and additional protected characteristics.
For additional information or to file a civil rights complaint, visit www.bostonmpo.org/mpo_non_discrimination.
To request this information in a different language or format, please contact:
Boston Region MPO Title VI Specialist
10 Park Plaza, Suite 2150
Boston, MA 02116
Phone: 857.702.3700
Email: civilrights@ctps.org
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