An important aspect of stakeholder engagement is developing written agreements that express participants' interest, support, and commitment to the project. Types of agreements can include:
- Resolution of Support—A resolution expresses general interest and support for the project without specifying any further commitment or involvement on the part of the agency. For the I-210 Pilot, the Connected Corridors team received a Resolution of Support from the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments (SGVCOG).
- Project Charter—The Project Charter describes the initial stakeholder agreement and responsibilities. While not a legally binding document, stakeholders sign the Charter to express their commitment to the project. The Project Charter for the I-210 Pilot was developed, reviewed, and signed over a period of several months.
- Cooperative Agreement and/or Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)—These documents are more legally binding and take more time to draft, review, and execute. They may require review by the agency's legal advisor. The MOU for the I-80 ICM project illustrates this type of agreement.
In addition to specific agreements, stakeholders may contribute to other project documents such as:
- Letters of Support for funding applications—Stakeholder support can be vital in applying for funding. For the I-210 Pilot, the Connected Corridors team was able to assist stakeholders by drafting Letters of Support and customizing them for each stakeholder.
- Systems Engineering documents—For the I-210 Pilot, all stakeholders have been asked to review systems engineering documents, such as the SEMP and Concept of Operations, as they are developed.