US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) - Public Meeting Support

Winner 2008 Award of Merit - New Orleans Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America!

OPP has facilitated more than 30 public meetings since October 2007, supporting the USACE outreach staff and managing all of the meeting logistics.

• Marketing (Media Placement): OPP works with the Corps to develop the communications strategy for public meetings. Each meeting is publicized in newspapers, in on-line media outlets, and in direct e-mail and snail mail announcements that are sent to a targeted and focused list of interested parties.
  
  
• Meeting Presentations: OPP works with key members of USACE staff to develop and refine PowerPoint presentations for public meetings. OPP works with meeting presenters and subject matter experts by drafting talking points and crafting responses to anticipated questions and/or challenges.
  
  
• Questionnaires: OPP administers a questionnaire to meeting attendees. Feedback from questionnaires issued and received at each meeting serve as a method by which the Corps can gauge its effectiveness in educating the public and in providing the critical information they need to make informed decisions with respect to rebuilding their homes and lives.
  
  
• Meeting Summaries: OPP captures the gist of each meeting through concise and coherent notes that are used to develop a comprehensive summary. Summaries are subsequently posted on the Corps' meeting Web site (www.nolaenvironmental.gov), included in official environmental documents, and provided as an alternative means of staying apprised of progress.
  
  
• Location Scouting: OPP searches for the most suitable facility to accommodate the Corps' needs during public meetings in Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard, St. Charles and Plaquemines Parish. Considerations include proximity to interested parties, accessibility, parking, security, lighting, ease of travel.

Results: With OPP on board, organization has improved, meetings have been more effectively run, and feedback from questionnaires has been accurately captured.

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