Strategic Plan to Guide the SmartWay Transport Partnership

Since 2004, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s SmartWay Transport Partnership has provided market incentives for companies—both freight carriers and companies that employ them—to reduce emissions and fuel use. When EPA’s SmartWay team wanted to develop a strategic plan for this voluntary public-private partnership, they turned to ERG.

ERG worked with SmartWay team management to design a two-day team retreat to help its 30 team members understand key forces and challenges affecting the program, reach consensus on the program’s role and goals for the next five years, and define key elements of a strategy for the next two years to reorganize and realign SmartWay for success in meeting these goals. ERG facilitated the meeting to ensure constructive dynamics, inclusive participation, and development of meaningful outputs.

Immediately following the retreat, ERG drafted a strategic plan “blueprint” based on the team’s vision of the program over the next five years. The blueprint presented both general strategies and specific short-, medium-, and long-term tasks to achieve this vision.