3900-073 Clean Air Reporting Log (CARL) Redesign

The California Air Resource Board, Mobile Source Control Division, proposes to upgrade the Clean Air Reporting Log (CARL) database in order to improve current functionality and sustainability of the system. Improvements will provide Program with ability to eliminate manual processing of projects not currently supported by CARL, more efficient processing of applications, location based emission reduction projects, less reliance on programming changes to make regular annual updates, add Greenhouse Gas functionality, and provide a technology refresh so that the new system is more secure, less prone to breakdown, and more supportable by programming staff.

Project Details

IPOR Reporting Period	Overall IPOR Rating
09/01/2025 - 09/30/2025	Red

Independent Project Oversight Dashboard

Key Questions

Is the project on track to satisfy the customer's business objectives?No

Is the project on track to achieve the objectives in the approved timeframe?No

Is the project on track to achieve the objectives within the approved budget?Uncertain

Project Overall Health

Comments

Red

The Project has several focus areas in Red (Escalated). As a result, the risk to the overall Project Health remains Red. • The SI vendor contract expired on September 13, 2025. The project remained in a stop-work status and currently lacks functional software to fully validate the deliverables provided by the SI vendor. • The project team is actively exploring options to restart product development. The IPO manager has recommended incorporating lessons learned into the re-planning process to strengthen the project's future success. • The IPO manager has expressed concern that ongoing resource turnover and inconsistent understanding of project status have impeded progress, resulting in fragmented communication and delays in decision-making.

Focus Area/Rating	Comments
Governance Yellow	The focus area remained Yellow (cautionary) during this reporting period. • The Project’s Executive Steering Committee (ESC) meeting was last held on May 28, 2025. The IPO manager has expressed concern that frequent resource turnover and a lack of consistent understanding of project progress have limited the team’s ability to contribute effectively. Additionally, the team has struggled to consistently communicate the project’s status and key decisions. • A re-planned strategy will be necessary, along with the submission of an SPR detailing updated cost, schedule, scope, and resource requirements. • To support informed decision-making and timely assistance, the IPO manager recommends that the project team provide regular updates to stakeholders, ensuring transparency and insight into the steps required to advance and complete the project.
Time Management Red	The focus area remained Red (escalated) during this reporting period. • The project currently lacks functional software, and the SI vendor did not deliver the required components incrementally within the approved Stage 4 planning timelines. • The project team is still assessing the go-forward strategy and has yet to establish a revised roadmap and baseline schedule to guide future activities. • The IPO manager continues to recommend the team to analyze the root causes that led to the stop-work status and identify appropriate remediation measures. This evaluation will help mitigate the risk of recurring issues. Additionally, the project must accurately define the remaining requirements to avoid duplication and rework, thereby minimizing future schedule variances.
Cost & Contract Management Red	The focus area remained in Red(escalate) during this reporting period. •The SI vendor contract expired on September 13, 2025 and CARB Contracts & Procurement and CARL Legal teams will be working with the SI vendor to close out the contract. • The project has not encumbered the remaining funds. • The IPO Manager has noted that persistent resource constraints within the CARB contract and procurement team have hindered the project’s ability to secure necessary support and complete the SI vendor contract closeout in a timely manner. • The project team is expected to develop an SPR that outlines revised cost, schedule, scope, resource requirements, and includes a Budget Change Proposal to support project completion. The IPO Manager advises adherence to the established Change Control Management Plan to ensure proper CR approval for the SPR. • Additionally, the IPO Manager continues to recommend that the project team validate the accuracy of reported actual costs, ensuring they reflect project-specific expenditures rather than enterprise-level costs.
Scope Management Red	The focus area remained in Red(escalate) during this reporting period. • The gap analysis to evaluate deliverables has been challenging with regards to the partially completed requirements, making it more difficult to reach informed decisions. • A thorough requirements analysis will be necessary to identify the remaining elements needed to align with the revised definition of the Minimum Viable Product (MVP). • The IPO Manager recommends the project team to engage actively in this process to accurately define outstanding requirements and support progress toward achieving the project’s objectives. • Additionally, the IPO Manager recommends that the team exercise due diligence, adhere to industry best practices, and follow the established change management process to secure approval of the Change Request (CR) authorizing the revised scope.
Resources Red	The focus area is in Red(escalate) during this reporting period. • Since the project's inception, nearly all teams have experienced frequent resource turnover, resulting in fragmented understanding of project progress and challenges in making timely, informed decisions. • In early September, the CARB Project Manager was replaced for the fourth time within a year, and the PM Oversight Manager was also transitioned during the same period. • The project team is expected to reassess CARB’s resourcing needs and provide updated estimates once a go-forward strategy is finalized in collaboration with CARB. • To strengthen team performance, the IPO Manager recommends adopting best practices for resource engagement, leveraging lessons learned to identify knowledge gaps, and directing project teams to appropriate training materials to enhance their effectiveness.
Quality Red	The focus area remained in Red(escalate) during this reporting period. • Assessing the quality of deliverables has proven challenging, as the SI vendor’s development efforts did not produce any functional software for testing and evaluation. • The IPO Manager has recommended the project team to document a comprehensive lessons learned database, capturing key challenges, impediments, and areas for improvement. • Additionally, the IPO Manager recommended the team implement recommendations from the Independent Verification & Validation (IV&V) findings to help prevent recurring issues and support more informed decision-making as the project moves toward completion.
Risk And Issues Yellow	The focus area remained Yellow (cautionary) during this reporting period. • The project issued the stop-work order and closed all the open risks and issues. • The IPO Manager continues to recommend the project team perform thorough due diligence on those risks and issues, as the root causes of these issues persist and must be addressed to improve future project outcomes. • Additionally, the IPO Manager recommends that regular Risk and Issue meetings be maintained to proactively manage this critical aspect of the project.
Transition Readiness Green	The IPO manager will continue to monitor this area.
Conditions For Approval Green	None
Corrective Action Green	The Project is working on an SPR.

20250626 Release-16