Background Round Island Transport (RIT) is a company in Singapore that provides a full range of public transportation services It operates a Mass Rapid Transport (MRT) line, a public bus service and a taxi service Development in new technologies helps to make transportation safer and more efficient Equipped with cameras, wireless sensors and short range radars, a vehicle without driver can automatically adjust its speed to the surrounding traffic, maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front, keep within its own lane and park by itself The usage of advanced microprocessors, wireless communication between devices in the vehicle and surrounding earth stations, controlled by complicated software, reduces accidents and provides passengers with more reliable rides than ordinary vehicles driven by humans RIT's management envisages an Autonomous Bus System will serve passengers well It has obtained permission from the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to conduct a pilot Autonomous Bus System (ABS) Project in the International Business Park (IBP) in Singapore It has approached Enterprise Singapore, the Statuary Board in charge of developing the local companies' capabilities, for funding under the Enterprise Development Grant scheme RIT will work with the following new partners i Schlau Bus Ag (SBA), a bus manufacturer from Germany, to develop a bus for the system ii Unified Technologies Devices (UTD), a telecommunication equipment manufacturer from USA, to design and supply sensors in vehicle and radio earth stations RIT's newly formed IT team will develop the application software, integrate the SBA's bus and UTD's wireless communication into an Autonomous Bus System Assume that you are the Business Development Manager of RIT Your CEO, Mr James Tan, has appointed you to be the Project Manager for the ABS Project The following are project members from RIT and its partners Yourself The Project Manager from RIT You are in charge of leading the project, administration and liaison with all partners and agencies on commercial matters Ms Farah A System Developer from RIT Her role is to develop the application software to control the autonomous bus, and coordinate with all partners on technical design issues Mr Kumar A Mechanical Engineer from RIT His role is to work with the partners on the bus design and installation so that he will be able to maintain the system after the implementation Mr Genz A Vehicle Specialist from SBA He will customise a bus engine and chassis for the project Ms Nancy A Telecommunication Engineer from UTD Her role is to design the wireless communication system between the devices in bus and earth stations Ms Nancy and Mr Genz will participate and support the project remotely from their countries during the initial planning and design phases They will join the team in Singapore from the installation phase onwards RIT's CEO, Mr James Tan, has briefed you on the management's expectations of the project The project will start on 1 March 2023 It is desirable to hand over the system to the Operations Department by 25 July 2023, so as to allow the department to have a comfortable time to prepare for the ABS publicity during the National Day celebration period in early August However, a little change in the schedule will be allowed if necessary to ensure the system's reliability Enterprise Singapore will examine RIT's application report for funding which will cover only part of the project cost RIT's finance is tight Hence, the project team shall be prudent in spending After the budget is set, any subsequent increments will have to be approved by the CEO A Cost Performance Index (CPI) of at least 1 0 will be good ABS must meet all LTA's traffic rules, as any negative incidents, e g , accidents, will severely hurt RIT's reputation and future growth (a) ABS Project initially operates in the form of a Virtual Project Team Examine two (2) challenges and three (3) strategies to manage this team (b) RIT needs to provide a project costing to Enterprise Singapore in the application for funding Appraise any five (5) relevant conditions in deciding whether to use the Top down or Bottom up Estimate approach for estimating the project cost For each condition, explain which estimate approach is preferred relate to ABS Project's situations, and recommend the approach RIT should adopt You must present your answer in the format below For (state the condition) Top down Bottom up (choose one) Estimates approach is preferred because (explain the rationale) This is is not the case for ABS Project because (provide justification) Hence, RIT shall adopt the Top down Bottom up Estimates approach under this condition (Repeat the paragraph for all five conditions)

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Background Round Island Transport (RIT) is a company in Singapore that provides a full range of public transportation services. It operates a Mass Rapid Transport

Background

Round Island Transport (RIT) is a company in Singapore that provides a full range of public transportation services. It operates a Mass Rapid Transport (MRT) line, a public bus service and a taxi service.

Development in new technologies helps to make transportation safer and more efficient. Equipped with cameras, wireless sensors and short-range radars, a vehicle without driver can automatically adjust its speed to the surrounding traffic, maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front, keep within its own lane and park by itself. The usage of advanced microprocessors, wireless communication between devices in the vehicle and surrounding earth stations, controlled by complicated software, reduces accidents and provides passengers with more reliable rides than ordinary vehicles driven by humans.

RIT's management envisages an Autonomous Bus System will serve passengers well. It has obtained permission from the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to conduct a pilot Autonomous Bus System (ABS) Project in the International Business Park (IBP) in Singapore. It has approached Enterprise Singapore, the Statuary Board in charge of developing the local companies' capabilities, for funding under the Enterprise Development Grant scheme.

RIT will work with the following new partners:

i. Schlau Bus Ag (SBA), a bus manufacturer from Germany, to develop a bus for the system.

ii. Unified Technologies Devices (UTD), a telecommunication equipment manufacturer from USA, to design and supply sensors in vehicle and radio earth stations.

RIT's newly formed IT team will develop the application software, integrate the SBA's bus and UTD's wireless communication into an Autonomous Bus System.

Assume that you are the Business Development Manager of RIT. Your CEO, Mr. James Tan, has appointed you to be the Project Manager for the ABS Project.

The following are project members from RIT and its partners:

Yourself: The Project Manager from RIT. You are in charge of leading the project, administration and liaison with all partners and agencies on commercial matters.
Ms. Farah: A System Developer from RIT. Her role is to develop the application software to control the autonomous bus, and coordinate with all partners on technical design issues.
Mr. Kumar: A Mechanical Engineer from RIT. His role is to work with the partners on the bus design and installation so that he will be able to maintain the system after the implementation.
Mr. Genz: A Vehicle Specialist from SBA. He will customise a bus engine and chassis for the project.
Ms. Nancy: A Telecommunication Engineer from UTD. Her role is to design the wireless communication system between the devices in bus and earth stations.

Ms. Nancy and Mr. Genz will participate and support the project remotely from their countries during the initial planning and design phases. They will join the team in Singapore from the installation phase onwards.

RIT's CEO, Mr. James Tan, has briefed you on the management's expectations of the project:

The project will start on 1 March 2023. It is desirable to hand over the system to the Operations Department by 25 July 2023, so as to allow the department to have a comfortable time to prepare for the ABS publicity during the National Day celebration period in early August. However, a little change in the schedule will be allowed if necessary to ensure the system's reliability.
Enterprise Singapore will examine RIT's application report for funding which will cover only part of the project cost. RIT's finance is tight. Hence, the project team shall be prudent in spending. After the budget is set, any subsequent increments will have to be approved by the CEO. A Cost Performance Index (CPI) of at least 1.0 will be good.
ABS must meet all LTA's traffic rules, as any negative incidents, e.g., accidents, will severely hurt RIT's reputation and future growth.

(a) ABS Project initially operates in the form of a Virtual Project Team. Examine two (2) challenges and three (3) strategies to manage this team.

(b) RIT needs to provide a project costing to Enterprise Singapore in the application for funding. Appraise any five (5) relevant conditions in deciding whether to use the Top-down or Bottom-up Estimate approach for estimating the project cost: For each condition, explain which estimate approach is preferred; relate to ABS Project's situations, and recommend the approach RIT should adopt. You must present your answer in the format below:

For _________ (state the condition): *Top-down/Bottom-up (choose one) Estimates approach is preferred because __________________(explain the rationale). This *is/is not the case for ABS Project because _____________________(provide justification). Hence, RIT shall adopt the *Top-down/Bottom-up Estimates approach under this condition. (Repeat the paragraph for all five conditions).