Both Performance-based Management (PBM) and Remediation process Optimization (RPO) offer opportunities to improve the site remediation process. The Interstate Technology regulatory Council's (ITRC's) process of developing Technical Regulatory Guidance Documents, training, and a network of experts and informed practitioners expedite the process. This presentation will describe both the ITRC process and the RPO Teams findings on PBM and RPO. PBM is a strategic, goal oriented uncertainty management methodology that is implemented through effective planning and timely and documented decision logic that is focused on the end results. While use of PBM has been used in the industrial, commercial, and service sectors for many years, the use of PBM in hazardous site restoration is a relatively new development. The ITRC RPO Team is endeavoring to identify the various forms that PBM can take. The team will present, in the form a Technical Regulatory Guidance Document, to the state regulatory community, and those who interact with them (engineers, site owners, stakeholders, consultants, and the development community) the benefits and potential drawbacks of PBM.

A team of state regulator, federal partners, industry, engineering, consulting, and stakeholder representatives prepares an ITRC Technical Regulatory Guidance Document. The document development process will be described form issue identification, through development, and to the eventual development of Internet based training. The challenges and benefits of this team process will be identified. The particular issues raised by PBM will be described. Team findings, to date, as to the nature of existing PBM programs, program mandates to implement PBM, and the challenges to that implementation will be discussed. Findings from the survey of state interest in the topic of PBM will be reported.

In addition, the relationship of Remediation Process Optimization, the subject of the ITRC RPO Team's first Technical Regulatory Guidance Document, Remediation Process Optimization: Identifying Opportunities for Enhanced and More Efficient Site Remediation (RPO-1), ITRC September 2004, to PBM will be discussed. RPO is the systematic evaluation and enhancement of site remediation processes to ensure that human health and the environment are being protected over the long term at minimum risk and cost. The main difference between RPO and PBM being RPO is a review of site remediation processes and PBM is project management methodology. How the ITRC Team came to the topic of PBM while studying RPO will be discussed.