Formally designated in 2008, the Collaboration and Public Participation Center of Expertise (CPCX) improves the outcomes of USACE missions by supporting collaborative processes and ensuring that the interests of partners, stakeholders, and the public are addressed.
CPCX provides input to USACE guidance, policies, and procedures that relate to collaboration and advise Headquarters on current national and international trends or issues in public participation, conflict resolution, and collaborative governance.
CPCX operates through an extended network of experts across USACE that include CPCX core staff, the Public Involvement Specialist Cadre, and the Collaboration Community of Practice (CoP).
- CPCX core staff are located across the United States, and bring key collaboration skills in areas such as training, conflict resolution, facilitation, applied learning environments, shared vision planning, survey development, and communication planning.
- The Public Involvement Specialist Cadre is a team of nationwide specialists trained in communication, conflict management, and public involvement. PI specialists work with Districts to design and implement communication plans and foster a collaborative environment with internal teams, project partners and stakeholders.
- The Collaboration CoP membership includes all Corps of Engineers individuals that practice and share an interest in collaborative processes,
including public participation, stakeholder and partner engagement, risk communication, facilitation, conflict resolution, teambuilding, virtual collaboration, and collaborative technologies. Membership cuts across all USACE business lines and includes planners, program and project managers, engineers, project personnel, members of offices of counsel, those in environmental fields, cultural resources, social scientists, public affairs, and others interested in support of public participation and risk communication. To join the Collaboration CoP, email Stacy.Langsdale@usace.army.mil