Water and wastewater agencies have been engaging program managers for many years to assist in implementing large infrastructure projects. Many times the public utility does not spend enough time thinking about the role that their program manager will play and how the program manager will relate to the agency’s current staff and policies. This paper will address the issues and decisions that a public utility owner should consider before engaging a program manager. Key elements of the program manager’s scope of services will be examined and key decisions for the utility owner to make prior to executing a contract with a program manager are identified. If owners spend more time addressing these issues and questions at the outset of a large infrastructure program, they will be less likely to make substantial changes in the program management team structure and scope during implementation of the program.