PMP Practice: Define Scope

Linh Trần-Nguyễn is managing a fixed-price contract to upgrade the fire suppression system across 47 hospital facilities for Santiago Fuentes-Zapata Alliance. The contract was awarded based on detailed architectural drawings and specifications provided by the client, and includes strict regulatory compliance requirements from three different government agencies. During the kickoff meeting, the client's innovation director suggests adopting an iterative approach where the team would install prototype systems in two facilities first, gather feedback from hospital staff, and then refine the design for remaining locations. The director argues this would ensure better user satisfaction. However, the project sponsor reminds everyone that the contract price was calculated based on the approved specifications, and any design changes would require formal change requests and regulatory re-approval, which typically takes 8-12 weeks per facility. The baseline schedule shows all 47 facilities must be completed within 18 months to meet a federal mandate deadline. What should Linh do?