Product implementation work is nearly complete. In meetings with marketing, the marketing manager reports some key department members will be unavailable for the next three months to support implementation. What should the project manager do?

The correct answer is to consult the resource management plan and escalate to the sponsor. The resource management plan outlines how project resources, including personnel, will be acquired, managed, and released. This situation represents a significant resource constraint that directly impacts project success and requires a formal process. Escalating to the sponsor is crucial because they have the authority and responsibility to address high-level risks and resource conflicts that are beyond the project manager's control. Reassigning key members to another project is incorrect because it would further jeopardize the current project's implementation. Canceling meetings until marketing proposes a solution is passive and delays addressing a critical issue; the project manager needs to be proactive. Consulting the project team and discussing availability of key members is a good initial step for understanding the impact, but it doesn't resolve the underlying resource conflict or provide a formal solution without involving higher authority.