You are leading a retail integration project that requires significant stakeholder time for business decisions. The project is critical and must finish on time and within budget. What should you do to ensure key stakeholders are available?

Providing stakeholders with the project schedule, milestones, and meeting agendas in advance (the correct answer) allows them to understand the project's demands on their time, prioritize their involvement, and prepare for discussions. This proactive communication fosters commitment and ensures their timely availability for critical decisions, aligning with the project's need to finish on time and within budget. Including contingency time in the schedule is a reactive measure that adds cost and time, which goes against the project's constraints. Scheduling meetings "as needed" is inefficient and doesn't guarantee availability or preparation. Proceeding with available stakeholders and informing others risks making decisions without full input, potentially leading to rework or non-acceptance from key individuals, jeopardizing project success.