Project management and communication skills are most important, not IT skills. We've also found the POC of the week strategy and assigning the mission to an IT technician doesn't work so well - those installations are behind the Y2K power curve. We all know dates are closer than they seem and the Y2K date will not shift. Get top management's involvement. Let's face it, Y2K is not primarily a technical challenge, it's a management challenge because we have no extra resources to find, fund, fix, test and certify Y2K renovations.
Risk assessment is a management challenge.
Triage and litigation, if Y2K problems result in safety, security and core mission failures will be a management challenge. Don't be Chicken Little - you'll lose credibility immediately. Educate yourself, then top management on what can really happen if your mission critical systems fail, starting with fire alarms, E-911 and intrusion detection security system disaster scenarios. Once management understands, it's easy to get their support for firm target milestones and determine the bill payer up front. Measure progress frequently against target milestones, and keep management informed.