GSA Office of Governmentwide Policy

**[REAL PROPERTY POLICYSITE]{.underline}**

Fall 2003

*News and Views on Real Property and Workplace Policy*

**[Best Practices Special Edition]{.underline}**

A Message from Marjorie L. Lomax

Acting Deputy Associate Administrator for Real Property

Creative thinkers in the Federal government are leading the way to
better asset management. The practices they develop help improve the way
we do business. These practices enable us to manage the Federal
portfolio better, develop higher performing workplaces, focus on citizen
services, protect our environment, and much more.

The Office of Real Property is pleased to present the seventh Best
Practices Special Edition of Real Property Policysite. It includes this
latest array of best practices and policies, culled from the top
government practitioners in the Federal industry. They represent areas
of:

+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
| -   Asset Management           | -   Customer Focus                  |
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
| -   Historic Preservation      | -   Partnering                      |
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
| -   Procurement                | -   Security                        |
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
| -   Strategic Planning         | -   Sustainability                  |
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
| -   Tools and Models           | -   Workplace/Workforce Issues      |
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+

Most of the practices included in here were entries submitted to the
2003 GSA Achievement Award for Real Property Innovation. The top award
winning entries were:

-   **Energy Management at DOE Headquarters**, Department of Energy

-   **Environmentally Friendly Windpower**, General Services
    Administration

-   **NASA Ames Development Plan**, National Aeronautics and Space
    Administration

Two superlative entries received the honorable mention designation:

-   **ABC/M Charge-back System**, Department of Health and Human
    Services

```{=html}
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```
-   **PBS Project Information Portal**, General Services Administration

This was an outstanding year for the program, with the best
participation to date. I would like to thank the twenty-one agencies
that generously offered to share their best practices and policies. One
of the original goals of the Innovation Award was to recognize and share
best practices. Now we want you to share in the benefit of these proven
strategies and tactics, adopt them, and help further improve asset
management in the Federal sector. The GSA Office of Governmentwide
Policy has added an additional category to the Award program -- the
**Adopt-a-practice** category.

To be eligible, a Federal organization, team or individual must have
applied a practice or policy submitted to our Award program in a
previous year by another Federal agency. Winners will receive \$5,000
for an individual, or \$10,000 for a team of two or more.

Over 300 best practices have been identified through the Award Program
from Federal agencies and published in the special edition newsletters.
Agencies may apply [year round]{.underline} for this award. You can get
more information about this exciting new award and the best practices
available, by checking out our website at:

[**www.gsa.gov/realpropertypolicy**](http://www.gsa.gov/realpropertypolicy)

and clicking on \"Best Practices for Real Property\" under Publications.
We look forward to receiving your submissions!

I also encourage you to submit your new ideas next year for the 2004
Real Property Innovation Awards Program. Please contact Ms. Pat Rubino
at 202-501-1457 or by e-mail at <pat.rubino@gsa.gov> with any questions
on the award program.

Please contact Mr. Chris Coneeney at 202-208-2956 or by e-mail at
<chris.coneeney@gsa.gov> with any comments or suggestions about this
special edition of the Policysite newsletter.

Marjorie L. Lomax

######## *Asset Management*

03-POL-004

Barracks Master Plan

Department of the Army

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

The Army has developed an innovative policy for developing requirements,
planning, programming and executing the Army's \$10 billion Barracks
Construction and Modernization Program for over 141,000 soldiers
worldwide. The Barracks Master Plan (BMP) was developed for use as a
comprehensive programming and planning tool for all command levels of
the Army by combining the efforts of on-site facility assessments,
real-time database management of barracks complexes worldwide, the
identification and validation of soldier spaces and mission
administrative requirements, the merging of the various funding
programs, the formulation and review of standards and construction
criteria for a myriad of facilities to control costs, and the
measurement of customer satisfaction and command approval of these real
estate assets.

The Army BMP addresses overall buy-in to the program at the installation
level up to the Congressional Committees that review and recommend
funding of the total program requirements. The BMP has the support of
the:

-   Customer, both the individual soldier and the chain of command that
    must live and work in these facilities, built to a common agreed
    upon standard while executing and training the Army for mission
    requirements affecting the defense of the country

-   Installation base operations personnel that must plan and maintain
    the facilities

-   Resourcing community who has confidence in the Program Manager's
    program

-   U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) personnel that must design and
    execute million dollar construction and renovation projects,
    consistently applying standards and controlling cost growth.

Adequate, modern, and private space to relax and create a home to call
their own continues to be a major concern to soldiers when asked about
their quality of life. The BMP concluded greater soldier satisfaction
could be achieved by providing more flexibility in the standard design.
The design standards were revised to place more emphasis on a soldier's
private space and less emphasis on the communal space. The Army's BMP
provides project details necessary not only to support the housing
customer but also support the changing face of garrisons throughout the
Army to recruit, train and retain dedicated individuals to serve as
soldiers.

Merging the details of program-wide standards, assumption of the program
requirements, and detailed and validated installation building level
assessment and solution sets for both Military Construction and
Restoration and Modernization funding requirements to meet the 2008
buyout goal, the Army was able to set the goal while maintaining maximum
on-post "swing-space" to house soldiers on post, minimizing additional
cost to the taxpayers in the form of basic allowance for housing
payments if soldiers lived off post. The initial plan took several years
of coordination from the installations, the Major Commands, the USACE,
and the Army Staff level. Once approved, the plan was published on the
Internet. This BMP document is located at:

[**http://housing.army.mil/uph_plan.htm**](http://housing.army.mil/uph_plan.htm)

For more information, contact Ms. Suzanne M. Harrison at 703-428-9109 or
via e-mail at
[**suzanne.harrison@hqda.army.mil**](mailto:suzanne.harrison@hqda.army.mil).

03-POL-005

Army Installation Design Guide

Department of the Army

The "*Commander's Guide \-- Army Installation Standards"* established a
management tool for the Army. The guide, published in October 2002, was
the first phase of Command Guidance on policy and standards for
installations. The guide may be found on the following web site home
page:

[http://www.hqda.army.mil/acsimweb/homepage.shtml](http://WWW.HQDA.ARMY.MIL/ACSIMWEB/HOMEPAGE.SHTML)

The guide describes ways Installation Commanders can focus on both short
and long-term efforts to achieve standardization across all garrisons
and provides examples of excellence. The guide shares methods to achieve
a sense of community, order, tradition, and pride and offered guidance
on ways to more cost effectively invest resources to achieve the highest
degrees of sustainability, reliability, and efficiency.

The Office Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management, (ACSIM)
researched the standards to incorporate into Army standards the best
practices from other organizations such as the Air Force, Navy, Army Air
Force Exchange Service, the U.S. General Service Administration (GSA),
National Park Service, Federal Highway Administration, and various city
and county governments and associations. Existing Installation Design
Guides (IDG) were also reviewed for their application of procedures,
examples, and benchmarks for IDG implementation Army-wide.

The *Army Installation Design Standards* were approved in April 2003.
They were effective immediately and posted on the ACSIM web site.

## The purpose of the *Army Installation Design Standards* is to provide Army standards and serve as a tool for implementing those standards. The design standards for site planning, buildings, vehicular and pedestrian circulation, landscaping, site elements (i.e. signage, utilities), force protection, and Sustainable Design are provided for incorporation into each Army installation. The framework for implementation is the Installation Design Guide. Each installation will imitate the IDG processes in the *Army Installation Design Standards* in the development of their installation specific IDG*.*  {#the-purpose-of-the-army-installation-design-standards-is-to-provide-army-standards-and-serve-as-a-tool-for-implementing-those-standards.-the-design-standards-for-site-planning-buildings-vehicular-and-pedestrian-circulation-landscaping-site-elements-i.e.-signage-utilities-force-protection-and-sustainable-design-are-provided-for-incorporation-into-each-army-installation.-the-framework-for-implementation-is-the-installation-design-guide.-each-installation-will-imitate-the-idg-processes-in-the-army-installation-design-standards-in-the-development-of-their-installation-specific-idg. .unnumbered}

For more information, contact Mr. Larry Black at 703-428-6173 or via
e-mail at <larry.black@hqda.army.mil>.

03-PRA-004

Housing Privatization Portfolio Management

Department of the Air Force

The Air Force has a \$2 billion housing privatization program under way
covering over 40 installations and over 40,000 houses. The Portfolio
Management Program was conceived by the Air Force Center for
Environmental Excellence, Housing Privatization Division and
Headquarters Air Force Installations and Logistics and Engineering
Housing Management Division.

The Portfolio Management program is designed to provide oversight and
reviews on the financial health of both specific projects and the
program as a whole. While short-term success at the project level is
critical, long-term ability to provide affordable and quality housing
across the Air Force will determine the success of the program.
Sustaining the success of any endeavor over an extended period of time
is challenging and the Air Force privatization projects are structured
as 50-year agreements.

The Department of Defense has entered into housing privatization
initiatives in the past; however, they have not been successful on a
large scale. A key difference with today's housing privatization
initiatives is the Portfolio Management Program. The other programs left
all oversight functions to the commercial sector owners. This program is
designed to ensure quality homes are maintained over the long-term in
communities where service members will choose to live. Military studies
indicate that high-quality housing can boost retention by up to 15
percent, a huge figure for a military made up entirely of volunteers.

This long-term commitment requires strong communication and a
willingness to work in partnership to resolve issues. The Air Force has
taken the necessary steps to build the Portfolio Management platform.
The platform includes the best practices of private sector Portfolio
Management customized to acknowledge the unique aspects of military
housing privatization. Once transaction closing occurs, a system exists
to monitor deal terms, assess both subjective and objective transaction
performance, and protect the interests of the government. This system
helps to ensure sustainable improvement to the overall quality of life
for service members and their families throughout the life of the
program.

The Portfolio Management Program coordinates the day-to-day asset
management of operational, financial, and development oversight for
individual installations. The Portfolio Management program is designed
to identify potential problems and resolve them before they manifest
themselves in vacant quarters and to take a long-term view to ensure the
success of the program. The program is designed to retain programmatic
intellectual capital and mitigate knowledge loss from frequent
government turnover over the 50-year life of the projects.

Oversight of project owners and property managers is critical to ensure
viability and health of privatized housing. To measure success, the
project should be meeting or exceeding physical, operational, and
financial expectations of the project and generating sufficient cash
flow to provide funds for maintenance and future improvements. Costs are
minimized through the use of generic legal instruments keeping key
provisions alike throughout the Air Force. In addition, standardized
reporting mechanisms make it possible to more effectively manage the
project and identify anomalies and problem areas. The Portfolio
Management Program provides visibility across the entire Air Force on
specific project health and overall health of the program and enables
the Air Force to identify and disseminate best practices and lessons
learned from one installation to another or Air Force wide. The
Portfolio Management program has been key to guaranteeing the Air
Force's successful management of a large portfolio of over 40 separate
installations and 40,000 homes.

For more information, contact Ms. Sheryl Faust-Beck at 210-536-9580 or
via e-mail at
[**sheryl.faust-beck@brooks.af.mil**](mailto:sheryl.faust-beck@brooks.af.mil).

**03-PRA-007**

### ABC/M Charge--back System

**Department of Health and Human Services**

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) of the Department of Health and
Human Services is using activity-based costing and management (ABC/M)
and a balanced scorecard (BSC) performance assessment program to manage
1,286 acres of Federally owned land, 158 Federally owned buildings,
10,539,597 gross square feet of laboratory, vivarium (a building for
keeping and raising living animals and plants under natural conditions
for observation or research), hospital, and administrative space and 85
leases encompassing an additional 3,866,629 rentable square feet of
laboratory and administrative space.

NIH uses activity-based management and the balanced scorecard to better
understand the costs of operations, to improve financial planning
discipline, and to help identify areas for improvement. The combined
ABC/M and BSC approach provides a complete view of how NIH is
performing.

Selling intra-agency services to the NIH Institutes and Centers (IC) via
a revolving fund called the Service and Supply Fund (SSF) funds facility
operations. Each business activity develops a cost recovery system to
reflect the cost of operations. NIH recovers the cost through the SSF
using a rent model developed using commercial best practices. NIH bills
rent on a per square footage basis and for different types of space. The
model provides better accountability for results and services provided
and gives customers a very clear rate structure.

The cost of providing services to each building is modeled using
activity-based costing. In the ABC model, each service is assigned to
those facilities or part of facilities to which the service is provided.
For example, the cost of providing janitorial services is distributed to
the spaces cleaned under the janitorial contract. The assignment also
indicates how much of the cost of the services should be assigned to a
particular area within a facility. The amount assigned is based on
operationally based work measures. They include, connected energy load,
number of trouble calls, cleaning service level, and tons of solid waste
generated by occupancy.

The same information is used to define the service level provided to
each type of space. In another example of how NIH uses a commercial best
practice, service levels are specified in the annual occupancy
agreements that NIH executes with each IC. As the fiscal year
progresses, the facilities management organizations, funded by the rent
monitor their performance management plan of balanced scorecard measures
to ensure performance, meets the requirements of the occupancy
agreement.

NIH has achieved effective cost management with the ABC/M business model
and effective performance measurement with the balanced scorecard
performance management plans. NIH has a very clear rate structure and
transparent and rational rate setting process based on industry best
practice. The customers' prices are directly linked to the customers'
consumption of services as detailed in the standard occupancy agreement.
Using the methodology NIH confirms its facilities services are
competitive on price and cost with, and in some cases better than, the
surrounding commercial real estate market. The innovative practice has
resulted in increased customer satisfaction over the way NIH facilities
were funded and managed prior to 2001.

For more information, contact Mr. Leonard Taylor at 301-594-0999 or via
e-mail at <taylore@mail.nih.gov>.

03-PRA-010

### Post of Duty-Location Model

#### 

#### Department of the Treasury

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) implemented the Location Model of the
Post of Duty (POD) Guidelines System. The Location Model is used to
improve real estate portfolio and facility management decision-making
for a portfolio of nearly 800 buildings totaling 31 million square feet.
Since 1998, the Location Model and the entire POD System have been used
to improve facility management, after going through four stages of
development:

-   **Analysis of IRS' facility management needs**---The traditional
    organization footprint of the IRS was geography-based, using regions
    and districts to manage POD facilities. POD locations established by
    management decisions were made years before, and did not reflect
    emerging demographic changes. There was no consistent approach to
    the placement of facilities. The IRS sought a standardized and
    objective method for reviewing the POD portfolio and for efficiently
    allocating facility resources. To create the Location Model tool,
    IRS used a three-step process en route to creating a new "in the
    path of the customer" location criteria for the POD portfolio. The
    three analysis steps were:

1.  Interview employees nationwide;

2.  Benchmark three "best practice" public or private sector
    organizations; and

3.  Conduct three focus group work sessions and incorporate feedback in
    the prospective system.

-   **Design of a decision-making tool to meet these needs**---The
    path-of-customer concept was translated into a Location Model using
    optimization and Geographic Information System (GIS) software. The
    optimization software compares a facility's current location to
    alternate scenarios using a weighted distance-workload matrix. The
    evaluation provides an optimal five-digit zip code where travel
    costs for IRS customers are minimized. By identifying the zip code
    location where customer travel costs are minimized, the optimal
    path-of-customer location for the IRS POD is identified. The
    Location Model uses GIS to display the optimal location information.
    The GIS output allows facility managers to visually interpret the
    Model's results, as its robust output includes the delineated area
    under study, the optimal zip code, demographic and workload
    patterns, and a street level map of the optimal zip code.

-   **Development of the Location Model of the POD System**---The IRS
    successfully used the Location Model to determine optimal
    path-of-customer locations, but as the IRS customer service model
    and organizational approach was updated, a new challenge emerged:
    using the model to create solutions tailored to each newly-created
    IRS business unit's unique needs and customer bases. The flexible
    and robust process embedded in the model proved to be an advantage.
    The model adapted to accommodate the identified alternative customer
    bases and locations. Using the model, IRS was able to consistently
    make the best possible location decision.

-   **Implementation of the Location Model as a policy
    requirement**---The IRS issued a Location Model Policy in June 2002,
    stating, "The POD Model data should be used to support the
    development of all delineated areas and provide a basis for the
    business case justification." Due to the policy and outreach efforts
    to train the facility managers using the model, utilization of the
    Location Model has grown exponentially. Over 300 requests have been
    made for Location Model scenario reports.

By using the Location Model, the IRS has benefited from improved
management of facility resources. The formal elevation of the model to a
required real estate policy highlights the IRS's emphasis on customer
service and facility resource maximization. The model not only allows
the identification of customer travel cost savings, but provides
flexibility through a dynamic "what-if" scenario capability, automating
the analysis of many layers of information for facility managers,
including demographic studies, buffer analysis, and staffing analysis.

The Location Model addresses the critical issue of providing a
standardized and objective method to identify locations for POD's while
maintaining a flexible environment adaptable to changes in the IRS'
organizational structure. The Model is a powerful analytical tool that
enhances the IRS facility managers' abilities to determine how to
maximize facility resources and to continually align facility resources
with customer service focused mission and strategic goals.

For more information, contact Mr. Joseph M. Tezza at 804-916-3860 or via
e-mail at [**joseph.tezza@irs.gov**](mailto:joseph.tezza@irs.gov).

**03-PRA-023**

### Marketing Historic Buildings for TV/Films

General Services Administration

Marketing historic buildings for television and films is a simple idea
to promote historic assets and to provide a tremendous return for
showcasing the preserved properties, stimulate local economies, and use
historic outleases to obtain funds to assist in maintaining properties.
Historic buildings are priceless assets, not only to the tenants who
work in them, but also to the citizens who use and appreciate them. The
GSA Southeast Sunbelt Region has an amazing collection of 64 historic
Federal buildings spread out among its eight-state territory. These
buildings have a distinct and very special character that is no longer
realistic to reproduce. Therefore, it is GSA's responsibility to protect
these historic assets.

However, these buildings compete for funding for repair and maintenance
with the rest of the portfolio within a pool of resources that is not
sufficient to fund every project. Therefore, any additional revenue that
can be generated, especially at the same time it can show off these
historic assets and buoy the local communities, is essential to keeping
these treasures as Federally owned buildings.

Through the goals of community outreach and stewardship of the historic
inventory, an idea was formed to market the Federal portfolio as
possible locations for television and film productions. The benefits of
this program include:

-   Promotion of the historic preservation program through appearances
    and credits in television and film productions

-   Boon to the local economy that results from television and film
    production

-   Receipt of fees paid by production companies will increase regional
    Funds From Operations that can be returned directly to the
    building's preservation through a historic outlease as defined in
    the National Historic Preservation Act.

Because GSA is in the business of providing the best space possible for
its Federal clients, it took creativity to develop guidelines for
filming in Federal buildings and some quick learning to understand the
way movie locations are selected. Policies have also been developed for
prospective film production companies that detail the special
circumstances inherent in filming within a Federal building.

As the program grows, GSA expects to encounter more obstacles such as a
larger workload and particular problems that may come with certain film
projects. However, GSA has already received a check for \$10,000 for one
day of filming for the upcoming motion picture "Leopold Bloom." The
South Carolina Film Commission has also toured the historic buildings in
Charleston, increasing awareness and possibilities of additional
revenue.

Federal buildings all over the country are one-of-a-kind expressions of
the country's values and cannot be easily replicated on a Hollywood
soundstage. By developing some simple guidelines and promoting
availability of venues, other GSA regions or Federal agencies could
easily take advantage of the benefits of a program such as the one
developed in the Southeast Sunbelt Region.

For more information, contact Mr. Jeffrey M. Jensen at 404-562-1354 or
via e-mail at <jeffrey.jensen@gsa.gov>.

**03-PRA-025**

### Standard Embassy Design

Department of State

The Department of State's Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO)
has developed a Standard Embassy Design (SED) that it is using for the
majority of its capital projects. The SED lays out the process to plan,
design, and construct new embassy compounds. It consists of a series of
documents, including site and building plans, specifications, design
criteria, an application manual describing its adaptation for a specific
project, and contract requirements.

The SED documents identify prescriptive requirements by incorporating
embedded architectural and engineering concepts to assure that new
facilities are safe, secure, and functional. In developing the SED, OBO
revised its standard space parameters, updated its design criteria,
evaluated previous projects to identify and incorporate best practices,
determined what items had been problematic in previous projects, and
incorporated industry standards into the project.

The SED uses the design build method of project delivery. It is
anticipated that use of the SED will reduce the overall duration of a
project by 34 percent from the initiation of site selection to project
completion. This will enable the State Department to provide new
facilities to a greater number of diplomatic posts in a shorter period
of time. Savings of \$63 million, achieved from the fiscal year 2002
projects and reinvested in the capital program, allowed OBO to plan for
one additional facility.

The State Department views the new Standard Embassy Design as the model
for meeting its mandate to cost effectively replace the embassies and
consulates that do not provide adequate security for US diplomatic
personnel and functions.

For more information, contact Ms. Sandra K. Donovan at 703-875-6365 or
via e-mail at <donovansk@state.gov>.

**03-PRA-037**

### Upfront Investment Created Future Savings

General Services Administration

In the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, GSA quickly
set out to find replacement space for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
and Firearms (ATF) in New York City. There were many challenges,
including:

-   Tight market conditions

-   Limited sites capable of meeting the government's space and parking
    requirements

-   Need for the space to be completed and ready for occupancy within 45
    days

A careful evaluation of potential sites resulted in the decision to
relocate ATF to a converted warehouse facility in Brooklyn, NY. During
negotiations, the team realized that, due to the nature of the
building's heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system,
overtime utility costs would be exorbitant. Since the ATF required a
round- the-clock operation of 4,000 square feet, the issue of overtime
utilities was crucial. The low-pressure steam system for the warehouse
required a certified engineer to operate the system continuously. Due to
ATF's requirements of continual operation for a portion of the space, an
analysis of the costs associated with overtime utilities showed costs
exceeding \$850,000 per year. The team was faced with the challenge of
reducing overtime utility costs and keeping the project on time and
within budget.

By weighing the life cycle costs associated with redesigning the
lessor's HVAC system, the team was able to amass substantial savings
over the term of the lease. GSA evaluated all aspects of the redesign
including the costs of the equipment, the cost of work associated with
the new equipment and redesign, recurring operating costs, and the cost
savings associated with eliminating the need for mechanical rooms. All
things being considered, the team saved the government \$7,587,361 over
the lease term. In addition to the cost savings, the project timeframe
was not affected and the project did not exceed the budgetary
constraints. The new equipment is more reliable and efficient and will
enhance employee productivity and customer satisfaction.

For more information, contact Ms. Maureen Lennon at 212-264-9151 via
e-mail at <maureen.lennon@gsa.gov>.

**03-PRA-042**

### Recommissioning Existing Facilities

Social Security Administration

In an effort to better renovate existing facilities, the Social Security
Administration (SSA) is developing and applying a method to assure a
more efficient facility, better suited for the mission of the SSA. The
method originates from the adaptation of an American Society of Heating
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers guideline, titled, Whole
Building Commissioning to Buildings and Facilities undergoing extensive
remodeling or renovation.

SSA researches the basis of design for the existing facility. This
process of discovery is applied to the essential building elements
impacted by the proposed work. As the design develops for the
large-scale repair or replacement, the recommissioning process
identifies the level of impact the work has on each of the building
elements. Following the identification, the impact on the building
elements is monitored as the design and the work proceed.

The goal of this application is to produce a more coordinated and
efficient final product. The recommissioning will focus the building
owner to identify essential requirements necessary to produce the level
of completed work that meets the stated goals and budget. The process
also serves as the base for benchmarking the facility and aids the
owner, designer, and constructor to produce completed work that meet the
owner\'s stated requirements. The owner then has the ability to monitor
the performance of the finished product on an ongoing basis.

For additional information, please contact Mr. Tim Corbett at
410-965-4865 or by email at <tim.corbett@ssa.gov>.

######## *Customer Focus*

03-PRA-005

Communication Planning: Moorhead Lobby Renovation

Department of Homeland Security

General Services Administration

GSA owns and manages the William S. Moorhead Federal Building in
Pittsburgh, PA, built in 1962. The facility provides a workplace for
more than 2,500 Federal employees in approximately 50 Federal agencies.
A 1997 building tenants survey revealed only 73 percent of Moorhead
tenants were satisfied with GSA services compared to a GSA average of 82
percent in the region. The vacancy rate was 12.6 percent. GSA was in the
midst of long-range planning for a complete modernization of the
facility, including modernization of building systems and a complete
renovation of interior spaces, to begin in 2004.

The modernization would likely increase customer satisfaction, but the
project wouldn't be completed until 2008. GSA's plan is to phase the
work so it could be completed while the facility remained occupied. With
customer satisfaction decreasing in the building and agencies looking
ahead to the major modernization, GSA feared agencies would begin to
leave the Federal building for leased space, leaving GSA with a fully
modernized, but half empty Federal building in 2008. The question was
how to gain the tenant agencies' trust and confidence that GSA would
manage construction work in the facility with their best interests in
mind, minimizing disruption to the largest extent possible, and provide
a much improved workplace.

At the same time, GSA was struggling with a nationwide dilemma in its
Federal buildings. Many buildings were not designed to accommodate new
security requirements and equipment instituted following the 1995
bombing in Oklahoma City. Tenants and visitors were greeted by a
profusion of signs spelling out various prohibitions and immediately
confronted with security devices. Many entries failed to provide clear
directions. Various signs on wobbly easels and notices taped to walls
did not give a professional appearance. Federal building lobbies were
clean, but cluttered, intimidating, dreary in appearance, and in essence
they undercut Federal agency tenants\' efforts to serve their customers.

These same entries were often where the citizens got their first
impression of the Federal government. GSA contracted with Gensler &
Associates to survey public areas in Federal buildings across the nation
and identify opportunities for improved first impressions. Only 65
percent of Moorhead tenants were satisfied with the attractiveness of
the building and office environment and only 66 percent were satisfied
with the attractiveness of common and public areas of the facility.

GSA set funding aside to renovate the entrance and lobby of the Moorhead
Federal Building. The project would serve as a precursor to the larger
modernization project. GSA needed to manage this renovation well in
order to achieve its long-range goal of maintaining occupancy and
reducing the vacancy rate upon completion of the larger modernization.

The GSA project team implemented a communication plan for the lobby
renovation. The goal is to involve tenants in the renovation plans,
ensure improved satisfaction with the appearance of the facility, and
build trust and confidence in GSA to manage renovation work in the
facility and communicate with them during the process.

As a result of the lobby renovation, a Gallup survey showed the Moorhead
tenants' satisfaction with the building and office environment
attractiveness increased from 65 percent to 87 percent and the
attractiveness of the common and public spaces increased from 66 percent
to 83 percent.

During the lobby renovation, the Moorhead tenants' satisfaction with:

-   Follow-up communication increased from 79 percent to 91 percent

-   Effectiveness of communication increased from 81 percent to 91
    percent

-   GSA's flexibility increased from 83 percent to 92 percent

-   GSA's responsiveness increased from 84 percent to 92 percent

-   Ease of doing business with GSA increased from 84 percent to 92
    percent

GSA is now heading into the major modernization project with a 12.6
percent vacancy rate. Based on discussions with tenants, GSA is
projecting to decrease the vacancy rate to 6.5 percent upon completion
of the major modernization.

For more information, contact Ms. Gina M. Waring at 215-446-2895 or via
e-mail at [**gina.waring@gsa.gov**](mailto:gina.waring@gsa.gov).

**03-PRA-009**

### Enhancing Communication Between Agencies

#### Department of Transportation

**General Services Administration**

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has initiated a quarterly
review process practice to improve and enhance the communication between
itself and GSA concerning the GSA Rent Program. The goal of each review
is to enhance the communication between the FAA representative in the
field, the GSA contact personnel on the rent bill, and FAA's program
manager with GSA at the headquarters' location.

The quarterly reviews consist of three components.

-   Section One describes FAA's projection for the current year and
    expiration data. FAA requests GSA to validate its projection and
    expiration information to ensure that FAA is on target. GSA
    validates the information and discusses proposed credits, shell
    rental increases, tax projections, and step increases that may
    potentially affect FAA's Rent budget.

-   Section Two is a list of outstanding questions or clarifications for
    GSA to address to avoid negative budgetary impacts to FAA's GSA Rent
    budget. Questions are developed and forwarded to FAA regional
    representatives and then forwarded to GSA for resolution.

-   Section Three is the Note section that discusses agreements that
    were previously discussed between the two agencies, GSA's projection
    information, and square footage data that address the differences
    between fiscal years. FAA requests GSA to verify the notes, provide
    any remarks necessary, and provide the agency with a briefing of any
    updated guidance that will affect the GSA Rent program, including
    the occupancy agreement tool.

The goal in developing open communication is to minimize unplanned
charges to the FAA rent billing data. Findings show the resolution of
questions proves to be a successful tool. The reviews promote a team
concept within GSA and FAA to resolve outstanding questions in a timely
manner. The process reduces potential barriers. The concept of working
in teams for a timely response is necessary to ensure FAA's long range
and short range budgeting is current and accurate.

For more information, contact Ms. Laura Sullivan at 202-267-7854 or via
e-mail at <laura.sullivan@faa.gov>.

**03-PRA-022**

### GSA/INS Gateway Partnership

General Services Administration

In response to an overwhelming increase in personnel and space needs of
the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), GSA and INS entered
into a joint partnership. The main goal of this partnership was to
develop new ways of working together to accommodate the increasing
demand for workspace and to improve the collaborative project delivery
process. This partnership came to be known as the GSA/INS Gateway
Program.

The mission statement of the GSA/INS National Gateway Program
partnership is "We, the GSA/INS partners, will cooperate, trust, and
communicate openly with each other with an attitude of mutual respect
and honesty so that we deliver quality work environments on time and
within scope and budget." INS and GSA have been working together in a
formalized fashion and to meet this mission statement.

Both agencies entered into a memorandum of agreement to define the real
estate services to be provided, the scope and types of projects to be
delivered, and how GSA and INS would be accomplish projects together.

GSA agreed to modify its organizational structure, on a virtual basis,
to mirror INS. This vastly simplified INS's ability to obtain
information from GSA. As a result of the Gateway Partnership, INS is now
able to contact a single GSA associate to order services, obtain project
information and status and resolve problems.

INS and GSA also developed several unique real estate tools for project
managers and realty specialists:

-   Lease acquisition guide

-   Customized occupancy agreements and solicitation for offers

-   Space allocation standards

-   Reimbursable Work Authorization search system

Project managers and real estate specialists from both agencies have
been trained on these tools and they have been posted on web sites for
easy access. Communication protocols are in place and being utilized to
timely escalate issues in need of resolution for both agencies at all
levels. The real estate tools and the defined roles and responsibilities
for all involved have led to better communication and project
accomplishment for both agencies.

The real estate tools and the defined roles and responsibilities for all
involved have led to better communication and project execution. The end
result has been a better understanding of the customer's needs, and
ultimately workplaces that improve INS' ability to carry out its
mission.

For more information, contact Mr. Mike Dunbar at 617-565-6228 or via
e-mail at <mike.dunbar@gsa.gov>.

**03-PRA-030**

### Turn Key Opportunity

General Services Administration

The turn key opportunity (TKO) concept is a proactive effort to measure
the effectiveness of the space delivery process; to promote open
communication and to maintain or develop a high level of credibility
with the customer agency.

GSA is hopeful that full implementation of this practice for all space
acquisitions will result in improved customer satisfaction and realty
transaction survey scores. GSA believes good customer service
relationships should be formed at the beginning of the lease acquisition
process and continue throughout the occupancy of the lease. Good
customer service includes the understanding of each organization's roles
and responsibilities attributed to the administration and compliance of
the space agreement.

The TKO meeting, which occurs at the start of the space acquisition
process is an opportunity for GSA, the tenant agency, and the lessor to
meet and discuss the roles, responsibilities, and expectations with the
lease acquisition process. The TKO meeting is attended by the core space
delivery team, which includes the Realty Specialist, Property Manager,
Federal Protective Security Specialist, customer agency\'s
representative, lessor and the lessor\'s property management personnel.
The presentations clarify any specific terms of the agreement and give
participants the opportunity to articulate expectations as a stepping
stone toward ensuring a successful long-term tenancy. At the end of the
meeting, the customer completes a survey to measure the effectiveness of
the space delivery. GSA's customers have responded very positively to
the TKO concept. GSA is very excited about its continued application in
all space acquisitions as well as further applications of the concept in
other program activities utilizing a team approach. The TKO concept has
been incorporated into GSA's asset management strategic plan as a method
to improve customer service.

For more information, contact Ms. Karen B. Johnson at 404-562-2760 via
e-mail at <karen.johnson@gsa.gov>.

**03-PRA-031**

### Customer Satisfaction Survey Team

General Services Administration

In order to gauge customer satisfaction with the services GSA provides,
The Public Buildings Service (PBS) teamed with the International
Facilities Management Association and the Gallup Organization to create
and implement a Customer Satisfaction Survey. The survey, instituted in
1993 and refined over the years, provided PBS with a wealth of
information directly from customers.

The challenge became deciding what to do with the information. It was
clear that the survey results pointed out areas of strengths and
weaknesses. However, consistently strategizing and addressing these
areas remained an issue. In 2001, a Customer Satisfaction Survey team
was formed to devise an action plan to discuss and perform a multitude
of duties. The team consisted of representatives from each Property
Management Service Center in the Rocky Mountain Region as well as the
regional marketing team. The team has met weekly since 2001 to address
issues including:

-   Improving customer satisfaction

-   Distributing customer satisfaction surveys and encouraging customers
    to Complete and return the survey to the Gallup Organization for
    analysis

-   Forming action plans based on the results of the survey

-   Improving communications with customers

-   Streamlining the process

Weekly meetings produced efforts towards this end, which include the
development and on-going refinement and implementation of pre- and
post-survey communications tools that are distributed to customers, a
website with reference tools for property managers administering the
survey, and the utilization of the GSA Ambassador team to assist in the
distribution of the surveys.

The Customer Satisfaction Survey team has helped property managers
overcome obstacles and ultimately increase the overall customer
satisfaction scores over the last two years. In 2002, the Rocky Mountain
Region became the first PBS region to achieve an overall customer
satisfaction rating of 90 percent. Not only was this the highest score
in the nation but a significant increase over the previous year's score
of 82 percent.

For more information, contact Ms. Ann Marie Hausler at 303-236-7174 ext.
562 via e-mail at <annmarie.hausler@gsa.gov>.

######## *Historic Preservation*

03-POL-001

The National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act Pilot Program
Partnership

Department of Homeland Security

Department of the Interior

General Services Administration

The National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act (NHLPA) Pilot Program
Partnership, (the Partnership), conceptualized, developed, and
implemented a successful model for an enduring National Historic
Lighthouse conveyance program. The NHLPA program is administered through
the combined efforts of the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), GSA, and National
Park Service (NPS).

The Partnership and the process developed under the NHLPA established
the framework to effectively and efficiently dispose and divest of these
historic assets while accomplishing agency goals for each partner. This
Partnership successfully transferred the first group of over 300
lighthouses under the NHLPA, and has begun a more ambitious round of
transfers. The Partnership enabled the agencies to reduce the transfer
time for a lighthouse property from 334 days to 225 days in fiscal year
2002. The Federal government will also realize a cost avoidance of \$300
million for protection and maintenance of these properties. The
Partnership has also allowed the USCG to focus its resources on critical
Homeland Security issues.

For more information, contact Ms. Melissa Green at 202-208-0498 or via
e-mail at <melissa.green@gsa.gov>.

03-POL-006

GSA\'s Federal Legacy Vision

General Services Administration

In August 2002, PBS Commissioner, F. Joseph Moravec, issued a policy
paper entitled *Integration of a Federal Legacy Vision with GSA's
Portfolio Strategy for Restructuring and Reinvesting in the
Owned-Inventory*. The policy integrates GSA's stewardship strategy, that
calls for putting historic buildings first, with agency portfolio
management initiatives for financially sound and sustainable management
of the agency's Federal workspace inventory.

The goal of the Legacy Vision is to position the government's finest
buildings to be the strongest financial performers possible. For all
under performing historic buildings, the strategy requires GSA to take a
second look and make every effort to make them financially viable.
Specific financial turn around measures include undertaking necessary
repairs and improvements to eliminate vacant space, relocating tenants
from leased space or non-historic Federal buildings to historic Federal
buildings, increasing rent rates to better reflect operating and repair
costs, and supplementing Federal tenants with non-Federal or outlease
tenants.

The policy also recognizes that given the constraints on capital,
strategic use of limited funds requires GSA to make choices that will
benefit some properties more than others. Not all buildings warrant the
same amount of investment and stewardship effort. Legacy buildings,
designed to serve a symbolic and ceremonial, as well as functional,
purpose for the government will have high priority.

The policy has already had an impact on several historic facilities. The
National Historic Landmark U.S. Customhouse in New Orleans, LA, is being
renovated to provide additional office space. Accessibility upgrades are
being performed in the U.S. Customhouse in Portland, ME, to ensure
continued occupancy. GSA has identified tenants for the Federal Building
in Minneapolis, MN, to backfill vacant space.

For more information, contact Ms. Kristi M. Tunstall at 202-219-0343 or
via e-mail at <kristi.tunstall@gsa.gov>.

03-PRA-006

Portland, Historic Preservation through Technology

General Services Administration

The Historic Preservation through Technology project describes the
upgrading of the HVAC system in a historic building while preserving and
reusing its historic qualities. The existing HVAC systems in the U.S.
Customhouse in Portland, ME, consisted of an oil-fired boiler and a
chiller with an air-cooled condenser unit. Because the building occupied
the entire site, the condenser was located in interior mechanical space
vented to the outside. There was also a 6,000-gallon, single walled oil
tank for the boiler that extended beyond the property line, posing an
environmental risk. The interior condensing unit used considerable
space. The unit, when idle, also allowed for infusion of vehicle
emissions from the street. To address these problems the project team
investigated alternative solutions and proposed a ground source heat
pump (GSHP) system.

The team justified their solution with a life cycle cost analysis.
Although initial costs were more than the replacement of the existing
system, the project was authorized. After removing the interior
condenser, the team installed a natural gas fired emergency generator to
reduce the building electrical load during high usage periods, in
addition to providing emergency power. The Customhouse, built in 1877,
used a convection system for ventilation, consisting of 12 vent shafts.
The shafts, which were sealed, have been reopened, ducted and are now
used as the interior air distribution system, taking a feature from the
past and reusing it in the present. The new systems' life cycle cost
savings is based primarily on energy use. The system is projected to
save 30 percent over a conventional system. Current data indicates a
savings in excess of 40 percent.

This is the second GSHP system installed in Maine, demonstrating that
this technology works in the New England climate. The project is a
prototype for a larger project, the new U.S. Courthouse in Springfield,
MA, which will use a 23 well system.

For more information, contact Mr. James E. Devir at 617-565-7902 or via
e-mail at <james.devir@gsa.gov>.

**03-PRA-019**

### NASA/CMU Historic Lease

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

The NASA Ames Research Center and Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) have
established an active collaborative partnership focused on research and
education. The partnership has resulted in the adaptive reuse of
underutilized historic structures in the Shenandoah Historic District
and the furtherance of NASA's research and educational mission.

The Ames Research Center, founded back in 1939 in the heart of Silicon
Valley, provides research support to NASA in the fields of information
technology, biotechnology, astrobiology, nanotechnology, and human
factors. In 1994, the Navy transferred the 1,500-acre Naval Air Station
Moffett Field to NASA, including the Shenandoah Historic District with
its collection of Spanish Colonial Revival and Art Modern style
buildings that reflect the nation's naval aviation history. With limited
resources, NASA was unable to properly maintain these historic
structures that needed seismic retrofitting, improvements to comply with
the Americans with Disabilities Act, and other repairs to restore the
facilities to a useful state.

CMU and NASA partnered to sign a 15-year lease for two buildings at the
former Naval Air Station. CMU is spending an estimated \$5.6 million to
rehabilitate the historic structures as well as adjacent cultural
landscape to bring the buildings in compliance with all codes and laws.
The partnership will allow CMU to physically locate its High
Dependability Computing Program and other educational and research
programs at the Ames Research Center to collaborate with NASA. This is
the first step CMU is taking to establish its Carnegie West campus at
NASA's Research Park in the Bay Area. NASA is able to restore these
historic properties to a first class condition, while avoiding an
estimated \$111,600 in annual operating, maintenance, and repair costs.

For more information, contact Ms. Mejghan Haider at 650-604-4771 or via
e-mail at <mejghan.k.haider@nasa.gov>.

**03-PRA-026**

### Presidio Remodel Showcases Sustainability Practices

Department of the Interior

Long before the Golden Gate Bridge became just another entrance; the
Presidio has been one of San Francisco\'s most treasured locations. Once
a historic military base, its ongoing conversion into a national park
continues to earn environmental accolades in the innovative world of
sustainable development. As stewards for the National Park Service
(NPS), the restoration goals of the Presidio are to apply sustainability
objectives to historic renovation projects in order to increase resource
protection and raise public awareness.

The challenge for the NPS was to actually integrate the most suitable of
sustainable practices without sacrificing historic preservation. The
most recent and successful marriage of these concepts can be seen in the
restoration of a 2,400 square-foot engineering warehouse located
directly on the Bay between Fort Point and Crissy Field. Originally
built in 1909, the "Warming Hut" currently houses an information center,
bookstore and, café. Less than a year was available to design and
renovate the dilapidated structure, but this building provided design
professionals and environmental consultants the unique opportunity to
combine sustainable design, construction, public education and
operations all in one project.

From the design and material selection to merchandising, maintenance and
operation, the proper integration of all components remained the
paramount concern. Building materials were selected based on recycled
content, low-toxicity levels and re-use potential. Retail products and
fixtures were chosen for their educational value and ability to meet
sustainability objectives. Even story panels and photographs
interpreting contextual themes are framed in recycled barn wood. The
café uses local organically grown produce in support of sustainable
farming practices. Add to that renowned Bay Area chef Alice Waters
consulting on the organic menu, and it wasn\'t long before the Warming
Hut left the best taste possible in everyone\'s mouth.

In short, the Warming Hut is one of the most integrated examples of
sustainable design available to the public. And even as the project
continues to receive awards, most recently the 2002 NPS Environmental
Achievement Award, its ultimate goal will always be the inspiration of
even better practices for the future.

For more information, contact Ms. Carrie Strahan at 415-561-4931 or via
e-mail at <carrie.strahan@nps.gov>.

######## *Partnering*

03-POL-003

NASA Ames Development Plan (NADP)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

The NASA Ames Development Plan (NADP) provides for the future
development of collaborative research and educational facilities as well
as the preservation of cultural and natural resources at the NASA Ames
Research Center (ARC) in Mountain View, CA.

NADP will result in the transformation of the original 500-acre ARC
campus and 1,500 acres of the former Naval Air Station Moffett Field
into an integrated, dynamic research and educational community in the
heart of California's Silicon Valley. The NADP will consist of the
renovation of approximately 600,000 square feet of historic buildings,
demolition of approximately 560,000 square feet of obsolete structures,
and the addition of 2.1 million square feet of newly constructed space,
including:

-   Educational facilities

-   Office space

-   Research and development space

-   Housing

The NADP leverages NASA's underutilized building and land assets in
order to advance its mission through the extensive use of public private
partnerships. The partnerships with academia, industry, and non-profit
organizations will ensure the preservation of historic properties and
the redevelopment of non-historic buildings at the former Naval Air
Station Moffett Field. The partnerships fulfill NASA's goals of
advancing each party's capacity in basic and applied information
technologies, astrobiology, life and micro gravity sciences,
biotechnology, nanotechnology, and aeronautical and space technology;
and promoting educational programs in science, technology, engineering,
and math.

NASA has begun to implement the NADP through a signed a lease with
Carnegie Mellon University to establish a "Carnegie West" campus for
science and engineering research and education. In addition, NASA has
signed memoranda of understanding with the following partners:

-   University of California Santa Cruz

-   San Jose State University

-   Foothill and DeAnza Community College District National Center for
    Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math

-   National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education

-   California Air and Space Educational Foundation

-   Girvan Institute

The partners will be solely responsible for the rehabilitation of
existing buildings and the construction of new buildings for their use.
Consequently, the financial feasibility of the NADP does not depend on
any direct or indirect financial commitment from NASA. NASA has
implemented a full cost recovery program to cover costs and services
provided to NASA's partners. NASA also expects the ground rent payments
from its partners to reduce operating and maintenance costs at the ARC.

For more information, contact Ms. Patricia Morrisey at 650-604-1168 or
via e-mail at
[**tmorrissey@mail.arc.nasa.gov**](mailto:tmorrissey@mail.arc.nasa.gov).

03-PRA-003

Creative Reuse of Federal Assets

General Services Administration

The Creative Use of Federal Assets provides a framework in which an
agency can transfer its underutilized real estate assets to another
agency that needs them. The Kansas City Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
Service Center has sought funding for several years to update and
consolidate its aging, geographically dispersed, and inefficient campus.
The existing IRS campus is made up of several Federally owned and leased
facilities spread out in five major locations within the Kansas City
metropolitan area. Prospectus requests for updating the Service Center
have repeatedly been turned down. Concurrently, a joint IRS and GSA
team, named the Strategic Campus Action Team (SCAT), has been developing
a conceptual design for an IRS campus that will facilitate the
reinvented method in which the IRS will conduct business in the 21^st^
century.

The existing Kansas City Main Post Office had considered expanding its
central city site several years ago and had acquired 25 acres adjoining
the Main Post Office. When a better financial opportunity to expand
presented itself in another part of the city, the U.S. Postal Service
(USPS) left a mostly empty building with an excellent adjoining site of
several owned parcels of land. The USPS and GSA entered into a
partnership whereby USPS hired a developer to transform the Post Office
and site into a new IRS Service Center. GSA will lease the building from
USPS, and in turn assign it to IRS. Private sector financing has been
obtained to build the project. The financing is secured by GSA's
long-term occupancy agreement with IRS. As it happens, the existing Post
Office and site provide a nearly perfect fit for the construction of a
new IRS Service Center based on SCAT principles. The project will be a
leading example of a new results orientation in the Federal sector.

The project represents a winning combination for all parties involved.
The IRS gets a new state of the art Service Center, consolidating its
scattered business operations into one location. GSA houses its client
in first class space. Kansas City benefits by having almost 6,000
Federal jobs relocated within the urban core. As private sector
financing will be used up front, GSA's Federal Building Fund benefits by
amortizing the costs of the project over time. Most importantly, the
taxpayer will be the long-term beneficiary of a more efficient,
streamlined IRS operating from one location.

For more information, contact Mr. David A. Fellers at 816-823-2244 or
via e-mail at <david.fellers@gsa.gov>.

**03-PRA-041**

### Creative Property Exchange

General Services Administration

The PBS Southeast Sunbelt Region has aggressively negotiated exchanges
of under-utilized Federal properties with city and county governments.
In consideration, GSA receives land and/or buildings from cities, of
substantially equal value, to meet the Federal government's current
needs. Cities receive expansion space often adjacent to their existing
civic buildings. GSA is provided desirable land or buildings without
additional taxpayer cash outlay. Tens of millions of dollars have
already been saved via these creative property exchanges. Project
examples can be found in Natchez, MS; Jacksonville, FL; Charleston, SC;
Charlotte, NC.

In the Charlotte exchange, GSA was considering the purchase of a site
for a new U.S. Courthouse. The confirmed appraised value of the desired
site was \$10 million. Ultimately, GSA acquired that land for zero
dollars. GSA had an owned building, with a value of nearly \$10 million
that no longer met the needs of the Federal government. That building;
however, was desired by the City of Charlotte. The City was able to
secure the parcel of land GSA sought. As the properties were of like
value, Federal law grants GSA the authority for both parties to exchange
the properties at no cost. The exchange created a winning situation for
GSA, its tenants, the City of Charlotte, and most importantly the
taxpayer. GSA and the City received the real estate asset it needed in
the zero cost exchange.

To receive the mutual benefit of the exchanges requires delicate
negotiation, intensive research into the needs of the cities, educating
many stakeholders to a new way of doing business, and building consensus
with multiple parties with different agendas.

For additional information, please contact Mr. Tim S. Pfohl at
404-562-0665 or by email at <tim.pfohl@gsa.gov>.

**03-PRA-043**

### Federal and State Governments Partnership

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

As Kennedy Space Center (KSC) searched for a way to replace the Korean
War-era hangar that had for years served as the processing laboratory
for its life science experiments to be flown aboard the Space Shuttle,
it engaged Florida leaders in discussing a bold new partnership to
design, construct, and operate a Space Experiment Research and
Processing Laboratory (SERPL). This facility would serve as the primary
gateway to the International Space Station for its scientific experiment
payloads.

Acting through the Florida Space Agency, Florida Governor Jeb Bush and a
group of legislative leaders offered the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) a commitment of \$30 million in State funds to
build the lab that the International Space Station needed and to lease
the lab's capacity to NASA's experiment processing contractor to perform
Space Station payload work. In addition, the lab would host Florida's
university researchers and their colleagues. The NASA KSC team
identified and obtained program commitment for annual lease funding
approximating the costs that would have been incurred had operations
continued in the existing, inadequate hangar. This provided a
state-of-the-art replacement facility, fair return on the State's
investment, with neutral impact to the NASA facility budget.

In addition, NASA and Florida leaders saw this laboratory as an
opportunity to expand KSC and the State's resident research and
development capabilities, recruit intellectual capital, and attract
private investment to establish a robust space industry sector willing
to locate here for the long haul.

This 100,000-square-foot facility will host the world's most prominent
scientists engaged in life science research to be conducted aboard the
orbiting space station. In accredited laboratories and processing areas,
NASA's life sciences support personnel will carefully house and prepare
these experiments for launch aboard the Space Shuttle from KSC to the
Space Station.

SERPL's state-of-the-art laboratories are also available for use by
qualified researchers working in collaboration with KSC or through the
Florida Space Research Institute, established by the State of Florida to
promote and coordinate access by public and private universities and
associated institutes.

SERPL will also support NASA research in fundamental biology, such as
investigations into how microbial communities evolve in open and closed
environmental systems and the Center's ongoing research in Conservation
Biology. For over 25 years, KSC's ecological research has been a key
component of NASA's environmental stewardship of the Cape Canaveral
Spaceport.

Experiments prepared at SERPL and then flown aboard the International
Space Station, and other ground-based research performed in SERPL
laboratories, will add immensely to NASA's knowledge of biology and may
lead to breakthrough technologies to enable humanity's future
colonization of space and improve the human condition here on Earth.

For additional information, please contact Mr. Donald H. Schiller at
321-867-2556 or by email at <donald.schiller-1@nasa.gov>.

######## *Procurement*

**03-PRA-014**

### Patriot Partnership: Veterans Affairs Headquarters Building

**Department of Veterans Affairs**

**General Services Administration**

In March 2002, GSA and the Veterans Affairs partnered to offer the
Service Disabled Veterans Business Association (SDVBA), a community
resource program providing service-disabled veterans to commercial
companies to perform various tasks, the opportunity to provide facility
management services at the Veterans Administration Headquarters Building
in Washington, DC. The SDVBA partnered with a large commercial business
concern, Consolidated Engineering Services Inc., to provide complete
facility management services using service disabled veterans.

This \"Patriot Partnership\" represents an innovative approach because
the Government receives high quality facility management services
managed by recognizable leaders in their industry, while affording
expanded employment opportunities to disabled persons as envisioned
under the Jacob Wagner O\'Day Act. The contract has been highly
successful at the Veterans Affairs Building.

For more information, contact Ms. Doris A. Cook at 202-708-5841 or via
e-mail at <doris.cook@gsa.gov>.

**03-PRA-020**

### Stipend Use for Lease Construction

Department of the Treasury

General Services Administration

In 2001, the Bureau of the Public Debt (BPD) requested expansion office
space in Parkersburg, WV, to accommodate the growing needs of its
Administrative Resource Center (ARC). Separate from BPD's primary
function of financing and accounting for the public debt, the ARC
provides accounting, human resources, facilities, and technology
services to other Federal agencies. In order to better serve its
customers and promote internal operational efficiencies, the BPD asked
GSA to deliver approximately 150,000 square feet of new office space.
This new office space would not only afford BPD the ability to
consolidate their operations, but also collocate approximately 400
employees currently housed in several leased locations throughout
Parkersburg.

GSA and BPD agreed to incorporate the provision of a stipend into the
lease procurement, in an effort to attract high quality architectural
firms to the project and to introduce them to real estate developers.
Stipends assist the bidding architectural firms defray the costs of
developing their design submission. While stipends had been used
successfully in the past for the design and construction of Federally
owned buildings, this was the first time that GSA had used a stipend for
a leased construction project.

The procurement was divided into two phases. The first phase gauged the
technical aspects of the developer's submission. This process narrowed
the potential bidders down to four, who split \$30,000 to defray their
design costs. The second phase of the procurement evaluated building
configuration, exterior design, interior design, expansion plan, and
building systems.

Building upon the success of GSA's Design Excellence Program to improve
Federal architecture and building high quality Federally owned
structures, several years ago GSA took the next step, and applied Design
Excellence to the leasing program.

For more information, contact Ms. Abigail Smith at 215-446-4585 or via
e-mail at <abby.smith@gsa.gov>.

**03-PRA-027**

### Open Book Competition

General Services Administration

Until recently, GSA has been prohibited from divulging one offeror's
price to another during real estate procurements. This practice
typically meant that offerors did not have the proper data to formulate
accurate, detailed pricing. Consequently, they ended up padding their
prices to cover any unknowns, and GSA's customers ended up paying much
higher rents.

After changes to the regulation removed the limitation, GSA decided to
implement an innovative practice designed to spur market competition and
secure best-value rates for its customers. The basic premise is to show
the price of each offeror to the other offerors during negotiations,
without showing names or other project identifiers, and to show each
offeror GSA's understanding of their offer, exclusive of ranking. The
practice allows each offeror to see exactly what the competition is,
where the offeror stands among the competition, and what the offeror
must do in order to win the procurement. The result is market
competition that becomes much more intensified, culminating in
significantly lower rental rates for the Government.

To beef up the negotiation process even more, the team decided to
develop an extensive Program of Requirements (POR) prior to
negotiations. Past POR's were a few pages and generally generic, so that
prospective offerors had to essentially \"guess\" what their
requirements were. As a result, they weren\'t able to accurately
tabulate their costs and ended up inflating their prices.

The new practice gave way to a highly detailed POR that spanned several
hundred pages. Because offerors now had the luxury of seeing exactly
what they were required to build, they could more accurately determine
the cost of these requirements. This allowed them to provide a
competitive offer, which again meant lower rental rates for the
Government.

GSA has used these innovative practices twice on behalf of its
Department of Health and Human Services customers. The first procurement
was for the Agency for Healthcare and Research Quality (AHRQ) and the
second was for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Agency
(SMAHSA). While the AHRQ procurement was successful, the SAMHSA
negotiations proved to be even more effective. GSA was able to negotiate
a rate of \$21.90 per rentable square feet, more than \$12 per square
foot below the authorized prospectus amount. This translates into
savings of \$25 million over the next ten years.

The process also gave GSA additional leverage in negotiating the
combined lessor\'s fee, general contractor\'s fee, and overhead and
profit markups. While recent leases have markups as high as 28 percent,
GSA was able to negotiate SAMHSA\'s fees at 10.3 percent, allowing for
nearly \$1 million in an additional tenant improvement allowance for
this 228,000 square foot project.

For more information, contact Ms. Mary L. Hewson at 202-219-2497 or via
e-mail at <mary.hewson@gsa.gov>.

**03-PRA-033**

### Integrated Approach to Contracted Services

General Services Administration

The Regional Customer Operations Service Team (COST) has developed a
streamlined methodology for procuring operation and maintenance services
for assets across the Northwest Arctic Region that has significantly
improved the business process.

The intent of the initiative was to develop a regional strategic
response to address the operational needs of the numerous real estate
assets that had been served by PBS wage-grade associates. The intended
outcome of the COST team's efforts is to improve and streamline the
procurement, performance, and administration of operation and
maintenance (O&M) service contracts. The COST also provided the
flexibility to address the goals and objectives of GSA, the Region's
Asset Business, Local Portfolio, and Regional Portfolio "Family of
Plans."

The performance work statement (PWS) indefinite delivery, indefinite
quantity (IDIQ) contract vehicle can be used to deliver services by
means of a two stage, "Best Value, Multiple Award, Task Order
Procurement" process. The first stage, Multiple Award Schedule (MAS),
allows for continuous expansion of the vendor pool, enabling task order
completion. The second stage, allows for the best value for all
individual assets, and to evaluate socio-economic considerations for
each asset.

With the MAS format, internal customers can obtain services much faster
and more economically than a fully competitive contract award. The PWS
places the onus of performance and quality control on the contractor,
rather than the Government. There is ongoing development of key
performance indicators and a quality assurance database that links
performance of contractors with the overall performance of the asset and
tenant customer satisfaction. The PWS IDIQ has greatly increased
capacity for COST to efficiently serve its customers in the field
operations through reduced redundancies in service contract development,
procurement, and administration. The Integrated Approach to Delivery of
Contracted Services is already reducing the regional overhead expenses
attributed to COST and applied to facilities as a percentage of total
asset operating costs. This MAS contract provides PBS Customer
Operations personnel a tool that has vastly improved delivery, yet
retains the government's abilities for competitive delivery of
contracted O&M services to real property assets.

Because of the contract vehicle's ability to deliver services much
quicker while leveraging GSA's buying power, it makes the Government a
true customer not a default profit center and holds the promise of
providing GSA with the best skilled craftspeople and industry best
practices of for operating government real property assets.

For more information, contact Mr. S. Shadd Soth at 253-931-7224 via
e-mail at <shadd.soth@gsa.gov>.

**03-PRA-039**

### Lease Building Commissioning Pays Back

General Services Administration

GSA's Heartland Region instituted the concept of building commissioning
for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Science & Technology
Center (STC) in Kansas City, KS. Building commissioning is an innovative
approach in the design and construction industry in which a third party
commissioning agent is retained by the developer to provide documented
confirmation that building systems function according to the design
documents. For GSA, commissioning provides a creative solution in
Government-owned and leased facilities by shifting the task of system
verification from the general contractor's oversight to a third party
commissioning agent whose focus is more on quality, function and
adherence to design rather than dollars and schedules. Far from ignoring
costs and schedules, the commissioning agent's focus on quality
encourages the general contractor's accountability in building a quality
product for the same dollar and on the same schedule. Making the
building's acceptance dependent upon the commissioning agent's checks
and balances validates the commissioning practice because, the
Government receives assurance that the facility functions as intended
and is to the level of quality workmanship for which it has contracted
without impacting the schedule or budget.

In 1996, after over two decades in a leased laboratory facility in
Kansas City, KS, EPA approached GSA with the prospect of developing a
new state of the art STC. GSA partnered with EPA, the Unified Government
of Kansas City, KS, Wyandotte County and a local developer through a
competitive bid lease to design and construct a new 72,000 square foot
STC.

In response to the lease requirements, the developer retained a
professional commissioning firm to commission the major building systems
in conjunction with the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in
Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) certification requirements, which
were incorporated in the lease. The process proved to be a resounding
success in April 2003 when GSA accepted the building from the developer
on time, on budget and fully functional on the first day of occupancy.
The STC has already received the prestigious GSA Environmental Award,
MCA Award and is expected to achieve the LEED Gold rating from the U.S.
Green Building Council, again in large part, due to the contribution of
the commissioning process.

Although commissioning carried a price tag of nearly \$200,000, the
costs were offset exponentially in the form of the Government's exposure
to loss, alleviation of potential delays, energy cost saving projected
to be upwards of \$4.5 million over the term of the lease, avoidance of
lost productivity as a result of design errors, and improved
communication amongst the design and construction team. Most
importantly, the client, EPA, is thrilled with their new surroundings as
well as GSA as their provider of choice.

For more information, contact Mr. S. Dennis Clemons at 816-823-1212 via
e-mail at <dennis.clemons@gsa.gov>.

######## *Security*

03-POL-002

The National Capital Urban Design and Security Plan

National Capital Planning Commission

The National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), the Federal
government's central planning agency in Washington, D.C. and surrounding
region, has released a plan that is changing the way security measures
are designed and implemented at Federal facilities throughout the city's
Monumental Core.

The groundbreaking plan shows ways to provide adequate building
perimeter security while preserving the beauty and dignity of
Washington's historic Federal structures and public properties. The plan
is a guide for Federal agencies and is designed to assist facilities
managers to meet their security requirements with design solutions that
are acceptable to Federal employees and the wider community. The Urban
Design and Security Plan demonstrates that good urban design and good
security can go hand in hand.

The Urban Design and Security Plan:

-   Provides perimeter security against the threat of bomb-laden
    vehicles.

-   Assists facility managers to meet their security needs with good
    urban design solutions.

-   Offers a citywide program of both security and urban beautification.

-   Expands the palette of attractive street furnishing and landscape
    treatments that can provide curbside security.

In an unprecedented, collaborative effort with security professionals,
facilities managers, public and private stakeholders, and designers, the
NCPC team demonstrated to all participating agencies that good design
would not diminish security at their facilities. Because of the
diversity of precincts, streets, and public space in the plan area, and
the variety of security requirements of individual Federal buildings,
the team responded with an innovative array of flexible and customized
design solutions.

America's public buildings and properties are the nation's patrimony.
Today, however, the unsightly jumble of fences and barriers that
surround public facilities diminish these valuable assets and erode the
image of a strong and democratic government. The Urban Design and
Security Plan offers a way to secure the nation's great public places
while ensuring they reflect the civic ideals of openness and
accessibility.

For more information, contact Mr. William Dowd at 202-482-7240 or via
e-mail at [**william.dowd@ncpc.gov**](mailto:william.dowd@ncpc.gov).

03-PRA-011

### Mission Dependency Index

#### 

#### Department of Homeland Security

#### Department of the Navy

The Mission Dependency Index (MDI) is an operational risk management
(ORM) metric linking facilities to mission execution, filling a void in
the public sector, which is represented by profit indicators in the
private sector. The MDI replaces ORM terminology of probability and
severity with real property centric issues of interruptuabilty,
relocateability, and replaceabilty.

MDI is generated from straightforward interviews held with senior level
decision makers having authority over operational and facility
decisions. The product of the interviews is a quantitative score
normalized over a scale from one to one hundred, with higher scores
representing higher mission dependencies or mission critical facilities.
The MDI is also color coded and described over a natural distribution to
better support visual decision-making.

The MDI was first defined at the Naval Facilities Engineering Service
Center (NFESC), Port Hueneme, CA, in the spring of 2000 and has from
early inception been co-developed by NFESC and the US Coast Guard's
Office of Civil Engineering in Washington, DC. Since then there has been
three Navy and one Coast Guard field tests and the MDI is incorporated
into the asset management strategic plans of each agency. The Chief of
Naval Operations has approved the MDI and the Navy is scheduling for
deployment in fiscal year 2004. Likewise, the Coast Guard's Chief Civil
Engineer has approved the MDI and has already deployed it in conjunction
with its pilot Regional Strategic Plan covering all Coast Guard shore
facilities within USCG Group Charleston's area of responsibility.

The MDI is highly recognized for its versatility and adaptability. In
both the Navy and Coast Guard the MDI is applied to support the
prioritization of real property maintenance, repair and sustainment
projects, prioritization of real property resources, performance of
facility assessments, developing short lists of real property divesture
opportunities, and attendance to physical security needs. The MDI's
greatest strength and its distinguishing quality over similar
initiatives is its simplicity. Interviews take about an hour and
generate objective, auditable, highly creditable data scalable and
adaptable to differing mission definitions.

From inception, the MDI has been recognized as a versatile and highly
transferable metric by virtue of the Navy and Coast Guard's
co-development efforts. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Fort
Steward, GA, and NASA at Wallops Flight Facility, VA, have already
scheduled field tests. The transferability is a product of the
versatility built directly into MDI methodology, which specifically
allows agencies to independently define missions using their own
terminology. The MDI methodology only requires an understandable
definition of mission implying the ability to act or communicate mission
critical information.

For more information, contact LCDR James J. Dempsey at 202-493-7009 or
via e-mail at
[**jdempsey@comdt.uscg.mil**](mailto:jdempsey@comdt.uscg.mil).

**03-PRA-012**

### Computer Emergency Notification System

#### 

#### Department of Defense

The terrorist attack on September 11, 2001 challenged the emergency
communications channels within the Pentagon. The Pentagon Security
Advisory Group recognized the need existed for a supplemental means of
communicating emergency information to the Pentagon community. The
result is an automated Computer Emergency Notification System (CENS)
using the Pentagon network infrastructure to support emergency
notifications.

CENS's main requirement is to enable the Pentagon Force Protection
Agency (PFPA) to send messages to computer users within the Pentagon,
notifying them of action required in a crisis situation. The philosophy
was the more methods that existed for communication during a crisis
situation, the more likely lives would be saved. As a result, CENS was
developed to supplement the use of the Public Address system and e-mail
to communicate with the Pentagon community in the event of an emergency.
Since the implementation of CENS the average network user receives the
emergency message within 10 to 20 seconds.

CENS was designed and certified specifically to operate within the
Pentagon internetwork, a unique, multiple-domain network environment.
The system is coded and configured to support the specific force
protection role and procedures of PFPA. While CENS is not a commercial,
off-the-shelf product, the concept is very transferable to other
agencies and DOD has shared the concept and design wherever possible.
The cost to implement CENS was just over \$345,000. The client software
installed on approximately 20,000 computers represents an investment of
about \$17.25 per end user workstation.

For more information, contact Mr. Eric Schilling at 703-614-0525 or via
e-mail at [**eschilling@ref.whs.mil**](mailto:eschilling@ref.whs.mil).

**03-PRA-013**

**Building Emergency Contact Database**

**Department of Homeland Security**

**General Services Administration**

Until this year, the four PBS NCR Service Centers and the Federal
Protective Service were using manually prepared telephone contact lists
for assigned buildings. GSA formed a team to develop a computerized
system, providing a cascade of emergency contact phone numbers for each
building, with GSA associates\' home phone numbers protected from
unauthorized access and use. Facility contact information is now
available to any authorized user of GSA's intranet. The new computerized
system eliminates five separate databases and allows for the database to
be centrally updated. The original idea received acceptance across GSA
and all eleven GSA regions have implemented the system.

Activated in 2002, the system provides significant enhancement to NCR\'s
emergency procedures for facility management, and is a critical
component of NCR\'S asset management strategic plan.

For more information, contact Mr. John Allen at 202-219-3367or via
e-mail at <john.allen@gsa.gov>.

######## *Strategic Planning*

**03-PRA-017**

### Strategic Partnering in WorkPlace 2020

General Services Administration

The Federal government is responding to rapid changes in workforce,
technology, customer and taxpayer demands, funding and constituency. All
these combine to dramatically change the nature of work. Such pressures
couple with other challenges, ranging from a high rate of organizational
and process changes, to telecommuting, to worker retention difficulties,
to knowledge transfer. One result is the desire to re-shape work and the
workplace becoming a pressing issue for many of GSA's client agencies,
which need the ability to develop nimble organizations and workplaces
responding quickly to change.

Thinking about the workplace as a strategic organizational tool requires
a shift in how the workplace is viewed. A strategic approach to
workplace must go further, by embracing agency mission and integrating
decision-making as it relates to specific organizational goals, to
individual and group behaviors, and to aspects of physical environment
(business, behavior and building).

WorkPlace 2020 is PBS's new process for providing workplaces for
clients. Not Only does WorkPlace 2020 incorporate the principles
articulated in *The Integrated Workplace,* it also links every project
to business, behavior and building. WorkPlace 2020 insists on
measurement as the basis of determining success. The profound difference
between the program and standard space programming is encapsulated in
how the process starts. Where space programming begins with an
examination of things people need to do their work, WorkPlace 2020
begins with what work they do, why they do it, and how the work links
with the strategic direction of their agency.

Perhaps this is the first time in the real estate industry,
interdisciplinary consultants and experts have teamed to contribute
their knowledge and processes. PBS has not only developed a research
program but also attracted a diverse group of partners from the private
sector, academia and corporations creating the synergy necessary to move
the practice forward.

This strategic partnership, a departure from traditional government
contracting, is the innovation. While WorkPlace 2020, is a considerable
innovation, the results are being researched, measured and evaluated.
Today the strategic partnering practice is already working. With each
consultant contributing and sharing tools, techniques, methods and
critique, the WorkPlace 2020 program is improving and maturing.

GSA recognizes the need to change methods to meet demands of the market
and customers. GSA must provide the best value for customer agencies and
taxpayers. This is the goal of the practice: using real estate to add
value to customers' work. WorkPlace 2020 addresses the fact that the
industry is fragmented and historically started with the question, how
much will it cost? WorkPlace 2020 starts with the business challenges:

-   How do I attract and retain a superior workforce?

-   How do I increase organizational productivity?

-   How do I get knowledge workers to communicate and collaborate?

-   How do I change to meet demands of customers?

The program allows and encourages change. Every time something valuable
is learned the information is added to the process. At this juncture of
discovery the business objectives rise up and the nature of work is
linked with the workplace solution. Change and design working together,
all for the benefit of the business and people, results in 'Form
Following Mission'.

For more information, contact Mr. Kevin Kampschroer at 202-501-4411 or
via e-mail at <kevin.kampschroer@gsa.gov>.

**03-PRA-018**

### Strategic Facility Plan

**Tennessee Valley Authority**

The Strategic Facilities Plan Team has identified ways to help TVA
reduce costs by more than \$26 million over the next five years. "Our
primary objective was to develop a strategy for all TVA facilities
throughout the Tennessee Valley," says Terrell Burkhart, VP of
Facilities Management, who led the team that developed the plan.

Members of the core team worked with representatives from each Strategic
Business Unit (SBU) to develop a cross-organizational facility strategic
plan. For the first time, that plan was aligned with TVA's business
planning. Because of their diverse backgrounds, the members representing
the SBU's provided valuable information on their organizations' needs
for space. A major goal of the Strategic Plan was to divide TVA
facilities into two categories\--"core" and "non-core."

A core facility is a building TVA owns or leases that is strategically
located and has high operational efficiency in terms of heating,
cooling, and maintenance costs. TVA looked at the possibilities of
consolidating within those core facilities, increasing efficiency,
reducing costs of operations, and maintaining quality. A non-core
facility is one TVA leases or owns that is not strategically located and
has high operational costs. The objective for these facilities is to
move similar TVA businesses out of these non-core facilities. Then TVA
could terminate the lease, sublease the property, or sell it.

Two other goals of the Strategic Facility Plan were to centralize
facility management functions into one TVA organization and to evaluate,
prioritize, schedule, and fund all facilities' projects from one
TVA-wide budget.

The Strategic Facility Plan has led to:

-   the reduction of 315,000 square feet of leased, owned, and subleased
    space.

-   a total savings of \$12 million from the sale of non-core properties
    and cost avoidance of ongoing maintenance.

-   a 50 percent reduction in ancillary and support space square footage
    when co-locating TVA organizations.

-   the alignment of the real property inventory with TVA enterprise
    wide strategic goals.

TVA President and Chief Operating Officer Ike Zeringue states that the
efforts of the Strategic Facilities Plan Team model the standards
required for TVA to compete in a re-regulated marketplace. "The
objectives of the plan are very clear and are aligned with TVA's
Critical Success Factors," Zeringue says. "The plan has formed the basis
for us to make business-driven decisions relative to our
physical-facility assets."

For more information, contact Mr. William C. Threlkeld at 865-632-3497
or via e-mail at <wcthrel5@tva.gov>.

**03-PRA-036**

### Portfolio Restructuring Strategy

General Services Administration

The Portfolio Restructuring initiative is a policy accompanied by a
series of practices. The policy, adopted in 2001, will create an
inventory that consists primarily of strong, income-producing
properties. This innovation also seeks to eliminate assets that have
high capital reinvestment requirements. While culling non-performing or
obsolete properties from real estate portfolios is standard practice in
the private sector, this policy represents a dramatic innovation in the
public sector.

There are a number of new, as well as existing practices that are being
used to implement this policy. Paramount of these is a set of newly
developed asset diagnostics that apply quantitative tests to determine
whether an owned asset meets certain income thresholds and does not have
unacceptably high reinvestment requirements. Based on the results of
these tests, assets are then grouped into performing, under performing,
or non-performing.

The genesis of the portfolio restructuring policy and practices was
multi-fold. For several years prior to its development, studies had
indicated compression of the inventory in terms of its income producing
ability. In fiscal year 2002, 187 buildings, approximately 99.2 million
rentable square feet, or 13 percent of GSA's owned inventory generated
90 percent of all funds from operations. The average age of the
inventory is over 40 years old and the amount of funds typically
appropriated by Congress for capital reinvestment is not enough to cover
the cost of upkeep. As of last fiscal year there is a short-term need of
\$5.5 billion and a long need of \$9 billion.

The restructuring policy initiative, in merely one full year of
operation, was responsible for a dramatic impact on key indicators that
measure the state of the portfolio. The areas of improvement include:

-   Improved return on the value of the portfolio

-   Overall decrease in total reinvestment needs

-   Improved space quality

Much of this change is attributable to a dramatic increase in the number
of disposals---from 11 in fiscal year 2001 to 73 in fiscal year 2002.

For more information, contact Mr. Ronald E. Kendall at 202-501-4940 via
e-mail at <ron.kendall@gsa.gov>.

######## *Sustainability*

**03-PRA-015**

### Low Impact Sustainable Landscape Design

**General Services Administration**

GSA developed the Low Impact Sustainable Landscape Design and Management
Program, combining state-of-the-art storm water management techniques
with the principles of sustainable landscape design.

GSA had in place a strong sustainable landscape design program
emphasizing low maintenance plants, holistic design, and recycling of
quality plant material. GSA also had an existing storm water management
program emphasizing low-impact development and pollution prevention to
protect the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The two programs worked
independently until the Landscaping Program was combined with the Safety
and Environmental Branch. The team members recognized the unique
opportunity to create and implement a new practice combining low-impact
development (LID) storm water management techniques with existing
principles of environmentally and economically beneficial landscape
design.

Each landscaping project is viewed as an opportunity to incorporate
elements of LID. Bioretention cells or strips, which filter and slow
down polluted storm water runoff, are in place at two facilities and are
planned for at least two other sites. The Low Impact Sustainable
Landscape Design and Management Program has steadily increased its scope
in storm water filtration, storm water retention, and reduced water
usage. The combined approach is a more effective use of resources, is
beneficial to the environment, earns GSA LEED points, and adds value to
GSA\'s assets, making them more appealing and \"green.\"

For more information, contact Mr. Steve Richard at 202-708-5258 or via
e-mail at <steve.richard@gsa.gov>.

**03-PRA-016**

### Energy Management at DOE Headquarters

**Department of Energy**

The Department of Energy (DOE) Headquarters (HQ) takes seriously its
responsibilities to reduce consumption of energy and raw materials and
reduce generation of waste. DOE HQ has taken significant steps toward
meeting its responsibilities to save money and protect the environment,
as well as a way to "Lead by Example" other DOE field operations, and
operations of other Federal agencies.

The operation of the Germantown, MD DOE HQ facility is more energy
efficient and customer focused through the use of a Performance
Agreement for Energy Management. The agreement includes energy efficient
projects, initiatives, programs, partnerships and surveys to meet
specific performance objectives. The innovation is the development and
implementation of performance measures to cost effectively meet or
exceed all applicable Executive Orders and Federal regulations for
energy efficiency, as well as for the use of renewable energy and water
conservation at DOE HQ facility.

The performance agreement achievements are reviewed at the end of each
fiscal year. A report is issued on DOE results against specific
objectives to sustain efforts through fiscal year 2010, complying with
E.O. 13123, Greening the Government Through Efficient Energy Management.

DOE's report card for fiscal year 2002 reflects a 41 percent reduction
in energy consumption at the Germantown facility, which is comprised of
8 buildings totaling 600,000 gross square feet, when compared to the
baseline year of fiscal year 1985. E.O. 13123 required a 35 percent
reduction by fiscal year 2010 compared to the fiscal year 1985 baseline.
DOE has exceeded the goal by 6 percent and in 8 years sooner than the
deadline. The fiscal year 1985 consumption was 98.3 billion British
Thermal Units (BTU) and the fiscal year 2002 consumption was 58.7
billion BTU for a total energy savings of 39.5 billion BTU or a direct
dollar savings of \$340,000. The overall monetary savings attributed to
the projects is \$2.68 million from fiscal year 1985 through the end of
fiscal year 2002. This equates to eliminating 402 tons of sulphur
dioxide, 194 tons of nitrous oxide and 50,393 tons of carbon dioxide
from the atmosphere. The team achieved the energy consumption reduction
without sacrificing occupant comfort, health or safety.

For more information, contact Mr. Louis A. D'Angelo, III at 202-586-6080
or via e-mail at
[louis.d'angelo@hq.doe.gov](mailto:louis.d'angelo@hq.doe.gov).

**03-PRA-021**

### Environmentally Friendly Windpower

General Services Administration

Under the authority of Executive Order 13123, GSA's Energy Center of
Expertise and the Northeast and Caribbean Region made history by
awarding the Federal Government's first 100 percent wind power contract
to Select Energy.

GSA's contract with Select Energy requires that the company provide 100
percent wind power to both the Alexander Pirnie Federal Building in
Utica, NY, and the Binghamton Federal Building in Binghamton, NY. GSA is
obtaining 1,100 megawatt hours of wind power from the Fenner Wind Farm
in Fenner, NY. Completed in 2001, the wind farm uses twenty Wind Energy
Turbines. Awarding this contract to Select Energy shows the taxpayer
that GSA is actively striving to comply with Executive Order 13123's
Renewable Energy Goals by having the equivalent of 2.5 percent of its
facilities electricity consumption come from renewable energy sources by
fiscal year 2005. The 1.75 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) wind power
premium that GSA is paying is significantly lower than the New York
Independent System Operator average price of 3 cents per kWh for wind
power.

GSA's successful purchase of 100 percent wind power in upstate New York
attracted such positive attention throughout the Federal community that
EPA has requested that GSA purchase 100 percent wind power for the EPA
regional headquarters in New York City. Purchasing renewable power has
now been incorporated into the Regional asset management strategic plan.
For example, GSA is seeking to obtain a LEED silver certification from
for the U.S. Courthouse in Buffalo, NY.

For more information, contact Mr. Brian K. Magden at 212-264-0591 or via
e-mail at <brian.magden@gsa.gov>.

######## *Tools and Models*

03-PRA-001

GSA Cost Estimating Tools

General Services Administration

The cost estimating methodology and associated tools will ensure
cost-effective and efficient consideration of security as GSA balances
all needs in its new construction and modernization programs.

The two new computer based tools will help GSA program managers plan for
security related costs. One develops budget level cost estimates for the
impact of security for new constructions. The other develops the cost of
retrofitting windows in support of GSA's Glass Fragment Retention for
Windows Program. The goal is to produce preliminary planning
methodologies and tools for GSA to develop budget-level cost estimates
for the incremental costs of security required by the Interagency
Security Committee criteria. To achieve the goal for a budget-level cost
estimate, the approach is necessarily simple enough to apply rapidly,
yet sophisticated enough to capture the impact of the security
requirements on the predicted cost estimate.

The cost estimating tool provides primary variables including:

-   Level of protection

-   Explosive threat size and type

-   Stand-off distance

-   Type of construction

This cost estimating tool extends and enhances the ability of GSA to
estimate security related costs for planning purposes. The tool builds
on prior studies, taking advantage of the data and methodologies
previously developed.

For more information, contact Mr. Bruce Hall at 202-501-1997 or via
e-mail at <bruce.hall@gsa.gov>.

03-PRA-002

Window Glazing Analysis Response and Design (WINGARD)

General Services Administration

GSA developed a state-of-the-art method to analyze and predict the
behavior of window glass under blast loads. This method, entitled Window
Glazing Analysis Response and Design (*WINGARD*), is the first technique
available for the prediction of glass hazards and has become a national
standard used by many agencies. *WINGARD* leveraged early research
performed by other agencies to develop a critically needed tool to
fulfill Presidential directives and GSA protection goals.

This software supports GSA\'s goals of providing increased protection to
employees and visitors, in space owned or leased by the Federal
government in response to the GSA Glass Fragment Retention for Windows
Program. This program is working to upgrade windows to mitigate the
hazards from flying glass caused by high winds, explosions, or other
sources of window failure. To support this effort, GSA's developed
WINGARD, a state-of-the-art method to analyze and predict the behavior
of window glass under blast loads. The *WINGARD* computer program has
facilitated the protection of people with cost-effective solutions while
helping to preserve the architecture that is so vital to buildings in
the GSA inventory.

For more information, contact Mr. Bruce Hall at 202-501-1997 or via
e-mail at <bruce.hall@gsa.gov>.

**03-PRA-008**

**PBS Project Information Portal**

**General Services Administration**

Begun as a web enabled project fact sheet, the Project Information
Portal (PIP) has evolved into an enterprise-wide system for tracking an
active capital construction program valued at over \$10 billion.

The unique qualities of PIP are its graphically pleasing, highly
intuitive user interface and easy to understand and navigate information
architecture. From a program level overview to a detailed list of
projects for each PBS region, the information is easy to find and easy
to update. The display of a project, from design renderings,
construction photos, or completed project views, makes the portal a
destination for anyone within GSA who wants to know the progress,
images, and detailed data about a project.

> Extensive report development has provided PBS executives with views
> across their regions and by customers that previously had been very
> difficult and time consuming to obtain. The PIP has helped PBS achieve
> its goal of keeping a "finger on the pulse" of a multi-billion capital
> construction program. PIP has provided executive roll-ups of
> information, including a real-time dashboard of issues and actions for
> all projects in the portal.

Updating projects by the project managers takes less than 30 minutes per
month. Cultural and organization resistance to change is gradually being
overcome by continuing to establish communication, trust and confidence
between the project manager, the executive and the customer.
Communication builds trust, and trust builds confidence the system will
provide reliable and up to date information. GSA expects to save almost
\$2.4 million annually, or about \$12 million over a five-year horizon
when the PIP becomes fully functional through project managers' reduced
reporting requirements.

For more information, contact Mr. Stephen R. Hagan at 202-708-7031 or
via e-mail at <stephen.hagan@gsa.gov>.

**03-PRA-028**

### HUD Multifamily Property Sales E-Commerce

Department of Housing and Urban Development

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has entered the
world of electronic commerce in advertising multifamily HUD-owned
properties, and properties in foreclosure sales. HUD's multifamily
property advertising and sales processes is now one line including:

-   an electronic mail list to notify subscribers of new property sales

-   a web site <http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/mfh/pd/mfplist.cfm> with
    instant downloading of property specific packages required for due
    diligence and bidding on a property.

A web team consisting of staff from the Fort Worth and Atlanta HUD
Multifamily Property Disposition Centers worked together to develop an
innovative, cost saving approach to market real property assets
throughout the nation. As a result, print advertising is no longer the
only medium for advertising. The use of the Internet to advertise the
sale of properties reaches thousands of prospective purchasers at once,
and provides instant access to information about the properties,
including pictures, HUD's terms and conditions of sale, and required
forms, at no cost to the Government. The use of print advertisements has
been greatly reduced with an estimated annual cost savings of \$810,000.
HUD also expects to create additional cost avoidance of approximately
\$300,000 each year when it discontinues printing and mailing contracts
for the bid kits on properties in December 2003.

HUD's web-based approach to advertising is cost effective, can be
adopted by other Federal agencies, assists in the timely disposition of
properties, and is very customer service oriented. The Department has
received numerous positive calls and e-mails from its customers. There
are approximately 22,000 thousand subscribers to the electronic mailing
list, and it grows by several subscribers daily.

For more information, contact Ms. Arden Moomey at 817-978-5820 or via
e-mail at <arden_j._moomey@hud.gov>.

**03-PRA-029**

### Real Estate Operating Cost System

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

The Real Estate Operating (REO) Cost System resulted from an effort to
develop a reliable method to manage the administrative costs required to
execute the annual Department of Defense (DoD) Recruiting Facilities
Program. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) had tried
unsuccessfully over the years to identify a means of realistically
estimating such costs and allocating appropriate funding among the 18
Corps districts responsible for the mission. Use of historical cost data
was the most prevalent method used for allocating funds, but was found
to be seriously lacking in credibility due to variations in the number
and complexity of programmed actions in a given district from year to
year.

The REO Cost System provides a supportable framework for reliably
determining the appropriate level of funding required to execute the
program based on actual programmed actions. The key component of the
system is a "time and cost" matrix for each of the defined types of
actions that make up the program. Action types include new leases,
renewals, relocations, and minor upgrades. The time and cost sheet for
each action type is a matrix comprised of a list of all activities
required to accomplish that action along with the time allocated for
each such activity. The steps and time required vary by action type, but
are held constant for any given action type.

USACE districts input the applicable hourly rates for their district
based on the grade of the individual in their office who will undertake
each respective activity. Once the matrix is summed up, USACE knows the
average administrative cost to accomplish any given type action in a
particular district. The "approved" Annual DoD Recruiting Program shows
the number of each action type to be accomplished by each district. This
information coupled with the average estimated cost per action type
makes it a simple arithmetic task to calculate an estimated
administrative cost based on the actual programmed actions for each
district. This summation is shown on a district administrative cost
"Recap Sheet" matrix. Once all the costs set forth on the Recap Sheet
are totaled USACE has a realistic estimate of the administrative costs
to execute the program in a given district, region or nationwide. The
data provides a number of ways to analyze the program, which serves as a
powerful management tool.

The REO Cost System will result in increased consistency in business
processes throughout USACE in its execution of the DoD Recruiting
Facilities Program. The initiative has spun off several successful
streamlining initiatives, which significantly reduced the delivery time
and cost to accomplish certain actions. The System accords the Division
as a regional business center a tool for workload leveling. The System
also addressed another critical shortfall by providing management a
quality control and quality assurance tool for evaluating program
execution. It allows program managers to determine whether costs that
are not as predicted are merely aberrations or whether there is a
problem that needs to be addressed. Most importantly it enjoys the
enthusiastic support by the customer as a means of justifying budget
requests to DoD.

For more information, contact Mr. William P. Thompson at 404-562-5144 or
via e-mail at <william.p.thompson@usace.army.mil>.

**03-PRA-032**

### Streamlining GSA's Capital Investment and Leasing Program

General Services Administration

By leveraging on existing technologies, the PBS Office of Portfolio
Management led a team to develop a family of electronic tools that have
made GSA's Capital Investment and Leasing Program (CILP) operate more
efficiently.

Through the CILP, GSA allocates over one billion dollars of capital
annually to maintain aging assets, acquire new or replacement assets,
and meet the dynamic requirements of its Federal tenants. Since GSA's
real property assets have a significant backlog of repairs and it is
likely that the agency will receive less additional direct
appropriations in the future, GSA has become more reliant on the
viability on its own Federal Buildings Fund. Therefore, due diligence is
necessary in ensuring that PBS makes investment decisions that are
optimal for its portfolio and the taxpayer.

The CILP entails a deliberate process with many parts that can consume
insignificant human and paper resources. If not managed properly, the
CILP can lead to poor communication among those whose expertise is
essential to the optimal allocation of capital. The regional offices
propose and justify their capital investment needs by completing several
studies and analyses for each proposed project. Before these projects
can be undertaken, their justifications undergo continual scrutiny and
iterative refinements as the proposals are approved by GSA Headquarters,
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and finally Congress.

The continual refinement of proposals can lead to confusion about
whether modifications have been made or clearances granted to a project
proposal. The CILP must also handle changing OMB guidelines and
unexpected Congressional authorizations of projects. These events affect
GSA's capital investment strategy, making it crucial that all GSA
business lines and regions have current information.

In the spirit of the President's E-Government goal of improving
government efficiency and effectiveness, the CILP has incorporated the
following four new improvements that have made the process more
user-friendly, accessible, flexible, coordinated, and current.

1.  Website that disseminates the latest CILP instructions, OMB policy
    changes and Congressional news. The web site ensures that all PBS
    associates have the same current information.

2.  Web-enabled The Automated Prospectus System (TAPS), OMB's primary
    financial justification for a project. The TAPS can now be done in
    half the time with fewer errors.

3.  Instantaneous transmission of each region's CILP proposal through
    the Project Information Portal. The labor-intensive task of
    compiling paper binders to be submitted to PBS Central Office is no
    longer necessary.

4.  Current information about any project and its current status in the
    approval process through the Project Information Portal. This
    invites the collaboration of those who have technical expertise with
    those who have project-specific knowledge.

For more information, contact Mr. Dennis Ryan at 202-501-1857 via e-mail
at <dennis.ryan@gsa.gov>.

**03-PRA-038**

### Spatial Data Integrity

General Services Administration

Part of PBS's mission is providing quality workplaces to Federal
agencies at best value to them and the American taxpayer. The PBS
Spatial Data Initiative (SDI) team supports this mission by creating and
maintaining electronic building assignment drawings of regional
GSA-owned buildings and making those drawings and billing data available
to regional GSA associates and customers.

The SDI team focuses on re-measuring Federal facilities to maintain
accurate spatial data and establishing a system that enables this data
to be shared with both internal and external GSA stakeholders. The
team's intention is to charge customers for their exact amount of space.
Accurate measurement translates to accurate revenue projections. Through
the SDI re-measurement process, the team evaluated the creation of
regional billing data and changed it as necessary. They did this to
ensure that accurate spatial data was maintained in a real time
application. This cross-functional team of PBS associates evaluated the
affected practices, recommended and implemented changes, educated both
its customers and employees on this initiative, and provided training to
support the revised business practices and new technology.

GSA has realized, to date, well over \$10 million in annual revenue
returns on a \$1.1 million dollar investment with more revenue returns
expected in the future.

Other team achievements include:

-   Revenue integrity

-   Access to spatial data and drawings in "3 clicks" of a mouse

-   Reconciliation of data in 3 database systems

-   Effectively managed customer expectations

-   Increased customer confidence in billing data

-   Reliable billing data for associates and customers

-   Visual representation of space that matches bills

-   Providing a more consistent understanding of revenue generation and
    the billing process

-   PBS wide definitive guidance and tools to assist associates through
    often voluminous and contradictory information about pricing

-   Billing and measurement standards

For more information, contact Ms. Ellen J. McCole at 215-446-4613 via
e-mail at <ellen.mccole@gsa.gov>.

######## *Workforce/Workplace Issues*

**03-PRA-024**

### PBS Advanced Leadership Development Program

General Services Administration

Office of Personnel Management

The Advanced Leadership Development (ALD) program represents GSA's core
effort to plan for executive succession by developing future leaders.
The need is immediate as 60 percent of the agency's senior-level leaders
are eligible for retirement over the next five years. ALD is designed to
ensure that the agency has a cadre of well-prepared leaders who can
effectively replenish those positions.

PBS created this pioneering developmental program in 2000-2001, in
conjunction with the Office of Personnel Management. ALD was implemented
within PBS and then, given its tremendous success, was embraced
agency-wide in 2002. It reflects GSA's goal of "Maintaining a
World-Class Workforce" and is a lynchpin of the agency's human capital
strategy -- human capital referring to the human assets that drive the
rest of the agency's asset management plans, *including every strategy
related to real estate*.

ALD participants benefit from a 360-degree assessment, continuous
executive coaching, a series of leadership seminars, and a developmental
assignment encompassing director-level responsibilities designed to
assist PBS with its real property activities. While carrying out these
assignments, participants add exceptional value by assuming significant
roles and responsibilities in critical real estate positions throughout
PBS -- and beyond. Upon completion, graduates receive two very tangible
rewards: an immediate pay increase, and eligibility for promotion
without further competition. Most important, they have enhanced their
leadership skills and increased their ability to qualify for senior
positions as GSA's current top-level leaders are promoted or retire.

In creating ALD, PBS had a singular objective: to find the very best
associates in the organization and develop them into the leaders of
tomorrow. The challenge was that no other Federal agency had created a
program quite like it. Original policies, practices and procedures were
needed -- and these had to be devised, embraced, implemented and
evaluated in an ambitious timeframe.

PBS made a huge commitment with the inauguration and implementation of
ALD. As well-prepared, highly effective leaders move into positions at
the organization's helm over the next several years, PBS' capability to
carry out its evolving mission will be assured, and the progressive and
cost-effective management of its real property assets will be advanced.
Creative and assertive human capital planning will have added value to
GSA's portfolio for the ultimate benefit of the American public.

For more information, contact Mr. Paul Lynch at 202-501-0971 or via
e-mail at <paul.lynch@gsa.gov>.

**03-PRA-040**

### Contingency Real Estate Support Team

General Services Administration

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Since the President declared Global War on Terrorism in October 2001,
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Contingency Real Estate Support
Team (CREST) has rapidly deployed 29 highly trained professional
civilian volunteers performing real estate activities for the Army and
Air Force in eight different countries in Southwest Asia and Europe to
support Operation Enduring Freedom, and now Operation Iraqi Freedom.
CREST is involved in numerous real property activities, including
leasing space and facilities for operations, providing guidance to the
theater commander on real property matters, and coordinating real estate
issues between the custodial Command and the host nation's real estate
authority. By deploying early along with the first troops arriving
in-country, CREST is able to save the Government money leasing at true
market values while at the same time expediting the deployment for the
troops.

Over the last 18 months, CREST has executed approximately 200 overseas
firm-term leases worth approximately \$30,000,000 for various types of
real property including housing, schools, guest quarters, doctor's and
safe houses. Offices, compounds, hotel rooms, apartments, morgue, motor
pools, tent cities, warehouses, cargo and fuel storage spaces, land,
airports, hangers, ramps, stand off spaces, and roads were also leased.

CREST was developed to have high caliber realty professionals, familiar
with military protocols to be embedded with troops. CREST members are
trained in using military equipment and in dealing with hazards in
hostile environments. CREST members needed to be, in every manner, ready
and able to deploy with as little as 24-hours notice.

CREST is constantly an evolving organization. No two wars are alike. The
legal requirements to lease real estate are different in virtually every
country and monetary denominations and languages vary. Overcoming these
challenges is a part of the CREST mission statement. CREST looks for
existing common denominators. The CREST members are trained to know the
denominators or look for them, but while remaining flexible to change
when facing new challenges.

For additional information, please contact Mr. Dwain McMullen at
202-761-5531 or by email at <dwain.d.mcmullen@hq02.usace.army.mil>.

######## *Office of Real Property Best Practices*

In addition to the best practices and policies that were submitted for
the 2003 General Services Administration Achievement Award for Real
Property Innovation, the Office of Real Property has found best
practices through its own programs, initiatives, and partnerships. We
include these practices in the newsletter for your reference; however,
they are not eligible for the new Adopt-a-practice Award.

######### State Government Best Practices in Real Property Management

GSA sought to identify innovative and best practices in real property
management at the state level, with the intent that sharing these
practices may lead to creative, new approaches throughout all levels of
government. A team from George Washington University, under contract to
GSA, interviewed 22 officials in eight states. Many of these innovative
and best practices have resulted in streamlined operations, cost
savings, innovative solutions to complex problems, and other benefits.
They offer new ideas for real property management. The following is a
glimpse into the study:

***Imagine*** a rooftop ice pond system that freezes water at night and
blows air across it by day to provide the primary source of air
conditioning. Then...imagine grass growing on other portions of the
roof, for use as insulation and as a storm water measure. The building
also stores storm water, pumps it to the roof, and then uses it to flush
the toilets. These scenarios describe the Montgomery Park Business
Center in Baltimore, MD. Originally a 1925 Montgomery Ward catalog
building, it was renovated using smart growth criteria and green
building concepts. These included use of recycled materials, a
state-of-the-art energy system, water conservation systems, a rooftop
grass area, ice pond and storm water collection system to promote energy
conservation.

***Imagine*** finding all maintenance materials for a building on a
CD-ROM, complete with links to drawings, manuals, etc. Washington
State's "Buildings on a Disk" system that provides maintenance
information electronically is detailed in the study.

***And then*** imagine trading in your existing property with its
outmoded facilities for a new site with facilities built to your
specifications, valued at twice the amount of your original property.
This unique real estate transaction in Washington State turned a \$4.8
million asset into one worth at least \$9.5 million.

***Imagine*** being able to choose architects, engineers, and
contractors based on value provided, rather than lowest bid. Utah's
value-based selection system now results in selection of higher quality
contractors, better performance, and increased savings in the long run.

***Imagine and now acknowledge*** that each of these scenarios are real
and exist as a result of innovative best practices undertaken by states
throughout the country. These are only a few of the innovative practices
you'll find detailed within the study.

The following states were chosen as exemplars in the following study
areas:

-   **Acquisition and Construction (Maryland, Minnesota, Utah)**

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-   **Operations and Maintenance (Michigan, Missouri, Utah)**

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-   **Web-Enabled Software (Texas, Washington)**

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-   **Public-Private Partnerships (Arizona, Washington)**

The report is available at <http://www.gsa.gov/statesrpbp>. Further
details or any questions can be directed to Ms. Andrea Wohlfeld Kuhn at
202-208-1237 or <andrea.kuhn@gsa.gov>.

### Adopt-A-Practice..... NOW

#### with the

**2004 GSA Achievement Award for Real Property Innovation Program**

The Call for Entries for the 2004 Innovative Awards will be published in
March 2004. However you may submit your "Adopt-a-Practice" entry for the
Adopted Best Practice or Policy Award right now.

To find out how to Adopt-a-Practice go to
[www.gsa.gov/realpropertypolicy](http://www.gsa.gov/realpropertypolicy)
and click on Achievement Award. Read the Adopt-a-Practice program
requirements (including the Asset Management Principles), find a best
practice or policy that meets your needs and adopt it, and then use the
easy Electronic Entry form to submit your application. Entries are
judged by an independent jury of industry leaders. Winners are selected
based on responses to the following questions:

1.  Describe the best policy/practice that you implemented. Indicate the
    originator/source of the policy/practice, the timeframe it has been
    in place, and whether it was used more than once. Has it been
    incorporated into your agency\'s asset management strategic plan?

2.  List the significant achievements obtained from implementing the
    policy/practice. Explain the benefits or results, such as, cost
    and/or time saving, organizational efficiencies, customer
    satisfaction, employee productivity, sustainability, etc..

3.  Cite any modifications and improvements you made to the
    policy/practice, if applicable. Was it applied to a single facility
    in your inventory, or multiple facilities?

## Adopt-a-Practice TODAY

It's never been easier....