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

Office of Real Property Winter 2003/2004

*News and Views on Real Property and Workplace Policy*

(cover)

[New Trends And Initiatives:]{.underline}

A Glimpse Into Deutsche Post:

A Company In The Midst Of Transformation And Growth

***\"Key real estate strategies for success\"***

***[Inside:]{.underline}***

***New Trends and Initiatives***

-   Cover Story: A Glimpse into Deutsche Post:

A Company in the Midst of Transformation and Growth

-   Promoting the Stewardship of Federal Property

***Best Practices***

-   Successful GSA Awards Program to Evolve in 2004

***Facility Management***

-   Fire Safety Forces Removal of Abandoned Cables from Buildings

***Outreach/Training***

-   Worldwide Workplace Web (W4) to Meet in Washington in 2004

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-   Corenet Global Recognizes GSA Innovation

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-   Professionals Gain Edge with These Industry Associations

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-   A "CAPITOL" Transformation in Real Property!

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-   The Public Sector Facilities Council Wants You!

-   Department of Energy Provides Dynamic Venue for FRPC

***Planning***

-   GSA Celebrates 10th GRPIS Council in Pittsburgh

***Performance Measures***

-   Corporate Real Estate 2010: Enabling Work in a Networked World

-   Military Metrics May be Useful to Other Agencies

***Sustainability***

-   Washington State Legislative Building Renovation Sets Sustainable
    Standard

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-   \"Green\" Cloud over Pittsburgh

***Telework***

-   The Workplace of the Future is Here

***Tools/E-RealEstate***

-   GSA\'s Final \"FIRM\" Commitment

-   Enhanced Automated Prospectus System TAPS-XL Aids Real Estate
    Analysis

-   Federal Real Property Profile Changes in 2004

-   E-RealEstate Mainstreams Web-Enabled Software Use

**Welcome to the Government of the 21st Century!**

*Our mission drives us into the 21st century: "The Office of Real
Property promotes collaborative and innovative Governmentwide policies,
products, and services for real property, the 21st century workplace,
and entrepreneurial Government activities." We reach out on a global
level to share*

*information on Federal real estate and the workplace with our industry
partners and the public through this newsletter and other avenues.*

*This is the twenty-seventh issue of Real Property Policysite, a
quarterly publication of the*

*Office of Real Property (MP), Office of GovernmentwidePolicy, U.S.
General Services*

*Administration, Washington, DC. Our newsletter shares the latest
information on public and private sector real estate and workplace
initiatives, trends, and best practices. We encourage your input.
Contact us to let us know what you think, to contribute articles, or to
be placed on our mailing list, by contacting the editor, Richard
Ornburn, at richard.ornburn@gsa.gov, or (202) 501-2873.*

**[NEW TRENDS AND INITIATIVES]{.underline}**

**A GLIMPSE INTO DEUTSCHE POST: A COMPANY IN THE MIDST OF TRANSFORMATION
AND GROWTH**

(By Andrea Wohlfeld Kuhn, AICP, GSA Office of Real Property)

# *Deutsche Post and GSA have a long-standing partnership. They are both actively involved in organizations such as the Corporate Real Estate Network (CoreNet Global), The Workplace Network, and the Worldwide Workplace Web (W4). Deutsche Post and GSA tackle similar real estate issues on a daily basis. GSA\'s Office of Real Property\'s Andrea Kuhn was on assignment for two months recently with Deutsche Post's Real Estate group and was impressed by the similarities between the organizations, and at the same time aware of the contrasts between a government agency and a private corporation.* 

# 

***\"KEY REAL ESTATE STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS\"***

Deutsche Post (DP) is considered the world's largest logistics group, a
company that has grown from delivering the mail within Germany to
providing express and logistics services on a global level. Located in
Bonn, Germany, DP is indeed a global organization; it is a \$40B per
year company employing over 283,000 people in 228 countries. It boasts a
real estate portfolio of over 14,500 facilities with 250 million square
feet. DP owns about 50 percent of its space and 35 percent of its
locations which are valued at about \$10B.

***\"\...with the recent acquisition of Airborne Express this year, DP
World Net is now the third-largest express service provider in the
United States.\"***

# Expansion has been the focus over the last few years as DP has acquired competitors such as DHL, Danzas, and Airborne Express. In fact, with the recent acquisition of Airborne Express this year, DP World Net is now the third-largest express service provider in the United States. Now the corporate focus is on integration and reorganization, in an effort to optimize operations and continue to move forward with expansion and acquisition throughout the world. Integration of services is key; the formerly separate marketing and sales departments were merged in early 2003. 

# 

# What are the key real estate strategies or concepts that Deutsche Post employs to make it the successful company that it is? Optimization of space is the key successful ingredient. In fact, DP is involved in all aspects of the real estate market. While acquisition has been a major focus, disposal of unneeded or less than optimally used space is essential to ensure that resources are optimally used. Disposal of properties creates additional revenues---over \$8B within the last nine years, which can then be channelled into further acquisitions and opportunities for expansion. 

# 

# Outsourcing is another key to optimization. Facility management such as maintenance, cleaning, and security have been outsourced where possible. Eliminating the number of separate contracts has helped streamline operations. 

***DP uses REM@S \"\...an internet-based software tool that provides
better fiscal controls and portfolio management.\"***

Of course, a company this large has to have a software system capable of
managing its real estate assets. REM@S, which stands for "Real Estate
Management and Services," is an internet-based tool that provides better
fiscal controls and portfolio management. REM@S is SAP-based and works
with standard SAP tools such as PM Plant Maintenance or MM Material
Management. REM@S has the capability for customers to report problems,
create service requests, and track work progress.

The previous real estate strategy was to convert old post offices (often
historic buildings) into mixed use developments. A typical project might
leave the original structure intact and add a glass-domed atrium to link
the historic building with other buildings or new structures, thereby
creating new mixed-use developments such as small shopping arcades.
While profitable at first, these reuse ventures are now not considered
in Deutsche Post's best interests, as they have proven to be less
profitable when compared with the investment opportunities in the core
business. These properties remain attractive to shoppers and have helped
revitalize local downtowns, but the business strategy is for DP to
divest itself of these holdings and focus on the integration of new
corporate holdings.

# At the same time, the company puts great emphasis on maintaining the excellent customer service upon which they have built their reputation. Upper management has repeatedly stressed that the customer must not be forgotten in the midst of focusing on the organizational structure of the company. 

# 

***\"Emphasis is also placed on the value of employees as the core of
business operations.\"***

# Emphasis is also placed on the value of employees as the core of business operations. An article in the June 2003 issue of Management Mail, DP's monthly magazine for executives, states that over one-half of all mergers fail, not only because of "unrealistic evaluations of opportunities and risks," but due to "insufficient integration in post-merger management." The importance of internal, corporate communications is paramount. Corporate communications events provide a means for active participation among employees and an opportunity for discussions with management representatives. Active participation of employees at these events has resulted in effective team building. New performance-based standards are now in effect, creating performance-based pay and opportunities for employees to reach their full potential.

# 

**[New Deutsche Post World Net Headquarters Building, Bonn,
Germany]{.underline}**

*\"With its ecological building techniques and innovative office
planning, the Post Tower is an up-to-date response to the increasing
pace of change in our modern environment\"*

# 

# DP's new headquarters building in Bonn, Germany is a monument to its contemporary operations in the global marketplace. The newly constructed Post Tower is the tallest in the North Rhine-Westphalia region, and houses 2,000 employees inside its 40 stories of sleek steel and glass. 

# 

# Features of the DP Post Tower:

# The transparent facade not only allows natural light inside the building, but also helps regulate interior air temperature. 

# Sustainable design concepts are in effect:

# use of natural resources such as Rhine River water for concrete slab cooling, 

# operable windows that provide natural ventilation

# indirect heat recovery, and 

# individual temperature controls. 

# Designed by architect Helmut Jahn, the design goes beyond the building site and is integrated into the larger urban landscape. 

-   User friendliness is expressed in uniform quality of all desk
    locations

The future looks bright for Deutsche Post as it continues to plan for
additional acquisitions in the global market, maintain its high customer
standards, and create opportunities for its employees.

***\"DP is indeed a global organization; it is a \$40B per year company
employing over 283,000 people in 228 countries and boasting a real
estate portfolio of over 14,500 facilities.\"***

*Andrea Wohlfeld Kuhn is the Evaluation Team Leader for GSA's Office of
Real Property. Ms. Kuhn recently spent two months with Deutsche Post's
Real Estate group in Bonn, Germany as part of GSA's Advanced Leadership
Development Program. Ms. Kuhn\'s assignment was facilitated by GSA\'s
and Deutsche Post\'s affiliation with The Workplace Network (TWN).
GSA\'s Deputy Administrator David L. Bibb currently chairs TWN. TWN is
an international organization that brings together senior real estate
executives from the public and private sectors to exchange strategies,
ideas, and practical information.*

**PROMOTING THE STEWARDSHIP OF FEDERAL PROPERTY**

(by Ron Whitley, GSA Office of Real Property)

***What is being done to improve the management of Federal property?
What tools are needed to improve stewardship?***

As we enter fiscal year 2004, most Federal landholding agencies do not
have the proper tools and financial authorities they need to be
effective stewards of the Government's vast network of real property.
Since 1999, when the General Services Administration (GSA) named real
property reform as a top priority, GSA has worked and promoted among
stakeholders (Administration and Congress) the importance and immediate
need for all landholding agencies to have the freedom to manage and
dispose of their assets. This would be accomplished through the use of
appropriate up-to-date management practices and incentives that are used
in the commercial realty sector today. GSA remains committed to real
property reform, and will continue to promote the broadest tools and
best incentives for landholding agencies to ensure efficient and
effective stewardship of the Federal portfolio.

Through GSA's efforts, real property reform bills such as S. 2805
"Federal Property Asset Management Reform Act of 2000," introduced in
the Senate on June 28, 2000, and S. 1612 "Managerial Flexibility Act of
2001," also introduced in the Senate on October 15, 2001, have been the
main stay to provide Federal managers with the required tools and
incentives to manage their real property inventories efficiently and
effectively. Unfortunately, neither bill could be passed before the
Congress adjourned.

GSA has also been proactive in supporting the efforts of Congress to
introduce their own real property reform bills. For example in the
107^th^ Congress, the House Government Reform Committee introduced H.R.
3947 "Federal Property Asset Management Reform Act of 2002," and
reported unanimously the bill out of Committee on March 14, 2002. This
same Committee also introduced in the 108^th^ Congress H.R. 2548 "
Federal Property Asset Management Reform Act of 2003," and reported an
amended version of the bill out of Committee on June 19, 2003. During
this same Congress, the House Transportation and Infrastructure
Committee also introduced its own bill, H.R. 2573 "Public Private
Partnership Act of 2003," which was reported out of Committee on June
24, 2003.

***These efforts demonstrate the growing support in Congress for real
property reform.***

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has released its cost estimates on
H.R. 2548 and H.R. 2573, and the news is not good but not unexpected.
Based on estimates prepared by the CBO, H.R. 2548 would increase net
direct spending by \$4.7 Billion over the 2004 - 2013 time period, and
H.R. 2573 would increase direct spending by \$3.1 Billion over the same
time frame.

Although discouraged by this latest action by CBO, GSA remains
optimistic that real property reform is within grasp. GSA will continue
to work with the Administration and Congress to promote access to the
broadest tools and best incentives for landholding agencies to ensure
the efficient and effective stewardship of the Federal Government's real
property inventory. We also want all landholding agencies to remain
supportive of real property reform measures, to ensure that this remains
a 'front burner' issue until legislative relief is finally realized.
Only then can agencies mitigate their problems of deteriorated
buildings, and underutilized facilities governmentwide. Afterwards,
landholding agencies will begin to gradually experience an increase in
the number of cost effective, productive, secured, and environmentally
friendly properties in their respective inventories.

For more information, contact Ron Whitley, GSA Office of Real Property,
at 202-501-1505 or ronald.whitley@gsa.gov.

**[BEST PRACTICES]{.underline}**

**SUCCESSFUL GSA AWARDS PROGRAM TO EVOLVE IN 2004**

(by Reza Motamedamin, GSA Office of Real Property)

[]{.mark}

A \"win-win\" situation for all! GSA\'s Office of Real Property has
\"closed the books\" on the 2003 GSA Achievement Award for Real Property
Innovation, one of the most successful award programs to date.
Highlights include:

-   The most participation in program history with 49 entries from 21
    departments or agencies.

-   Three top cash winners (DOE\'s \"Energy Management at DOE
    Headquarters,\" GSA Public Buildings Service's \"Environmentally
    Friendly Windpower,\" and NASA\'s \"Ames Development Plan\")

-   Two honorable mention winners (HHS\'s \"ABC/M Charge-back System,\"
    and GSA\'s \"PBS Project Information Portal\")

For 2004, the awards program features the \"Adopt-a-Practice\" award.
This award recognizes agencies that adopt a best practice or policy that
has been submitted to the GSA Achievement Award for Real Property
Innovation. New for 2004 is the user-friendly E-Practice electronic
database, an online reference source of over 300 best practices and
policies from the awards program that are eligible for adoption.

It's never been easier to Adopt-a-Practice! Entries are now being
accepted for this award. Visit www.gsa.gov/realpropertypolicy for more
information and to apply for the award. Stay tuned for the 2004 Call for
Entries for the Best Innovative Practice or Policy coming out in March
2004 on our website.

# 

# FACILITY MANAGEMENT

# FIRE SAFETY FORCES REMOVAL OF ABANDONED CABLES FROM BUILDINGS

(by Cassie Shedwell, GSA Office of Real Property)

***National Fire Protection Agency adds new requirement to the National
Electric Code requiring the removal of abandoned cable from commercial
buildings.***

Just when you thought managing real estate could not become anymore
challenging and stressful than it currently is, the National Fire
Protection Agency (NFPA) adds a new requirement to the National Electric
Code (NEC) for 2002 requiring the removal of abandoned cable from
commercial buildings. The changes went into effect on January 1, 2003.
Included in the updated NEC is code 800.52b. This code requires that all
abandoned cables be removed from commercial buildings when renovations
take place.

According to Randy Thompson, senior director of program management
service at Cushman & Wakefield of Texas Inc., in the article \"New
Electric Code Complicating Lease Deals\" (June 16, 2003, Dallas Business
Journal), "If the cables are not terminated at both ends to a connector
or other equipment, and if they're not tagged for future use, they're
considered abandoned and have to come out." All cables are subject to
the new code, regardless of whether they are electric, telecom, copper,
or fiber or installed in horizontal or vertical spaces. Often when
systems are updated or new cables are installed, the old cables are left
behind, allowing for the accumulation, in some cases, of hundreds and
hundreds of cables.

The NFPA's requirement for the removal of abandoned cables is not to
increase the efficiency or cleanliness of buildings, nor is it concerned
with salvage value. The NFPA's new code responds to the growing fear
over fire safety in these buildings. Excess cables act as a fuel source
during a fire, eliminating such fuel sources is purely a fire safety
measure. However, as a result of the fire safety concern, public health
will be benefited as well.

Older cables are sheathed in toxic materials and many cables even
contain lead. In the event of a fire, the toxins would burn and be
released into the air. Exposure to these toxins represents a major
health threat. The new codes gained momentum and support in the wake of
the fires and environmental hazards that resulted from the attacks of
September 11, 2001. The removal of abandoned cables and toxins from
commercial buildings will also work to help improve indoor air and
environmental quality.

What the NEC does not do is determine liability for the abandoned
cables. This sets up a contentious scenario of ownership questions and
liabilities for the costly removal of the cables. The removal labor of
abandoned cable can run anywhere from 70 to 110 percent of the original
cost of installation labor, according to Frank Bisbee, a telecom
industry veteran and consultant, in the article "A Coming Boom in Cable
Removal?" (Power Outlet, Vol. 3 Issue 2). Cables are often abandoned in
the first place for this very reason. Rounds of finger pointing leave
landlords and new and old tenants without answers.

The profitability of the landlord's rental space would decrease sharply
if the landlord assumed responsibility for cable removal; because of
this, it is unlikely that the landlord will willingly accept such
responsibility. Landlords also cite that the cables are the property of
the companies who installed them; some of these companies no longer
exist or are currently bankrupt. A potential new tenant faced with costs
of removing existing cables will likely look elsewhere for rental space
that does not include the immediate expense of cable removal. Previous
tenants are also unlikely to accept liability for cable removal, as
their contracts most likely did not specify their ownership of cables
and responsibility for the cables' removal.

In the future, as the new code permeates the commercial real estate
industry, tenants will most likely become responsible for the removal of
the cables they had installed. However, for the time being, chaos is
part of the scenario.

[OUTREACH/TRAINING]{.underline}

**WORLDWIDE WORKPLACE WEB TO MEET IN WASHINGTON IN 2004.**

(by Richard Ornburn, GSA Office of Real Property)

The Worldwide Workplace Web (W4) will hold its fifth annual conference
in Washington, D.C. on June 13-18, 2004, sponsored by GSA\'s Office of
Real Property. W4 is an independant international forum of public sector
real property professionals. The theme of this year\'s W4 conference
will center around three areas:

-   [New Mainstream]{.underline}: with presentations on GSA Public
    Buildings Service Workplace 20:20 and the International Telework
    Association and Council (ITAC).

-   [W4 Network with the TWN]{.underline}: linking the W4 with The
    Workplace Network (TWN) conference in Washington, D.C. in 2005. TWN
    is an international organization that brings together senior real
    estate executives from the public and private sectors to exchange
    strategies, ideas, and practical information. GSA\'s Deputy
    Administrator David L. Bibb currently chairs TWN.

-   [Emerging Trends]{.underline}: may include presentations on the
    trends of the Global 100 European Companies, and CoreNet's Global
    Corporate Real Estate 2010, and a discussion on "The Business Case
    for Sustainable Design in Federal Facilities."

For more information about W4 and the conference, contact Stan
Kaczmarczyk on 202-501-2306.

**CORENET GLOBAL RECOGNIZES GSA INNOVATION**

(by Chris Coneeney, GSA Office of Real Property)

CoreNet Global is the major association for in-house executives who
provide corporate real estate services for the Fortune 1000 companies.
On October 23, the Southern California chapter of CoreNet Global
presented GSA with the \"Special Recognition for Innovation\" award.

***\"\...for the first time in our chapter's history, we honored an
institution for its incredible dedication to innovation.  We were
fortunate enough to have David Bibb, (Deputy Administrator) \... for the
GSA join us and accept this award on behalf of the GSA.\"*** Ms. Alice
Wilson, President, CoreNet Global Southern California Chapter, and Vice
President, DMJM, from www.corenetglobalsc.org.

Deputy Administrator David L. Bibb accepted the award on behalf of GSA
at an awards banquet attended by over 500 corporate real estate
executives in Los Angeles, CA, at the LA Century Center Plaza. GSA was
recognized for its:

-   Progressive solutions to workplace problems

-   Visionary yet practical legislative approach

-   Promotion of the environment and energy conservation

-   Preservation of historic buildings as well as its innovative
    development of new facilities

For more information, check out the CoreNet Global website at
www.corenetglobal.org. Click on Chapters, and go to Southern California.

(Side bar)

***CoreNet Global is the world\'s premier association for corporate real
estate and related professionals. As a global learning organization, it
is the industry thought and opinion leader. CoreNet Global is the only
group that convenes the entire industry. Programs and services are
designed to meet the business needs of members\' companies and the
career needs of individual members.*** Profile of Corenet Global,
www.corenetglobal.org.

PROFESSIONALS GAIN EDGE WITH THESE INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS

(by Reza Motamedamin, GSA Office of Real Property)

Looking to gain an edge in the real property or workplace development
field or want to expand your industry knowledge? The following
associations offer a wealth of resources to give you the competitive
advantage you're looking for.

American Institute of Architects (AIA): **Provides resources and tools
architects need to meet the challenges of an increasingly complex and
competitive marketplace. Whether you are an intern or a firm principal,
a sole practitioner or member of a large firm, a government employee, or
a corporate architect, the AIA provides you access to the information,
knowledge, and experience you need to make your business decisions and
set your professional agenda. For more information**, visit
www.aia.org/join or call 1-800-AIA-3837.

American Planning Association (APA): Is a nonprofit public interest and
research organization committed to urban, suburban, regional, and rural
planning. APA brings its members, whether they are practicing planners,
citizens, or elected officials, a commitment to making great communities
happen and advancing the art and science of planning to meet the needs
of people and society. The Federal Planning Division, one of 17
divisions of the APA, provides a forum for people involved in the
development and implementation of comprehensive planning and land
management policies, techniques, and procedures for Federal properties.
**For more information**, visit www.planning.org or call (312) 431-9100.

## Building Owners and Managers International (BOMA): Serves as a primary source of information on office building development, leasing, building operating costs, energy consumption patterns, local and national building codes, legislation, occupancy statistics and technological developments. BOMA's goal has always focused on actively and responsibly representing and promoting through its 18,500 plus members the interests of the commercial real estate industry through effective leadership and advocacy, through the collection, analysis and dissemination of information, and through professional development. **For more information**, visit www.boma.org or call (202) 408-2662.

## 

## CoreNet Global: Helps leading-edge organizations achieve new levels of value through a comprehensive knowledge sharing and professional recognition agenda that positions real estate as a strategic benefit and not just a transactional necessity. CoreNet Global's programs and services are designed to meet the business needs of members\' companies and the career needs of its 7,000 members by advancing knowledge, connecting people, and promoting personal excellence. **For more information**, visit www.corenetglobal.org or call 1-800-726-8111.

**Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM):** An association of
property and asset managers who have met the strict criteria in the
areas of education, experience, and ethics. IREM's mission is to educate
real estate managers, certify their competence and professionalism,
serve as an advocate on issues affecting the real estate management
industry, and enhance its members' professional competence so they can
better identify and meet the needs of those who use their services. For
more information, visit www.irem.org or call 1-800-837-0706 Ext. 4650.

**International Facility Management Association (IFMA):** Represents,
supports and unites the largest community of facility management
practitioners, consultants, educators, students, and product and service
providers in the industry. Through a network of chapters and councils,
research efforts, educational programs and resources, professional
certification, and global professional development events, IFMA assists
corporate and organizational facility managers in developing strategies
to manage human, facility and real estate resources. For more
information, visit
[www.ifma.org](http://www.ifma.org/membership/index.cfm?actionbig=3) or
call (713) 623-4362.

**International Telework Association and Council (ITAC):** Dedicated to
advancing the growth and success of work independent of location;
sponsors Telework America and other research, holds educational events,
disseminates information about telework, and assists businesses and the
public to optimize the advantages of working remotely. Check out
www.workingfromanywhere.org for more information or call (301) 650-2322.

**National Association of State Facilities Administrators (NASFA):**
NASFA is composed of over 600 facilities professionals responsible for,
or interested in, the planning, development, operations and maintenance
of state facilities, including hospitals, prisons, parks, and colleges
and universities. For more information about what\'s happening at the
state level, visit www.nasfa.net or call (859) 244-8181.  

**A "CAPITOL" TRANSFORMATION IN REAL PROPERTY!**

(by Rebekah Pearson, GSA Office of Real Property)

***Did you know*** \... that the Federal Real Property Association
(FRPA) holds an annual conference each year? The FRPA conference is a
great place for all industry professionals to network, attend breakout
sessions to hear an impressive array of experts on a wide variety of
subjects, and tour local facilities.

The October professional training conference, held conveniently in
Arlington, VA, featured a "Capitol" transformation theme this year. It
included a tour of the new construction site for the "U.S. Capitol
Visitors Center\" and visits to the Federal Building Expo at the "new"
innovative DC Convention Center. Some of this year's speaker line-up
included the following issues:

-   [Homeland Security:]{.underline} Randall Yim, General Accounting
    Office (GAO), presented the opening general session and talked about
    the new Department of Homeland Security\'s (DHS) first priority
    which is to protect the nation against further terrorist attacks.
    Component agencies will analyze threats and intelligence, guard our
    borders and airports, protect our critical infrastructure, and
    coordinate the response of our nation for future emergencies.
    Besides providing a better-coordinated defense of the homeland, DHS
    is also dedicated to protecting the rights of American citizens and
    enhancing public services, such as natural disaster assistance and
    citizenship services, by dedicating offices to these important
    missions.

-   [GAO's High Risk Report on Federal Real Property:]{.underline} Mark
    Goldstein, GAO, discussed how GAO's high risk series focuses on
    major programs and operations that need urgent attention and
    transformation in order to ensure that our national government
    functions in the most economical, efficient, and effective manner
    possible. GSA recognizes that it has many buildings that are not
    financially self-sustaining and/or for which there is not a
    substantial, long-term federal purpose. Transformation strategy
    should propose ways to: achieve better results that include the
    realignment of the federal infrastructure and dispose of unneeded
    property; address significant repair and restoration needs of the
    federal portfolio; ensure reliable governmentwide and agency
    specific real property data; consider the problem of heavy reliance
    on costly leasing; and, consider the impact of the threat of
    terrorism to real property needs and challenges.

-   [Creating a Self-Sustaining Portfolio of Real Property
    Assets:]{.underline} William Matthews, GSA Public Buildings Service
    (PBS), gave a presentation during the buffet luncheon on how the GSA
    PBS has developed a strategy for restructuring and reinvesting in
    its real property assets. To confront these challenges, Portfolio
    Management adopted management principles that include: customer
    needs, assets must have a predominantly Federal use; assets must be
    financially self-sustaining; rents will be based on market rates and
    will reflect asset quality; assets will have a business plan
    strategy; and performing assets will have priority for reinvestment
    dollars.

-   [What makes a Great Real Estate Program:]{.underline} David Bibb,
    GSA Deputy Administrator, discussed how the role of real estate in
    an organization is NOT an expense item on the balance sheet. The
    work environment affects satisfaction and health, attraction and
    retention, and productivity of employees. Many great organizations
    use the workplace as a strategic tool. Some of the tools to create
    great real estate organizations are the real property information
    system/E-Real Estate; Asset Management and Strategic Plan Link;
    Performance Measurement; Integrated Workplace; Sustainability, and
    telework. The benefit of aligning workplace services with the goals
    of an organization creates significant value.

***Associations:*** A Showcase of Associations session provided valuable
information about

each of the associations. Those associations included: American
Institute of Architects

(AIA), Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International,
American Planning

Association (APA) Federal Planning Division, CoreNet Global,
International Facility Management

Association (IFMA), Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM).

***Attend Next Year!*** Mark your calendars and plan to attend next
year's conference on October 26-28, 2004 at the Army Navy Country Club
in Arlington, Virginia. If you would like to read more about the FRPA,
join, or become an exhibitor or a sponsor at next year's conference,
please visit www.gsa.gov/frpa. Contact Rebekah Pearson at (202) 208-1850
or rebekah.pearson@gsa.gov for additional information.

**THE PUBLIC SECTOR FACILITIES COUNCIL WANTS YOU!**

(by Sheldon Greenberg, GSA Office of Real Property)

Do you manage government facilities? If you do, we want you at the
Public Sector Facilities Council (PSFC)! Part of the International
Facilities Management Association (IFMA), PSFC was established in 1991
for public sector employees managing, maintaining, or otherwise involved
in the construction or oversight of government facilities. The mission
of the PSFC is to provide resources, networking, guidance, and
continuing education to public sector facility managers.

Have an issue you need input on? All PSFC members have access to a
listServe for querying membership about issues they encounter in their
particular roles related to facilities management and operation. Virtual
participation is highly encouraged and your input is valued. Recent
interactive communications using the listServe included:

-   Building and operating performance measures,

-   Contract specifications and contracting issues,

-   Environmental Initiatives,

-   Leasing,

-   Preventive maintenance,

-   Security, and,

-   Other areas of special interest such as budget constraints and
    solutions, organizational policies, and the common challenges facing
    Federal, state, county, city, and provincial government agencies
    worldwide.

Network with others through newsletters, conference calls, spring and
fall education/business meetings, as well as access to the PSFC website
at www.ifma.org. Council membership is open to IFMA members who work in
the public sector.

Join us at the Spring meeting which will be held in Harrisburg, PA on
May 13 and 14, with a review course for the Certified Facilities Manager
test held on Saturday, May 15. Join PSFC today by contacting Sheldon
Greenberg, Membership Chairperson at (202) 841-4868 or email
sheldon.greenberg@gsa.gov.

**DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY PROVIDES DYNAMIC VENUE FOR FRPC**

(by Tanya Gross, GSA Office of Real Property)

Real estate executives representing diverse agencies gathered on
September 24 for the final Federal Real Property Council (FRPC) meeting
of the year to discuss issues continuing to impact Federal real estate
programs.

Thirty-six attendees from 16 agencies convened at the Department of
Energy\'s headquarters. to tackle a fully packed agenda. David L. Bibb,
Council Co-Chair, led the way with his discussion of his new role as the
Acting Deputy Administrator for the General Services Administration
(GSA). Bibb relayed GSA Administrator Perry\'s support for the Council
who described Bibb\'s role with the Council as contributing to the
success at GSA. Dialogue continued surrounding real property reform due
to the U.S. Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs\' hearing on
Federal real property\'s placement on the high-risk list and various
cases.

DOE representatives gave a presentation on its winning entry in the 2003
GSA Achievement Award for Real Property Innovation. DOE won the Best
Innovative Practice Award for their entry \"Energy Management at DOE
Headquarters\", a model performance agreement for energy management
leading to energy efficiency at its Germantown, MD headquarters
operation.

DOE\'s presentation was followed by the Department of the Interior\'s
demonstration of their \"Facility Locator Service.\" The service was
initially started as a pilot project which allows the department to
better manage its real property inventory. Efforts to expand the
capabilities of this service are currently under development.

The Council concluded the meeting with an engaging conversation on the
upcoming year\'s agenda. Several new topics were introduced for
consideration by the council, and are currently being prioritized and
incorporated into the FRPC 2004 agenda. The next meeting of the council
is planned for February/March. Contact Pat Rubino on 202-501-1456 or
pat.rubino@gsa.gov for more information.

**[PLANNING]{.underline}**

**GSA CELEBRATES 10TH GRPIS COUNCIL IN PITTSBURGH**

(by Gary Jordon, GSA Office of Real Property)

[]{.mark}

The Governmentwide Real Property Information Sharing (GRPIS) Program
recently released the Pittsburgh GRPIS report, continuing the success of
this innovative Federal program. The Pittsburgh report, coupled with the
establishment of the GRPIS Program\'s 10th real property council in
Pittsburgh, is cause for celebration!

The Office of Real Property\'s GRPIS Program councils provide a forum
for sharing real property related information and a vehicle for training
on a local basis for Federal real property professionals. The GRPIS Team
plans to expanding the number of councils to 12 during 2004.

[GRPIS-GRAM GROWS]{.underline}: The GRPIS Program also publishes the
GRPIS-Gram, a monthly ListServ newsletter that highlights best
practices, sources for real property information, conference and
training opportunities related to real property, as well as a listing of
Council meetings and happenings. As the GRPIS Program grows, so does the
GRPIS-Gram readership. Subscriptions through early November are
approaching 800. Are you a member yet?

The GRPIS Program continues to evolve, as new ways of meeting the needs
of Federal real property professionals are being developed. The premise
of the GRPIS Program is, \"Better information leads to better real
property asset management decisions.\"

[GET THE MESSAGE]{.underline}: Do you want to know more? See what GRPIS
is up to with future editions of Policysite. Or get any GRPIS-related
information or subscribe to the GRPIS-Gram by contacting Sheldon
Greenberg on 202-841-4868 or sheldon.greenberg@gsa.gov .

[PERFORMANCE MEASURES]{.underline}

**CORPORATE REAL ESTATE 2010: ENABLING WORK IN A NETWORKED WORLD**

(by Ray Wynter, GSA Office of Real Property)

In the early 1990's, Corporate Real Estate 2000 created a powerful new
vision for the corporate real estate industry. Now, almost a decade
later, an exciting new vision is emerging.

That new vision is Corporate Real Estate (CRE) 2010's new research and
leadership development initiative of CoreNet Global. CoreNet Global is
the leading global corporate real estate and infrastructure management
professional association with 7,000 members representing Fortune 1000
corporations, leading service providers, and economic development
organizations.

This is the right time for the industry to formally approach this
research due to the tremendous changes in the business environment and
business models. CoreNet Global is uniquely positioned to perform this
research initiative due to its ability to convene the industry and
transform the industry with credible results. Several General Services
Administration (GSA) Office of Real Property and GSA Public Buildings
Service associates are actively engaged, with 100 of the top
multinational real estate department leaders from across America and
Europe and 25 of the leading service providers. GSA is also supporting
CRE 2010 as a special research sponsor.

CRE 2010 research is focused on defining the corporate business
environment in the future; which will be complex, networked, and global
and will include increased challenges such as changing labor dynamics
and business risks; and researching the implications of the changing
business environment on the corporate real estate and infrastructure
management executive.

The research is focused around seven (7) topical areas,

-   Service Delivery,

-   Strategic Role of Place,

-   Nature of Work,

-   Technology and the Web,

-   Asset Management and Portfolio Maximization,

-   Integrated Corporate Infrastructure Management, and

-   Enterprise Leadership Skills,

each charged with defining how their area can enable work in a networked
world. The initiative is global, with a European team validating results
and actively participating in the research.

CRE 2010 was officially launched in August 2003 in Chicago where the
research teams first met to validate the vision and refine their
thinking on the research areas. Based on that meeting, our goal is to
complete the interview process over the next several weeks and start
producing programs, reports, and other materials by the Coronet Global
Summit in Chicago in May 2004. Deliverables from this project will
include:

-   research reports;

-   web-based white papers;

-   executive development seminars;

-   workshops and panels at summits;

-   material and speakers for chapter programs;

-   stories in the CRE Leader, industry and business press; and

-   topics and speakers for other learning events.

For more information, contact Ray Wynter at 202-501-3802, or
ray.wynter@gsa.gov.

**MILITARY METRICS MAY BE USEFUL TO OTHER AGENCIES**

(by Iona Calhoun, GSA Office of Real Property)

The Department of Defense (DOD) is the world's largest landlord with a
physical plant consisting of over 845,441 buildings, structures, and
utilities that sit on owned or leased land covering over 30 million
acres. The entire DOD facilities inventory exceeds \$600 billion in
plant replacement value. Facilities fall into five categories (military
construction (Milcon), family housing, not appropriated, procurement,
and foreign and international) when arranged by their primary
recapitalization funding source.

In 2001, the Secretary of Defense directed DOD components to fund
facilities to achieve a 67-year recapitalization rate. Implementation of
the secretary's guidance required the development of a standard metric
that would be relatively transparent with the programming and budgeting
process. The report, *[Facilities Recapitalization Front-End
Assessment]{.underline}*, DOD, August 2002, identifies a standard metric
for tracking facility recapitalization rates in DOD and recommends
procedures for collecting and processing the data needed to use the
metric in program and budget development.

In addition to the report above, the following DOD Installations and
Facilities reports were analyzed to determine governmentwide
applicability of the ranking system used by DoD in critical areas such
as acquisition, construction, renovation, and readiness:

-   *DOD Quarterly Readiness Report to the Congress*, Unclassified
    Annex,

> October -- December 2001

-   *DOD Base Structure Report* (A Summary of DOD's Real Property
    Inventory) Fiscal Year 2001 Baseline, Office of the Deputy Under
    Secretary of Defense (Installations & Environment)

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   *DOD Facilities Cost Factor Handbook*, Version 3.0, April 2001

Due to DoD's wide range of installations and facilities in its major
categories, DoD applicability is in the wealth of information that can
be gleaned by certain agencies for informational purposes in particular
areas. For example, DOD uses nine classes of facilities, described
below, to summarize more than 1,500 facility categories currently used
for real property record keeping.

1.  Operations and Training: Airfields, piers and wharves, training
    ranges and classrooms, recruit facilities, armories, aircraft
    parking and hangars, refueling hydrants, flight simulators

2.  Mobility: Facilities directly related to mobilization of forces,
    including staging areas and transportation systems

3.  Maintenance and Production: Vehicle and avionics maintenance shops,
    tactical equipment hops, aircraft maintenance hangars, foundries,
    ammunition demilitarization

4.  Research, Development, Testing and Evaluation: Test chambers,
    laboratories, research buildings

5.  Supply: Warehouses, hazardous material storage, ammunition storage

6.  Medical: Hospitals, medical and dental clinics

##### Administrative: Office space, computer facilities

7.  Community and Housing: Family housing, barracks and dormitories,
    dining halls, recreation and physical fitness facilities, child
    development centers, fire and police stations, visitors' quarters,
    elementary and high schools

8.  Utilities and Ground Improvements: Power production, distribution
    and conservation systems, water and sewage systems, roads and
    bridges, water pollution abatement, wastewater treatment facilities,
    fuel storage tanks and containment areas.

Officials responsible for major departments with real property holdings
in any of the areas or categories listed above would benefit from the
review of these reports. Due the complexity of the DoD's ranking
systems, the DoD reports are not being advocated for governmentwide use.

*However, the insight and information contained in the reports [are
valuable]{.underline} for those who must establish or improve a ranking
system to determine the readiness of facilities and other types of real
property.*

For more information, contact Iona Calhoun on 202-501-0821 or
iona.calhoun@gsa.gov.

# 

[SUSTAINABILITY]{.underline}

**WASHINGTON STATE LEGISLATIVE BUILDING RENOVATION SETS SUSTAINABLE
STANDARD**

(by Robert Harding, GSA Office of Real Property)

The Washington State Legislative Building is undergoing a rehabilitation
project that will install new building systems, repair damaged
stonework, replace roofs, and add state-of-the-art measures to prevent
water damage. This is the first complete renovation of the structure
since it originally opened in 1928.

In September 2002, Washington's governor signed an executive order
directing state agencies to establish sustainability objectives and
prepare biennial sustainability plans to modify their practices. The
executive order also established an advisory council to advise state
agencies on how to apply sustainability measures to government
operations. The Department of General Administration (GA), as the
State's purchasing agent, has developed a sustainability Web site to
provide customers, communities and employees the means to meet this
order \-- http://www.ga.wa.gov/Sustainability/index.html.

The State of Washington, through GA, is committed to promoting
responsible management of natural resources and sound environmental
policy in support of this project. This includes the selection of energy
efficient equipment, the use of recycled materials, and continuous
efforts to identify opportunities for energy conservation, material
conservation, environmentally sound operating procedures, and a
reduction of waste during construction.

For example, OSB used to protect marble and other stone work has been
specifically designed using full sheets. After the renovation project is
complete, the OSB will be given to Habitat for Humanity and is estimated
to be sufficient to construct three houses. It is planned that 90% of
all construction waste will be recycled.

***\"The rehabilitation project is designed to attain the [highest
possible rating]{.underline} for historical buildings according to the
U.S. Green Building Council\'s Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design (LEED), while remaining within the budget.\"***

LEED offers an impartial method of evaluating the overall energy and
environmental sustainability of a project. This project is planned to
include mounting a photovoltaic array on the building roof that is
believed to be the largest such installation on any capitol building in
the country.

The entire project, including infrastructure upgrades and
earthquake/seismic repairs is budgeted at \$101 million. Construction is
scheduled to be completed in late 2004, in time for the start of the
2005 legislative session. The Capitol Campus is located in Olympia at
the southern end of Puget Sound with a sweeping view of Budd Inlet and
consists of 160 acres that support 33 buildings. Contact Bob Harding at
202-501-1411 or robert.harding@gsa.gov.

**\"GREEN\" CLOUD OVER PITTSBURGH**

(by Phil Wagner, GSA Office of Real Property)

**U.S. Green Building Council Examines The \"Greening\" of The Building
Industry in Pittsburgh Venue**

Pittsburgh, the home of over 20 buildings USGBC-certified buildings and
another 20 in some stage of registration or construction, hosted the
U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Conference on November 12-14 . The
event was held at Pittsburgh's David L. Lawrence Convention Center, the
largest naturally ventilated and day-lit exhibition space in North
America - and a building with a pending LEED gold certification.

Undoubtedly, the convention site's exemplary environmental qualities
influenced this year's conference choice, but it also recognizes
Pittsburgh's strides from industrial center to a green and altogether
healthy, livable city. Pittsburgh is also the location of Carnegie
Mellon's Intelligent Workplace Lab, whose faculty has worked with GSA to
create concepts for workplaces that are more sustainable and adaptable.

The USGBC is a coalition of organizations in the building industry
working to encourage the building of environmentally responsible
buildings. In March 2000, the USGBC initiated LEED 2.0, a system of
measuring "greenness'' of new buildings. LEED, which stands for
"Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design," is a holistic system
which assigns points reflecting the responsiveness of a building to its
site, water, energy, materials, indoor environmental quality, and
innovation considerations. After a pilot run, the design rating system
(2.1) was "opened for business," and currently over 948 projects have
been registered.

Although the Pittsburgh event was only the second "annual" Greenbuild
Conference, it did attract approximately 5,000 people - 40 of whom were
from GSA. The conference provides a meeting place for members to present
papers and projects on sustainability; to network, and to peruse the
300+ exhibits of green organizations and building products.

To this writer, the sessions dealing with "Tools" were of special
interest. For instance, one session dealt with the various measurement
and evaluation programs available - just to name a few: Energy Star,
GreenGuard, Forest Stewardship Council, Smart Wood, Green Seal, ASTM,
Environmental Building News and their GreenSpec Directory, Athena, BEES,
LEED. The scope and evaluation process of each varies. Some are
single-attribute programs which evaluate the specific features of a
product, such as its recycled content or whether it is bio-based; the
way in which the material is harvested or manufactured, or the
deleterious off-gassing it may produce. Other tools such as BEES measure
life cycle environmental data while Athena measures environmental
impact.

Of particular interest was the "Greening of Specifications." Insights
included the State of California's method of prescribing performance for
one of its new office buildings. These included: state-mandated recycled
content, VOC content, and energy efficiency performance specifications
for office furniture. Not only did they get what they wanted, but at 60%
less than their previous contract! Gail Vittori, co-director of Center
for Maximum Potential Building Systems, discussed the "Greening of
Divisions 15 and 16\" (mechanical and electrical).

In respect to mechanical and electrical equipment, the building industry
has placed an emphasis on energy, water savings, and high performance.
Now there is the realization that the mechanical, electrical and
plumbing equipment is often composed of hazardous materials. Pipes,
wire, and switches, for example, are loaded with copper, lead, pvc and
mercury. Research to find appropriate materials must be taken seriously.

Masterspec is developing checklists and green instructions to
specification writers, with special instructions for LEED projects.
While specific notations should be included in each specification and
each division, the overall goals need to be spelled out in Division 1
(General Conditions).

Under the topic of Changing Paradigms, Jonathan Herz, of GSA\'s Office
of Real Property\'s Integrated Workplace (IW) Team presented: Social
Responsibility and Green Design - Raising the Bar on LEED. Sustainable
development involves the simultaneous pursuit of economic prosperity,
environmental quality and social equity. The USGBC has, in a very short
time, been very successful in beginning to transform the market, to make
sustainable design, construction and building operations mainstream. But
Herz highlighted how the social aspects of sustainable development are
not yet integrated. The Office of Real Property\'s IW Team is preparing
a publication in 2004 that will address the issue of the social aspects
of sustainable development that are not yet integrated in LEED,
including the human capital component and elimination of persistent
toxins in building products. For more information, contact Jonathan Herz
on 202-501-3476 or jonathan.herz@gsa.gov.

**[TELEWORK]{.underline}**

**THE WORKPLACE OF THE FUTURE IS HERE**

(by Tanya Gross, GSA Office of Real Property)

What does the workplace of the future look like? Experts from the
General Services Administration\'s (GSA) Office of Real Property and the
Office of Personnel Management (OPM) provided a glimpse of the future
\"today\" in a live satellite broadcast of a panel discussion, entitled
\"The Importance of Telework in the Modern Workplace.\"

Panelists included:

-   Stan Kaczmarczyk, Director, GSA Innovative Workplaces Division,

-   Wendell Joice, GSA Telework Team Leader,

-   Rob Obenreder, Architect, GSA Integrated Workplace Program Expert,

-   Glenn Woodley, GSA Senior Program Analyst, Telework Team, and

-   Jennifer Koh, Worklife Expert, OPM Worklife Division.

The October 16 broadcast was produced by Peter Glaws of GSA\'s Office of
Communications and assisted by the Office of Real Property\'s Tanya
Gross. The broadcast was held in the GSA headquarters building with
dial-in capabilities for the audience to query the panelists.

The broadcast focused on major innovative workplace initiatives, such
as:

-   hoteling,

-   virtual presence capabilities,

-   alternative offices,

-   telework centers, and

-   other telework solutions.

Also highlighted were discussions about GSA\'s partnerships with public
and private organizations to promote the advancement of telework and the
use of integrated workplace and sustainable development processes. A
wide variety of issues and questions that associates have about
organizing successful telework programs and preparing main office and
alternative workplace/space plans were also addressed by the panelists.

What could your workplace of the future look like? Find out more with
the video being produced highlighting this broadcast along with
vignettes showcasing public/private partnerships, successful telework
programs, and current Office of Real Property innovations, as well as
future plans for workplaces in the GSA headquarters. Information for
obtaining a copy of the video is posted on the telework website at
www.gsa.gov/telework. For additional information, contact Tanya Gross at
tanya.gross@gsa.gov or on (202) 501-2904.

[TOOLS/ E-REALESTATE]{.underline}

**GSA\'S FINAL \"FIRM\" COMMITMENT**

(by McDonald Peoples, GSA Office of Real Property)

Foundation Information For Real Property Management (FIRM) support has
ended. The General Services Administration\'s (GSA) financial support of
the FIRM application was over September 30, 2003. As part of its final
support effort, GSA retained the FIRM contractor, ITS Services, until
November 28, to provide hot-line support at the specific request of the
Bureau of Reclamation and to all current users of the application that
needed this support as they transitioned to other real property
management systems. This was GSA\'s final effort in support of the FIRM
product and fulfilled GSA\'s commitment to current FIRM users to make
the transition from FIRM to other real property management systems as
efficient as possible. For more information, contact McDonald Peoples on
(202) 501-1785 or mcdonald.peoples@gsa.gov.

**ENHANCED AUTOMATED PROSPECTUS SYSTEM TAPS-XL AIDS REAL ESTATE
ANALYSIS**

(by Dennis Eisen, Dennis Eisen & Associates)

TAPS-XL is a greatly enhanced version of The Automated Prospectus System
(TAPS) used for decades by Federal agencies as a cost analysis tool for
real estate decision making, as a financial planning tool for preparing
budgets, as an evaluation tool for competitive bids, as an asset
management tool for pinpointing underperforming properties, and as a
work-out tool for formulating turnaround or disposition strategies.

The program treats all major space acquisition modes, including numerous
variations within leasing, purchasing, rehab and construction. Over its
long history, it has been applied to office space, industrial
facilities, clinics and hospitals, surface and structured parking,
emission control stations, government laboratories, storage and
warehouse facilities, courthouses, mixed-use development, public and
Indian housing, and even to the construction leaseback of airport
traffic control towers.

TAPS-XL is based on rigorous economic principles and discounted cash
flow techniques, and meets the exacting specification and standards of
GSA and OMB for conducting real estate analyses. The program takes
account of all acquisition, operating and disposition costs from the
perspective of the government, including such often overlooked effects
as tax expenditures, moving costs, interim housing, outleasing and
functional obsolescence.

This latest version is more user-friendly in its operation. Data entry
has been made more efficient through the use of numerous pre-stored
economic variables and propagation of common data across multiple
alternatives. In addition, there are hundreds of help screens covering
every step in processing cases, and dozens of warning screens from
informational to urgent.

TAPS-XL permits ultra-fast generation of "What if?" scenarios and rapid
side-by-side comparisons of competing alternatives, and all output
reports are in familiar Excel spreadsheet format, without the need to
export results. Work is currently underway for the automated
classification and scoring of capital leases.

The TAPS-XL program and accompanying 80-page User Guide are available at
no cost to Federal agencies through Dennis Eisen & Associates at
301-762-1441 or e-mail DennisE@aol.com.

**FEDERAL REAL PROPERTY PROFILE CHANGES IN 2004**

(by Carol Anadale, GSA Office of Real Property)

What is the Federal Real Property Profile (FRPP) reporting system? FRPP
provides information regarding Federal real property holdings to
stakeholders including the Congress, the Federal community and the
public. Its purpose is to assist Federal asset managers with their
stewardship responsibilities by offering a real-time internet
environment for on-line updates.

GSA\'s Office of Real Property awarded the FRPP 2004 support contract to
3H Technology based in Vienna, Virginia. 3H will complete improvements
to the FRPP-IA started in FY 2003. Upgrades to the FRPP Internet
Application (IA) include improved reporting generation, map displays,
archived data, trend reports and trend analysis reports from archived
data, web based training function, on-line help screens, and English to
metric conversion. FRPP-IA Version 3.0, released in mid-November 2003,
contains some of the upgrades. Others are planned for FY 2004
implementation. Find out more! Contact Carol Anadale at (202) 208-2970
or carol.anadale@gsa.gov.

**E-REALESTATE MAINSTREAMS WEB-ENABLED SOFTWARE USE**

**(**by Dennis Goldstein, GSA Office of Real Property)

The Office of Real Property is providing assistance to Federal agencies
in the development of a Business Case in support of implementing
Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) software for the management of real
property assets.

As part of mainstreaming the use of web-enabled software in Federal real
estate management, the e-RealEstate program has assisted the Department
of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop business cases for the HHS
Bureaus. The consultants from Graphic Systems, Inc. completed their work
with HHS and briefed the participating Bureaus on December 11, 2003. The
reports included an organizational overview, web-enabling initiatives
already underway in the agency, specific information needs, and current
available technology in use at the agency. A cost benefit analysis was
also presented at the December 11 meeting. HHS has requested assistance
in the implementation phase of their web-enabling of real property
management functions and OGP and Graphic Systems, Inc. will proffer that
assistance.

The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is beginning a major revamping of
their real property management information systems and the e-RealEstate
project team is assisting the Corps in this major undertaking. Once
again, the project team will assist in the development of business cases
and give guidance and expertise to the entire process for the Corps.

For further information on this initiative, please contact Dennis
Goldstein on 202-219-0608 or dennis.goldstein@gsa.gov.