United States Government Accountability Office

GAO Testimony 

Before the Subcommittee on the 

Legislative Branch, Committee on 

Appropriations, U.S. Senate 

CAPITOL VISITOR 

CENTER 

Update on Status of 

Project’s Schedule and Cost 

As of September 21, 2006 

Statement of Terrell Dorn, Director 

Bernard L. Ungar, Director 

Physical Infrastructure Issues 

For Release on Delivery

Expected at 10:30 a.m. EDT 

Thursday, September 21, 2006 

 

GAO-06-1058T 
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee: 

We are pleased to be here today to assist the Subcommittee in monitoring 

progress on the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC) project. Our remarks will 

focus on (1) the Architect of the Capitol’s (AOC) progress in achieving 

selected project milestones and in managing the project’s schedule since

the Subcommittee’s August 2, 2006, hearing on the project; (2) our 

assessment of the project’s currently scheduled completion date; and (3) 

an update on the project’s expected cost at completion and funding 

situation.1

 As part of this discussion, we will address a number of key 

challenges and risks that continue to face the project, as well as actions 

we believe that AOC will need to take to meet its currently scheduled 

completion date. 

Our remarks today are based on our review of schedules and financial 

reports for the CVC project and related records maintained by AOC and its 

construction management contractor, Gilbane Building Company; our 

observations on the progress of work at the CVC construction site; and our 

discussions with the CVC team (AOC and its major CVC contractors), 

AOC’s Chief Fire Marshal, and representatives from the U.S. Capitol 

Police. We also reviewed AOC’s construction management contractor’s 

periodic schedule assessments, potential change order log, and daily 

reports on the progress of interior wall and floor stonework. We retained a 

mechanical consulting engineering firm (Kincaid/Bryant) to help us assess 

the CVC team’s progress in completing the project’s heating, ventilation,

and air-conditioning (HVAC) system. In addition, we reviewed the contract

modifications made to date and the estimates of cost increases provided 

by AOC and its construction management contractor, including their 

estimates of the costs related to delays,2

 and their preliminary cost 

estimates for recent changes to the CVC’s fire protection and security 

systems. Our assessment was somewhat constrained because the CVC 

team is still analyzing the impact on the project’s schedule and cost of the 

recently identified changes required for certain components of the fire 

protection and security systems. The team expects to have firmer schedule 

and cost information around mid-October, at which time we may have to

 1

GAO, Capitol Visitor Center: Update on Status of Project’s Schedule and Cost as of 

August 2, 2006, GA0-06-828T (Washington, D.C.: Aug. 2, 2006). 

2

The estimates for most of the delay-related costs were provided by AOC and its 

construction management contractor for budgetary purposes only and do not reflect any 

judgments by GAO of the validity of any potential contractor claims. 

Page 1 GAO-06-1058T 
revise our estimates if this later information differs significantly from the 

current information. 

In summary: 

• Since the Subcommittee’s August 2 CVC hearing, the CVC team has 

continued to move the project’s construction forward, but the project’s 

overall targeted completion date has slipped significantly. The schedule 

for the project’s most critical activity—the fire protection system—has 

slipped about 4 months, bringing the new targeted overall completion date 

to mid-September 2007, and other important activities have also been 

significantly delayed. Unlike the previous CVC schedule, the new schedule 

(1) does not allow any time to address problems that may arise or to 

prepare for operations after a certificate of occupancy has been issued; (2) 

assumes that AOC will be able to bring exhibits into the CVC before a 

certificate of occupancy has been issued; and (3) provides for opening the 

CVC and the House and Senate expansion spaces at the same time. It is 

not yet clear to us whether the need for time to prepare for operations or 

for a certificate of occupancy to receive the exhibits will affect the 

facility’s opening date, but these factors should not delay the completion 

of construction. 

• During the past month, work on the project has progressed in a number of 

areas. For example, the sequence 2 contractor expects to have

dehumidified air in the exhibit gallery by around mid-October. In addition,

critical interior floor stone installation has continued, together with other 

interior and exterior construction work. Almost all of the interior wall 

stone for the CVC itself (excluding the East Front and the tunnels) is now 

installed. 

• A number of problems have developed in connection with the CVC’s fire 

protection system, which is the principal cause of the completion date’s 

slippage and continues to be the single greatest source of risk to meeting 

the project’s new scheduled completion dates. Although the CVC team has 

worked closely with AOC’s Chief Fire Marshal and has made substantial 

progress in resolving issues, the resolution, along with necessary changes 

to certain security system-related components, has resulted in a need for 

significant additional work. The CVC team based its mid-September 2007 

project completion date on its preliminary estimate of the time needed to 

do this additional work. Although the team believes that the time it added 

to the schedule should be sufficient, it will not make a definitive 

determination until it completes its analysis of the required changes, 

which it expects to do by mid-October. 

Page 2 GAO-06-1058T 
• Several other activities important to the CVC’s completion, such as the 

HVAC system’s installation and East Front work, have been delayed since

the Subcommittee’s last CVC hearing—an outcome anticipated by our 

assessment of the CVC team’s performance against the indicators of 

progress that we and the Subcommittee have been tracking. For example, 

during the last 7 weeks, the sequence 2 contractor did not meet its overall

target for interior floor stone installation and continued to experience 

delays in installing wall stone in the East Front. In addition, the sequence 2 

contractor met only 2 of the 17 milestones that we have been tracking for 

this hearing. The project continues to face risks and uncertainties, such as 

getting its complex building systems to function together as well as 

separately and trade stacking.3

According to our assessment of the project’s new schedule, the revised 

completion date is achievable if the CVC team confirms that it has added

enough time to the schedule to make the necessary changes to the fire 

protection and security system components and if, and only if, the team 

promptly makes significant improvements in its execution of the 

project and its schedule. To facilitate such changes, we are 

recommending that AOC develop and submit to Congress an action plan as 

soon as possible, but no later than mid-October 2006, setting forth the 

specific steps it will take to meet its scheduled completion dates. We are 

identifying specific actions that we believe AOC should consider in 

developing this plan, including, for example, (1) making more aggressive, 

visible, and focused efforts to keep the work on schedule, with particular 

emphasis on critical and key near-critical activities; (2) making sure 

sufficient work is performed to meet the scheduled dates and quickly 

identifying and addressing problems that arise; and (3) promptly 

responding to design questions and concerns and requests for design 

instructions and clarifications. AOC generally agreed with our 

recommendation. AOC’s prompt development and effective 

implementation of this action plan is critical because the construction 

work that has to be done in the next 3 to 4 months is a prerequisite to 

other work that is essential to the CVC’s completion, including the CVC 

team’s pretesting of the fire protection system and the Chief Fire Marshal 

final acceptance testing of the CVC. In addition, Congress can use this plan 

as a mechanism for holding AOC accountable for managing the project 

 3

Trade stacking can occur when workers from different trades, such as stone masons, 

electricians, plumbers, or plasterers, have to work in the same area at the same time to 

meet a schedule, sometimes making it difficult to ensure sufficient space and resources for 

concurrent work. 

Page 3 GAO-06-1058T 
and as a vehicle for working closely with AOC to ensure that the schedule

implications of all proposed scope or design changes are quickly 

determined and considered by all appropriate stakeholders before final 

decisions on the proposed changes are made. 

We previously estimated that the total cost to complete the entire CVC 

project would be about $556 million without an allowance for risks and 

uncertainties and $584 million with such an allowance. Our updated 

assessment indicates that the estimated cost of the entire CVC project at 

completion is likely to be about $584 million without an allowance for 

risks and uncertainties and about $596 million with such an allowance—

increases of $28 million and $12 million, respectively. Delay-related costs 

(which AOC and its construction management contractor have estimated

for budgetary purposes only) are the largest component of the increase, 

followed by the additional costs estimated by the CVC team for changes to 

the fire protection and security systems and additional contingency funds 

for future changes. Our estimate could change if the additional costs turn 

out to be significantly different from the preliminary estimates. To date, 

about $531 million4

 has been provided for CVC construction. For fiscal 

year 2007, AOC has requested $26 million in CVC construction 

appropriations, plus $950,000 in AOC general administration 

appropriations for contractual support to complete acceptance testing of

the CVC’s fire protection system on schedule. During fiscal year 2007, AOC 

is also likely to need, but has not yet requested, some additional funds to 

pay for changes. Although AOC agrees that it will likely need additional 

funds, it does not believe that it will need as much as we have estimated. 

We believe our estimate is reasonable. In addition, AOC notes that it may 

be able to cover at least part of the increased costs from funding sources 

other than new appropriations after obtaining the necessary congressional 

approvals. 

 4

Since we last updated information on the amount of funding provided for CVC 

construction, the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations approved an AOC

request to reprogram about $1 million from CVC operations funding to CVC construction. 

Page 4 GAO-06-1058T 
Work on the CVC project has continued, but the scheduled completion 

date has slipped about 4 months beyond the date discussed at the 

Subcommittee’s August 2 CVC hearing. At that hearing, we said that 

despite some improvement in the indicators of progress we have been 

tracking, we were losing confidence in the ability of the CVC team to meet 

its scheduled completion dates, given the delays experienced thus far and

the risks and uncertainties facing the project. Unfortunately, our concerns 

materialized. For example, certain important work related to the CVC’s 

fire protection and HVAC systems and the East Front was not completed 

on time, and further delays occurred in the schedules for these areas—all 

of which are important to the project’s timely completion. Although AOC 

significantly enhanced its management control over the design of the 

CVC’s fire protection system, as we had recommended, the team 

determined that it will take more time than previously expected to install 

certain components of the fire protection and security systems to meet life 

safety and security requirements. The CVC team is still determining the 

precise impact of this additional work on the schedule, but has developed 

preliminary time estimates that it believes it can achieve and may even be

able to shorten after its analysis is done. Recognizing these uncertainties, 

the team has established a mid-September 2007 date for completion and 

possible occupancy for both the CVC and the House and Senate expansion 

spaces.5

 Our discussions with CVC team managers and staff, analysis of 

the project’s current schedule, and observations, together with the results 

of our mechanical consultant’s work, indicate that this September 2007 

time frame is reasonable and achievable, pending the completion of the 

team’s analysis, if and only if meaningful and significant changes occur in 

the project’s execution from this point forward. We will discuss the 

necessary actions shortly. 

According to the June 2006 project schedule—the schedule in effect at the 

Subcommittee’s last CVC hearing—the base CVC project was to be 

completed in May 2007 (except for the exhibit gallery), and the House and 

Senate expansion spaces were to be completed in August 2007, although

their physical construction work was to be substantially completed in 

Construction Has 

Progressed, but the 

Scheduled 

Completion Date Has 

Slipped Further, and 

Several Actions Are 

Needed to Meet the 

Current Schedule 

AOC’s Scheduled 

Completion Dates Have 

Slipped 

 5

AOC’s June and July schedules provided time between the base project’s completion and 

the CVC facility’s opening to prepare for operations and to install the exhibits in the exhibit 

gallery because the CVC team believed that a certificate of occupancy was required before

the exhibits could be brought into the building. The team now believes that it may be able 

to fully prepare for opening and install the exhibits before it has a certificate of occupancy.

As of September 15, it was not clear to us that these assumptions had been validated. 

Page 5 GAO-06-1058T 
January 2007. The project’s current schedule (August 2006) shows both 

the base CVC project and the expansion spaces completed on September 

17, 2007, although the physical construction work in the expansion spaces 

is now scheduled to be substantially completed in March 2007. However, 

this schedule is based on a preliminary estimate and provides no time for 

additional delays. Specifically, the sequence 2 subcontractor responsible 

for the installation of certain fire protection and security system 

components is still analyzing the impact on the schedule of changes 

needed to meet life safety and security requirements. This subcontractor 

has made a preliminary estimate that it believes is reasonable and 

achievable pending the completion of its analysis, but it will not commit to

a date until its analysis is completed, which it believes will be around midOctober. In addition, unlike the June and July schedules, the current 

schedule for completing the base project allows no time for additional 

delays, for starting up operations, and for delivering exhibits to the exhibit 

gallery after a certificate of occupancy is issued. Although the sequence 2 

contractor believes it may be able to shorten the time in the current 

schedule for making changes to the fire protection and security system 

components, this possibility has not been confirmed, and it is uncertain 

whether the elimination of schedule time for the three items discussed 

above will be problematic. 

As we have previously testified, most of the physical construction work in 

the CVC, the East Front, and the expansion spaces is scheduled to be 

completed by December 31, 2006; however, some work extends into 

2007—as far as May 2007 for the exhibit gallery and certain East Front 

work, April 2007 for the gift shops, and March 2007 for the installation of 

wayfinding signage and turnover of audio-visual equipment in the 

orientation theaters. Certain other construction work, such as the 

completion of space for the Capitol guide service and the installation of 

seats in the auditorium, also extends into 2007. Neither the CVC nor the 

expansion spaces can be opened until the Chief Fire Marshal has 

completed acceptance testing for the fire protection and life safety 

systems, now scheduled for September 2007 for the CVC and the 

expansion spaces. However, unlike the previous project schedules, the 

current schedule shows that AOC’s Chief Fire Marshal plans to begin 

testing the expansion spaces before he completes his testing of the base 

CVC building so that some of the testing will be done concurrently. 

Previous project schedules showed that the expansion space testing would 

not start until the base building testing was complete. According to the 

CVC team and the Chief Fire Marshal, this change should eliminate the 

need for temporary construction measures and a temporary certificate of 

occupancy for the base building and for limited retesting of the base 

Page 6 GAO-06-1058T 
building after the expansion spaces have been tested. Also, according to 

AOC’s Chief Fire Marshal, AOC may be able to open certain parts of the 

expansion spaces earlier than mid-September 2007. As we have discussed

in previous CVC testimonies, AOC is continuing to explore this possibility. 

According to information provided by AOC and its construction 

management contractor and our observations, work on the project has 

advanced, in terms of both the dollar value of the work in place and 

individual project elements. In dollar terms, AOC’s construction 

management contractor reported that, as of August 31, the overall CVC 

project was about 86 percent complete and the sequence 2 work was 

about 77 percent complete—up from about 84 percent and 74 percent, 

respectively, as of the Subcommittee’s last CVC hearing. Progress on 

individual project elements includes the following: 

Construction Work Is 

Progressing 

• Interior CVC work has moved forward, according to AOC’s construction 

management and sequence 2 contractors. For example, 9 of the CVC’s 21 

air-handling units were reportedly capable of providing cool air to certain 

parts of the building. In addition, the sequence 2 contractor is expecting to

charge the CVC’s entire HVAC system with chilled water this week and to

start providing dehumidified air to the CVC soon. The sequence 2 

contractor has also installed all of the floor stone in the exhibit gallery and 

inside the great hall. The installation of wood ceiling panels is essentially 

complete in one of the two orientation theaters; the installation of ceiling 

drywall is complete in the food service area; and ceiling framing has been 

ongoing in the assembly rooms, auditorium, and great hall lobby. 

• Surface work continued, including the installation of stone pavers above 

the CVC and seat wall stone around the great hall skylights. Work on the 

House connector tunnel and on linking the Library of Congress tunnel with 

the Jefferson Building has also continued. 

• Wall stone has now been fully installed in the food service area, upper 

level west lobby, East Front basement and ground levels, and atrium areas. 

As of last week, only about 130 pieces of wall stone had not been installed

in the CVC itself, excluding the upper two levels of the East Front and the 

tunnels. 

• In the House and Senate expansion spaces, preparations for wall and 

ceiling close-in inspections have continued. 

Page 7 GAO-06-1058T 
During the Subcommittee’s last CVC hearing, we expressed considerable 

concern about the risk of delay in work on the CVC’s fire protection 

system, as well as on other important areas, such as the CVC’s HVAC 

system, the East Front, and ceiling close-ins in the upper level security 

lobby. Together, delays in these areas, according to AOC’s construction 

management contractor, have extended the CVC’s completion date by 95 

workdays, from May 2007, as projected for the Subcommittee’s last CVC 

hearing, to September 2007, as shown in the project’s August 2006

schedule. This delay was primarily driven by slippages in the schedule for 

completing the CVC’s fire protection system, which constitutes the CVC 

project’s critical path—the single longest path through the project’s 

schedule, meaning that each day the system’s completion is delayed, the 

CVC’s completion could also be delayed. AOC has significantly improved 

its control over the design of the facility’s fire protection system, and the 

CVC team has been working closely with AOC’s Chief Fire Marshal and 

U.S. Capitol Police representatives. We believe that these steps have 

resulted in improved coordination and communication and facilitated 

quicker resolution of problems and issues than previously occurred. 

However, the changes that have to be made to certain fire protection and

security system components to address life safety and security issues have 

added considerable time to the schedule. These include (1) changes to the 

fire alarm system’s programming; (2) architectural changes in a number of 

locations to enhance their fire protection capability; (3) wiring changes 

associated with having to add a major new fire alarm system control panel, 

enhance the fire damper monitoring system, use a different testing 

method, and link a security system component with a fire protection 

system component; and (4) changes associated with adding fire alarm 

system control panels to meet security requirements. According to the 

CVC team, the amount of time added to the August schedule to make these 

changes reflects the team’s best thinking but is preliminary pending the

team’s receipt of all the detailed information it needs to estimate the 

impact of these changes on the schedule. The team has received much of 

this information and expects to receive the rest within the next several 

days. The needed information consists largely of shop drawings being 

prepared by the sequence 2 fire alarm subcontractor, which reflect the 

changes required for life safety and security. The team believes that it will 

be able to make a firm estimate by around mid-October. 

As we have pointed out in our previous CVC testimonies, this project has 

many near-critical paths that can also affect its completion date, some 

with relatively small slippages. Such a situation greatly complicates 

project management because problems arising in multiple areas can 

adversely affect the completion date, and the team must focus on a 

Schedule Slippages in 

Critical and Key NearCritical Paths Have 

Worsened, Significantly 

Extending the Project’s

Completion Dates and 

Complicating Project 

Management 

Page 8 GAO-06-1058T 
number of important areas simultaneously to avoid delaying the project’s

overall completion. AOC’s construction management contractor identified 

21 near-critical paths in the August schedule, 5 of which the CVC team 

considers particularly important because of their potential impact on the 

project’s completion. These are the CVC’s HVAC system, ceiling close-ins

in the upper level security lobby, and three East Front paths. According to

the CVC team, further delays in these areas could postpone testing of the 

CVC’s fire alarm system, which, in turn, could delay the project’s 

completion. According to AOC’s construction management contractor, 

these areas have slipped by 74, 68, and over 100 workdays, respectively, 

compared with the schedule in effect at the Subcommittee’s last CVC 

hearing. According to this contractor, these slippages occurred because of

an electrical problem and problems with steam condensate that affected 

the HVAC system; problematic sequence 1 and preceding work that 

complicated the ceiling close-ins; and multiple issues that limited progress 

on the 3 East Front near-critical paths, including lead abatement 

requirements; electrical, ductwork, and structural conflicts; competition 

for space for workers; and a need to redesign and order new stone for the 

archway above the stair and escalators on the East Front. 

Because the CVC’s HVAC system affects many activities, has had a number

of problems, and poses significant risks to the project’s successful 

completion, we asked our mechanical engineering consultant to assess the 

status of the CVC’s 21 air-handling units. He observed the status of the 

units on August 11, and September 6, 2006, and compared their actual and 

scheduled mechanical readiness to provide conditioned air to the CVC. On 

the basis of his observations at the CVC site on those 2 days, he reported 

the following: 

• The units’ actual and scheduled stage of completion did not always match; 

some units were ahead of and some were behind schedule.

• The scheduled completion dates for the units did not always match those 

for work in the spaces where the units have to be balanced or where the 

space has to be clean for the units to operate safely, suggesting a possible 

misalignment of priorities for finishing the spaces and finishing the units.

• Only limited progress was made between his visits to the site. Remaining 

work included insulating pipe, wiring control units, and cleaning the units

and ducts. 

• On both visits, he saw relatively few workers near the units, and little 

work was being performed on them.

Page 9 GAO-06-1058T 
We discussed these observations with AOC’s sequence 2 and construction 

management contractors, as well as the sequence 2 subcontractor 

responsible for the work. The construction management contractor 

confirmed that efforts to finish the units had been limited, and the 

sequence 2 contractor and the subcontractor committed to completing all 

the work necessary for all 21 units be operational by December 31, 2006,

except for the final commissioning of some units. The sequence 2 

contractor said that it would ensure the alignment of the schedules and 

priorities for finishing the units and the spaces they are to serve. Last 

Friday, AOC’s construction management contractor said that finishing the 

scheduled work for the CVC’s air-handling units in a timely manner is 

important, and completing the work necessary to get steam and chilled 

water to all the units over the next 3 weeks is critical to meeting the 

project’s revised completion schedule. Accordingly, we have arranged for

our mechanical engineering consultant to reassess the status of this work 

in October. 

The construction management contractor reported slippages in all of the 

remaining near-critical paths since the Subcommittee’s last CVC hearing. 

In the 2-month period covered by the schedules between this hearing and 

the last one, 5 near-critical paths lost at least 100 workdays and 11 lost at 

least 40 workdays. For example, the exhibit gallery path slipped 105 

workdays; the bronze door path slipped 43 workdays; the auditorium path 

slipped 98 workdays; and the orientation theater path slipped 85 

workdays, as reported by AOC’s construction management contractor. 

Slippages occurred for various reasons. For instance, according to the 

construction management contractor, the orientation theater path slipped 

because of slow progress in installing wood ceiling panels and in the 

sequence 2 contractor’s resequencing of work; the exhibit gallery path 

slipped because of problems in finishing the ceiling and schedule logic 

changes; and the bronze door path slipped because of production 

problems at the fabricator’s plant. 

Several activities important to completing the House and Senate 

expansion spaces have also been delayed since the Subcommittee’s last 

CVC hearing. For example, AOC’s construction management contractor 

reported a 23-workday delay in completing the circular stairs in the atrium 

areas. This delay occurred because the spaces housing the stairs were not 

available while sequence 2-related work was being done in those areas. 

Also delayed were ceiling close-ins that had to wait for approval of the fire 

alarm system, a special fire suppression system that was not installed 

because it had not been approved, and millwork that was not installed in 

the Senate lower level because of delays in getting approved shop 

Page 10 GAO-06-1058T 
drawings. Furthermore, the sequence 2 subcontractor doing the expansion 

work identified a number of concerns that could affect the project’s 

completion. For example, the subcontractor reported that ceiling close-in 

delays could postpone testing and balancing of the HVAC system; a lack of

conditioned air could adversely affect certain casework and ceiling tile 

work; and changes being considered in the design of the expansion spaces 

could delay their completion, including work that could affect the testing 

and balancing of the HVAC system. 

Finally, although not critical to the CVC’s opening, work being done to 

connect the Library of Congress’s Jefferson building to the tunnel linking it

with the CVC has fallen about a month behind because of an asbestos 

problem. This delay was shorter than initially estimated. Overall, the 

project’s schedule today, compared with the schedule in effect at the 

Subcommittee’s September 15, 2005, CVC hearing, reflects an average loss

of about 3 out of every 4 weeks due to schedule slippages. 

The four indicators of construction progress that we have been tracking 

for the Subcommittee support extension of the project’s schedule and 

suggest that changes in the project’s execution will be necessary to 

achieve the scheduled dates. An update on these indicators follows: 

Sequence 2 contractor has continued to miss most milestones. Starting 

with the Subcommittee’s June 2005 CVC hearing, at the Subcommittee’s 

request, we and AOC have been selecting and tracking sequence 2 

milestones to help the Subcommittee monitor construction progress. 

These milestones include activities that were either on the project’s 

critical path or that we and AOC believe are critical to the project’s timely 

completion. As figure 1 shows, the sequence 2 contractor has generally

missed these milestones. For today’s hearing, the contractor met 2 of the 

17 milestones that were due to be completed, according to the project’s 

June 2006 schedule, and for both, the work was completed ahead of 

schedule. However, the contractor was late in completing work for 2 other 

milestones and had not completed the work for the remaining 13 

milestones as of September 15, 2006. (See app. I.) The sequence 2 

contractor attributed the slippages to a number of factors, including the 

need to replace water-damaged insulation, necessary preceding work 

taking longer than expected, and a resequencing of work by the 

contractor. 

Indicators of Construction 

Progress Do Not Instill 

Confidence in the CVC 

Team’s Ability to Meet 

Scheduled Completion 

Dates 

Page 11 GAO-06-1058T 
Figure 1: Sequence 2 Contractor’s Progress in Meeting Selected Milestones as of

CVC Hearing Dates 

Value of completed work has increased since the last hearing, but trend 

reflects the sequence 2 contractor’s difficulties in meeting scheduled 

completion dates. Another indicator of construction progress that we and

AOC’s construction management contractor have been tracking is the 

value of the completed construction work billed to the government each 

month. Overall, the sequence 2 contractor’s monthly billings, including the 

bills for March through August 2006, indicate that AOC is more likely to 

finish closer to its new scheduled completion dates than its previously 

scheduled completion dates. While this indicator has some limitations (for 

example, billings lag behind construction), it is generally regarded in the 

construction industry as a useful measure of how likely a project is to be 

completed on time. Figure 2 compares the sequence 2 contractor’s billings 

since May 2003 with the billings needed to complete construction work on 

Page 12 GAO-06-1058T 
schedule and indicates that a late summer 2007 completion date is 

reasonable.

Figure 2: Total Billings by the Sequence 2 Contractor for the Entire CVC Project Compared with the Billings Needed to Finish 

Construction Work on Schedule

Notes: 

1. The early and late lines on this figure reflect the cumulative billings that would be required to 

complete the project through contract modification number 126 ($232.5 million total contact value) by

the early and late finish dates shown in the sequence 2 contractor’s schedule, which is based on the 

September 2006 contractual completion date. 

2. The actual line reflects the sequence 2 contractor’s actual monthly billings. 

Page 13 GAO-06-1058T 
3. Although bills are typically submitted for payment after work is completed, it is often likely that 

construction work will be completed on schedule when the actual billing line falls between the early

and the late lines in the figure. With respect to the CVC, the actual billing line has been trending 

below, and in March 2006 went below, the late finish line, where it remained through August 2006. 

Even with the lag in billings, this trend indicates that the amount of work being completed each month 

is not sufficient to keep the project on schedule. 

Installation of interior wall and floor stone is taking longer than 

expected. Overall, about 86 percent of the CVC’s interior wall stone has 

been installed (in the CVC, East Front, atrium areas, and tunnels), 

according to AOC’s construction management contractor, and the 

sequence 2 contractor installed 1,325 pieces of interior wall stone during 

the last 7 weeks. Although the sequence 2 contractor has installed almost 

all of the wall stone in the CVC itself and all of the wall stone in the atrium 

areas, wall stone installation in the East Front is significantly behind 

schedule. According to the sequence 2 contractor’s January 2006 wall 

stone installation schedule, the East Front wall stone was to be completely 

installed by July 10, 2006. As of September 15, about 4,700 pieces of wall 

stone remained to be installed in the East Front. During the same 7-week 

period, the sequence 2 contractor installed about 24,040 square feet of 

interior floor stone, or about 73 percent of the 33,000 square feet specified

in the floor stone installation plan that the contractor provided to AOC. 

According to the construction management contractor, the sequence 2

contractor installed the floor stone inside the great hall sooner than 

planned, but work has been impeded in other areas by the lack of available 

space. 

Figure 3 shows the sequence 2 contractor’s progress in installing interior 

floor stone since February 13, 2006.6

 6

We have discontinued presenting the figure we previously included in our testimonies

comparing actual to targeted wall stone installation because all targeted quantities were to 

have been installed by August 7, 2006, according to the sequence 2 contractor’s January

2006 installation plan. 

Page 14 GAO-06-1058T 
Figure 3: Progress of CVC Interior Floor Stone Installation Compared with Preliminary Targets Set by the Sequence 2 

Contractor

Page 15 GAO-06-1058T 
As we have indicated during the Subcommittee’s previous CVC hearings, 

we believe that the CVC team continues to face challenges, risks, and 

uncertainties in completing the project. Given the project’s history of 

delays, the difficulties the CVC team has encountered in resolving 

problems that arise quickly, and the large number of near-critical activities

that can affect the project’s overall completion, the CVC’s efforts to 

identify potential problems early and resolve issues quickly will be even 

more important from this point forward, since AOC has left no “slack” in 

the schedule for contingencies. In our view, the remaining work 

associated with the fire protection system poses the greatest single risk to 

meeting AOC’s mid-September 2007 completion date. The steps AOC has 

taken to mitigate this risk have been helpful, but much work remains to be 

done on the CVC’s fire protection system and its linkages with other 

building systems. In addition, the project continues to face risks and 

uncertainties associated with other work important to its completion, such 

as the CVC’s HVAC system, the East Front, and ceiling close-ins. AOC’s 

current project schedule does not provide the 2 to 3 months that its 

previous schedule allowed for addressing the ongoing challenges, risks, 

and uncertainties. Accordingly, we plan to continue to monitor the CVC 

team’s efforts to meet its schedule for the fire protection system and other 

key near-critical activities as well as the timeliness of the actions taken by

the CVC team to address problems, concerns, and questions that arise. A 

brief update follows on the challenges, risks, and uncertainties the CVC 

team continues to face and the team’s plans for addressing them: 

Project’s Schedule 

Remains Vulnerable to 

Challenges, Risks, and 

Uncertainties 

• Complex building systems remain a significant risk. The CVC will house 

complex building systems, including HVAC, fire protection, and security 

systems. These systems not only have to perform well individually, but 

their operation also has to be integrated. If the CVC team encounters any 

significant problems with them, either separately or together, during the

resolution of design issues, installation, commissioning, or testing, the 

project could be seriously delayed. The unanticipated problems that 

emerged in reviewing the design of the fire alarm system and in 

programming it illustrate the impact such problems can have on the 

project’s schedule. Additional delays could occur if the team takes longer 

than expected to get approved shop drawings, if the proposed system does 

not meet the project’s design specifications or the life safety code, or if the 

fire protection system does not work effectively with the security or other 

Page 16 GAO-06-1058T 
building systems.7

 Additionally, the Chief Fire Marshal noted that delays 

could occur if the CVC team does not adequately pretest the system and 

correct any problems found during the pretesting. On March 23, AOC’s 

commissioning contractor submitted its plan to the CVC team for testing 

the performance of the CVC’s smoke control system, which is a critical 

component of the CVC’s fire protection system and must work properly 

before the CVC can be opened to the public. As of September 13, this plan

had not yet been submitted to or approved by the Fire Marshal Division. 

Moreover, as we have previously noted, the Chief Fire Marshal’s timely 

completion of the fire protection system’s acceptance testing depends on 

his ability to obtain sufficient funding for a contractor to help perform the 

tests. 

• Trade stacking could delay completion. As we discussed during the 

Subcommittee’s previous CVC hearings, trade stacking could hold up 

finish work, such as drywall or ceiling installation, electrical and plumbing 

work, plastering, or floor stone installation. This work could be stacked 

because of delays in wall stone installation. Trade stacking could also 

increase the risk of accidents and injuries. Hence, it remains important, as 

we said at previous CVC hearings, for the CVC team to closely monitor 

construction to identify potential trade stacking and promptly take steps 

to address it. The CVC team has also identified trade stacking as a high 

risk. The sequence 2 contractor has developed plans that show when 

various subcontractors will be working in each area of the CVC except the 

East Front. According to the sequence 2 contractor, it intends to continue

meeting regularly with its subcontractors to review and update the area 

plans. The CVC team identified one recent instance of trade stacking that 

occurred in an effort to expedite certain East Front work. In transmitting 

the team’s monthly progress report for August, AOC noted that the 

compressed time frame for bringing all of the air-handling units on line 

will require bringing more technicians and mechanics to complete the 

work and may result in trade stacking. 

• Building design and work scope continue to evolve. The CVC has 

undergone a number of design and work scope changes. Since the 

Subcommittee’s August 2 CVC hearing, AOC’s architectural contractor has 

issued nine design changes or clarifications. As of September 14, 2006, this 

 7

According to the sequence 2 subcontractor that is fitting out the House and Senate 

expansion spaces, the delays in getting approved shop drawings for the fire protection

system have already postponed ceiling close-ins in the expansion spaces, and AOC believes 

that further such delays, along with possible requests for design changes, pose the greatest 

risks to the completion schedule for the expansion spaces. 

Page 17 GAO-06-1058T 
contractor reported, another six were in process. In addition, since the 

project began, AOC has executed over 100 sequence 2 contract 

modifications for work that was not anticipated.8 Some of these changes, 

such as changes in the exhibit gallery and in the East Front, have resulted

in delays. Furthermore, although shop drawings have been approved for 

almost all project elements except the fire protection system, according to

AOC, further design or scope changes in various project elements are 

likely, given the project’s experience to date. In fact, in reporting on the 

August schedule, AOC’s construction management contractor noted that 

anticipated changes to the House expansion space could affect ceiling 

close-ins. Project design and scope changes are typically reflected in the 

development of potential change orders (PCO), many of which result in 

contract modifications. Figure 4 shows the PCOs submitted for 

consideration for sequences 1 and 2 since September 2003. Although PCOs 

are not always approved, they are often regarded as a reasonably good 

indicator of likely future design or scope changes that can affect a 

project’s cost and schedule. Even more important, the adverse impact of 

scope and design changes on a project’s schedule is likely to increase as 

the project moves toward completion. 

 8

These data exclude sequence 2 contract modifications for work that was planned but not 

included in the sequence 2 base contract. Examples include the fit-out of the House and 

Senate expansion spaces, the construction of the utility tunnel, and the purchase and 

installation of food service equipment. 

Page 18 GAO-06-1058T 
Figure 4: Cumulative Number of Potential Change Orders Submitted for CVC Sequences 1 and 2 between September 2003 

and August 2006 

As the figure indicates, new PCOs for sequence 1 were submitted until 

shortly before, and even for several months after, November 2004, when 

AOC determined that the sequence 1 contract work was substantially 

complete. Similarly, PCOs for sequence 2 are still being submitted, and we 

have seen no indication that their submission is likely to stop soon. It 

therefore appears likely to us that some of the design or scope changes 

indicated in PCOs could lead to contract modifications that will affect the 

project’s schedule. AOC agrees that it is important to minimize the impact

of proposed design and scope changes. 

Additional delays associated with the CVC’s new utility tunnel have 

resulted, or could result, in additional work or slippages. As we have 

Page 19 GAO-06-1058T 
previously testified, the delay in starting up the utility tunnel’s operations 

has necessitated the use of temporary humidity control equipment for the 

orientation theaters to avoid damage to finish work and ceiling tile. 

Moreover, delays in getting conditioned air inside the CVC have resulted in

the sequence 2 contractor’s bringing additional temporary equipment into 

the auditorium area. Such delays may subject certain work to the risk of 

damage or delay finish or ceiling work in areas not suitable for the use of

temporary humidity and temperature control equipment. For example, the 

CVC team installed ceiling tile in portions of the great hall to take 

advantage of the scaffolding in place, even though neither the temperature 

nor the humidity was controlled in that area. According to the CVC team, 

the installed tile could be damaged if the temperature or humidity is not 

within the specified levels. The CVC team has been providing cool air to 

the food service area and on the service level, but planned to turn off the 

chilled water supply to the CVC this week so that it can charge the entire 

CVC system with chilled water. At the Subcommittee’s last CVC hearing, 

we reported that the CVC team had expected to have steam running to the 

CVC and to be providing dehumidified air to the exhibit gallery by midAugust. However, as we discussed earlier, the team experienced problems. 

The CVC began receiving steam earlier this week and now expects to be 

able to provide dehumidified air to the CVC by mid-October. Remaining 

risks involve having sufficient manpower to meet the scheduled dates for 

getting the HVAC system fully operational and being able to quickly

overcome any problems that may arise in getting the system properly 

balanced, controlled, and commissioned. 

• Late identification or slow resolution of problems or issues could delay 

completion. Historically, the project has experienced or been at risk of 

experiencing some delays resulting from slow decision-making. In 

addition, some CVC team members believe that some of the problems that 

have resulted in delays, such as certain problems associated with the East 

Front or with problematic sequence 1 concrete work could have been 

identified and addressed earlier than they were. In responding to these 

comments, the sequence 2 contractor said that although earlier 

identification of these types of problems is conceptually possible, it is 

difficult in practice. Looking forward, we do not believe that the team will 

be able to meet its scheduled completion date if it does not quickly decide

on issues; respond to concerns, questions, and submittals; or resolve 

problems. Last week, AOC told the CVC team that starting October 1, the

architectural contractor will be decreasing its staffing support to the 

project. In our opinion, this increases the risk of slow responses to design 

questions or requests for design instructions at a very critical time, 

particularly since we have not seen evidence of a decrease in potential 

Page 20 GAO-06-1058T 
change orders. AOC believes that it will be able to provide its CVC 

construction contractors with sufficient architectural support to respond 

to appropriate questions or requests in time to avoid delays. We believe 

that this situation needs close monitoring, as well as corrective action if 

problems arise. 

• Risks from insufficient stone deliveries appear to be diminishing. 

Although wall stone shortages have caused delays in the past, they have 

not recently been a problem. All of the wall stone for the base project and 

atrium areas has been delivered, and AOC does not anticipate a problem 

with the remaining wall stone deliveries. According to the construction 

management contractor, about 2,400 pieces of wall stone for the East 

Front and all of the wall stone for the tunnels still have to be delivered.

For a time, the sequence 2 contractor did have a problem with the delivery 

of floor stone for the exhibit gallery, but that problem has been resolved, 

and the contractor does not anticipate problems with floor stone 

deliveries for other areas. The sequence 2 subcontractor doing the House 

and Senate expansion space work said that some wall stone for the 

expansion spaces has been delivered and at this time he does not 

anticipate a delivery problem with the remaining wall stone. 

Finally, as we have said in previous discussions with AOC, its construction 

management contractor, and the Subcommittee, it will be important for 

AOC to have adequate analysis and documentation of the reasons and 

responsibilities for delays.9

 On April 11, 2006, AOC executed a contract 

modification authorizing its construction management contractor to have 

one of its managers who has not been involved in the CVC project assess 

the adequacy of this type of information. The manager submitted his 

report to AOC in early June. He reported generally positive findings but 

also identified desired improvements. He made several recommendations 

to AOC, which AOC has generally agreed with and plans to implement 

consistent with the availability of resources. As we have previously stated, 

we believe it is important for AOC to complete its analysis of delays 

expeditiously given the September 15, 2006, sequence 2 contract 

completion date and the impact this analysis is likely to have on delayrelated costs. AOC has been working with the sequence 2 contractor to 

address this issue. 

 9

See, for example, GAO, Capitol Visitor Center: Effective Schedule Management and 

Updated Cost Information Are Important, GAO-05-811T (Washington, D.C.: June 14, 2005).

Page 21 GAO-06-1058T 
Last week, the CVC team completed the development of a new project 

schedule—the August 2006 schedule—that reflects the results of its 

preliminary analysis of the impact on the schedule of recent changes to 

certain components of the fire protection and security systems. While the 

team believes that its preliminary estimate is likely to provide sufficient 

time to accomplish the needed work, it does not believe it can make a 

definitive determination until after it has had a chance to fully analyze the 

changes to these systems. Although the team was striving to have all the 

necessary submittals approved by October 1, this is not likely. However, 

the sequence 2 contractor and its subcontractor responsible for most of 

the related work believe that they expect to have enough of the needed 

information in the next several days and will be able to make a definitive 

determination on the amount of time needed by around mid-October. The 

team plans to reflect any changes necessary in the September project 

schedule, which it expects to issue at about that same time. 

The August project schedule shows that all physical construction work on 

the CVC, the East Front, and the expansion spaces will be completed by 

spring 2007 and that the pretesting and final testing of all of fire protection, 

life safety, and related systems for these areas will be carried out between 

then and mid-September 2007. The schedule reflects the amount of time 

that AOC’s Chief Fire Marshal said he would need to perform his 

acceptance testing, although the team is working with him to see if certain 

aspects of the testing can be done differently to achieve some time 

savings. Unlike the previous project schedule, the new schedule does not

allow any time for addressing problems, risks, or uncertainties or for 

preparing for operations; it also assumes that the exhibits can be delivered

and set up before the final acceptance testing of the facility has been 

completed. The team assumes that it will be able to arrange for the 

delivery and set up of the exhibits and to prepare adequately for 

operations before it receives a certificate of occupancy, but had not 

confirmed this assumption as of September 15, 2006. 

Accordingly, we are focusing the results of our schedule assessment on 

the completion of the CVC’s construction, including the facility’s 

acceptance testing but excluding preparations for operations and the 

delivery and setup of the exhibits. Although we would feel more 

comfortable if the schedule did contain some time for addressing 

problems, risks, and uncertainties, our analysis of the schedule; 

observations of the team’s progress; discussions with CVC team managers 

and members, U.S. Capitol Police representatives, and AOC’s Chief Fire 

Marshal; and the results of our mechanical engineering consultant’s work 

New Project Schedule 

Appears Achievable Only 

under Certain Conditions 

Page 22 GAO-06-1058T 
indicate that the mid-September time frame for completing the project is 

achievable subject to two conditions: 

• The team’s remaining analysis of the impact of the fire protection and 

security system changes shows that the team can finish the necessary 

work within the scheduled time. 

• The team promptly makes significant changes in its execution of the 

schedule and project. 

Given the magnitude of the recent schedule slippages and the

consequences of the risks that have materialized, the time it has taken the 

team to identify and resolve problems, the team’s performance relative to 

the indicators of progress that we and the Subcommittee have been 

tracking, and the risks and uncertainties that continue to face the project,

we are convinced that the team will not be able to meet the new schedule 

or any schedule with completion dates close to mid-September 2007 

unless it quickly and substantively changes its execution of the project and 

schedule. We are recommending that the Architect of the Capitol promptly 

develop an action plan setting forth specific steps that AOC and the CVC 

team will take to enhance AOC’s execution of the schedule and project. 

Types of actions the team should consider are as follows: 

Recommendation 

• Make more visible, aggressive, and focused efforts to manage activities in 

the project’s critical and key near-critical paths according to the schedule,

making sure that priority activities receive priority attention. 

• See that sufficient effort is applied to meet important dates. The CVC team 

may wish to consider including the use of targeted acceleration when it is

justified and will save time without adversely affecting worker safety, 

work quality, or facility functionality or causing trade stacking. In addition, 

any consideration of acceleration should balance its impact on the 

schedule against its potential impact on cost. 

• Ensure that mechanisms are in place to identify and quickly resolve 

problems, issues, risks, questions, and concerns raised by construction 

contractors or others; provide needed design guidance and instructions; 

and respond to submittals effectively and quickly, including closely 

monitoring the turnaround time for architectural support from this point 

forward. 

Page 23 GAO-06-1058T 
• Continuously ensure the effective operation of mechanisms put in place to

coordinate work among the many contractors and subcontractors 

constructing the building and to coordinate with AOC’s Chief Fire Marshal, 

U.S. Capitol Police, and the Capitol Power Plant. 

• Continue to see that requests for discretionary changes to the project’s 

scope or design are promptly brought to the attention of the Capitol 

Preservation Commission, along with the impact of such requested 

changes on the project’s schedule. 

AOC agreed that additional actions are needed to improve the extent to 

which the CVC team meets its scheduled dates and said that it would 

identify and take such actions. To help put the CVC team in a better 

position to meet the project’s scheduled completion date, after 

considering the actions we have identified, the Architect of the Capitol 

should promptly provide the Capitol Preservation Commission, the House 

and Senate Committees on Appropriations, and the Senate Committee on 

Rules and Administration and the Committee on House Administration 

with a plan setting forth the actions it and the CVC team will take to 

enhance their execution of the project and its schedule — particularly to 

accomplish all of the critical work that needs to get done in the next 3 to 4 

months. AOC should submit the plan as soon as possible, but no later than 

mid-October 2006. Congress can then use this plan to hold AOC 

accountable for managing the project and to work closely with AOC to 

ensure that the schedule implications of all proposed scope or design 

changes are quickly determined and considered by all appropriate 

stakeholders before final decisions on the proposed changes are made. 

Relying on cost estimates provided by AOC and its construction 

management contractor, we now estimate that the total cost to complete 

the entire CVC project will be about $584 million without an allowance for 

risks and uncertainties and could be as much as about $596 million with 

such an allowance. This updated $584 million estimate is about $28 million 

greater than our previous estimate of $556 million, which did not include 

an allowance for risks and uncertainties, and matches our previous 

estimate of $584 million, which did include an allowance for risks and 

uncertainties. The $28 million increase consists of estimated costs related 

primarily to additional delays and, to a lesser extent, the recently 

identified changes to the CVC’s fire protection and security systems and 

provision for future changes. (AOC estimated the additional delay-related 

costs for budgetary purposes only and did not provide for possible 

concurrent delays.).Moreover, with additional risks and uncertainties, we 

Project’s Estimated 

Cost and Funding 

Page 24 GAO-06-1058T 
believe the entire project could cost another $12 million at completion 

($596 million minus $584 million). The mounting costs of delays are a 

major reason for our emphasis on the need for AOC and its other CVC 

team members to make significant changes in their project management. 

To date, about $531 million has been provided for CVC construction. This 

amount includes about $3.9 million that was made available for either CVC 

construction or operations10 and has been approved for CVC construction 

by the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations. Our previous 

cost-to-complete estimate showed that another $26 million in construction 

funds would be necessary without an allowance for risks and uncertainties 

to reach the previous cost estimate of $556 million. AOC has requested this 

additional $26 million in its fiscal year 2007 budget for CVC construction. 

AOC has also requested $950,000 in fiscal year 2007 general administration 

appropriation funds to provide contractual support for the Chief Fire 

Marshal’s final acceptance testing of the CVC. Given the new cost-tocomplete estimate, AOC will likely need some additional funding for 

changes during fiscal year 2007. 

AOC agreed that it would likely need additional funds but did not believe it

would need quite as much as we had estimated for future changes and 

contingencies. Given the project’s experience with cost growth and the 

trends in the number of potential change orders submitted, we believe our 

estimate is reasonable. In addition, AOC noted that it could possibly use 

some funds that have been slated for covering sequence 2 delay-related

costs for other CVC-related costs during fiscal year 2007, assuming that 

some of this delay-related funding may not be needed for some time. AOC 

recognized, however, that it may need additional funding for potential 

delay-related costs if it were to do this. AOC also noted that it may be able 

to cover some portion of the increased costs by reprogramming funds 

from other sources after obtaining the necessary congressional approvals.

 10Public Law 108-447, enacted on December 8, 2004, provided that up to $10.6 million 

(reduced to $10.5 million by a subsequent budget recission of $84,000) could be transferred 

from AOC’s Capitol Building appropriation account for the use of the CVC project. The use 

of the amount transferred is subject to the approval of the House and Senate Committees 

on Appropriations. AOC has now received approval to obligate the entire $10.5 million. 

Page 25 GAO-06-1058T 
Mr. Chairman, this completes our prepared statement. We would be 

pleased to answer any questions that you or Members of the 

Subcommittee may have. 

For further information about this testimony, please contact Bernard 

Ungar at (202) 512-4232 or Terrell Dorn at (202) 512-6923. Other key 

contributors to this testimony include Shirley Abel, John Craig, Maria 

Edelstein, Elizabeth Eisenstadt, Jeanette Franzel, Jackie Hamilton, 

Bradley James, Joshua Ormond, and Scott Riback. 

Contacts and 

Acknowledgments 

Page 26 GAO-06-1058T 
Page 27 GAO-06-1058T 

Appendix I: Capitol Visitor Center Critical 

Construction Milestones, July-September 

2006 

Activity Location

Scheduled

completion 

Actual 

completion 

Lower level - Hang VP 

drywall ceiling 

Congressional 

auditorium 

7/20/2006 9/9/2006a

Wall stone Area #6 Congressional 

auditorium 

7/20/2006 9/11/2006a

Install AHU-EF-1/AHU-EF-2 Mechanical system 8/1/2006 b 

Install bronze doors Food service 8/3/2006 c 

Grid for wood ceiling Orientation theater 8/8/2006 d 

Pre FPT controls test SF fans 8/15/2006 e 

Wood doors and frames Food service 8/21/2006 f 

Finish paint West lobby assembly 8/21/2006 

Install wood ceiling panels Orientation theater 8/22/2006 d 

Wall stone Area #1 East Front principal 8/28/2006 g 

Ceiling fabric Congressional 

auditorium 

8/28/2006

Install stone Exhibit gallery 8/31/2006 h 

Plaster ceiling East Front Basement 9/5/2006 

Controls Pt. to PT. check AHU-01 9/8/2006 8/5/2006 

Wall stone Area #2 East Front principal 9/12/2006 g 

Ceiling panels Orientation lobby 9/12/2006 

Floor stone Food service 9/19/2006 9/4/2006 

Source: AOC’s June 2006 CVC sequence 2 construction schedule for the scheduled completion dates, AOC and its construction 

management and sequence 2 contractors for the actual completion dates, and the sequence 2 contractor or subcontractors for reasons 

for delay 

a

Work is substantially complete. 

b

Assembly of the upper level air-handling units has been slowed during replacement of waterdamaged insulation. 

c

Bronze door installation has been resequenced to make upper level security doors the highest 

priority. 

d

Installation has been slowed while coordinating with the audio-visual contractor on the installation of 

above-ceiling equipment. 

e

Test could not be done because preceding work had not been completed. 

f

Installation of wood doors has been resequenced; a template was developed to prevent delays of 

follow-on work. 

g

Installation of principal level wall stone has been affected by ductwork revisions and metal stud 

design issues. 

h

Aspiration wall-stone installation has been delayed because preceding work took longer than 

expected. 

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