4.1 What is the purpose of this chapter? This chapter establishes the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (Service) policy and procedures for conducting condition assessments for constructed real property assets that the Service owns or manages.
4.2 What are the objectives of this chapter? Our objectives are to ensure reliable Current Replacement Value (CRV) and deficiency cost estimates that will enable effective Deferred Maintenance (DM), transportation, and construction budget planning, scheduling, and implementation. In addition to helping us make better informed investment decisions, condition assessments improve the safety and reliability of our entire facility portfolio.
4.3 What are condition assessments? A condition assessment is a periodic inspection by qualified personnel to visually confirm an asset exists, to document its physical state, and to validate that its reporting elements are entered in applicable databases. Condition assessments include, but are not limited to:
A. Verifying a complete and accurate inventory of constructed real property assets, ensuring that disposed assets have been removed;
B. Ensuring that all attribute asset data is current and accurate;
C. Verifying and updating CRVs;
D. Verifying or identifying maintenance deficiencies;
E. Developing consistent and reliable estimates for the cost of correcting maintenance deficiencies, focusing on reliable and consistent cost estimates for corrective measures; and
F. Providing an accurate and reliable Facility Condition Index (FCI) for each asset.
4.4 What is the scope of this chapter? This chapter applies to all constructed real property assets the Service owns or manages.
4.5 What are the authorities and terms you need to know to understand this chapter? See 372 FW 1 for the authorities and definitions of terms for all of the chapters in Part 372.
4.6 Who is responsible for assessing the condition of assets and documenting costs to correct deficiencies? See 372 FW 1, Table 1-3 for the overall responsibilities of Service management for constructed real property. Table 4-1 below is specific to the content of this chapter.
Table 4-1: Responsibilities for Assessing Condition and Documenting Costs to Correct Deficiencies
These employees… | Are responsible for… |
(1) Managing the Service Asset and Maintenance Management System (SAMMS), which is the official database of record for all information related to the assessment of the condition of constructed real property assets and the associated cost to correct deficiencies; and (2) Managing the Service Application for Material Inspections (SAMI), the official SAMMS-interfacing application tool for on-site field inspections. | |
B. Assistant Director – Fish and Aquatic Conservation | Coordinating with the Chief – NWRS and the Assistant Director –Business Management and Operations to develop and implement facility condition assessment policies and procedures. |
Ensuring that information from specialized, safety, and accessibility inspections is available for integration with overall condition assessment data so that we can determine DM costs deriving from those inspections. | |
D. Regional Directors and Assistant Regional Directors | (1) Ensuring that, within their area of responsibility, all organizational entities with constructed real property conduct and certify completion of an annual condition assessment; (2) Each year ensuring that at least 20% if the following assets receive a Comprehensive Condition Assessment (CCA), so that over a 5-year time frame the entire portfolio of assets will have been assessed: (a) Assets that are mission critical, and (b) Assets with a CRV of at least $100,000; (3) Coordinating specialized condition assessments as needed; (4) Ensuring that staff: (a) Record in SAMMS recommendations to repair, replace, or dispose of assets, based on best management practices; (b) Enter appropriate work orders in SAMMS to identify projects and document estimated DM costs for funding consideration; (c) Use consistent and reliable cost estimates to determine repair or disposal costs; and (d) Incorporate data quality into all facility management activities to ensure that our inventory is complete and accurate; (5) Ensuring Regional facilities and transportation management employees obtain the appropriate training and professional development; and (6) Ensuring Regional Facilities Management Coordinators complete core and continuing education requirements outlined in the Constructed Real Property Management Handbook. |
E. Regional Facilities Program Supervisors | Under the direction of the Regional Director and Assistant Regional Directors, executing the responsibilities in this policy and guiding the Regional Facilities Program team to: (1) Use SAMI to conduct a CCA every 5 years for all assets that are mission critical, and assets that have a CRV of at least $100,000; (2) Request specialized condition assessments as needed; (3) Record in SAMMS recommendations to repair, replace, or dispose of an asset based on best management practices; (4) Enter appropriate work orders in SAMMS to document DM costs and identify projects for funding consideration; (5) Use consistent and reliable cost estimates to determine repair or disposal costs; (6) Coordinate with Engineering and Contracting offices regarding cost estimates, acquisition planning, and workload planning related to 5-year DM, construction, and transportation plans; and (7) Incorporate data quality into all asset management activities to ensure that our inventory is complete and accurate. |
F. Regional Facilities Management Coordinators | (1) Under the direction of the Regional Facilities Program Supervisor, implementing all policies and procedures in this chapter, chapter 4 of the Constructed Real Property Management Handbook, and the “Condition Assessment User Guide;” (2) On an annual basis, completing CCAs using SAMI or ensuring that CCAs are completed through SAMI for 20% of the following Regional assets: (a) Assets that are mission critical, and (b) Assets that have a CRV of at least $100,000; (The “20% annually” requirement ensures that over a 5-year period the entire portfolio of designated assets will be assessed.) (3) Serving as a subject matter expert to help field and Regional managers identify and estimate priority DM projects; and (4) Completing continuing education courses (outlined in chapter 4 of the Constructed Real Property Management Handbook) as needed to stay current on inspection standards and processes. |
G. Field Station Managers | (1) Ensuring that, for the assets for which they are responsible, staff complete annual condition assessments and inventory certifications in a timely and accurate manner; (2) Verifying that work orders in SAMMS are not duplicative and accurately reflect the station’s minimum needs; and (3) Ensuring that field station personnel assist with CCAs, specialized inspections, and other Regional or national requirements, so that we have a complete and accurate inventory and description of each station’s needs. |
4.7 What are the primary types of condition assessments the Service conducts? We conduct three types of condition assessments—annual condition assessments, CCAs, and specialized condition assessments:
A. Annual condition assessments: Field stations are required to annually assess all owned or Service-managed constructed assets with a CRV of at least $5,000. Refer to 372 FW 3 for additional information. These assessments:
(1) Verify the presence of all constructed real property assets on a station’s inventory, and that the inventory list is complete and accurate;
(2) Verify the accuracy of the data elements listed for each asset on the inventory; and
(3) Identify any major changes in maintenance needs. The Field Station Manager then notifies the Regional Facilities Management Program.
B. Comprehensive Condition Assessments (CCAs): CCAs are the detailed inspection and verification of inventory of constructed real property assets that the Regional Facilities Management team or qualified professionals (e.g., contractors) conduct on a 5-year cycle. They must conduct CCAs for:
(1) Mission-critical assets, and
(2) Assets with a CRV of at least $100,000.
C. Specialized condition assessments: Engineers or other contracted professionals conduct specialized inspections of dams, bridges, public roads, seismic safety elements, and other specialized facilities or components that require unique safety equipment or training. DM deficiencies and associated costs identified in specialized inspections are incorporated into the appropriate DM, transportation, capital improvement, or corrective maintenance work orders in SAMMS.
4.8 What are the primary purposes of condition assessments? The four primary reasons for conducting condition assessments are to:
A. Systematically document condition of assets and to determine associated costs to correct maintenance deficiencies;
B. Systematically review all facility records at a particular location to ensure that inventories are complete and accurate, and that all appropriate data, including attributes reported in the Federal Real Property Profile (FRPP), have been properly recorded in FBMS for managerial decision making;
C. Provide information and costs on recurring maintenance and repair and component renewal needs for use in field station annual work planning; and
D. Provide strong support for planning and deciding how, where, and when to invest in our overall facility portfolio. CCAs are particularly important in preparing the 5-eear DM, construction, and transportation plans. Projects that are not supported by a current condition assessment are not eligible for funding from these sources.
4.9 What is the database of record for recording annual, comprehensive, and specialized condition assessment information, and what is the official automated software tool for collecting CCA and specialized inspection data?
A. SAMMS is the database of record for condition assessment findings and estimated repair costs, which are entered into work orders.
B. SAMI is the Service’s official application for onsite condition assessments. We export asset data from SAMMS to SAMI to prepare for an assessment. When the onsite assessment is completed, the inspection and assessment results and cost estimates are exported from SAMI back to SAMMS. Data from specialized inspections or contracted assessments may be entered into SAMMS by either SAMI or a program that interfaces with it.
4.10 How does the Service make decisions about repair, replacement, or disposal projects? The end result of a CCA is that for each asset assessed, the inspector makes a recommendation to repair, replace, or dispose of that asset. The inspector makes the recommendations based on:
A. The asset’s relative importance to our mission, based on consultation with the Field Station Manager and a review of the Asset Priority Index (API), utilization, historic status, and approved management plans;
B. An understanding of the nature and extent of the deficiencies and any risk posed to human safety; and
C. An understanding of one-time and life-cycle cost trade-offs and risks.
4.11 How does the Service use deficiency cost estimates based on comprehensive and specialized inspections? We routinely use DM cost estimates to make funding decisions and schedule projects. DM cost estimates are also auditable items in the Service’s annual financial audit and FRPP submission.
A. DM work orders must include only the estimated cost of the repair or disposal work.
B. Projects submitted for consideration in the 5-year DM plan may include up to 50% Capital Improvement (CI). DM and CI costs must be in separate “child” work orders, and CI costs must not exceed 50% of the total project cost over all phases of the project. (Preparation of the 5-year DM, construction, and transportation plans should be coordinated with Engineering and Contracting, in part to validate cost estimates and ensure adequate acquisition and workload planning.)
C. Replacement projects must include disposal costs for the existing asset, contained in a child DM Demolition (DMDE) work order.
D. Demolition projects must not include repair or CI.
4.12 How long does the Service maintain records of condition assessments and specialized inspections? Results of all annual assessments and CCAs must be saved for two assessment cycles. See the Constructed Real Property Management Handbook for details.
4.13 What other guidance is available on the detailed procedures for condition assessments? This is a complex program with many recordkeeping, reporting, and budgeting components. We provide detailed guidance in the Constructed Real Property Management Handbook.