What is Facilities Program Management?

Facilities program management is a comprehensive method of managing all capital resource needs, including planning, design, and construction. Program management provides a single-source professional agent representing the school board, like an in-house facilities department. Program management may be provided by a construction company, architect, or engineering firm. It is most successful when provided by a company that specializes in this service.

Facilities program management can include any or all of the following professional services. The more the better!

• Comprehensive district-wide facility needs assessment
• Existing building conditional analysis
• Demographic analysis and long-term master planning
• Budget confirmation for referendum determination
• Educational specifications preparation
• Scheduling of architectural and engineering services
• Plan review/value engineering to maximize dollars spent against design solution and construction quality
• Bid analysis and award
• Construction supervision and/or construction management
• Post-occupancy evaluation (to improve the next project!)

Facilities program management falls into three general categories:

• Pre-planning
• Design Scheduling and Plan Review
• Construction Administration

Selecting a Facilities Program Management Firm

Selecting the right program management planners who are experienced in all curriculum areas and technology

Full-time architects

Full-time engineers (mechanical, electrical, structural)

Full-time Uniform Building Code inspectors

Licensed contractors

Cost estimators

Most of all, does the firm have experience in educational facilities? Schools are special!

Construction Program Management vs. Hiring In-house Staff

Many issues are involved in deciding whether to hire staff or contract out for construction management expertise:

What would be the total staff requirement for the district to successfully conduct all management requirements?

Is such qualified staff available in the region?

Are district salaries adequate to attract qualified personnel?

Will any employed staff be conversant in educational curriculum, instructional technology, and the disciplines of architecture, engineering, and construction?

Will a short-term construction program (three to five years) attract suitable career-minded management professionals?

Could long-term duties, such as energy management and ensuring safety, be additional staff responsibilities that would make hiring in-house staff cost-efficient?

If the above questions can be answered favorably, then in-house employment of facilities personnel may be appropriate for the construction program. Otherwise, the school district needs to evaluate the experience, educational awareness, curriculum expertise, and instructional technology training of available program management firms.

(From ITTE's Facility Planning book)

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