Part I – Introduction
3 Day Course Prepared for Presentation at ESRU, March 10-12, 2008
Edited for Presentation at National Facilities Meeting, April 30-May 2, 2008
Mark McDonough, PE
Assistant Station Engineer
Southern Research Station
USDA Forest Service
Randy Warbington, PE
Facilities Program Manager
Southern Region
USDA Forest Service

National Facilities Engineering Meeting
USDA Forest Service
 Who we are
 Who you are, where you are from
 Why you are here
 What you hope to learn this week the first convention center in the nation to receive the U.S. Green Building Council’s
LEED-EB certification
Portland, Oregon

One tool regularly used in building condition assessment work is a ladder; therefore we will do a safety minute today on
“Ladder Safety.”
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Each year about 50 workers are killed by falls from ladders.
Twice as many falls occur stepping down compared to going up ladders.
The main cause of falls from straight and extension ladders is sliding of the ladder base.
Proper angle for a leaning ladder should be such that the distance from the support to the base is ¼ of the height.
For self-supported ladders or stepladders, the main cause is tipping sideways.
A lot of workers carrying ladders hurt their backs. If possible use two people to carry if the ladder is long.

Are there any problems here?

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Learn how to properly conduct condition assessments on
Forest Service buildings using new agency protocols
Learn how to properly document building condition assessments by correctly recording the applicable header information, standard and custom work items and quantities
Learn how to properly input building condition assessment data into I-Web for further processing, including automated costing of needs, leading to a determination of building value that is adjusted based upon its condition
Gain some insight in operating, maintaining and managing public facilities

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Forest Service engineers, engineering technicians, recreation technicians and other forest, district and lab and station employees designated to conduct building condition assessments and input data into I-Web
Contractors employed to conduct condition assessments on
Forest Service buildings
Line Officers who desire an overview of the building condition assessment process may also find this course of interest

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Training on the new agency-standard protocols is desired prior to conducting condition assessments on buildings beginning in
FY 2008
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Two types of training: (differences will be discussed later)
 AGLEARN short course for “ basic
” buildings
 no pre-requisites; completion of it is adequate for “basic” inspectors
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Full 3-day classroom and field trip course for “ complex
” buildings
 3 day course plus construction certification in the “Buildings” category
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Courses shall be included in the training plan for all employees who will be conducting “basic” or “complex” building condition assessments
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Certificate of completion will be provided for both levels

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Summary of Forest Service
Building Inventory
There are 40,000+ buildings owned by the Forest
Service, most of which are located on a National
Forest, an Experimental Forest or at a Research
Station
They range in size from less than 25 to over 100,000 square feet of floor space
Over 30,000 of these Forest Service buildings fall in the smaller end of the spectrum, and are classified in
I-Web as “sheds”, “shelters”, “barns” or “pit and vault toilets”

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From FSH 7509.11, section 05, a building is defined as “a structure to support, shelter, or enclose persons, animals, or property of any kind.”
For the purposes of input into the I-Web database the following additional clarification is offered:
“ A building is at least 8’ in total height and has a foundation and a permanent roof
”
Bird houses and dog houses are not buildings
A tent is not a building

31,3340,000 SF
CRV > $5.4 Billion
$464,000,000 of DM
8.6% of Total Value

*Data from 2000

Forest Service Building Value and
Condition by Unit https://iweb.fs.usda.gov/cdwreports/Buildings_subcategory_fci_fy04.xls
Note: this is a secure link, therefore you must be logged into eAuthentication for it to work.
Also note that the +’s on the left side indicate that you can drill down to the unit of interest.

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These buildings generally coincide the ones classified in I-Web as “sheds”, “shelters”, “barns” and “pit and vault toilets”, although certainly some barns and shelters especially would be classified as “Complex” due to the presence of heating, plumbing and/or electrical systems in them.
For the purposes of conducting condition assessments
“Basic” buildings are defined as those buildings having no HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning), no plumbing and no electrical.

Pictorial Examples of “Basic” Forest
Service Buildings
Trail Shelter

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For the purposes of conducting condition assessments
“complex” buildings are defined as those buildings having one, two or all of the following components: electrical, heating, ventilation air conditioning, or plumbing.
Only about 1/3 of the Forest Service’s 40,000+ buildings recorded in I-Web would be classified as “complex” for this purpose; the rest are “basic”
The AGLEARN course is the only required training for performing condition assessments on “basic buildings” required of all building inspectors
To conduct condition assessments on “complex” buildings completion of this 3-day course is required, as well as certification as a “Buildings” construction inspector

Pictorial Examples of “Complex”
Forest Service Buildings
Office
Barn
Office

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There has been some confusion and miscommunication over how to classify portable buildings – real or personal property?
Generally real property is defined as “Any interest in land, together with the improvements, structures, and fixtures, including prefabricated movable structures such as Butler-type storage warehouses and quonset huts, and house trailers with or without undercarriages, and appurtenances thereto, under the control of any Federal agency”
When designated by the agency for disposition separate from the land which underlies them, portable buildings convert from real to personal property
Portable buildings may require condition assessments to inform their value whether they are considered to be real or personal property
Portable buildings which are real property must be input into I-web and be maintained with appropriate maintenance funds
Once they become identified for disposition and become personal property they should no longer be assessed maintenance fees.

Pictorial Examples of Portable Forest
Real Property
Service Buildings
Real Property
Barn
Vault Toilet
Kiosk or Shed
Portable Toilets
Not yet considered “Real”
Shelter
Not Real Property

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May be simple, complex, or portable
Portable storage buildings and tents are examples
No indication that the FSM addresses temporary buildings or promulgates different construction or maintenance standards for them
The assumption is that a temporary building would not be stored in the I-Web Inventory System, be assessed CP09 or other maintenance fees – How long is temporary?
Temporary buildings might require condition inspections, but as the buildings would not be inventoried in I-Web, would not need condition assessments

Pictorial Examples of Temporary
Forest Service Buildings
“Plastic” Storage Building
Mobile Tanker Base
Tent
Temporary Office

Architectural Barriers Act
Accessibility Guidelines
July 23, 2004

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Deals with both existing and new occupancies.
Deals with Safety issues, especially as relates to fire protection, safe egress, etc.
Updated on a 3 year cycle.
An Occupancy Code, not a Building Code
Building Codes are primarily construction standards - they are not really very useful or applicable as condition assessment standards.

International Property Maintenance Code
 Provides standards for maintenance
 An International Code Council (ICC) product
 Once again, condition assessments are not primarily looking for building code violations, instead they are more targeted to upkeep and condition, so this code is very applicable

OSHA Standards for Workplace Safety
 Although not the major focus, this certainly is a standard you should have some familiarity with.
 Covers almost any type of workplace situation you are likely to encounter.
 http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owastand. display_standard_group?p_toc_level=1&p_ part_number=1910

 Forest Service Health and Safety Code
Handbook http://fsweb.wo.fs.fed.us/directives/fsh/6709.11/
 Quarters Rental Handbook http://fsweb.wo.fs.fed.us/directives/fsh/6409.11/

Accessibility Standards – ADA/ABA
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ADA/ABA is concerned with adequate clearances, slopes, heights, etc. to allow a wide diversity of users to be able to manipulate controls and devices and negotiate routes
Correcting deficiencies related to accessibility may or may not be a component of DM
If it should have been accomplished post-1968 through construction or acquisition then it is DM
If it has been identified as needed to correct pre-
1968 construction, purchase or alteration then it is considered to be Capital Investment
Available on-line at http://www.access-board.gov/

Example of Parking Space and Entrance not meeting Accessibility Standards
Nice new accessible sidewalk, but no curb cut.

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Executive Orders, such as “Preserve America” require the agency to protect significant cultural resources that it owns and manages.
Secretary of Interior’s Rehabilitation Standards may apply – Visit the following web site: http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/tps/tax/rhb/stand.htm
Coordination with SHPO is usually required.
Conflicts with ADA and other standards must be addressed.

Often requires coordination with
State Historic Preservation Officer.

A typical lead paint situation might be peeling paint on windows, doors and trim on an older building such as this one. This is especially a concern if the building is to be occupied by a family having small children.
 MTDC provides a good review of lead based paint legislation
 Visit: http://www.fs.fed.us/eng/pubs/htmlpubs/htm96712354/index.htm

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Applicable OSHA standards can be found at the following web site: http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/asbestos/standards.html
Cleanup liability needs to be recorded for each facility

 Information available at the following sites http://fsweb.mtdc.wo.fs.fed.us/toolbox/haz/haz04.htm
http://www.inspect-ny.com/sickhouse.htm

Hazardous Materials Use and Storage
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Everyday Hazmat User’s Training Guide http://fsweb.mtdc.wo.fs.fed.us/everyday_haz mat/users_guide.htm

Funds Available for Bldg Maintenance
 From Appropriations Handbook
(FSH 6509.11g):
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CP09 – for admin and research facilities
CMFC – for maintaining recreation facilities and constructing all facilities over $250,000
CMII – for addressing deferred maintenance
RSI – for DM on recreation fee sites, next 5 years
QMQM – for quarters

41.10e - Maintenance of Facilities – CMFC & CP09
 Includes both annual and deferred maintenance on all facilities in the Forest Service inventory, such as:
1. Administrative sites, offices, service and general purpose storage buildings, warehouses, recreation facilities, research facilities, nursery and tree improvement buildings, airports, heliports, lookout towers, fire management facilities, dams and fences;
2. Associated sewer, water, electrical, and telephone systems; and other related facilities.
3. Do not charge CMFC for maintenance of special purpose buildings and equipment, such as: a. Maintenance of radios and the radio system that are charged through the cost allocation process. b. Maintenance of general-purpose buildings when a significant portion of the building benefits other funds, such as Knutson-Vandenberg (K-V), brush disposal (BD), or salvage sales.

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Funds are to be used for maintenance, repair and disposal of admin buildings, major visitor centers, water and wastewater, dams, fire facilities, etc. not associated with developed recreation sites.
Focus funds to maintain mission critical facilities
(identified in FRPP) in good condition.
It is not expected that funds will be returned to where they are collected in the same proportion,
CP09 is just an assessment system for maintaining non-recreation facilities in general.

31.13 – Recreation/Heritage/Wilderness (NFRW)
 Use NFRW for the management and operation of developed and general forest recreation sites and activities; communication/education/interpretation of all Recreation, Heritage and Wilderness programs; administration of recreation special use permits; management of Congressionally designated areas,
Wild and Scenic Rivers, and National Forest designated Scenic Byways; visual resources management; management of wilderness resources; and the management of heritage resources.

41.10 - Facilities Capital Improvement and
Maintenance (CMFC)
 This program is for any capital improvement project or the maintenance of facilities already in existence in the Forest Service’s inventory of assets or intended to be included in the inventory of assets.

Additional Direction from PBA
Primary Purpose Guide

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Agency Facility Maintenance Need (annually):
 Based on 2-4% of CRV =
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0.03 * 5.4 billion = $162 million (buildings only)
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Agency Facility DM = $460 million
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2008 Funds Available for Maintenance work
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CPO9 = $43.6 million assessed ($45 million ceiling)
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CMFC Maintenance (FY08) = $59.8 million
 QMQM (FY08) = $8.1 million
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Totals ((08) = $111 million (buildings, water, wastewater, dams, air tanker bases, etc.)

 Our buildings are not typical, maybe 4-6% is more typical due to harsh exposures, remote environments, etc.
 CP09 covers dams, water and wastewater systems, and other administrative facilities as well as buildings
 CMFC covers all recreation facilities, not just buildings

From the 2005 Building Block Plan (agency’s portion of USDA’s asset management plan):

OIG Audits, Agency Action Plans, Funding

 Protocols were developed to address the concerns highlighted by the OIG reports
 Between 1998 and 2005 the agency conducted condition assessments and input the data into
INFRA covering some 122,727 of the 145,132 assets it controlled in the categories which were audited by OIG

OIG Audit of Forest Service’s Financial
Performance of 2006
 OIG audit 08601-02-HY http://www.usda.gov/oig/ webdocs/08601-02-HY.pdf

Excerpt from the Audit’s Executive
Summary:

2007 OMB Assessment Report (PAR)
 http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/expectmore/ detail/10000450.2007.html
 http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/expectmore/ summary/10000450.2007.html

In 2001 almost every agency was “red” In 2007 USDA still has a red in financial performance

Specifically for the FS What did the PAR indicate? What does the Red mean?
The Forest Service is unable to accurately and completely determine the current condition of facilities, roads, and trails and the estimated cost to correct any deficiencies. The lack of accurate condition Assessments leads to instances where funds are not provided to best meet program needs and purposes.

 http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/expectmore/summary/
10000450.2007.html
 Related to the task at hand (condition Assessments) the Forest Service agreed to the following:

15 Minutes