[Agency Logo]
[Agency Title]
Strategic Office
Accommodation Plan
[Date]
Approval
Name/Title
Signature
Date
Chief Executive Officer
Chief Finance Officer
Senior Asset Manager
Chief Information Officer
Senior Human Resources Officer
Senior Corporate Services Officer
Contact Officer
Name/Title
Email
Phone
Version Control
Version
Draft 1
Draft 2
Final
Date
Status/Action/Change
Approved By
Executive Summary
The summary provides the main advice from the office accommodation plan and
lists the recommendations for which approval is sought from decision-makers.
Advice is provided on the:

indicative location, scale and cost of the proposed accommodation over the
next five and ten year periods;

main service delivery tasks that the agency will address using the
accommodation; and the

next steps, such as the submission of an application for concept approval to
improve an existing office or to relocate to a new one.
The executive summary is brief – the advice and information in the remainder of
the plan provides the necessary justification. The main body contains the agency’s
logic and assumptions. Supporting detail is provided in annexes or separately.
Before proceeding, the SAMF Office Accommodation module should be read for a
full understanding of the relevant policies, principles and requirements.
Strategic Justification
This section clarifies the strategic basis for the agency’s future accommodation.
An agency’s strategic asset plan clarifies its asset-related demand drivers and its
service delivery objectives and model, including in cooperation with others. This
provides the basis to identify the offices that should be retained and enhanced, or
acquired over the next ten years.
The agency demonstrates consistency with long-term State plans for urban and
regional development and with Government directions (such as for the agency to
relocate to a given area). The agency also indicates whether participation in a
whole-of-government initiative under the Government Office Accommodation
(GOA) strategy would be appropriate from its perspective.
An agency with a network of offices attaches a basic map similar to the one at
Appendix A which shows its current and proposed office locations and scale.
Questions

In which urban and/or regional areas are the current offices located? Where
should they be located over the next five and ten year periods in order to help
meet service demand?

How consistent will the scale and location of the offices be with long-term
State development plans? Why are any inconsistencies justified in terms, for
example, of the agency’s objectives or the indicative costs and benefits?
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
How consistent will the scale and location be with local government plans that,
for example, constrain the size of buildings or the number of fleet vehicles?

Are there opportunities that should be taken to participate in a future GOA
initiative?
Information
Detailed information on the location and scale of the current and proposed
accommodation is attached in a table at the end of the plan. The latest format for
the table is available from the GOA directorate in the Department of Finance.
Current Accommodation
This section focuses on the strengths and risks inherent in an agency’s existing
office accommodation in relation to its future service delivery requirements.
As part of its strategic asset plan, an agency reviews the type, usage rate and
management arrangements for each major asset. Any under-performing assets
are identified, including office accommodation.
To inform that review, an agency clarifies the gap between the service-delivery
support provided by its existing accommodation and future requirements. The
accommodation that should be vacated and/or disposed of is also identified,
including surplus office space.
Key issues include the strengths and limits of the accommodation in terms of its:

location, functionality, condition and capacity to support future employees;

connection with related agencies through ICT and transport channels;

risk to employees and members of the public such as from OH&S hazards or
inadequate exits for disabled people; and

terms of occupancy, such as a favourable lease cost and duration.
Any unresolved critical deadlines that would impact on service continuity are also
highlighted, such as for lease renewal or termination. An overall rating (high,
medium or low) conveys the extent of the risk to service delivery.
2
Questions

Why is the existing accommodation inadequate? Why must the agency move
out or enhance the accommodation, and by when?

Why would workarounds within the current accommodation be insufficient
(such as personnel transfers and consolidation or the use of vacant space)?

Is there surplus office space that should be sub-leased or disposed of
(including for use by another government agency)?
Future Accommodation
This section identifies the office accommodation that should be retained and
acquired in response to the risks identified above.
The agency conveys the purpose, broad characteristics and capacity of the future
accommodation at its main and secondary offices. Key issues include:

what employees would do at (and from) the office – and for which types of
service recipient in urban and regional areas;

the consistency of the office scale with approved and projected employee
numbers;

how the accommodation would address the gap between the service support
that is currently available and required;

the unique operational requirements that should be included in later detailed
planning (such as for a location separate from other agencies due to security
issues);

the office capacity that would be available by important milestones (such as a
Government deadline to increase services to a remote area); and

how well-connected an agency would be internally and with related agencies
through ICT and transport links, and co-location or proximity.
The indicative location and scale of the accommodation reflects the impact of
future trends including the:

increasing community use of ICT rather than direct access to obtain
information and conduct transactions; and the

extent to which services will be delivered by mobile staff and supported by
employees through telework (rather than at the office).
The advice reflects a consistent approach across the agency’s corporate and
strategic asset planning (particularly on related workforce, ICT, capital acquisition
and maintenance aspects).
3
For an agency with a large office network, pie charts can be used to convey
aspects including the:

projected growth or decline in leases and workpoints by urban, metropolitan
and regional location for the next 5-10 years; and the

total leased area under management by the agency or the Department of
Finance.
Any critical deadlines are highlighted, for example for the completion of an office
renewal business case and Budget approval.
Clarity on the pros and cons of the proposed approach enables the prioritisation of
office investment proposals and their inclusion in the highest priority set of
investments in an agency’s strategic asset plan (which covers all asset types).
Questions

How will each office investment form an effective part of an agency’s service
delivery model over the short, medium and long-term?

What existing office space should be retained and enhanced?

Why is the purchase or leasing of commercial office space unavoidable?

What due diligence was done to check whether other agencies would have
suitable vacant accommodation?

Why are the most promising government sites not suitable, for example
because occupation would not be possible at a mutually agreed time?

How would the agency continue to operate effectively using the existing
accommodation if further investment is not approved?
Procurement
This section identifies opportunities for coordinated office fit-outs, refurbishments,
acquisitions or support within an agency’s network and with other agencies.
The section is completed by an agency that has: more than one office lease or
building management arrangement; or a single office requirement that could be
included in a joint arrangement with another government agency or with the
Department of Finance within the GOA portfolio.
A coordination opportunity may involve the bundling of contracts for the lease or
construction of an office building and/or the services throughout the life of the
accommodation (such as for maintenance, security and cleaning).
4
Various means may be used to achieve an opportunity through synchronised
action across agencies, including the early termination of a lease (or its short-term
extension), lease pre-commitment, the use of surplus office space on a temporary
basis and joint agency negotiation with the private sector.
Critical procurement deadlines are highlighted, for example, to avoid delaying
action until market leverage has been negated in the lead-up to lease negotiation.
Questions

What opportunities will there be to secure value for money on behalf of the
State through internal procurement initiatives or with another agency?

What means are feasible and should be explored in consultation with the
agency and/or the Department of Finance?
Financial Implications
This section clarifies the broad financial implications of the agency’s strategic
approach to its office accommodation.
The financial advice helps to confirm whether proceeding as planned will provide
value for money. Key issues include the:

proportion of the accommodation that would be Government-owned versus
leased;

extent to which the office space would be occupied or reserved for future
requirements;

extent of exposure to double rent in the transition to the new accommodation;
and the

return on investment from existing and proposed fit-outs (in terms of years
versus cost).
The capital and operating cost implications are explained, for example, to
demonstrate that double rent would not be paid and that the cash flow projections
would be achievable. Details of the expenditure are contained in a spreadsheet
similar to the one at Appendix B.
The indicative overall cost of the transition from the current to the future
accommodation is provided together with advice on why the proposed investment
would reflect the efficient use of State funds.
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Appendix A: Current and Proposed Offices
Regional Office B
Regional Office A
 Direct service delivery
to city A and
communities B-F
 Current location static
for 10 years
 15 employees
Coastline
Service Reach
Head Office
 Policy, financial and
administrative tasks
 Direct services to urban and
metropolitan recipients
 20 employees
 Change current CBD location to
metropolitan in 4 years
 High speed ICT to regional
office A in 5 years and office B
in 7 years
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 Proposed creation in
7 years
 Direct services to
communities E-K
 5 employees
Appendix B: Financial Detail
Asset Description
Budget
Year
FE 1
FE2
FE3
Yr 5
Yr 6
Yr 7
Yr 8
Yr 9
Yr 10
($m)
Central Office
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Capital
Operating
Regional Office
Capital
Operating
Total
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