OATdb Archive

2013 - 2014

Facilities Planning And Construction

Goal
Implement Continuous Improvement Within Division
Require Directors/AVP's to integrate a culture of continuous improvement within their departments.

Objective
Integrate Project Management Software And University Accounting Database
Utilizing web-based product, e-Builder, to capitalize on "real-time" construction project tracking and management from planning phases through completion of FPC projects. Information can be accessed at multiple levels of the project phases and organizational structure. Ultimately, enhancing the over-all project delivery.  The integration of BANNER, the University's accounting database, with the project management software, reflects accurate information and an intense process of checks and balances.

KPI
Comparison Of Project Costs Via Cognos Report
Review monthly the FPC Monthly Manager Reports and Cognos dashboards to track Project softcosts, Design and General Contractor Contracts and Project change orders in comparison to Total Project Cost (TPC) and BANNER Budget pools.  The Cognos report run daily compares BANNER and eBuilder project costs and is used to determine need for redirection and analysis of risks exposure. Less than a 1% variance is considered successful when comparing Banner and eBuilder...:
1. Project Budgets
2. Expenditures
3. Encumbrances
4. Rem Balances

Result
E-Builder Results Of Tracking Projects
Project bugets, expenditures, encumbrances and remaining balances have less than 1% variance and will continue to meet this goal.

Action
Supportive Analysis & Integration
Continue current efforts and provide supportive analysis of all project accounting scenariors i.e multiple funding sources.  Work with internal resources  i.e. IT and Controllers ofice, as well as the current TSUS Policies & Procedures and outsourced software company, eBuilder, to suport the project team for best practices and better project outcomes. Our goal is to have zero discrepancies between the systems.

Goal
Provide For Continued Improvement In Campus Facilities And Grounds
Boost participation of campus departments in the verification of their facilities space and improve departmental understanding of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) space coding structure.


Objective
Increase Campus Participation In The Verification Of Their Facilities Space
With the constructed environment expanding every year and the existing campus rooms in a constant state of change, it is important that campus spaces are reviewed on a regular basis.  We can make significant improvements in the use of space through reliable information.  It is imperative that the space users collaborate with the Facilities Planning Office to ensure that the facilities space data sent to the THECB is accurate.  There are a number of decisions made by the THECB and state legislature based on this data, including funding for new construction.


KPI
Achieve 100 Percent Annual Inventory Responses From Departments
Annual inventory review performed by the institution’s departments during March-April of each year.  A new web program has been designed to access buildings and rooms by department.  Review requests will be communicated to department contacts and managers.  A percentage of the departments responding will be reported to the Director of Facilities Planning & Construction and the Associate VP of Facilities Management.  The introduction of the program yielded only a 55% response.  A range of 98%-100% response is desired.

Result
Department Participation
From the 111 departments that were contacted, 73 of them responded to the space review resulting in 66% participation.

Action
Notifications And Reminders
An email will be sent in February of each year by the Campus Space Planner to notify departments that their facilities space data is ready for review.  The departments will be given until May 1st to confirm that the data is correct or to submit changes.  A reminder email will be sent the first week of June to those departments who have not responded.  All replies must be received by August 1st.  The percentage of departments will be reported by the end of August.



Update to previous cycle's plan for continuous improvement

Early involvement of external and internal has been a key component to the success of the design phases.  However, the construction industry is saturated and historcially has not followed the budgets set in the approved CIP.  With the implementation of infrastructure in project costs, the committees are realizing the financial shortfall early in the projects.  Thus leading to prioritizing the CIP projects as they can be funded applicably in alignment with available infrastructure.


Plan for continuous improvement
INTEGRATE PROJECT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE AND UNIVERSITY ACCOUNTING DATABASE

Work to reduce the manual inputs between eBuilder and Banner integration to decrease the possibility of errors.

INCREASE CAMPUS PARTICIPATION IN THE VERIFICATION OF THEIR FACILITIES SPACE

A reminder must be sent no later than the first week of June to those departments who have not responded to the annual facilities space review.  A copy of the reminder will be sent to the department’s Dean or Director with a note that the August participation results will be reported to the Vice Presidents.