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Suggested Citation:"Appendix D Questionnaire." National Research Council. 2000. Outsourcing Management Functions for the Acquisition of Federal Facilities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10012.
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Appendix D



Questionnaire

Suggested Citation:"Appendix D Questionnaire." National Research Council. 2000. Outsourcing Management Functions for the Acquisition of Federal Facilities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10012.
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Page 118

APPENDIX D

Questionnaire


NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
COMMISSION ON ENGINEERING AND TECHNICAL SYSTEMS
BOARD ON INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE CONSTRUCTED ENVIRONMENT


Mailing Address:
2101 Constitution Avenue
Washington, DC 20418
FAX: (202)334-3370

Office Location:
Harris Building Room 274
2001 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W.
(202)334-3374

July 30, 1997

name

title

address

city, state zip

phone


name

For many years, Federal agencies have outsourced building design and construction activities while retaining management responsibilities for these activities in-house. With the downsizing of agencies and in response to legislative initiatives, more agencies are moving towards the outsourcing of the management of their planning, design and construction related services. At the request of the Federal Facilities Council, the National Research Council has established a committee to develop a decision model for federal agencies to use in determining whether and under what circumstances to outsource the management of planning, design, and construction related services. The study committee is chaired by Mr. Henry Michel, Chairman Emeritus of Parsons, Brinckerhoff Inc., and includes other distinguished experts (Enclosure 1). This study will also: 1) assess recent federal experience with outsourcing of the management of planning, design, and construction related services; 2) develop a technical framework and methodology for successfully implementing such an outsourcing program; 3) identify measures to determine performance outcomes; and, 4) identify the organizational core competencies needed to effectively oversee the management of outsourcing contracts and ensure protection of the federal interest.

To better understand federal agencies' expectations for and experience with the outsourcing of the management of planning, design and construction related services, the Committee is asking that sponsoring agencies of the Federal Facilities Council and other selected agencies fill out the attached questionnaire (Enclosure 2).

It would be greatly appreciated if you or an appropriate designee could return the questionnaire to me on or before Friday, September 5, 1997. Completed questionnaires may be faxed to (202) 334-3370, or mailed to the National Research Council, 2101 Constitution Avenue NW, HA-274,

The National Research Council is the principal operating agency of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering to serve government and other organizations

Suggested Citation:"Appendix D Questionnaire." National Research Council. 2000. Outsourcing Management Functions for the Acquisition of Federal Facilities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10012.
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Page 119

Washington, DC 20418. If you would like to receive a copy of the questionnaire by electronic mail please send a note to jwalewsk@nas.edu. Please call (202)334-3384 if you have any questions.




Cordially,

John Walewski
Board on Infrastructure and the
Constructed Environment

Suggested Citation:"Appendix D Questionnaire." National Research Council. 2000. Outsourcing Management Functions for the Acquisition of Federal Facilities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10012.
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Page 120

BOARD ON INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE CONSTRUCTED ENVIRONMENT
Committee on the Outsourcing of Planning,
Design, and Construction Related Services for Federal Facilities

Questionnaire

For many years, Federal agencies have outsourced building design and construction activities while retaining management responsibilities for these activities in-house. With the downsizing of agencies and in response to legislative initiatives, more agencies are moving towards the outsourcing of the management of their planning, design and construction related services. In response to a request by the Federal Facilities Council, the Board on Infrastructure and the Constructed Environment of the National Research Council has established a committee to develop a decision model for federal agencies to use in determining whether and under what circumstances to outsource the management of planning, design, and construction related services. The study will also: 1) assess recent federal experience with outsourcing of the management of planning, design, and construction related services; 2) develop a technical framework and methodology for successfully implementing such an outsourcing program; 3) identify measures to determine performance outcomes; and 4) identify the organizational core competencies needed to provide effective oversight and protect the federal interest.

The attached questionnaire is designed to gather background information for use by the Committee in formulating its recommendations. Questions #1-18 are general and relate to the management of planning, design, and construction related services within your organization and expectations related to the outsourcing of the management of such services. To the extent possible, all agencies should respond. Questions #19-28 should only be answered by agencies with actual experience in the outsourcing of the management of planning, design, and construction-related services. Comments, additional information and detailed clarifications are welcome.

Please return the questionnaire to Mr. John Walewski, Program Officer, Board on Infrastructure and the Constructed Environment, on or before Friday, September 5, 1997. The questionnaire may be faxed (202) 334-3370 or mailed to: 2101 Constitution Avenue, NW, HA-274, Washington, DC 20418. If you would like to receive an electronic version of the questionnaire, please send a note to jwalewsk@nas.edu. If you have any questions concerning the questionnaire or the current study, please call (202) 334-3384.

Name of organization

Point of contact

Mailing address

Telephone number

Facsimile number

E-mail address

Suggested Citation:"Appendix D Questionnaire." National Research Council. 2000. Outsourcing Management Functions for the Acquisition of Federal Facilities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10012.
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Page 121

    1. Name of the office within your organization that is responsible for the management of planning, design and construction related services (example: Office of Planning and Construction Services). note: if more than one office, please provide names for each.





    2. What was your agency's budget for planning, design, and construction related services in Fiscal Year 1996 (in millions of dollars?)





    3. Does your agency have a generic program/project flow diagram or list of activities it uses for acquiring new facilities, including the identification and justification of funding? If yes, could you attach a copy, including any explanatory information?





    4. How is the process of program/project implementation in your agency currently managed? Please be as specific as possible regarding staff responsibilities, project monitoring, etc.





    5. Where in this implementation process does, or could your agency's responsibility for the outsourcing of the management of planning, design, and construction lie?
Suggested Citation:"Appendix D Questionnaire." National Research Council. 2000. Outsourcing Management Functions for the Acquisition of Federal Facilities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10012.
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Page 122

6. Office of Federal Procurement Policy Letter 92-1 outlines the inherent functions and responsibilities of government. Has your agency developed additional guidance regarding the inherent functions of government? ___ If yes, please explain briefly and provide a copy, if possible.





7. Does your organization have a written policy or guidelines related to the outsourcing of planning, design or construction services and/or the outsourcing of the management of such services? ___ If yes, please explain briefly and provide a copy if possible.





8. Has your organization ever outsourced for planning, design or construction related services while retaining management responsibilities in-house? ___ If yes, for how many years?





9. Was your agency's work outsourced to other federal agencies or to the private sector?





10. How did your internal “end-users” or customers interface with your outsourcing contractors?
Suggested Citation:"Appendix D Questionnaire." National Research Council. 2000. Outsourcing Management Functions for the Acquisition of Federal Facilities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10012.
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Page 123

11. Under what conditions and circumstances do you feel outsourcing of the management of planning, design and construction may be appropriate for your agency?





12. What do you see as the potential barriers to successfully implementing a program to outsource the management of planning, design and construction related services? Please check all that apply and explain below.

    ❑ Federal Acquisition Regulations?

    ❑ Internal Agency/Enterprise Skills?

    ❑ Cultural/Institutional Constraints?

    ❑ Internal Systems and Controls?

    ❑ Other.






13. What do you see as your agency's potential risk in outsourcing the management of planning, design, and construction-related activities?
Suggested Citation:"Appendix D Questionnaire." National Research Council. 2000. Outsourcing Management Functions for the Acquisition of Federal Facilities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10012.
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Page 124

14. What do you see as the potential for “added value” for your agency in outsourcing the management of planning, design, and construction related services?





15. What do you see as the potential impacts of the outsourcing of the management of planning, design and construction related services on the quality of services received?





16. What performance measures do you feel would be important to look at in order to fully evaluate the results of a program to outsource the management of planning, design and construction services?
Suggested Citation:"Appendix D Questionnaire." National Research Council. 2000. Outsourcing Management Functions for the Acquisition of Federal Facilities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10012.
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Page 125

17. What would you identify as key elements for successfully implementing a program to outsource the management of planning, design, and construction-related services?





18. Has your organization ever outsourced for the management of planning, design or construction related services? ___ If no, stop here. If yes, please answer all of the following questions.





19. Please identify the reasons your agency determined it would outsource the management of planning, design, and construction related services. Check all that apply, asterisk the most important reason.

    ❑ A means of reducing costs

    ❑ Savings on project delivery time

    ❑ A means of improving quality of product

    ❑ Lack of in-house expertise

    ❑ Staff shortage

    ❑ Deliberate downsizing decision

    ❑ Other, please explain.



20. For how many years has your agency been outsourcing of the management of planning, design, and construction-related services been used? ___ For approximately how many projects?





21. In general, for what type and value of planning, design, and construction activities was the management outsourced?
Suggested Citation:"Appendix D Questionnaire." National Research Council. 2000. Outsourcing Management Functions for the Acquisition of Federal Facilities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10012.
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Page 126

22. How were the various responsibilities related to the management of planning design, and construction related services defined for the contractor?





23. What was the process for validating and controlling any project changes and cost growth?





24. Was accountability to each of the parties detailed and clearly understood?
What means were enacted to assure proper management control?





25. Were performance standards established or other methods to measure achievements initiated? ___ If so, what were they?





26. What were the key outcomes (program/projects) of outsourcing the managment of planning, design, and construction related services?
Suggested Citation:"Appendix D Questionnaire." National Research Council. 2000. Outsourcing Management Functions for the Acquisition of Federal Facilities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10012.
×

Page 127

27. Have any studies been made to compare the relative cost of outsourcing the management of planning, design, or construction related services versus performing it in-house? ___
Have any of these studies been validated and by whom?





28. Has your organization compiled any before (i.e. A-76 study) or after-action analyses which outline the decision methodology, the processes employed, the results obtained and the benefits and shortcomings exposed with outsourcing the management of planning, design, and construction related services? ___ If yes, could you provide a copy of the report(s)?





Please attach documents or include any comments which you believe would aide the committee in its effort.

Thank you for your time and assistance.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix D Questionnaire." National Research Council. 2000. Outsourcing Management Functions for the Acquisition of Federal Facilities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10012.
×
Page 117
Suggested Citation:"Appendix D Questionnaire." National Research Council. 2000. Outsourcing Management Functions for the Acquisition of Federal Facilities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10012.
×
Page 118
Suggested Citation:"Appendix D Questionnaire." National Research Council. 2000. Outsourcing Management Functions for the Acquisition of Federal Facilities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10012.
×
Page 119
Suggested Citation:"Appendix D Questionnaire." National Research Council. 2000. Outsourcing Management Functions for the Acquisition of Federal Facilities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10012.
×
Page 120
Suggested Citation:"Appendix D Questionnaire." National Research Council. 2000. Outsourcing Management Functions for the Acquisition of Federal Facilities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10012.
×
Page 121
Suggested Citation:"Appendix D Questionnaire." National Research Council. 2000. Outsourcing Management Functions for the Acquisition of Federal Facilities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10012.
×
Page 122
Suggested Citation:"Appendix D Questionnaire." National Research Council. 2000. Outsourcing Management Functions for the Acquisition of Federal Facilities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10012.
×
Page 123
Suggested Citation:"Appendix D Questionnaire." National Research Council. 2000. Outsourcing Management Functions for the Acquisition of Federal Facilities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10012.
×
Page 124
Suggested Citation:"Appendix D Questionnaire." National Research Council. 2000. Outsourcing Management Functions for the Acquisition of Federal Facilities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10012.
×
Page 125
Suggested Citation:"Appendix D Questionnaire." National Research Council. 2000. Outsourcing Management Functions for the Acquisition of Federal Facilities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10012.
×
Page 126
Suggested Citation:"Appendix D Questionnaire." National Research Council. 2000. Outsourcing Management Functions for the Acquisition of Federal Facilities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10012.
×
Page 127
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In this study outsourcing is defined as the organizational practice of contracting for services from an external entity while retaining control over assets and oversight of the services being outsourced. In the 1980s, a number of factors led to a renewed interest in outsourcing. For private sector organizations, outsourcing was identified as a strategic component of business process reengineering—an effort to streamline an organization and increase its profitability. In the public sector, growing concern about the federal budget deficit, the continuing long-term fiscal crisis of some large cities, and other factors accelerated the use of privatization measures (including outsourcing for services) as a means of increasing the efficiency of government.

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