Facilities Engineering

Unified Facilities Criteria Program

The Department of Defense (DoD) initiated the Unified Facilities Criteria program to unify all technical criteria and standards pertaining to planning, design, construction, and operation and maintenance of real property facilities. The program seeks to streamline the military criteria system by eliminating duplication of information, increasing reliance on private-sector standards, and creating a more efficient criteria development and publishing process. Both technical publications and guide specifications are part of the UFC program. Previously, each service had its own publishing system resulting in criteria being disseminated in different formats. UFC documents have a uniform format and a standardized numbering scheme.

DoD Policy Documents

• Unified Facilities Criteria
• Unified Facilities Guide Specifications

Army Policy

 

During this phase, a facility is built as specified by the design. It is essential that the government acquires the product that is specified, on time and within budget. Most of this work is performed by contract. Government oversight is performed by a team of contract personnel and professional engineers. Changes made during construction can have a significant impact during the sustainment portion of the life cycle of a facility.

Related Reference Documents:

• NAVFAC Partnering Guidelines
• NAVFAC P 445 NAVFAC Construction Quality Management Program

There comes a time when it is not economically feasible to renovate a facility. At this time the facility is either demolished, thereby freeing the land for other uses, or reported to the General Services Administration (GSA) as excess to the needs of the military department. Disposal is primarily a Real Estate function that has planning and environmental ramifications.

Facilities sustainment includes the activities necessary to keep facilities in good working condition, while restoration and modernization include the activities necessary to return or improve facilities to acceptable conditions. 

Additionally, a number of investment alternatives and an effective work management system should be considered in the sustainment of facilities.
 

Comprehensive planning is used to provide information needed to make sound decisions about facility project planning and base development.  Planners use a systematic approach or process to develop a plan that analyzes the short- and long-range development potential of the installation or region.

It is a continuous, analytic process that involves the evaluation of factors affecting the present and future physical development and management of an installation. Comprehensive Planning evaluates cumulative data in the form of documents and graphics and provides pertinent information used in the planning and decision making processes.  It incorporates a wide range of data and information that allows planners and decision makers to logically and thoroughly analyze a variety of interrelated factors before making a decision that affects the installation, region, and local community.
 

Once a decision is made to construct a facility and funds are available, a detailed design of a project generally begins. Through the process, a preferred design approach develops and matures into final construction documents. Design actions may be contracted out or performed in-house. The materials, technologies, and types of systems chosen during this function have a direct and life-long impact on the costs to operate, maintain, repair, and dispose of the facility.

Real Estate considerations span the life of a facility. Real estate is the foundation underneath the installation and the facilities supporting the operational mission. The sequence of the real estate life cycle includes the acquisition of property, the management of the property, and the disposal of the property. The DoD real estate program is a unique field that is controlled by a number of separate legal authorities, policies, and regulations. Acquisitions are usually non-competitive because specific land must be acquired.

It's everyone's responsibility to use environmentally sound management processes. This is the key to a successful environmental program. Accomplishing the mission is, and always will be, the top priority. However, successfully blending the military mission with the environmental challenge is equally important.

Environmental management is the means of conserving, protecting, and restoring our environment and natural and cultural resources while accomplishing the military mission.  Elements of environmental management include:

Planning: We must analyze the environmental and economic issues to create a facility that can be sustained over time.

Compliance: We must ensure that our operations meet federal, state, local and host nation environmental requirements.

Pollution Prevention: We must reduce pollution at its source and reduce or eliminate the creation of pollutants.

Conservation: We must protect and enhance the life sustaining quality of the land and waterways under our protection.

Restoration: We must repair the damage caused by past substance releases and waste disposal practices.

Proper environmental management and coordination is necessary to comply with federal, state, local and host nation regulations. Good environmental management can enhance mission accomplishment by preventing time delays or operational shutdowns. As an additional benefit, good environmental management will improve community and public relations.