FRPA and VISTA Update Joint EO 13327 Compliance Survey

Have executive agencies improved in their real property asset management compliance efforts? The Federal Real Property Association (FRPA) and VISTA are revisiting the joint survey they released in October 2005, for the FRPA’s upcoming professional development conference this fall. The joint survey polled current and prospective members of the FRPA on their compliance with Executive Order 13327 on Federal Real Property Asset Management (EO 13327). The order was first signed in February 2004, and is now a key initiative in the President’s Management Agenda.

EO 13327 tasks Federal executive agencies with a comprehensive inventory of their real property assets, their condition, utilization, mission value and cost to maintain. Real property deemed in excess of mission requirements is subject to disposal. Proceeds from disposal will be returned primarily to the general funds of the Treasury, to help reduce the national deficit, and to pay for essential services.

This year, the updated joint survey will gain additional input from the Federal Real Property Council. It also will include questions related to the inter-connection of real property asset management with other legislative and regulatory initiatives for financial accountability, such as Office of Management and Budget Circular A-123 (OMB A-123).

Findings from the 2005 joint FRPA/VISTA survey included the following:

• Among those polled that did know their PMA scorecard ranking, the majority (52 percent) reported that their Current Status was “yellow.”
• Most (58 percent) were given a “green” rating in “Progress in Implementing” the initiative, although 35 percent were at “yellow.”
• Fully 91 percent said that these proceeds from disposal of excess inventory should be returned to the agencies, rather than to the general funds of the Treasury.
• Thirty-seven percent said the money realized from disposal should be used to fund existing programs. Thirty-one percent of respondents believed the proceeds should be used to reinvest in ongoing improvements to Asset Management Plans (AMPs) and implementation.

As a general trend, respondents seemed to agree that guidance from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), which is responsible for ensuring compliance with EO 13327, was insufficient, and timelines for compliance may be inadequate given the scope of the order.

The findings of the 2005 survey were presented in a keynote address at last year’s FRPA professional development conference by VISTA President and CEO David Baxa. In releasing the findings, Baxa noted that “compliance with EO 13327 will help secure the future for our nation and ourselves.”

“Ours is a service-based economy. That requires people, and people require places to work,” Baxa explained. “By making people and places work together more efficiently, our country’s service-based economy will thrive.”

“Responsible real property asset management saves money — your tax dollars and mine. That savings can help reduce the federal deficit and pay for essential services. So, as you are working toward compliance with Executive Order 13327, remember that you’re doing more than just keeping track of square feet. You are helping to secure America’s future,” he concluded.

For more information on the Federal Real Property Association, visit their Web site at www.frpa.us

A PDF of joint FRPA/VISTA 2005 White Paper, detailing all the survey findings is available on the VISTA Web site at http://www.vistatsi.com