422.1 - Deferred Maintenance
This chapter establishes policy governing deferred maintenance at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and describes the deferred maintenance responsibilities of USGS officials.
Date: 11/18/16
Office of Primary Responsibility: Office of Administration/Office of Management Services
Instruction: This replaces SM 422.1 dated June 19, 2001.
1. Purpose. This chapter establishes policy governing deferred maintenance at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and describes the deferred maintenance responsibilities of USGS officials.
2. Scope. The provisions of this chapter apply to USGS-owned real property assets and certain equipment assets that qualify for bureau-level funding of deferred maintenance. Deferred maintenance is defined as maintenance that was not performed when it should have been or when it was scheduled and which therefore, was put off or delayed for a future period. Real property assets (buildings, structures, and roads), facility support equipment (machinery, lawnmowers, and snowplows, for example), specified mission infrastructure systems and components (hazard-monitoring networks, river cableways, and gauging stations, for example), and specified large vessels with onboard crew quarters supporting multi-day field research are qualifying assets. Additionally, specified facilities programs (such as the Comprehensive Condition Assessments, Sustainability and the Facilities Maintenance Management System) are also eligible for deferred maintenance funding. Real property assets that the USGS does not own (General Services Administration, leased, or cooperator space, for example) and most personal property, including motor vehicles, small watercraft, office supplies/equipment, telecommunications and laboratory equipment, do not qualify for deferred maintenance funding. Attachment G of the Annual Department of the Interior (DOI) budget guidance specifies the categories of assets that qualify for deferred maintenance funding.
3. Authority. The chief authorities governing deferred maintenance are Office of Management and Budget Circular A-11, the Statement of Federal Financial Accounting Standards Number 6 (FASAB #6, Accounting for Property, Plant, and Equipment, issued by the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board), and Department of the Interior budget and other guidance.
4. Policy. It is USGS policy to exercise responsible stewardship of its infrastructure. Accordingly, adequate real property and specified equipment assets, and programs that support the maintenance of those assets, are key to the successful performance of USGS missions. Existing assets will be properly and effectively maintained in accordance with bureau standards. The USGS will invest available capital in the renovation of existing or construction of new facilities consistent with sound business practices and USGS objectives and priorities. Top priorities are to reduce accumulated deferred maintenance and to fund deferred maintenance projects that involve mission critical assets in unacceptable condition in support of the USGS science mission.
5. Responsibilities.
A. The Associate Director for Administration exercises executive oversight for the USGS asset management and deferred maintenance programs.
B. The Chief, Office of Management Services, is responsible for:
(1) Establishing and administering USGS programs, systems, and processes governing USGS deferred maintenance and capital improvement projects and assuring USGS compliance with DOI budget and other guidance on such projects.
(2) Establishing maintenance standards and systems for USGS-owned and USGS-managed buildings, building components, structures, substructures, and installations.
(3) Determining which categories of real property and other assets qualify for USGS deferred maintenance funding.
(4) Issuing USGS procedures, eligibility requirements, project ranking criteria, condition assessment standards, maintenance system requirements, and other guidance on USGS deferred maintenance.
(5) Collecting information on proposed USGS deferred maintenance and capital improvement projects, ranking projects in accordance with applicable DOI guidance, developing USGS investment strategies, preparing USGS Five-Year Deferred Maintenance and Capital Improvement (DMCI) Plans, and tracking progress on project completion.
(6) Maintaining estimates of the USGS deferred maintenance backlog.
(7) Reporting on Deferred Maintenance (DM) activities as required.
C. Regional Directors are responsible for:
(1) Preparing regional deferred maintenance project proposals and approving regional project priority rankings in accordance with Departmental and USGS guidance and annual instructions.
(2) Establishing safeguards to assure the accuracy of deferred maintenance and capital improvement project cost estimates and projections.
D. Associate Directors are responsible for:
(1) Preparing and ranking deferred maintenance equipment project proposals by priority in accordance with Departmental and USGS guidance and annual instructions.
(2) Preparing deferred maintenance project proposals and approving project priority rankings for national capability facilities under their purview, in accordance with Departmental and USGS guidance and annual instructions.
(3) Establishing safeguards to assure the accuracy of deferred maintenance and capital improvement project cost estimates and projections.
E. Science Center Directors are responsible for:
(1) Establishing practices, processes, programs, and budgets that ensure assigned facility, equipment, and installation assets are managed effectively and maintained properly.
(2) Employing USGS and program safety management resources and standards in identifying and justifying critical health and safety deficiencies warranting remediation through the deferred maintenance and capital improvement project process.
(3) Maintaining current asset inventory data and other information in accordance with USGS guidance and system requirements, and reporting requested data and information by established deadlines.
(4) Assuring that cyclical comprehensive condition assessments and annual condition surveys are completed in accordance with USGS guidance and that deficiencies identified in these assessments and surveys are entered into the Facilities Maintenance Management System for tracking and remediation as priority maintenance, deferred maintenance, or capital improvement projects.
/s/ Jose R. Aragon November 18, 2016
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Jose R. Aragon Date