Facilities Construction and Architectural Analyses

ortolan is pleased to provide assessments of facilities construction and planning services.  In many small to medium-sized schools, districts or colleges, the facilities construction, architectural and planning service functions are outsourced to local providers. 

Large educational organizations may have groups within physical plant operations or separate departments providing these services in-house.  Portolan will seek first to understand if the facilities construction and architectural services are meeting the vision and mission that stakeholders have for these services.  There are many factors involved in this discovery.  Portolan’s facilities department assessments include the analysis of: 

• The interaction between school sites, facilities and physical plant operations personnel 

• Compliance with regulatory agencies (State Statutes, Uniform Building Codes, NFPA, AIA, OSHA, etc) regarding contracting versus in-house projects

• Balance and appropriateness of in-house design, construction, engineering and architectural staff with outside purchased services based on size, growth, building condition, etc.

• Permitting practices

• Timeliness of service (design, project management, construction, building inspections, etc)

• Customer clarity regarding facilities versus physical plant operations functioning

• Project management practices and interaction with trades/outside contractors

• Software utilization/IT practices (CMMS, CAFM, integration with DWA, etc)

• Building Commissioning Practices/Methodologies/Warranty transference

• Practices related to identification and tracking of deferred, predictive, preventive maintenance and capital improvement needs

Depending on the scope of service requested, Portolan will analyze and provide recommendations related to:

• Financial data inclusive of staffing and non-staff related expenditures along with their funding sources
• Department staffing and scheduling; either outsourced or in-house
• Organizational and cultural factors influencing performance
• Department budgets and financial accountability (in-house or outsourced)
• Comparison of in-house and outsourced operations options
• Policies and procedures 
• Training programs and curriculum
• Expenditure and resource balance analysis between purchased (contracted) services, staffing and materials/supplies
• Staffing interactions/interfacing with other departments
• Job descriptions

• Interviews with appropriate stakeholders including administration, staff, unions/associations and board members

• Organizational structures (the current organizational chart and staffing for administrative, staff and hourly employees)

• The use of technology and systems in the operation of the departments

• All past department reports and studies

• Procurement practices, including outside purchased services

• The culture of your school, district or college specifically as it relates to facilities departments

During the assessment, Portolan will continue to work with the client until there is a complete understanding of the observations and recommendations and select strategies for improvement.  Portolan will provide the client the information necessary for sound decision-making.  Its assessments involve analysis and recommendations that allow educational leadership to choose the correct timeframe and methodology for improvement/change strategies. 

After the analysis is complete, Portolan will combine all this information into findings and options for departmental improvement.  Portolan will provide you with the operational, financial and cultural implications of its recommendations.  If appropriate, Portolan will provide strategies for change implementation including revision of facilities restructuring due to financial restraints.  Everything Portolan does to assist a client will offer strategies for improvement that are practical and can be implemented in “the real K-20 world.”  Portolan understands the different models of school, district and college facilities services.  It provides assessments that are based in both sound practices and innovative strategies.  Portolan’s purpose will be to help you envision how utilizing improvement strategies and optional operational models “can be the best” option a client has to save money and/or improve its operations. 

If the client requests, Portolan will also:

• Facilitate the decision-making process, acceptance and implementation of our recommendations.

• Train the staff in new methods of budget and operational analysis and in change management in a school, district or college culture. 

• Provide the capability/expertise to lead the school, district or college through the change/implementation process.