A Case Study in Government ICT Project Management Moose Project: A Case Study in Government ICT...

The Moose Project:A Case Study in Government ICT Project Management

Michael E. Thornton, MA, RCDD, MCSENational Park Service IT Specialist (Retired)

Outline: The Moose Project

1. Introduction: ICT in the US National Park Service (NPS)

2. Case Study: The Moose Project

3. Organizational Culture: NPS and ICT

4. Magnitude of Problem

5. Conclusions; Questions / Discussion

Famous Last Words

“Can We Talk?...When the Design Team Doesn’t Talk,Everyone is Left Speechless!”

– Joseph E. Ford, RCDD,Alanna Consulting Group, LLC.

Title of Mr. Ford’s presentation at the Closing General Session,BICSI 2015 Fall Conference,

Las Vegas, NV.

“Those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”An old truism,

Attributed to many; learned by few.

Part 1. ICT in the National Park Service

NPS Occupational Fields

• IT Specialists• Telecom Specialists• Radio Technicians• Locksmiths

• Focus: Ongoing Operations

NPS “Professional Services”

• Architects• Landscape Architects• Engineers• AE Project Managers

• Focus: Projects

• No “ICT Designers” in the NPS• No “Telecom Project Managers”• No “ICT” or “ICT Infrastructure”

20,000 NPS Information Workers

Photo Credits: National Park Service

National Park Facilities: Not Just Ranger Stations

Photo Credits: National Park Service; and General Services Administration (GSA). All photos Public Domain.

Common ICT Applications in the NPS

• Digital Radio• Wireless• Data Networks• Voice (Analog)• VoIP, RoIP, and WVoIP• Videoconferencing• Multimedia & AV

• SCADA Systems• BAS• Energy Management• ESS• Etc. etc. etc.

NPS Communications Infrastructure

• WANs• MANs• CANs• LANs• WLANs, DAS

EnterpriseWAN

Front Country Infrastructure

• Fiber• Multipair• Balanced Twisted Pair• Radio

– (Licensed, Unlicensed; Proprietary and 802.11)

Photo Credit: SolarWorld, n.d. Retrieved from http://www.solarworld-usa.com/commercial-and-government/commercial-solar-project-gallery?category=Government Military

Back Country Infrastructure



State of the Art ICT? Not so Much….

• Buildings: Historic (50+ years old)

• Pathways: Undeveloped

• Topologies: Ad hoc, ‘organic’

• Cabling: Uncategorized – Cat 5e

• Wiring protocols: “Imaginative”

• Documentation: Rough and Rare

• Labeling: Rare, Unreliable

• Fire stopping: occasionally

• Telecom B&G: Little to None

• EGS, GES: Routinely Suspect

Grand Teton National Park

– Moose, Wyoming

Part 2. The Moose Project

Photo Credit: Courtesy wyophoto via High Country News (hcn.org). “Bull Moose in the Tetons.” Used with permission.

Moose Maintenance Building

1998 Footprint: 28,549 (?) GSF

412 feet long69 feet wide


1997 Plan: Finish 2nd Floor Spaces in Shell and CorePhoto Credits: National Park ServiceReference: National Park Service (2008). Grand Teton Headquarters Complex: Schematic Design Review. PMIS Nos. 83219, 135827, and 48859. AJC Architects, 04.15.08. Pg. 1.

2007:

59,049 GSF

2008: And Then Came ARRA Funding…

Mana from Heaven…

Photo Credit: National Park Service

2008: Moose Visitor Center/Administration Building


MOOSE PROJECT ICT RESULTSHere’s What the Public Bought

First, the Good News

Rehabilitated Park Headquarters Building


Final Footprint:

52,725 SF

(Fully Sprinkled)

HQ Building: ICT Features

Structured Cabling System• Pathways

– Conduits– Cable Basket, Trays and Ladders

• Seven Telecom Spaces– Two Common Equipment Rooms

(CERs)– One Entrance Facility (TEF)– Three Telecom Rooms (TRs)– Two Telecom Enclosures (TEs)

• CAT 6A Cabling throughout• OM3, OS1 Building Backbones• Telecom Bonding & Grounding• Administrative Labeling• Building Access Control• ESS Systems• BAS

HQ Building:Interagency Dispatch Center

• Raised Floor

• Common Equipment Room

• Dedicated OM3

• CAT 6A

• Bonding & Grounding

– ANSI/NECA/BICSI-607-2011

• Administrative Labeling

• Video Surveillance System

• Electronic Access Control

• VoIP, RoIP, and Analog Voice

• Three Data Networks

– Converged on single cabling plant

– Parallel, mutually-exclusive networks

– Physically, electronically independentPhoto Credit: National Park Service

ICT Results – Moose Campus

Outside Plant– Structured Cabling System– Campus, Bldg., Floor Distributors– 4 in. Conduits to All Moose Bldgs.– Eight hand holes– 3-cell fabric innerducts– New Fiber Backbones (OS1, OM3)– New Multipair Backbones

Campus Facilities– 90 ft. Monopole Tower– New Radio Vault– New Telecom Equipment Vault– Comm. Center / ICT Shops– Headquarters Building– New Interagency Dispatch Center

Monopole Tower and New Radio, Telecom Vaults


Standards and Practices: Model Compliance for NPS

• TIA-568-B.1 - B.3

• ANSI/NECA/BICSI 568-2006

• TIA-569-B

• TIA-758-A

• TIA-606-A

• ANSI-J-STD-607-A

• ANSI/NECA/BICSI-607-2011

• TDMM, 12th Edition

“Future-Proof” Moose Campus OSP

New Campus Facilities(Post-Moose Project)

1. South District Fire Cache Bldg.– Completed 2014

2. Second PSTN Substation– Complete 2014

3. New Wastewater Treatment Facility– In Progress – Design Phase

4. PSTN Cellular Tower Site– In Progress – Pre-Design Phase

The Dark Side

• Cost overruns for ICT: $2 - 2.5 Million (?)• Repeated A/E and construction complications, delays for ICT

• Several contract mods for ICT

• Unrealized ICT Needs (BAS, ESS, AV)

• Unresolved QA/QC Problems

• No foreseeable Lessons Learned

2008: Old Visitor Center Demolition Decision

Source National Park Service (Apr. 15, 2008), Grand Teton Headquarters Complex: Schematic Design Review, Pg. 06.4.

Old Visitor Ctr. / Admin Bldg.

Maintenance Bldg. / New HQ. Bldg.

2008 Moose Project Plan: Moose Campus Impacts

Source National Park Service (Apr. 15, 2008), Grand Teton Headquarters Complex: Schematic Design Review, Pg. 06.4.

Old Visitor Ctr. / Admin Bldg.

Maintenance Bldg. / New HQ. Bldg.

Connectivity Loss

September, 2009

2008 Moose Project Plan: Park-wide Impacts

A dozen campus and remote site locations…

….Plus one site outside of the Park(just for good measure)

September, 2009

Connectivity Loss

The ICT Ecosystem

"When we try to pick out anything by itself,

we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe.“

-- John Muir

Photo Credit: National Park Service.Source: Muir, John (1988). My First Summer in the Sierra. Sierra Club. Pg. 110. First published by Boston: Houghton Mifflin (1911).

NPS DESIGN PROCESSValue Analysis Studies

How Could This Happen?

Construction Phase

NPS Workflow (DBB): Design Phase

1.0, Pre-Design

2.0, Schematic Design

3.0, Design Development

4.0, Construction Documents

1996 – Value Analysis # 12005 – GSA Rapid Engagement Workshop2006 – MEP Site Evaluation2006 – Site Analysis2006 – Planning Charrette

2007 – Value Analysis # 22007 – CBA2007 – 100% SD # 12007 – SD Review Contract2008 – 100% SD #2

2008 – New ICT Specialist2008 – 80% DD2009 – ICT Summit # 12009 – Construction Begins (Temporary Facilities)

2011 – Contract Mods for ICT

2010 –ICT Summit # 2– Two Telecom Vaults– Monopole Radio Tower– New OSP– (7) HQ Bldg. Telecom Spaces

1.2 Predesign: Site Analysis Checklist

• Existing Conditions, Hazmat Investigation• On-site Utility Studies• Off-site Utility Studies• Project Requirements• Topography• Slope• Physical Features• Accessibility• Access and Circulation, Traffic and Parking

• Vegetation• Existing Water Bodies• Site History• History of Existing Structures and

Landscape• Environmental Studies• Climate• Geotechnical/Soils• Hydrologic Studies, Watershed

Source: National Park Service. Retrieved from: http://www.nps.gov/dscw/index.htm

Site Utility Studies (DSC Design Workflow)

Include• Daily user capacities• Potable water flows• Wastewater flows• Fire suppression• Power requirements• Local soils conditions• Site constraints (physical or

environmental• Site power supply constraints

Not Included• Customer-owned OSP• Customer Premise• ICT Assessments of Any Kind

Schematic Design Phase:Value Analysis and Choosing by Advantages

Value Analysis: Theory

“A…[team effort] decision making technique that bypasses learned responses

to produce alternative solutions achieving all required functions of the

original design at the least cost over the life of the facility….” [Emphasis added]

Source: National Park Service, Intermountain Region (April 23, 2007): Value Analysis Study 2007-4, Rehabilitate Moose Maintenance Building for Improved Direct Visitor Contact with Management, Pg. 30.

Value Analysis: Must Challenge Established Ideas

“A value analysis team must be willing to challenge criteria and

opinions, many of which may have been maintained by

historical continuity or outdated policy….” [Emphasis added]

Source: National Park Service, Intermountain Region (April 23, 2007): Value Analysis Study 2007-4, Rehabilitate Moose Maintenance Building for Improved Direct Visitor Contact with Management, Pg.30.

Value Analysis: 23 Team Members

Park Staff• Superintendent• Deputy Superintendent• Six Division Chiefs• Facilities Mgt. Branch Chief• Two Project Managers (Facilities Mgt. Div.)• Landscape Architect (Facilities Mgt. Div.)• Exec. Director (Cooperating Association)• Ass’t. Mgr. (Interagency Dispatch Center)• ? Radio Technician (Law Enforcement Div.)

Additional Consultants• One Project Mgr. – Intermountain Regional Office• Four Principal & Senior Architects• Two A&E Design Firms• One Interior Designer – Representing GSA

• NO ICT Subject Matter Experts

2007 Value Analysis, Step 1:Stakeholder Identification and Risk Analysis

25 project stakeholders identified.57 specific risks identified and discussed.

No ICT-related risks identified.

Source: National Park Service, Intermountain Region (April 23, 2007): Value Analysis Study 2007-4, Rehabilitate Moose Maintenance Building for Improved Direct Visitor Contact with Management, Pg. 7-8.

Moose Project Plan: ICT Risks in 2009

Stakeholders at Risk 1. NPS Operations2. Interagency Dispatch Center3. Interagency Fire Center4. Nat’l. Elk Refuge (US FWS)5. Bridger-Teton Nat’l. Forest (USFS)6. US Post Office (Moose, WY)7. Teton County Sheriff’s Dep’t.8. Grand Teton Association9. Grand Teton Lodge Company10. Jackson Hole Golf and Tennis Club

Systems at Risk• All Analog, VoIP, & RoIP• Data Networks• SCADA Systems• ESS Alarm Systems• ESS Access Control• POS Systems

2006 Site Evaluation Report vs. 2008 Reality

Distribution CableLocated In 2006

Network Equipment

FO Backbone

Unidentifiedor non-existentIn 2006;Direct-buried

Not located In 2006

Maintenance Bldg. / Proposed New HQ Bldg.

Old Admin Bldg. - Existing Campus- and Park Distributor (MDF)

Proposed New GTA Offices, Exercise Room, & Cold Storage

Tell it to the Marines….

DOD on Telecom Designers

“The design of building telecommunications cabling

systems is a specialized technical area that does not fall

in the normal skill record and resume of commanders,

architects, engineers and project managers.”

Uniform Facilities Criteria of 2007

Source: Department of Defense, UFC-3-580-01 22 June 2007, pg. 2

WHAT’S GOING ON?Why does the agency have these problems?

Part 3. NPS Culture and ICT


DSC:Flagship Unitfor A/EProjectManagement

NPS Denver Service Center (DSC)

Source: National Park Service. Retrieved from: http://www.nps.gov/dscw/index.htm

DSC Electrical Standards Requirements

Building Codes & Industry Standards• EIA/TIA Standards 568 & 569• IEEE - Standards

Telecommunication• EIA/TIA Standards, see above [left].

• Cat 6 Cabling - (2) per 3/4" conduit; (1) Data, (1) Voice per each voice / data outlet (typical). Terminate all conductors.

• Telephone Service Entrance (Demarcation Point) - Meet local phone company requirements.

• A/E shall query Park for any additional IT, telecom or data system requirements.

Source: National Park Service, Denver Service Center Workflows: Design Standards, Electrical Standards. Retrieved from http://www.nps.gov/dscw/ds-electrical.htm. Retrieved 2015.10.09.

(Quoted verbatim and in full.)

Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR): Quality Assurance

Section 46.102 - Policy

Agencies shall ensure that:a) Contracts include inspection and other quality

requirements… necessary to protect the Government's interest.

b) Supplies or services tendered by contractors meet contract requirements.

c) Government contract quality assurance is conducted before acceptance… by or under the direction of Government personnel.

52.236-23 Responsibility of the Architect-Engineer Contractor.

The Contractor shall be responsible for the

professional quality, technical accuracy, and the

coordination of all designs, drawings,

specifications, and other services furnished by the

Contractor under this contract.

Source: National Park Service, Denver Service Center Workflows: Quality Assurance Guideline. Retrieved from http://www.nps.gov/dscw/qaguideline.htm.

Submittals: DSC QC/QA Review Process

A/E Contractor

• Performs Quality Control (QC) Review

A/E Contractor

• Corrects Deficiencies, Delivers Submittal to NPS Project Mgr.

NPS Project Mgr.

• Forwards Submittal to DSC QA Technical Specialists.

QA Technical Specialists

• Review submittal using QA checklists.

Source: National Park Service, Denver Service Center Workflows: Quality Assurance Guideline. Retrieved from http://www.nps.gov/dscw/qaguideline.htm.

Pre-Design Schematic Design Design Development

Construction Documents

Moose Project Design Phase:10 Submittal Packages Accepted by Gov’t.

1) 1996 – Value Analysis Report # 12) 2005 – GSA 20/20 Rapid Engagement Report3) 2006 – Site Analysis Report4) 2006 – Planning Charrette Report5) 2007 – Value Analysis Report # 2

6) 2007 – 100% SD # 27) 2008 – SD Review Report8) 2009 – ICT Consultant Report9) 2010 – 100% SD10) 2010 – 100% CDs

NPS Denver Service Center “We don’t have any telecom experts

at DSC.”Flagship Unitfor AECProjectManagement

Why?

--Personal Communication, Glen Lamoree,Branch Chief, Western Team, DSC Design & Construction

Regarding ICT Design and Project ManagementApril 4, 2012

Director, DSC

Planning Transportation Contracting Design & Construction

Information Mgt.

ITSpecialists

No ICT Specialists

No ICT Specialists

NPS Denver Service Center: Current Org Chart

Source: National Park Service. Retrieved from: http://www.nps.gov/dsc/docs/DSC-OrgChart_Jan2012.pdf; and http://www.nps.gov/dsc/infomanagement.htm

DSC Requirement“A/E shall query Park

for any additional IT, telecom or

data system requirements.”

Pass the buck to the parks

DSC: ‘Not Our Responsibility’

Source: National Park Service, Denver Service Center Workflows: Design Standards, Electrical Standards. Retrieved from http://www.nps.gov/dscw/ds-electrical.htm. Retrieved 2015.10.09.

NPS Director

DSC

Planning Transportation Contracting Design & Construction

Information Mgt.

ITSpecialists

7 Regional Offices

ITSpecialists

409 Field Units

ITSpecialistsNo ICT Specialists

No ICT Specialists

NPS Org Chart: Where are the ICT Specialists?

DSC Workflow (DBB): Post-Construction PhaseNo Project Review

Construction Contractor

Performance Evaluation

Prepare Draft Completion Reports

(Fixed Assets)

Demobilize Field Office

Construction Phase

Source: Retrieved from http://www.nps.gov/dscw/construction.htm

Post-Construction

History Repeats Itself… Throughout the National Parks


Part 4. The Big Picture: Government ICT Investment

Photo Credit: National Park Service – Kent Miller.

Agency Perspective on ICT

Bling BlingBling BlingApplication Software,

Operating SystemsApplication Software,

Operating Systems

ComputersComputers

Network Equipment &

Servers

Network Equipment &

Servers

ICT

ICT: Technical Perspective

Bling

Apps, OS

Computers

Network Equipment & Servers

ICT Infrastructure

The bling don’t bling,

‘till the infrastructure swing.

ICT: Lifetime Payoff in the NPS

Bling

Apps, OSApps, OS

Computers

Network Equipment & Servers

ICT Infrastructure30-50 Yrs.

8 Yrs.

3 Yrs.

18 mos. Lifecycle

5 Yrs.

NPS Denver Service Center: Line Item Construction, FY 00 – FY 14

Source: Compiled from NPS Denver Service Center Annual Reports and Program Reviews, 2001 - 2014

3,584


Source: Compiled by the author, from NPS Denver Service Center Annual Reports and Program Reviews, 2001 - 2014

$0.0

$2.0

$4.0

$6.0

$8.0

$10.0

$12.0

$14.0

$16.0

$18.0

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

$0.4 $0.4 $0.8 $0.9 $0.7 $1.1 $1.2 $1.2 $1.2 $1.4 $1.4 $1.3 $1.6 $1.1 $1.4 $1.1

[VALUE]

Total Gross Dollars Managed (Billions)

$16 Billion


Source: Compiled by the author, from NPS Denver Service Center Annual Reports and Program Reviews, 2001 - 2014

$0

$50

$100

$150

$200

$250

$300

$350

$400

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Mill

ions

of D

olla

rs

Total A/E and Construction Mgt. Costs, FY2001 - Present(Millions of Dollars)

Series1 Series2

Ttl.: $354.8 MillionAvg.: $25.4 Million, per year

National Park Service Facilities: Maintenance Backlog

Sources: National Park Service (2014), Facility Management Software System, NPS Asset Inventory Summary:Data as of September 30, 2014. Retrieved from http://www.nps.gov/subjects/plandesignconstruct/upload/NPS-Asset-Inventory-Summary-FY14-1-2.pdf.See also, National Park Service, 2015, “NPS FY 2014 Deferred Maintenance Reports.” at http://www.nps.gov/subjects/plandesignconstruct/defermain.htm;and http://home.nps.gov/applications/release/print.cfm?id=1767

Total No. of Facilities (2014): 24,763

Deferred Maintenance Backlog (2015): $11.5 Billion

BICSI membership in DOI bureaus,April 14, 2011

Beyond the NPS: Measuring DOI’s Expertise in ICT

Source: Unpublished membership database report, from Debra Adams, Member Services Representative, Building Industry Consulting Services International, 2011.04.14.

Bureau / Agency / Office RCDDs BICSI MembersMain Interior 0 1BIA 0 3BLM 0 2BOEM 0 0FWS 0 0NPS 0 1OIA 0 0OSM 0 0USGS 0 0

Federal Buildings: Need = Opportunity

Source: GSA (2015): FY 2014 Federal Real Property Profile (FRPP) Open Data Set, April 30, 2015. Table 7: U.S. and U.S. Territories Buildings Square Footage (SF) and Costs by Agency. Retrieved from http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/102880

Dept. of the Interior

Federal Gov’t. (Civilian Sector)

Total No. of Buildings 43,411 275,195

Owned 43,078 254,083

Leased 333 21,112

Take-Away• Wise Use of Tax Dollars

• High productivity and efficiency among employees

• Cost-effective facilities, maintenance &

management

• Maximum useful lifecycle on investments

What are the Customer’s Best Interests?

Part 5. Summary and Conclusions

Take-Away• Appropriate Expertise in all phases of the project

– From Predesign through Post-Construction

• Expertise exists on both the Government side and the Contractor side of the project team

• Standards-based Design

• Expert, Standards-based, Workmanship

• Tight Government Control on QA in all Phases

How are Public Interests Best Achieved?

How to Build the Best ICT?

ICT Standards• Customers aren’t familiar with – and don’t

understand the value of – ICT Standards

– Decision Makers

– Project Managers

– A/E Professionals

– IT, Telecom Specialists

Unknown, not valued

Obstacle 1. Customer Unfamiliar with ICT Standards

Expertise• Customers don’t employ ICT professionals

– ICT Designers– Telecom Project Managers– Wireless, ESS, other ICT Specialists

• Customers don’t require ICT experts on project teams– For A/E contractors– For CM contractors– For Prime contractors

Not employed,Not required

Obstacle 2. Customer Lacks ICT Expertise

Customer’s ICT Staff• Not trained in

• ICT Design, Installation, or Project Mgt.• Contract Specification preparation• Other A/E & Construction-Related Skills

• Excluded from project mgt. teams• National Parks• NPS Regional Offices• NPS Flagship Project Management Office

Untrained,Excluded

Obstacle 3. Customer’s IT/Telecom Staff Aren’t on Board

Organizational Culture

• In all Phases of Project Mgt.– Predesign– Schematic Design– Design Development– Construction / Installation

• Across the Construction Divisions• In PM Team Membership• In Design and Construction Workflows

Resistant to Change,And in denial

Obstacle 4. Resistance to Change

Customers• BICSI• RCDD• RTPM• TDMM• TIA• “ICT”

Aren’t Familiar With:

Obstacle 5. Brand Recognition Lacking

We own our government.

If Not BICSI,Then Who?

Change won’t happen without our help.

Intervention Required

Thank you

Contact

Michael Thornton, M.A., MCSEUS DOI National Park Service (Retired 2015)Bend, [email protected]

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