Mr. Chairman, members of the Committee, I welcome this opportunity to testify before you today. The Office of the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) has always worked closely with the Committee on Rules and Administration in a successful and collaborative relationship. We have completed many critical projects, provided exemplary service, and assured continuity of operations at the Capitol, the Senate Office Buildings and throughout the Capitol complex. We are always striving however, to fulfill our responsibilities more effectively, efficiently, and safely.
A great deal has changed since I last appeared before this Committee in March 2000. The AOC has undertaken substantial new projects to adjust to a demand for heightened security as a result of a continuing war on terrorism. The safety and security of all those who work in or visit the United States Capitol is one of our top priorities. Since the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001, and the anthrax incidents in October 2001, we have been working closely with other Capitol Hill organizations to implement security provisions and improve the life safety features in the Capitol and Senate Office Buildings.
In this new environment, the AOC has successfully carried out its mission "to provide Congress and the public a wide range of professional expertise and services to preserve and enhance the Capitol complex and related facilities" by completing numerous important projects. We have also undertaken significant efforts to improve the agency itself and continue to take on what I like to call the "magnificent challenges" associated with maintaining and preserving our Capitol -- a building that is not only a powerful symbol of our government, but also a working office building, a center for meetings and debate, a museum, and tourist destination.
One of our greatest challenges is to sensitively incorporate modern systems for health, safety, and accessibility into our historic buildings. Our workload is immense, but I am proud to say the great majority of our projects are completed within budget and on schedule. Some examples of our projects include the relocation of the coal yard at the Capitol Power Plant to allow for the expansion of our refrigeration plant; renovation of the Dirksen Building; installation of blast resistant window film in the Senate Office Buildings and Capitol Building; modular furniture replacement in the Hart Building; and the ongoing modernization of restrooms in the Dirksen and Hart Buildings to achieve full ADA compliance.
Employee Safety
Not only are we working to complete our projects on time and within budget, we also want to complete them safely. I am pleased to report that, according to the most recent figures from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, we have cut our total injury/illness rate by 53 percent and our lost time injury/illness rate by 36 percent in the last two years. Our lost time rate for Fiscal Year 2002 was only slightly higher than the Federal agency average -- a substantial achievement for a predominantly shop-oriented, blue collar work force. These significant injury reductions are a result of the priority I have placed on safety, the attention and commitment of the AOC management team, and the hard work and dedication of AOC employees.
With the generous support of Congress, since 2000 we have increased our safety professional staff, modified work practices and procedures, and provided protective equipment and safety training to our employees. We also have greatly improved our ability to anticipate and prevent injuries and illnesses from occurring. While this is a substantial achievement, I believe our total injury rate remains high. I am committed to continue reducing this rate and achieving my ultimate goal of eliminating all injuries and work-related illnesses.
Another achievement of note: There were no citations issued by the Office of Compliance (OOC) to the AOC in 2002. In fact, in its 2002 Biannual Report, the OOC noted the "improved workplace safety" it witnessed during its inspections.
Senate Office Buildings Improvements
Over the past two years, we have made significant improvements to the three Senate Office Buildings. We have been systematically modernizing the passenger and freight elevators to improve their performance and reliability. As part of the overall security plan, we expeditiously installed blast resistant film on all the office windows. The Dirksen Building has undergone a major renovation to modernize the building systems in the areas of fire protection, life safety, electrical power, telecommunications, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. Major improvements include new telecommunications systems infrastructure to support the upgrade of equipment and technologies; expansion of the existing sprinkler system to provide 100-percent building sprinkler protection for increased life safety and property protection; and energy-efficient lighting. Restrooms in the Dirksen and Hart buildings are now fully ADA compliant, and the modular furniture replacement program was recently rolled out in the Hart Building.
The AOC has made significant improvements to the Senate Office recycling program by implementing a combined paper program recommended as a best practice by an industry consultant. The combined paper program allows mixing of different types of paper which simplifies separation and collection, thereby increasing participation and reducing contamination. As a result, contaminated waste has been reduced from a high of 75 percent in Fiscal Year 2000 to nine percent in the first half of Fiscal Year 2003. There has been a 21 percent increase in the amount of combined paper products collected; a 200 percent increase in the number of bottles and cans recycled; a 1,300 percent increase in newspapers recycled; and a 66 percent increase in the amount of scrap metal recycled.
In June 2002, we asked our Legislative customers to provide us with feedback regarding their satisfaction with the level of building services we provide. This will be an on-going process with the second survey scheduled for June 2003. In response to the feedback we received, we have modified and improved our cleaning procedures. Specific inspection procedures have been implemented to identify consistency and quality of cleaning operations, specific cleaning goals are set, and we are recognizing outstanding employee performance. As a result of the process changes, from July 2002 to January 2003, the Senate Office Buildings night cleaning division reached a performance score of 96.8 percent. (The performance score is the percentage of satisfactorily cleaned items over total inspected items based on stated objective criteria.)
Capitol and Capitol Grounds Improvements
In the Capitol Building, we have orchestrated hundreds of projects -- from painting rooms, to the first phase of the Dome rehabilitation, and the preparation of construction documents for the major work yet remaining. One of the larger projects we have undertaken is the modernization of all elevators. Work has been completed on nine elevators, three are currently under construction, and the remaining one is scheduled for modernization in Fiscal Year 2004. In addition, we will complete the stairwell extension from the third floor to the fourth floor on the Senate side on time and within budget.
We have achieved full compliance with ADA requirements at all the main building entrances and in the public restrooms. Smoke detectors, strobe signaling devices, emergency lighting, and other fire safety devices are continually being installed throughout the building. We are busily cleaning, restoring, and preserving the artwork, statues, and architectural features inside the Capitol Building. Outside the building, we have been tending to the grounds to assure that pathways were cleared of ice and snow during the many snow storms we endured this winter and planting bulbs so we will be graced with a beautiful array of flowers when spring finally arrives.
This is only a short list of our many accomplishments. I expect an even more significant list of successes through the implementation of our Strategic Plan which will help unify the agency's priorities and provide the business management tools needed to accomplish our organizational goals.
Strategic Planning
When I testified before this Committee in March 2000, I discussed the AOC's continuing improvements in planning and managing its projects and resources more effectively. Over the past year, the AOC has undergone a management review by the General Accounting Office (GAO). In January 2003, GAO issued its final report that validates the initiatives that we had underway, such as structuring and implementing a Strategic Plan and a Performance Management Plan, and makes additional recommendations that we have begun to incorporate into our operations. These plans will assure that the agency better achieves its mission; improves its performance; reaches its goals; and employs best practices to achieve results. We are in the process of obtaining stakeholder feedback on drafts of both plans and we will finalize them in April. In unifying the agency's priorities, the Strategic Plan will concentrate the AOC's efforts on planning and excellence in the most critical areas of our work: state-of-the art facilities management and project management; business processes; and human capital planning and allocation.
The foundation of our Strategic Plan is a commitment to our stakeholders to provide exceptional client service and to preserve and protect the national treasures entrusted to our care. It is our pledge to respond quickly to requests; to find the most efficient way to solve problems; to provide the services necessary for Members of Congress and their staffs to perform their jobs; and to appropriately accommodate the many visitors to the Capitol complex each year.
Projects for Fiscal Year 2004
As the Architect of the Capitol, I'm responsible for facilities management, project delivery, and the stewardship of the Capitol complex. The agency's budget supports my efforts to provide for a safer, healthier, and more productive environment for Congress, staff, visitors, and the American public. We will be requesting $513.9 million for Fiscal Year 2004. The projects driving this request are: $61 million for purchasing the Legislative Branch Alternate Computer Facility (currently being leased); $26.5 million for Phase II of the design of the U.S. Capitol Building Master Plan; $18.7 million to replace the high-voltage switchgear in nine buildings; and $12.6 million for the design of new Library of Congress facilities at Ft. Meade and a condition assessment for the Library of Congress Buildings and Grounds. Budget estimates of other major ongoing projects include $40.8 million to continue with the West Refrigeration Expansion project; $6.5 million to improve Capitol Power Plant operations; $4.7 million to replace steam humidifiers in the Hart Senate Office Building; $4.3 million to refurbish Barthholdi Park; $4.2 million to build a Capitol Complex Master Plan; and $4.1 million to install a fire protection water tank at Ft. Meade.
Human Capital
We employ a diverse workforce consisting of individuals with a variety of skills and institutional knowledge. Because we are a service-based organization, these individuals comprise AOC's most valuable assets and are most critical to its success. AOC's focus on the strategic management of human capital covers all aspects of our staff assets, from recruitment to skill development to job motivation and satisfaction. We believe this strategic focus on human capital will ensure AOC's ability to deliver on our promises now and in the future.
As part of our strategic planning initiatives, we have published a number of new or revised human capital policies and will continue to review and identify others that may need to be updated or developed. We are also focusing on further improvement in areas of recruitment and employee development, and on significantly increasing the quantity and quality of data collection to enable us to develop better projections of our workforce needs -- in terms of succession planning, recruitment, and development -- based on our strategic goals.
Fiscal Year 2003 marked the beginning of the third annual cycle of our individual performance management program for employees. The Performance Communication Evaluation System (PCES) has enabled AOC to complete non-executive employee performance plans and evaluations regularly and systematically.
We developed and implemented a Performance Review Process that provides for performance plans and evaluations for our executives. We now plan to align our executive performance plans with our Strategic Plan to enable a top-down approach to cascading strategic goals throughout AOC.
Establishing formal processes to gather and respond to employee feedback is extremely important. As we implement new programs and processes as part of our transition to a performance-based organization, there will likely be many changes. An established feedback process will ensure that AOC leaders and employees both understand and respond to each other's concerns. This form of communication will assist the AOC in achieving its mission in the fairest and most efficient way. We have formed a team to develop a comprehensive employee feedback program that will utilize focus groups, surveys, and other feedback mechanisms.
In addition to these communications efforts, we continue to provide outreach and support to employees through the omsbudsperson, and our EEO/CP and Human Resources Offices.
Information Technology
We are committed to adopting an agency-wide approach to managing Information Technology (IT) to provide the consistent direction needed to enhance mission performance across the agency. As such, we are implementing a portfolio-based approach to IT investment decision making; developing an Enterprise Architecture (EA) that will help drive the agency-wide approach to IT management while aligning business processes with IT; revising our structured system life cycle to include processes for IT system acquisition and development with quality standards built in during each phase of the process; monitoring the performance of AOC's information technology programs and activities; and building a comprehensive information security program.
Financial Management
One key IT investment has been the standup of the Financial Management System (FMS). The GAO noted in its management review report that the financial team has made great strides in improving the flow of financial data. The Fiscal Year 2004 budget continues to support this effort with funds to build policies and procedures and move us toward auditable financial statements. Our budget reflects the structure implemented under FMS with program groups and provides the recommended budget schedules and analysis of change formats from the Legislative Branch Financial Managers Council that details the individual appropriation budget requests.
Facility Management
The ability to measure performance related to strategic goals will be improved by the continuing implementation of the Computer-Assisted Facilities Management (CAFM) system. In 2004, the application will be upgraded to a web-enabled environment, preventative maintenance will be rolled out for electrical and plumbing systems, handheld scanners will help employees in the field maintain more up-to-date work order information, and we are planning to interface the facility management system to the financial management system to help insure accurate material, labor, and asset costs associated with maintenance work.
Capitol Visitor Center
The most significant and most challenging project that began construction since I last appeared before this Committee is the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC). This is a much-needed project of momentous and historic importance. As the ninth increment of growth of the "People's House," it will offer free and open access to all people in a safe and secure atmosphere so that they may witness the workings of democracy and the legislative process.
This is a brief status report on the very significant progress we have made. The work is proceeding in several overlapping phases. In the winter of 2001-02, project bids were sought and the first major construction contract was awarded in spring 2002. This contract, called "Sequence 1 - Foundation/Structure" and worth $99 million, was awarded to a Northern Virginia contractor. The contract involves site demolition, slurry wall construction, excavation, installation of site utilities, construction of the concrete and steel structure, waterproofing, and construction of a new truck service tunnel.
The contractor has nearly completed the installation of the perimeter foundation walls and has begun major excavation activities that will continue through the summer of 2003. The outer perimeter wall is essentially complete and full excavation of the site is beginning as some 400 truckloads of soil are being removed daily in a manner least invasive to our Capitol Hill neighbors. Excavation will continue into the summer and the contractor will begin erecting steel columns this July and begin pouring portions of the roof slab in August.
With Sequence 1 moving at full throttle, we have received bids for the Sequence 2 contract which includes installation of electrical, mechanical, and plumbing services, and all stone and architectural buildout and finishes of the CVC. Currently, a Source Selection Evaluation Board, headed by the General Services Administration (GSA), is evaluating the bid proposals for this contract.
While evaluation is not yet complete, these bids have come in approximately 10 to 15 percent above the government estimate, a range that is considered to be within an acceptable and reasonable range per GSA and Department of Defense governmental standards. Based upon the Evaluation Board's analysis and recommendation on "best value to the Government," I expect to bring a "recommendation to award" before the Capitol Preservation Commission later this month. I am currently reviewing the project's scope and the total cost to complete with the Capitol Preservation Commission leadership staff, the Appropriations Committee staffs, and the General Accounting Office, with the goal of awarding the Sequence 2 contract in April to enable us to stay on schedule.
CVC Budget
With regard to the overall budget, the original CVC project budget of $265 million was established in 1999. At that time, the budget provided for the core CVC facilities, including the Great Hall, orientation theaters, exhibition gallery, cafeteria, gift shops, mechanical rooms, unfinished shell space for the future needs of the House and Senate, and the truck service tunnel. After September 11, 2001, new security requirements, pedestrian tunnels, et cetera, prompted the appropriation of $38.5 million in additional funds, which were provided in the Emergency Supplemental Appropriation. In November 2001, the CVC team was then tasked to design and buildout the House and Senate shell space, requiring an additional $70 million, which was provided in the Legislative Branch Appropriations bill. These additional requirements to the original scope bring the total amount of construction to date to $373.5 million. I would like to emphasize this point -- despite how these figures may have been reported in the papers -- additional new requirements to the original scope have resulted in the appropriation of additional funds.
Project Complexities
As I mentioned, this project is arguably our most challenging. For example, countless utility lines crisscrossing beneath the East Front Plaza had to be rerouted out of the project footprint before excavation could begin. During the past 100-plus years, water, sewer, electrical, and communication lines have been installed, and many of these lines were poorly or inaccurately documented on the existing building drawings -- some that date back to the early 1900s. As a result, we encountered many unforeseen site conditions related to this effort, including an incorrect elevation for the top of the Amtrak tunnel as it crosses beneath First Street, N.E. This necessitated the rerouting of a 30-inch water main that needed to cross above it. As it became increasingly apparent that existing drawings were unreliable, much of the utility work was completed at night or on weekends. To some extent, we also worked around the legislative calendar in an effort to minimize disruption to the business being conducted in the Capitol.
There were many other tasks that we needed to accomplish before we put the first shovel in the ground. We are committed to preserving and protecting the trees on the East Capitol Grounds, and therefore hired a full-time tree preservation contractor; erected fencing and installed canopy misting systems to keep the trees free from dust; installed a new irrigation system; and relocated the significant, affected trees to safe locations. We removed and stored all of the original Frederick Law Olmsted features, including the fountains, lanterns and retaining walls. All of these historic features will be restored and reinstalled in their original locations on the Plaza. New visitor screening facilities were constructed on both the north and south sides of the Capitol and ramps were installed along the West Front to provide a respectful and ADA accessible visitor path into the building.
To assure as little disruption as possible to the day-to-day activities in and around the Capitol, we continued to work closely with the Leadership, the Sergeants-at-Arms, the Capitol Police, and other key offices to address the following:
Schedule
Despite these many challenges -- including the fact this was one of the wettest winters on record -- with the timely award of Sequence 2, we are on schedule to complete the project in 2005 and to support the Inaugural in January 2005. We are in meetings now with the Rules Committee to determine what level of support is required. When the contract is awarded, we will partner with the Sequence 2 contractor to examine what is needed for the Inaugural and determine the associated costs, if any.
Regarding the schedule for substantial completion of the CVC in the fourth quarter of 2005, the Sequence 2 contract documents clearly stipulate that the facility will be -- and I quote -- "substantially complete and capable of being occupied and used by the Government for the intended purpose."
Master Plan
In recent years the number and magnitude of our projects has greatly increased. Therefore, we are improving our ability to coordinate and efficiently complete our many projects by taking steps to implement a series of project management plans. These initiatives will help the AOC to baseline and compare building conditions; plan and evaluate funding requirements; set goals; and track progress.
One initiative is the Capitol Complex Master Plan. It will provide a long range facility plan to accommodate the needs of Congress and assure that shorter range projects are in concurrence with our long range planning goals. The statement of work for development of the master plan is currently in development based on a workshop facilitated by the National Academy of Sciences in Fall 2002. Award of the contract for development of the master plan is anticipated in early 2004.
To formulate the shorter term plan for project prioritization and implementation, a five-year Capitol Improvement Plan is under development. This effort began with the development of a process for project prioritization and will ultimately incorporate the findings of the facility condition assessments which will begin later this year.
To provide consistent management and oversight of these efforts, a new Director of Planning and Programming has recently been hired. He has direct responsibility for both the Capitol Complex Master Plan and the Capital Improvement Plan as well as coordination of all planning and programming efforts.
A new Project Management Director has been hired to support and manage a myriad of on-going projects. For example, following an expansive "best practices" analysis of AOC project delivery processes, we have published several manuals to improve the consistency of design and project delivery processes including: the AOC Design Standards Handbook to assure consistency in our project designs; an A/E Design Manual to assist our architects and engineers with project design and delivery processes; and an AOC Project Manager's Manual to help institutionalize the project management process. We are also conducting "lessons learned" studies on several of our projects and are incorporating the results into these manuals to assure they remain current and practicable.
U.S. Capitol Police Master Plan
In 1999, the AOC and the United States Capitol Police (USCP) published the United States Capitol Police Master Plan. Since that time, the slaying of two Capitol Police officers in July 1998 and other tragic events, necessitated a comprehensive update of that plan as well as a clear implementation strategy that reflected the new demands on the Capitol Police.
This implementation strategy focuses on two issues: changes to the USCP operational scenario and the need for a new Police headquarters facility that responds to those changes. A specific site for this new structure has been identified and approved by the Capitol Police Board. I am currently drafting a letter seeking your approval to purchase that site in conjunction with discussions with Senate and House Appropriations Committees.
Other ongoing Police projects include the construction of new chemical explosives handling and K-9 structures at D.C. Village; a new vehicle maintenance facility at 67 K Street, S.W.; and the site selection for an Off-Site Delivery Center to replace the current P Street Warehouse.
We have contracted with the Naval Facilities Engineering Command to assist us in project management and delivery for these projects to assure that this additional workload is addressed in a responsive and timely manner.
Senate Restaurants
The Senate Restaurants have made strides in reducing economic dependency over the last five years through cost reductions and the marketing of its services. The effects of September 11, 2001, on the number of visitors to the Capitol complex have temporarily delayed our ability to reach the objective of a self-sufficient operation. The Senate Restaurants are committed to continuing its efforts to improve the quality of service, reduce costs, and market services.
In the past year, the cash register stations in the Dirksen cafeteria have been redesigned to allow greater customer flow. We began offering new services designed to provide Senate offices with new menu options when planning small, in-office functions that are less expensive than fully catered events. We have also introduced a "heart healthy" menu in the Senate Dining Room. Senate staffers can log on to our expanded web site and check out the daily specials in each restaurant and look for special events. The site is registering more than 5,000 hits per month. We've also made available to the public our famous Senate Bean Soup mug. They have sold well and have appeared in stories in the Wall Street Journal and on NBC's Today show.
In addition, we have installed the Food Trak inventory and cost control software package to enhance our operating systems. This program, together with the upgraded point-of-sale system, gives us the capability of interfacing our various systems to match items sold with up-to-date cost data and provides nutritional content information from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's data base.
Finally, I am especially pleased to inform you that for the fifth straight year, independent auditors have found no reportable conditions or material weaknesses in financial controls.
Conclusion
Mr. Chairman, the AOC has changed dramatically since March 2000. We have undertaken significant new projects and responsibilities, while at the same time improving the safety and efficiency of our employees. We have met challenges, developed a Strategic Plan, and hired skilled managers and employees to help us achieve our immediate and future goals. We have completed thousands of work orders, become more responsive to our clients, and are adjusting to the demands of a post-September 11th world.
I am dedicated to providing a safe, secure, and productive environment for all who work in the Capitol complex and for all those who visit each year. We would not have made the progress we have without the dedication of all of our AOC employees. I am very privileged to lead a hard-working and professional team committed to exceeding the expectations of Congress and the American people.
The Committee's support in helping us achieve these goals is greatly appreciated. Once again, thank you for this opportunity to testify today. I'm happy to answer any questions you may have.