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Quality projects delivered on schedule and within budget.

The priorities, responsibilities and work plans of the District facilities planning department are guided by the Facilities Master Plan which is driven by the Educational Master Plan for Saddleback College, Irvine Valley College and the Advanced Technology & Education Park (ATEP).  Department responsibilities include a leadership role in the development of the master plan; planning and administration of renovation and new construction bids and contracts; and maintaining historical documentation of all facilities.  District facilities planning is responsible for submission of reports to the state that result in design approval and funding eligibility of construction, renovation and scheduled maintenance. 

The facilities departments at the colleges are responsible for: the day to day building and grounds maintenance and operations, preventive and deferred maintenance, custodial services, vehicle dispatch and maintenance, administration of safety procedures and programs, and representation of the college in construction and renovation projects. 

After coordinating and receiving Board of Trustees approval for a project, facilities planning staff convenes with the corresponding college president and the college director of facilities.  A design team of professionals is assembled including architects, engineers and inspectors. An initial meeting is held with key stakeholders, usually established by the college president, vice president of instruction and designated dean. The design team meets with this group throughout the design process to determine the needs of the user group. It takes several meetings to decide collectively the function of the space and to look at assignable square footage and adjacencies (what goes where and why).The preliminary design layout is reviewed again by the key stakeholder group which results in final tweaks and approvals. Construction documents, drawings and specifications are developed and submitted to the Division of State Architect (DSA) for approval, a process that can take from three to six months.

In compliance with public contract code requirements, District facilities planning staff establish plans and specifications for the bidding processes for both major and minor construction projects and prepare bid award recommendations for Board consideration. Bid documents are posted on the district web site and public advertisements are placed in newspapers. 

During the construction phase, a weekly construction meeting is held between District facilities planning, the contractor, the design team, college facilities group and the designated dean. Meeting minutes are distributed as a record of progress and issues.  District facilities planning staff are responsible to ensure that contractors and vendors perform according to contractual obligations, meet quality expectations and coordinate with them if they are not performing well. 

District staff submit projects every year to the state chancellor's office for consideration of state funding based on priorities established through the Educational and Facilities Master Plan process. The first submittal step is the Initial Project Proposal (IPP) which establishes the scope of the proposed project, cost estimate, square footage, academic use and anticipated construction duration. If the project meets state criteria review and competes successfully against projects submitted by other college districts, approval is received to move to the next phase, the Final Project Proposal (FPP). Our district is very competitive because we use basic aid funds to match funds beyond the minimum requirement and diligently manage cap load ratios. 

If funded, the project moves into the design process. Construction documents are developed and submitted to DSA and once approved construction can begin.  With state funding it can take more than four years for projects to be completed. While other districts use bond money for projects, SOCCCD uses basic aid funding, applying it to many locally funded projects in addition to those with a state funding match. 

On a regular basis, the District facilities planning staff meet with the college president, vice president of instruction, college fiscal services director and college director of facilities.  Discussion revolves around facilities, contract issues and capital improvements, and annual review of progress and priorities of the master plan.  A monthly status report is provided to the Board of Trustees and posted on the district web site.