Assessment and Analysis of the National Park Service ...

[Pages:110]A Report by a Panel of the

NATIONAL ACADEMY OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

for the National Park Service

Assessment and Analysis of the National Park Service Construction Program

June 2020

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A Report by a Panel of the

NATIONAL ACADEMY OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

June 2020

Assessment and Analysis of the National Park Service Construction

Program

PANEL Mortimer Downey* Chair

Don Bathurst* Denis Galvin* Greg Giddens* Deborah Lucas* William Seed

* Academy Fellow

Officers of the Academy

Jeffrey Neal, Chair of the Board Norton N. Bonaparte Jr., Vice Chair Teresa W. Gerton, President and Chief Executive Officer

Jane Fountain, Secretary David Mader, Treasurer

Study Team

Brenna Isman, Director of Academy Studies Roger Kodat, Senior Project Director Jonathan Tucker, Senior Analyst Elijah Evans, Research Analyst Allen Harris, Research Associate

The views expressed in this report are those of the panel. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the Academy as an institution.

National Academy of Public Administration 1600 K Street, N.W. Suite 400 Washington, DC 20006

June 2020 Printed in the United States of America Academy Project Number: 102244

Foreword

For over a century, the National Park Service (NPS) has built, operated, and maintained the Nation's National Park System, including the myriad rich trove of natural, historical, and cultural resources to be discovered within them. Over that same time, the Service's approach to constructing and renovating the multitude of physical assets has varied. Today, major NPS design and construction planning and management tasks are the focus of a team located in its Denver Service Center. The NPS contracted with the National Academy of Public Administration (the Academy) to perform an assessment of the Denver Service Center Design and Construction Program pertaining to its largest projects appropriated by Congress. This assessment by an Academy Panel, serves to enhance program performance by identifying opportunities to improve efficiency and better utilize modern management practices. As a congressionally chartered, independent, non-partisan, and non-profit organization with over 900 distinguished Fellows, the Academy has a unique ability to bring nationally-recognized public administration experts together to help government agencies address challenges. We greatly appreciate the constructive engagement of NPS employees as well as many other individuals who provided important observations and context to inform this report. I am deeply appreciative of the work of five Academy Fellows and one additional subject matter expert in the design and construction industry who served on this Panel. I also commend the Academy Study Team that contributed valuable insights and expertise throughout the project. Given both the importance and complexity of the National Park System, I trust that this report will be useful to the NPS as it considers how to shape and implement changes needed to accomplish a vital design and construction mission.

Teresa W. Gerton President and Chief Executive Officer National Academy of Public Administration

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Table of Contents

Foreword .......................................................................................................................................................... ii Acronyms and Abbreviations..................................................................................................................... vi Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................................viii Chapter 1: Background and Overview ...................................................................................................... 2

Study Approach and Methodology......................................................................................................................................3 Organization of the Report......................................................................................................................................................3 Chapter 2: The National Park Service's Line-Item Construction Program ..................................... 5 Decentralized Organizational Structure and Centralized Project Execution ................................................5 Construction Program Funding ............................................................................................................................................6 Construction Program Management Division...............................................................................................................8 The Role of Denver Service Center......................................................................................................................................9 Recent and Ongoing Internal Operational Reviews ................................................................................................10 Chapter 3: Factors Affecting Line-Item Construction Costs at NPS ................................................. 11 Cost Drivers Typical of NPS Projects...............................................................................................................................11 Cost Drivers Related to Federal Procurement Practices and Policies ...........................................................17 Ownership and Accountability for Line-Item Construction Projects.............................................................17 Systemic, Organizational Issues that Impact Project Costs.................................................................................19 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 20 Chapter 4: Building Estimating Capacity, Streamlining Processes, and Using Enterprise Management Systems.................................................................................................................................. 21 Issue #1: Building Estimating Capability.....................................................................................................................21 Issue #2: Streamlining Processes ....................................................................................................................................24 Issue #3: Using Modern Enterprise Management Systems................................................................................34 Opportunities to develop standardized designs for LIC .......................................................................................37 Chapter 5: Understanding and Implementing Alternative Project Delivery Methods .............. 45 A General Framework for Project Delivery .................................................................................................................45 DSC's Use of Project Delivery Methods ..........................................................................................................................48 A Path Toward an Optimal Mix of Delivery Methods .............................................................................................49 Chapter 6: Building Capacity and Capability at DSC for Improved Project Management......... 54 Enhancing the Use of Expertise and Project Management Skills at DSC ......................................................54

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Expanding Flexibility for DSC Project Teams .............................................................................................................56 Reassessing DSC's Approach for Construction Management Services..........................................................57 Appropriate Resources Analysis .......................................................................................................................................58 Appendix A: Panel Members and Study Team Biographies .............................................................. 64 Panel Members ...........................................................................................................................................................................64 Academy Study Team..............................................................................................................................................................65 Appendix B: Past Academy Report Recommendations...................................................................... 68 Appendix C: Interviewee List .................................................................................................................... 70 Appendix D: Capital Planning and Investment Control Process for NPS LIC Program.............. 74 Appendix E: Project Manager Roles and Responsibilities................................................................. 75 Specific Roles and Responsibilities..................................................................................................................................75 Appendix F: Recommendations from Wheeler Report ...................................................................... 80 Appendix G: Alternative Project Delivery Methods Background .................................................... 84 Design-Bid-Build........................................................................................................................................................................ 84 Design-Build.................................................................................................................................................................................85 Construction Manager / General Contractor (CM/GC)..........................................................................................87 Appendix H: Selected Bibliography ......................................................................................................... 90

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