review and oversight of the design and provide procurement assistance and construction support. Currently, ACED is supporting more than 10 large projects and more than 40 medium size and small projects. ACED has only one engineer and two engineering technicians to perform HVAC engineering functions including hands-on design for in-house projects as well as review and oversight of the design by consultants, procurement assistance, and construction support. Even with the Head and Assistant Head of the division working hands-on as design engineers full-time, it is increasingly difficult to support the many on-going projects and ensure their quality and timely completion. Furthermore, working hands-on as design engineers essentially full-time has left the division Head and Assistant Head with little or no time to perform higher level engineering functions, project management functions or take care of the administrative functions. Therefore, funding for one GS-12 HVAC Engineer position is requested in order meet the demands of the ever increasing workload involving the design, procurement and construction coordination of the various projects and ensure quality work and a timely completion.

Fire Protection Engineer (1) - The two existing fire protection positions were transferred to the newly formed Life Safety Program Division. While the positions are required to support this very important function, the transfer has resulted in a need for expertise within the Engineering Division for fire protection engineering design on small and medium in-house projects as well as review of such design on large projects performed by outside consultants. This position is critical to ensure that the design aspects of Fire Protection engineering are adequately addressed on a day to day basis. Therefore, funding for one GS-12 Fire Protection Engineer is requested to meet these needs.

Electrical Engineer (1) - Funding is requested to hire one additional electrical engineer at the GS-12 level in the Electrical Engineering Division. There is an increasing need to provide additional technical assistance to support ongoing projects from the Electrical Engineering Division. This division exercises general supervision over the electrical distribution service in all buildings under the jurisdiction of the Architect of the Capitol. This includes development of design, working drawings and specifications, supervision of installation of new equipment and systems, supervision and assistance over maintenance and operation of installed systems & providing and coordinating raceway requirements for security systems.

The current staff are heavily involved with the design of numerous "in-house" construction projects including many supporting activities that relate to other groups such as Construction Management and individual electrical shops and other projects under the

Engineering Technician (1) - This position will serve as the Facility Programmer for the Architect of the Capitol. This agency does not currently have a staff person dedicated to coordinate the development of programs for proposed construction projects or prepare programs based on an analysis of the customer's functional requirements. This position establishes a principle staff representative for organizing programming services and coordinating the scopes of work required for review within the AOC and its clients. Funding for this position is requested at the GS-12 level.

Structural Engineer (1) - There is currently one Structural Engineer in the Architecture Division who is tasked with advising on internal design work as well as reviewing the work of vitally every consultant. In addition, the structural engineer is tasked with reviewing all structural shop drawings. Given our current work load as well as the anticipated load for the next 5 years, it is impossible for one engineer to perform the work. In order for projects to continue on schedule it is necessary to have a backup engineer. Absent this second engineer it is probable that project schedules will suffer. In addition, there are many duties, such as advising internal staff on design issues, that could be handled by a more junior engineer thus making more efficient use of the senior engineer's time. Finally, the junior engineer will also be available to manage projects that are structural driven such as repairs to the Cannon and Rayburn garages. Therefore, funding at the GS-12 level is requested for this position.

Project Architect (1) - Currently the Architect of the Capitol has several large projects that are of long duration that require full time management. The Botanic Garden Conservatory, the Capitol Dome, and the House hearing room/Capitol Master Plan plus small projects have consumed 100% of the time of all three of the Division's top Architectural managers. Further, the capital budget in the foreseeable future contains architecturally driven projects that are of significant duration that will require management by AOC Architecture staff. The sole Project Architect position is the minimum needed to accomplish the work. Therefore, funding is requested at the GS-12 level for this position.

This allotment provides for personnel benefits for employees including contributions for retirement to the Civil Service Retirement
System, the Federal Employees Retirement System, Social Security, and Medicare. Also included are agency contributions to the Federal
Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), the Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (FEGLI),chargeback costs of the Worker's
Compensation Program, and subsidies paid to employees for commuting costs. The increase for fiscal year 2001 is attributable to
increased costs of agency contributions for employees health benefits and retirement funds and chargeback costs for the Worker's
Compensation Program.

Funding in the amount of $410,000 is requested to provide for the agency contribution share for employee benefits for the previously described 21 new positions. Of this amount, it is estimated that $293,000 will be required for retirement contributions and $117,000 for health and life insurance benefits.