ways to solve them and make improvements within the organization. In October, the human resources management division surveyed all employees, asking them to pinpoint specific areas where we needed to improve internal customer service. Mr. Chairman, our employees spoke, and we are listening. Over the next several months, we will be rolling out action plans, meeting with employees to address issues they raised, and sharing ideas in our effort to continuously improve our organization. Our funding request is in direct response to our responsibilities to maintain and preserve the facilities in our care as well as to our customers' request for priority projects and programs. We continue to strive to achieve the level of safety, security, preservation, and cleanliness expected across the Capitol complex. We are achieving these goals due to the hard work and dedication of our 2,000 employees, and I am privileged and honored to lead such a professional team. Once again, I thank you for this opportunity to testify and I would be happy to answer any questions you might have. [The statement of Mr. Hantman follows:] STATEMENT OF ALAN M. HANTMAN, FAIA ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL Fiscal Year 2006 Oversight Hearing Mr. Chairman, Congressman Obey, members of the Committee, thank you for this opportunity to testify today. I want to thank the Committee for its support without which we could not have completed many critical projects, continued to provide exemplary services, and assured continuity of operations at the Capitol, in the House Office Buildings, and throughout the Capitol complex. The Office of the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) has been serving Congress since 1793 — the year President George Washington helped tradesmen lower the cornerstone into place and construction of the U.S. Capitol began. Since that time, the men and women who make up the AOC's workforce have focused on preserving, maintaining, and enhancing the national treasures entrusted to us. Today our responsibilities span across nearly 300 acres in the care and maintenance of almost 15 million square feet of historic buildings, with the newest increment of growth being the upcoming Capitol Visitor Center (CVC). STRATEGIC PLANNING Two years ago, when we implemented our Strategic Plan, we developed four goals that encompass the primary responsibilities of our organization. They are: Facilities Management; Project Management; Human Capital; and Organizational Excellence. These goals drive our day-to-day activities. They guide us in setting priorities with regard to submitting budget requests, balancing our workload, and assessing and measuring our accomplishments. As we work to achieve these goals, we are continuously evaluating our efforts so that we continue to OVERVIEW OF BUDGET REQUEST The AOC fiscal year (FY) 2006 budget incorporates the needs of our clients, to include the Library of Congress, the U.S. Capitol Police, and the House Chief Administrative Officer. We believe we have met the challenge of building a budget that supports stewardship of our national treasures, while balancing fiscal responsibility and the needs of the Congress. The AOC FY 2006 budget was developed to continue to provide routine operations and renovation activities while also focusing on security, correcting fire and life-safety deficiencies, addressing our clients' requests and priorities, and identifying operational, transitional, and cost-to-complete needs associated with the CVC. Accordingly, we are requesting $506 million across all AOC managed appropriations ($441 million not including items specific to the Senate) for FY 2006 to support the maintenance, care, and operations of the buildings and grounds of the Capitol complex, which consists primarily of the Capitol, Senate and House Office Buildings, Library of Congress, U.S. Capitol Police, Botanic Garden, and Capitol Power Plant. This request for $506 million includes a request for an operating budget of $280 million ($230 million not including operations specific to the Senate), $17 million for annually funded projects ($16 million not including annually funded projects specific to the Senate), $137 million for capital projects ($122 million not including items specific to the Senate), $37 million for the completion of the construction of the CVC, and $35 million to transition to operating the CVC. OPERATING BUDGET The request for an operating budget of $280 million (less CVC operations) includes mandatory payroll increases; price level inflationary increases for materials, services, and utilities; and other general operations increases. Additional increases in our operating budget incorporate client driven requirements for leases of facilities and related operations and maintenance costs. ANNUAL PROJECTS BUDGET The FY 2006 budget for annually funded projects totals $17 million. Noteworthy annual projects proposed for FY 2006 include: Copyright Office Move/Reconfiguration for the Library of Congress Buildings, $5.5 million; Conservatory Claim for the Botanic Garden, $3.5 million; Restoration of East Front Bronze Doors for the Capitol Building, $702,000; and the Upgrade Filtration Efficiency Project for the Library of Congress Buildings, $700,000. CAPITAL PROJECTS BUDGET Two key elements in preparing our capital budget are the Capitol Complex Master Plan and the Facility Condition Assessments (FCAs). The Capitol Complex Master Plan identifies preservation and maintenance requirements for proposed new facilities while FCAs determine preservation and maintenance requirements for existing facilities. Based on the Capitol Complex Master Plan and FCAs, all proposed and existing facility requirements feed into the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) which prioritizes and incorporates project needs over a five-year period (FY 2006 through FY 2010). Accordingly, the CIP process was utilized in determining the FY 2006 Capital Projects Multiyear request of $122 million, of which $72 million directly addresses specific client needs. Noteworthy capital projects proposed for FY 2006 include: · The Library of Congress Modules 3 & 4 ($40.7 million) entailing the construction of two environmentally controlled storage buildings to be located in Fort Meade for the storage of Library of Congress collections; · The U.S. Capitol Police Off-site Delivery Center ($23 million) which includes the acquisition of land, design, and construction of an off-site delivery facility, • The design of a House Parking Garage ($4 million) to be located in lot 9, opposite the Ford House Office Building; • Life-safety and security projects ($14.5 million) which include requirements for emergency exit signs and lighting upgrades, upgrades to air filtration systems, and building upgrades to address other life-safety issues; • Fire egress and protection projects ($12.6 million) which address deficiencies in egress from buildings, stairwells, and fire wall boundary protection; and Renovations projects ($24.7 million) to include renovations in emergency electrical service, refinishing historic woodwork, legislative call system upgrades, extensive window replacement renovations, restroom upgrades, high-voltage switchgear replacement, and heating ventilation/air conditioning replacement. CAPITOL VISITOR CENTER BUDGET The CVC project is the largest addition to the U.S. Capitol in its history. Included in the 580,000 square foot Visitor Center, is the construction of 170,000 square feet of expansion space for the House and Senate. Building a major underground three-story facility, adjacent to the world's most recognizable symbol of Democracy, which is a fully functioning office building, conference center, and museum, is truly a significant challenge. The project is now 55 percent complete and scheduled for completion in fall 2006. Many obstacles have been faced since we broke ground in 2000. Yet, despite these challenges, our project team recently met a critical, major milestone. On January 20, 2005, President Bush exited the Capitol onto the Rotunda steps where he reviewed the troops marching across the new granite pavers installed across the East Front Plaza, thereby continuing an Inaugural tradition. The Sequence 1 contractor responsible for excavation and structural work has essentially completed its tasks. The Sequence 2 contractor has been working to install fireproofing, masonry block, interior wall stone, mechanical ductwork, and piping. The award of construction contracts is imminent for the exhibit space, House connector tunnel, and House and Senate expansion space. My budget request for FY 2006 for the CVC consists of several major components, the most significant being the construction cost-to-complete of $36.9 million. While no congressional decision has been made regarding governance, the AOC anticipates startup and operational costs of $15.3 million and is therefore included in our budget submission. This incorporates initial estimated costs associated with the daily care, maintenance, activities, operation of the facility, and associated payroll and benefits costs. Additionally, the multi-year project budget of $20 million supports the required activities and programs for the transitional and start-up costs for visitor services, exhibits, food services, gift shops, telecommunications, and information technology infrastructure support. |