Evolving NSF Requirement for Facilities Condition Assessments (FCA)

Evolving NSF Requirement for Facilities Condition Assessments (FCA)

NSF is considering portfolio-wide FCA requirements. This session encouraged community feedback. 

Facility Condition Assessments (FCA) are a helpful tool to provide insight into the overall health and operational readiness of a facility. Many organizations have aging facilities that are either being utilized past their initial intended lifespan or are being neglected due to inadequate maintenance and funding. The FCA will provide a third-party review to the interested parties (i.e.: property owner, oversight organization, funding sponsor, etc.) on the overall condition of the target properties. A FCA can be tailored to a customer’s needs but some typical objectives during a FCA include assessing the physical condition of systems, structures, and components and performing repair/replacement cost analysis. Some value-added options may include an assessment on staffing, reviewing maintenance strategies, and reviewing long-term budget plans. A FCA will identify the deficiencies that exist, and risk rank them which will help prioritize future funding using a risk-based approach. A FCA is utilized in many industries to assist the organization in developing long-range plans, scheduling needed maintenance, and provide justification to senior management for funding upgrades and repairs. The goal of a FCA is to bring the organization towards becoming more proactive over reactive.