• Fuel contract helps state deal with rising costs
• Motor Pool’s focus on hybrids trims use of fuel
• Energy Program adds expertise to turn waste into power
• Disclosure audit confirms commitment to open government
• Deal seals sale of Tacoma Rhodes Center
• Campus building project moves forward in design
• Repairs to capitol’s memorials begin in July
• GA’s John Lynch, Doug Coleman earn awards
• Energy Council bestows top award on Plant Operations Support
• Consolidation for Printing saves money, promotes efficiencies

Fuel contract helps state deal with rising costs

General Administration manages a fuel contract that leverages the collective buying power of state government to get competitive pricing at a time when that is sorely needed. The contract will offset price increases by almost $750,000 in the coming 12 months. It also:

• Includes a pricing structure that is indexed to the current market, which eliminates the need for bidders to pad their pricing.
• Guarantees prompt delivery of fuels.
• Offers readily available sources for biofuel.

Since its inception in April 2006, use of the contract has grown more than 17 percent.

Use of a state fuel card also offers costs savings and other benefits. Among them:

• A discount of 2 cents per gallon at 99 fueling stations - List of stations
• Rebates for prompt payment of bills.
• The card is universally accepted for all fuel products, including alternative fuels.

Fuel contract link: https://fortress.wa.gov/ga/apps/ContractSearch/ContractSummary.aspx?c=07705

Motor Pool’s focus on hybrids trims use of fuel

Years ago General Administration’s Motor Pool began adding hybrid vehicles to its fleet to help customer agencies use less fuel and cut pollution. Today, the Motor Pool has 703 hybrids, representing 40 percent of the overall fleet of 1,800 vehicles. This saved over $300,000 in fuel costs last year and is expected to save more than $600,000 in 2008.

State government also gets a price break on hybrid vehicles – up to 10 percent – because of volume buying through a highly successful contract that General Administration manages on behalf of agencies, counties, cities and other political subdivisions. A few highlights:

• Federal tax credits are distributed as rebates. Public agency buyers of Prius and Camry hybrid vehicles will share $168,000 in rebates this year.
• $62,000 in rebates went to 37 public agencies that bought the same type of hybrids last year.
• Hybrid vehicles now outsell non-hybrids by a 3-to-1 ratio.

The hybrid fleet consists of 50 percent sedans (Honda Civics and Toyota Prius) and 50 percent Ford Escapes. The Motor Pool ranks second among all states in number of hybrid/electric vehicles and fourth among all public sector fleets, according to the January/February 2008 issue of Government Fleet magazine. By comparison, the State of New York is ranked third with 959 hybrid vehicles in a fleet of 13,000 overall vehicles.

Make a Motor Pool reservation: http://www.ga.wa.gov/Travel/index.html 

Find hybrid vehicles: http://www.ga.wa.gov/Vehreq/Veh-contract.html

Energy Program adds expertise to turn waste into power

General Administration’s Energy Performance Contracting Program is now working to help turn methane gas from a Thurston County wastewater treatment plant into electricity. The program will work with the Lacey, Olympia, Tumwater and Thurston County wastewater alliance (LOTT) to install new cogeneration equipment at the Budd Inlet Wastewater Treatment plant to make use of digester gas to produce electricity. This would provide heat for new buildings, including the LOTT offices and the new Hands-On Children’s Museum. The project is expected to be completed by the fall of 2009.

GA Energy Program: http://www.ga.wa.gov/EAS/epc/espc.htm

Disclosure audit confirms commitment to open government

General Administration demonstrated its commitment to open government and Governor Chris Gregoire’s focus on accountability by faring extremely well in the recently published performance audit on public disclosure. The state auditor measured responses of 30 state and local government organizations, including General Administration.

The audit notes that not only did General Administration score 10 out of 10 in responding to the requests, it did so faster than the average – ranging from one to 10 business days quicker. The auditor also noted that we employ several best practices in responding to requests.

Other cabinet agencies also fared well in the audit, proving again that state government remains committed to the governor’s focus on openness and accountability.

Link to audit: http://www.sao.wa.gov/Reports/AuditReports/AuditReportFiles/ar1000011.pdf

Deal seals sale of Tacoma Rhodes Center

General Administration recently finalized the sale of the Tacoma Rhodes Center to the Tacoma Housing Authority. We expect the deal to be completed by no later than August 27. The Legislature asked us to offer the building to public organizations first. The Housing Authority stepped forward and after several rounds of negotiation, we reached an agreement. State tenants in the building who want to extend their current leases will be able to do so for 10 years at existing rates.

Campus building project moves forward in design

The schematic design drawings for the Heritage Center & Executive Office Building project were recently delivered to the project team and future tenants for review. The project is ready to move into the next design phase, where the architects develop more detailed drawings of the buildings. This would happen after approval by the State Capitol Committee and the Capitol Campus Design Advisory Committee.

In addition, we are monitoring the scope of the project to ensure it is on target. As part of each phase of design, cost estimates are made separately by the architects, engineers and construction manager according to current design documents. The estimates are then reconciled to ensure the designers and builders are on the same page. Should a design lead to cost beyond the budget, we would then adjust the design to meet the allocated budget. The cost of building the Heritage Center is about $141 million and the Executive Office Building will be about $80 million for a total of $221 million.

Heritage Center & Executive Office Building project drawings:

Repairs to capitol’s memorials begin in July

Among the most precious of items that General Administration cares for on the Capitol Campus are the memorials that honor our nation’s veterans. Later this year we will begin repairs to the World War II and Vietnam Veterans memorials thanks to an appropriation from the 2008 Legislature. The overall work will include improved soil drainage, better lighting and repaired donor tiles.

Work is already underway to restore the bronze finish of the sculptures atop the Winged Victory Monument, a memorial that honors veterans who died in World War I. The original finish of the monument, dedicated in 1938, was removed by cleaning treatments in the 1970s and 1980s. When the project is completed later this year, the bronze sculptures will be restored to their original “warm brown” color. We are now waiting for cost estimates. Work is expected to begin in July.

GA’s John Lynch, Doug Coleman earn awards

Two GA employees recently earned distinguished manager awards from the governor. They are John Lynch, the assistant director for the Division of Engineering and Architectural Services, and Doug Coleman, manager of Surplus Programs.

John earned recognition, in part, for his leadership as chairman of the Capital Projects Advisory Review Board and his successful oversight of almost 5,000 design and construction projects completed for community colleges and state agencies throughout Washington. He oversees more than 80 employees and a biennial budget of about $17 million.

Doug is responsible for the management of the combined operations of Central Stores and the Surplus Property Programs. He manages more than 50 employees and oversees about $11 million in annual operating expenditures and annual sales revenue of nearly $28 million. He has taken several steps to cut costs, streamline operations and improve overall customer service. He recently relocated Surplus Programs within the Auburn complex into a smaller, more efficient space, saving $3,000 per month. And it was Doug’s idea to open a surplus store for government customers in our existing Central Stores facility in Tumwater this year. This saves the program about $800 per month in transportation costs.

Learn about public works: http://www.ga.wa.gov/Construction/index.html

Buy and dispose of surplus: http://www.ga.wa.gov/Surplus/index.html

Energy Council bestows top award on Plant Operations

General Administration’s Plant Operations Support Consortium earned a certificate of commendation recently from the Northwest Energy Efficiency Council. The group presented the award for Plant Operations’ contributions to energy-management practices at public facilities throughout Washington. Bob MacKenzie leads Plant Operations, which now works closely with the Washington State University Extension Energy Program. Bob’s group works with facilities professionals and since 2007 has helped them save close to $2 million in energy costs through resource conservation work.

The group also held a highly successful energy-conservation conference in Eastern Washington recently. The event brought together managers of public facilities from around the state and provided them the latest expertise about creating greater efficiencies during a challenging time for energy use. It’s another example of how General Administration is reaching out to help others.

Plant Operations Support: http://www.ga.wa.gov/plant/index.html 

Consolidation for Printing saves money, promotes efficiencies

In the past few years, we have helped several agencies save money and improve operational efficiency by consolidating their operations into fewer locations. The most recent example is this spring’s work with the Department of Printing.

In April, General Administration helped Printing move its “Fulfillment” Center out of 35,000 square feet of leased warehouse space at 79th Avenue in Olympia, near the airport, and into 18,000 square feet of space in the state-owned modular building in Tumwater. The modular building is adjacent to Printing’s headquarters and main plant. As part of the move, Printing also started sub-leasing 11,400 square feet of space across the street at Central Stores. This space will be used primarily for additional storage.

GA benefited from this consolidation by finding a tenant for unused state-owned and leased space. The move benefits Printing by reducing overall facility and transportation costs. Our Central Stores staff also helped Printing with the move, saving nearly $4,000 in costs.

Department of Printing online: http://www.prt.wa.gov/