QFD Thesis
QFD Thesis
QFD Thesis
A Thesis in
Civil Engineering
by
Master of Science
December 1997
19971217 101
DISTRIBUTION:
- -? Date of Signature
Gar R. Snh
Associate Professor of Civil Engineering
Thesis Advisor
Hossar EI-Bibanv
Assistant Professor of Architectural Engineering
Paul P. Jovanis
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this thesis is to evaluate the use of Quality Function Deployment (QFD)
as a management tool to benefit US Army Corps of Engineers' project managers. The United
States Army Corps of Engineers is one of the largest construction management organizations in
the world, annually performing over 3.5 billion dollars worth of work. The project manager has
primary responsibility within the Corps to ensure the design both fulfills user's requirements and
is prepared correctly, and that quality control/assurance procedures are correctly administered.
QFD was developed by the Japanese in 1972 to improve quality and lower costs in
industrial and business related fields, by assuring all of a company's operational decisions are
driven by customer needs. It uses a set of matrices to relate customers wants and needs with
conflicts in specifications are identified and resolved. Critical material requirements and
construction processes are identified, allowing the user to focus the project delivery system on
The scope of this research is limited to development of a procedure for integrating QFD
into the Corps of Engineers' design/construction delivery process. The procedure was applied to
a Corps' construction project to evaluate its feasibility for contributing to the delivery process.
QFD assists project managers to clearly identify and prioritize customer requirements in
development of the conceptual and final design. It is best suited to projects involving repetition
of units or when higher-than-average quality is demanded. Managers are able to make better-
informed decisions made during the delivery process, resulting in a better customer satisfaction.
QFD is time consuming and requires very technological knowledge; the process must be
streamlined and automated before it could be effectively integrated into the construction process.
iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Pre lu d e ................................................................................................................................ I
Objective ............................................................................................................................ 2
Research M ethodology ................................................................................................. 3
Background ......................................................................................................................... 5
M ilitary Design / Construction Process ........................................................................ 6
Quality Control / Assurance Procedures ........................................................................ 9
Initiatives to Improve the Process .................................................................................... I1
Background ....................................................................................................................... 12
Advantages and Disadvantages ................................................................................... 13
The QFD Process .............................................................................................................. 14
QFD M atrix Analysis ................................................................................................... 16
Customer Requirements .............................................................................................. 17
Development of the QFD M atrix ................................................................................ 20
Quality in Construction .............................................................................................. 25
QFD Research in the Construction Industry .............................................................. 27
QFD in the ACOE Phases of a Construction Project ................................................. 28
Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 34
Project Background ..................................................................................................... 34
Customer Requirements .............................................................................................. 35
M atrix 1: The Project M anagement Plan ..................................................................... 36
Conceptual Design ........................................................................................................ 38
M atrix 2: Customer Requirements vs. M ajor Components ........................................ 42
V
R EFE R E N C E S .............................................................................................................................. 66
LIST OF FIGURES
3-1 Paradigm Shift: QFD vs. Traditional US Business Methodologies (from Guinta, 1993) .... 15
3 -3 T he M atrix ............................................................................................................................ 18
3-9 Work Breakdown Structure for a Major Project (from Barrie and Paulson, 1992) .......... 32
5-2 OSEG Facility Exterior Wall Design Requirements vs. Failure Modes ........................... 47
5-3 OSEG Facility Exterior Wall Components vs. Subcomponent Failure Modes ................ 48
5-4 OSEG Facility Exterior Wall Subcomponent Failure Modes vs. Material Specifications... 51
5-6 OSEG Facility Exterior Wall Subcomponent Failure Modes vs. Process Specifications .... 55
5-8 OSEG Facility Exterior Wall Process Chart and Quality Assurance Plan ....................... 58
5-9 OSEG Facility Provides Security Design Requirements vs. Failure Modes ................... 61
5-10 OSEG Facility Provides Security Component vs. Subcomponent Failure Modes ........... 62
viii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
who served as graduate advisor and thesis committee chairman. Your concern for student
development and personal mentoring greatly enhanced the construction management program,
both in and out of the classroom. Without your guidance, completion of this thesis would not
have been possible. Appreciation is also extended to the members of the committee, Dr. H.
Randolph Thomas and Dr. Hossam EI-Bibany, for their support and interest in this effort. The
different perspectives and recommendations you have given me have greatly influenced my
overall understanding of this topic and allowed me to develop a much better thesis. I also wish
to thank the Baltimore District, US Army corps of Engineers, and in particular Mr. Thornas
Rowe, for your contribution to this research. Your advice and input have been invaluable,
without it I would not have been able to complete much of this work.
Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
Prelude
On March 22, 1995, a Presidential Memorandum was issued for all executive
departments and agencies that addressed improving customer service through benchmarking and
continual improvement of customer service standards. This was an extension of Executive Order
12862, issued on September 11, 1993, that required all agencies within the United States
measuring success at fulfilling demands. To comply with the directive, the US Army Corps of
developing ways to improve its services. The Corps conducted a survey of 480 customers in
April of 1995; it identified that, although customers are generally satisfied with services
provided, improvements are most needed in two areas: 1) providing timely service, and 2)
reasonable cost for services (USACE, 1995). In any construction project three factors, time,
cost, and quality, are balanced; a change in one can affect the other two. To maintain standards
in quality, errors or design omissions are compensated for through additional time (project
delays) and/or additional cost. In 1986, the Federal Commission of Engineering and Technical
Systems, National Research Foundation, directed the Building Research Board to conduct a
2
study of quality control on federal construction projects. The study found that projects
constructed by the Corps of Engineers had an average cost growth of approximately 6 percent,
attributable primarily to design error and owner changes (Ledbetter, 1991). When the design is
correct and representative of the user needs, few change orders are needed. However, when
numerous changes are needed to correct deficiencies, generally productivity suffers, delays
occur, and project costs rise (Thomas, 1990). To improve customer service, the Corps must
reduce project delays and cost increases, while maintaining its standards of quality. One method
of achieving this goal is by improving the quality of designs prior to commencing construction.
The Corps must improve its design process by accurately identifying and translating user
requirements into the plans and specifications, prior to beginning construction. By starting with
a better design, there will be fewer changes required, resulting in fewer delays and cost increases,
and a more satisfied customer. This research effort was undertaken to develop a management
tool for Corps of Engineer Project Managers to use to during the design/construction process
which will reduce changes required during construction by identifying user requirements up-front
Objective
The purpose of this thesis is to evaluate a management tool which can be beneficial to
Corps of Engineers' project managers. The Corps of Engineers operates under several
constraints, including numerous federal laws, regulations, and statutes. Any tool developed
would have to work within the policies established by the Corps, and be able to complement
3
other methods and procedures currently being used. This thesis therefore will have three
objectives:
I) To model the project delivery process by which plans and specifications are
developed, from conception to final award of the contract, within a Corps of Engineers District
Office.
design as a means of ensuring customer demanded quality throughout the project delivery
process.
recommendations concerning the future use of Quality Function Deployment within the Corps of
Research Methodology
Phase one. Obtain necessary documents, perform preliminary interviews, and locate available
references that define the current process used within the Corps of Engineers to prepare contract
specifications. Research the use of Quality Function Deployment in construction and other
applications.
4
Phase Two. Review documents and other materials to develop a model of how contract
specifications are prepared by Corps of Engineer personnel. Validate the proposed model by
comparing it to the actual process followed during programming of project within the Corps of
process.
Phase Three. Working with the Baltimore District, Corps of Engineers, identify a construction
Phase Four. Prepare QFD analysis of the project to compare user requirements with
Phase Five. Perform a comparison analysis of data acquired in the previous two phases to
determine the effectiveness of the Corps specification development process and make
Chapter 2
Back2round
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is one of the largest construction
management organizations in the world, annually performing over 3.5 billion dollars worth of
work. The Corps of Engineers plans, designs, builds, and operates numerous water resource and
other civil works projects throughout the world. Their projects include maintenance of several
hundred harbors and waterways, production of one-fourth of the nations hydroelectric power, and
operation of several hundred reservoirs, providing flood damage reduction and water storage.
The Corps of Engineers also provides military construction for the Army and Air Force, and
design and construction management support for other Defense and Federal Agencies. The
Corps designs and manages construction of numerous military facilities such as ranges, barracks,
maintenance facilities, and other training and quality of life facilities. The corps provides
management services for more than 12 million acres of land where Army and Air Force
into twelve divisions and forty districts, with each division managing up to six districts (see
6
Figure 2-1). The Office of the Chief of Engineers (OCE) has overall responsibility for managing
the program, developing policies, procedures, and standards for the Corps. In many cases, a
District covers a large geographic area and it is necessary to further divide them into Area
Offices. The Area Office establishes project offices at construction sites as necessary. A
District, depending on its mission, is responsible for completing construction at the annual rate of
SOffice of Chief
of Engin eers
system, it has in recent years begun use of design-build as a method of project delivery. The
increasing use of design-build reflects an increased demand for rapid delivery of a project.
Although on any project deviations occur, the general steps involved in the process are as follows
1) Project Initiation: The project begins with receipt of the DD1391 (Directive) which
provides design information and funding for the project. DD1391 s are prepared by user
Congress. Once the Federal Budget is approved, directives are forwarded to the Corps of
Engineers for action. The DD1391 contains design criteria and funding information. During this
phase, the District will develop a project management plan, including selection of a delivery
F -PROJECTINITIATION ]
CONCEPT DESIGN
FINAL DESIGN
ADVERTISING~wR
AND
CONSTRUCTION
FW ARRANTY
2) Design Selection and Concept Design. The District Engineer and project manager
decide whether to perform design work in house or to contract an A&E firm to provide design
services. Once the design method is determined, and an A&E firm selected if necessary, the
completed. The preliminary design is focused on size and capacity decisions, selection of major
structural components (concrete vs. steel structural system), and economic studies. The design is
reviewed to ensure design requirements are fulfilled and a value engineering study is performed.
construction.
3) Final Design. The A&E firm or in-house design section completes a detailed design
of the project. Using the preliminary design as a basis, the project is broken down into its
components, analyzed, sized, and engineered to comply with standards of safety and
performance. Every element of the project is analyzed, resulting in the preparation of plans and
4) Advertising and Award. The Corps solicits construction firms to bid on the project.
The Corps uses a competitive bidding system and the project is awarded to the lowest qualified
bid submitted. In order to submit a bid, contractors are prequalified by the Corps, reducing the
5) Construction. Contractors construct the project according to the plans and specifications.
Corps personnel coordinate work between separate contractors, issue change orders as required
9
to modify the plans and specifications, and audit performance to ensure compliance with the
contract.
period of time, usually one year. The contractor is expected to repair or correct deficiencies
discovered (i.e. a leaky roof due to faulty construction) at no further cost to the government.
Although there are several definitions of quality in construction, this thesis will use the
The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) establishes the procedures used by federal
agencies in the acquisition of supplies and services with Congressionally appropriated funds.
The FAR, along with the Federal Procurement Policy Act of 1974, changed the procedures used
by the Corps of Engineers to manage construction projects. Prior to the FAR, the Corps executed
10
its own Quality Control measure to dictate quality on projects. Construction specifications were
very rigid; many were combined method and performance specifications, which directed how
results were to be obtained in addition to what the results were to be. A large staff of inspectors
would ensure compliance through aggressive inspections and quality control testing. The cost of
this system was significant, adding up to six percent to the total cost of a project (Moore, 1980).
Manpower and funding constraints forced the Corps and other government agencies to
look at other ways of delivering quality. The Corps was one of the first government agencies to
change to the new system of quality management. Part 52 of the FAR, "Contract Clauses", states
that contractors are responsible for maintaining an adequate inspection system and performing
inspections which ensure the work called for in the contract conforms to contract requirements.
Corps personnel would provide quality assurance, inspecting primarily to ensure contractor
quality control mechanisms are working properly. Contractor Quality Control allowed the Corps
to substantially reduce manpower requirements and overhead costs, while theoretically providing
the same level of quality to customers (Moore, 1980). As part of the contract requirements,
contractors submit a quality control plan, outlining the testing and inspection procedures they
will use to ensure the product they provide complies with the plans and specifications. The role
of the project manager is to provide quality assurance for the Corps of Engineers, ensuring the
plans and specifications will fulfill the users requirements and that the contractors quality control
between the plan and user requirements are discovered, the project manager submits changes to
Although the change to a contractor quality control system reduced the overhead and
management problems associated with quality control inspections, there are still numerous
challenges to providing quality construction. The Building Research Board reported that a 1990
study showed more than one-third of projects fail to meet budget objectives, a similar portion
finish behind schedule, and only about 80 percent meet technical objectives. In 1988, Executive
Order 12552 directed the implementation of Total Quality Management in government activities.
TQM revolves around teamwork, an integrated effort by all participants to produce a quality
contractors, and designers. Under TQM, the three parties work together to resolve disputes
(Ledbetter, 1991). As part of this process, the Corps introduced partnering into its management
designers attend a joint partnering workshop. The workshop is used to develop team spirit, plot
project goals, identify critical issues, develop dispute resolution methods, and as a group develop
an implementation plan. Throughout the construction process the 'partnership' is used to resolve
differences and reduce conflicts. Although differences still occur, partnering has significantly
reduced the number of projects, which have gone to court to resolve differences.
12
Chapter 3
Background
international leader in the production of low-cost steel, Japan desired further expansion into the
shipping industry. Faced with the challenge of building supertankers in its Kobe shipyard, one
contractor, Mitsubishi, turned to the government for help developing the complex logistics
required for building cargo ships. The Japanese government contracted several university
professors to create a system, which would ensure each step of the construction process was
linked to fulfilling a customer requirement. The developed process is known today as QFD
(Guinta, 1993). QFD was first introduced in 1972 by Professor Yoji Akao at the Tamagawa
University in Tokyo and has since been introduced into numerous other industrial and service
In Japanese, "deployment" has a much broader meaning than it's English translation;
which ensures the voice of the customer is deployed throughout the product planning, design, and
production stages. The goal of QFD is to learn exactly what customers want, then using a logical
system determine how to best to fulfill those needs within available resources. It ensures
everyone in an organization works together to give the customers exactly what they want
2. What function(s) must this product serve and what functions must we use to
3. Based upon the resources we have available, how can we best provide what
The value of QFD is that customer needs are clearly defined up-front, resulting in a
better design and requiring fewer changes during the production phase. Projects are traditionally
defined by three factors: cost, time, and quality. Improving one factor often requires a tradeoff in
another. During the design process, many decisions are made regarding materials to be used,
construction techniques, etc. In making these decisions, approximately 80% of the projects
overall costs are locked in, before any construction has been started. When changes are required
14
early in the planning process, they can easily be integrated into the plan with minimal effects;
problems found later in the process have a greater impact to fix them (See Figure 3-1).
Although using a QFD approach increases the time and cost associated with initial project
planning and development, it will result in time and dollar savings downstream from reduced
changes and conflicts during production (Hybert, 1996). A producer of QFD training videos,
Technicomp. Inc., reported QFD produced 30% to 50% reduction in engineering charges, 30% to
50% shorter design cycles, 20% to 60% reduction in start up costs, and 20% to 50% reduction in
requirements and developing a product. QFD uses a series of matrixes to organize, analyze, and
compare information about a product. QFD integrates these matrixes and charts into a system (a
The number of matrixes in a QFD study can range from four to thirty (Mallon - King, 1987,
Hauser and Clausing, 1988, Ross, 1988), although the quality matrix or "House of Quality" is
often the only one used. Most manufacturers break the process into four phases (See Fig 3-2).
The QFD phases are a guide through the product development cycle from design to production.
At each stage, the items which are most important, require new technology, or are of high risk to
Traditional A pproach
W ithout QFD
Effort .
Et f ro ,f
Figure 3-1 Paradigm shift: QFD vs. traditional US business methodologies. (From Guinta, 1993)
requirements are ways in which the design team is able to satisfy the customer
requirements. After evaluation, the most important design requirements are carried into
service are determined. Details most critical to fulfilling product requirenents specified
1.D sign
2. Details
4. Production
"*High Risk
"* NewNechnology
"* Imora:
RiR
*~~~~~ High ,k t I <,
3) Process. The processes needed to produce the parts and components are
developed. The processes most critical to fulfilling customer product requirements are
developed. The production methods will enable the company to produce a high-quality
The heart of QFD is the matrix analysis. Numerous references (Eureka, 1993,
Guinta, 1995, Akao, 1990) explain in detail how to perform the analysis. The
17
calculations can be easily performed using a simple spreadsheet program. This section
uses a conventional House of Quality to describe the parts of the matrix, however a
spreadsheet version will be used in further sections (See Figure 3-3). The same analysis
The process begins with a determination of project scope. The project manager
defines the product or service to be studied. Key elements to consider include a) is there
a need for a QFD study, b) what is the purpose of the QFD study, c) how will tile study
be accomplished, and d) who will accomplish the study? The project manager identifies
up-front what problems are to be solved using QFD. The manager recruits individuals
from all areas involved in the product development (marketing, product planning,
and service) to be part of the QFD team (Eureka, 1994). Typically, the ideal group is
three to seven people with the needed expertise. If possible, the people chosen should
process (Sikorski, 1990). A QFD facilitator or trainer may be used to familiarize tearn
Customer Requirements
the beginning of the process. The QFD team must understand the customer and their
needs, both spoken and unspoken. Guinta (1993) breaks customer requirements down
HOWs
vs
HOWs
HOWs WHYs
Project Importance
Specifications to Customer
HOW MUCHs
part of the product or service. Customers rarely ask about expecters, because they
anticipate them as part of the standard features (i.e., a new building will meet current
building codes).
These are normally communicated verbally or in writing as specific items the customer
requires (i.e., square footage requirements, certain number or types of rooms, color or
fixture requirements)
convey, but are still important and cannot be ignored. The QFD team must rely upon its
19
expertise and breadth to uncover u.nspokens. Typically unspokens fall into one of three
groups:
they needed (i.e., special storage area for a certain type of equipment). Often when
programming large projects, the customer is so overwhelmed with details and time
b) Didn't want to tell you. The customer does not want to reveal all their
requirements. The customer tries to give the minimum amount of information for the
project, and only reveals details when pressed for more information (i.e., information
c) Didn't know what it was. The customer does not know how to
express the requirements. When dealing with an inexperienced owner they are unaware
of the options they can specify and, therefore, request something less than they really
want (i.e., customer requests a lOx 10 ft storage area when they actually wanted a
classified storage vault with an automatic alarm system, humidity controls, and high fire
protection capabilities).
customer does not request, but is pleased when he gets them. The features may be easy
often begin as unique features, with customers paying a premium for them, later to
20
become and industry standard (i.e., adding color dies to a concrete slab to improve the
architectural appearance).
The QFD team uses the following five steps to complete a matrix:
team defines the product or service as a function of customer demands and functions.
Customer demands are defined as a statement of what the customer wants and needs,
using the four types of customer requirements defined above, in the customer's language.
Functions describe a level of performance the customer expects the product to be able to
deliver. Demands are gathered from customer interviews and surveys, focus group data,
observation of satisfiers and dissatisfiers, and other sources. Often there are more
operations and maintenance personnel), and their demands should also be considered.
The team consolidates the list to eliminate duplicate entries and groups demands into
categories (affinity categories), listed on the left side of the matrix. To provide the
required definition, each WHAT item is refined into one or more substitute quality
elements. In Figure 3-4, a new homeowners requirements are refined. Care must be
taken when consolidating to not loose the original meaning of the customer demands.
21
Customer Requirements
Good House
................
I.....................
...........
, .... . . . . . . . . ..I .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .....................
............ .. . . .................... . . . . . I.[.............. . . . . . . ............ ......... .................. i. . . . ..........
:. . . .................. .............. .....
Single Story, 2,500 Livable SO FT Four Bedrooms Two and One-Half baths Three Car Garage Spacious Yard
Southwestern Design
~TileoRoof...... .........
...............
...... outhwester .............. .. .. L s Bedrooms
a2 d 3 FullBati
r
thared Between
............ . ...........
Large100 SF WomrArea
..... .........
F200 SO FT 20othe Bedroos
Stucco iExerorr HullBati NeurFamily Walhin Closetfor
2)eListe
h sprect/cprocess cha rctheristusert atnwilldmeetsthe
Ths).(ef. 2,pFigurt
(H e s-3).Detep
rmines w h quaiOty charelacteris tics ( nc aOns)(h
requirements and specifications that satisfy the demands. HOWs are simply what the
organization can measure and control in order to ensure they are going to satisfy the
The final part of the step requires evaluating the correlation between HOW's (the
roof of the house of quality) (See fig 3-5). Relationships are rated as either strong
one in which an increase in one will cause an increase in the other; a negative
relationship is one in which an increase in one causes a decrease in another. This helps
@ Strong Positive
How 0 Positive
What * Negative
x Strong Negative
how well specifications fulfill customer needs. Relationships are rated as weak, medium, or
strong, with a corresponding value of 9, 3, or I (See Figure 3-6). Shortcomings are identified,
4) Market Evaluation (WHYs). Customer Needs (WHATs) are rated from I (minor
importance) to 5 (extremely important) from the viewpoint of the customer. The team works
with the customer to prioritize the list (Ref. 4, Figure 3-3). Care must be taken to not give the
same priority rating to every customer demand, otherwise; in effect, none are prioritized. One
technique often used is to stress 'if only one demand could be fulfilled, what would it be', and
add demands to the list one at a time until the priority is set. Competitive evaluations are often
23
How
What
o A
A 0 A A Weak Relationship
0 @ 0 Medium Relationship
0 0 Strong Relationship
__ _ A
used to highlight strengths and weaknesses in the competition that can be exploited. The WHYs
are used to determine how the customer needs (WHATs) will be prioritized.
(HOW MUCHs) which reflect priorities (WHYs). Importance Factors (IFs) for each
by its priority rating, determined in step 4. The IF identifies which product requirements are
most critical to fulfilling customer requirements and should be assigned more stringent controls.
In subsequent phases of the QFD analysis, the HOWs are deployed using the HOW MUCHs as a
priority rating. By focusing on customer requirements, the end product should reflect a higher
quality as measured by customer needs, and a lower cost by not producing to too high a standard
How
Priority
What~LL
3 0 A
2 Ao A
1 0 0
5 0 0
4
_ _20@ A 0
Importance
Ratings3389 11 1 2118
Quality in Construction
microcomputer chip plant; each project has its own standards, based on engineering analysis,
user requirements, and special needs. Many decisions regarding standards of quality and
customer requirements are made early in the construction process, often during the conceptual or
preliminary design phases. Integration of a QFD analysis would assist project managers by
identifying the purpose of the project and owner requirements and expectations. By clearly
identifying the customer requirements, in particular expecters and unspokens, the project team
can focus on customer priorities throughout the design process Barrie and Paulson (1992) define
1) Quality Characteristics. One or more properties that define the nature of a product for
quality control purposes. Quality characteristics include dimension, color, strength, etc.
2) Quality of Design. When developing a design, engineers specify not only quality
characteristics for materials to be used, but also acceptable variance from the specified value.
Requiring too high a material standard, or too tight a tolerance, results in increased cost and
delays due to rework. Likewise too low a standard, or loose a tolerance, results in use of failure-
prone materials and poor workmanship, increasing long-term costs. A quality design is therefore
one in which the standards specified are most economical and functional for the project,
Within the construction industry, projects are often managed through time schedules and
project budgets. To manage a project within cost and time constraints, contractors will
quality is not identified until after completion of the work, resulting in rework, lower than
expected performance, and general dissatisfaction by the owner. This has resulted in a general
disagreements. Hybert (1996) contends the problem is the construction process does not
emphasize what a customer requires in developing a project. He attributes this to five primary
"* Incomplete evaluation criteria for awarding the contract (an overemphasis on price).
Since its conception over twenty years ago, the use of Quality Function Deployment has
primarily been centered in the manufacturing industry. Although its success in manufacturing is
clearly established, its use in other applications has been limited. Sikorski (1990) uses QFD to
that QFD can be used to evaluate success at fulfilling customer requirements. Hybert (1996)
describes integration of QFD into the contracting process; he concluded that implementation of a
Akao (1990) provides a model for QFD use in the construction industry, as well as a
description of its use by the Taisei Pre-Fab Construction Company in development of factory-
manufactures, multiple, multiple-family housing over a ten-year period. Taisei has found they
have been able to continuously improve quality, while maintaining the balance between
Mallon and Mulligan (1994) explain the use of QFD to redesign a computer room. They
found that QFD will not reduce the cost or time associated with a projects initial design, but
through the reduction or elimination of redesign, construction costs and delays will be reduced.
A study conducted by Burati and Farington in 1987 reported that such deviations accounted for
12.4% of the total-in-place-cost of projects, design deviations accounted for 9.5% of this amount.
In research conducted at VTT Building Technology, Antti, Mikko, and Petri (1995)
adapt QFD to the construction industry in Finland. Their study used QFD in three projects,
building. The study found that although QFD does speed up the design process and make it more
responsive to customer needs, QFD is not a substitute for engineering expertise. Its greatest
benefits lie in identification of customer requirements (often not clearly defined), enhancing the
Figure 3-8, integrates the use of QFD into the construction sequence used by the Corps
of Engineers. The QFD process is modified to reflect the complexities involved with
construction projects and the design process. To perform a QFD analysis on every part of a
project would be very long and tedious; critical components are therefore identified and a
Akao identifies three types of analysis which could be performed in construction (Akao, 1990):
1) Demanded quality deployment flow. The demanded quality for a product is translated
or deployed into demanded quality for its components, materials, and the processes required to
2) Function flow. The demanded quality is defined by certain functions. The required
functions are deployed into required functions for components, materials, and construction
processes. Function flow analysis can be very useful when introducing new or unfamiliar
technology.
29
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30
3) Failure Mode Tables. The demanded quality is defined by failure modes of the
product. The failure or lack of quality is deployed into the components, materials, and
construction processes.
The analysis must also take into account necessary qualities of construction. Akao (1990) states:
The quality function deployment ... may be effective for translating user
requirements into housing quality, but that alone cannot build a house. For
example, the user expects that the quality of a foundation of a building to be
adequate and generally does not express much interest in it. It is therefore not
that important in quality deployment. Since the foundation is an important
component of the building, however, we must remember that the necessary
qualities of housing must be figured into the engineering, regardless of the user's
demand.
Particularly when dealing with inexperienced customers, many demands are expecters
and unspokens. It is therefore particularly important in construction that the right people are
selected to serve on the project team; people who understand both user requirements and the
relationship between numerous engineering components. A typical QFD team should include,
but is not limited to, the following: the project manager, a user representative, architectural,
mechanical, and other design engineers, a security manager, and a post/facility maintenance team
representative. Using the procedure outlined in figure 3-8, the team should complete the
customer identifying a requirement to the facility Directorate of Public Works or the Corps of
Engineers. Through meetings with the user agency, customer requirements and priorities are
identified, as well as a time schedule required for completion. Special requirements (such as
higher than normal security needs) are identified through regulations, technical manuals, or
31
project reviews by outside agencies. Customer requirements are deployed into technical design
requirements and functions, which are used to prepare the DD 1391 and conceptual design.
compared to project major components during development of the conceptual design. The
design requirements and priorities established in step I are used to guide the design team in the
development of space requirements, etc. and incorporation of special needs. The team assigns a
relationship factor (9,3, or I) corresponding with each design requirement and major component;
using the priorities established an importance factor (degree of importance) for each component
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) to describe the work elements of a project (See figure 3-9).
Major components used at this level would be comparable to the subfacility/subarea detail
Step 3) Major Component Design Requirements vs. Failure Modes. To reduce matrixes
components; as time and/or money permits additional components can be analyzed. Critical
components may be further divided into sub-components, using a WBS or other method, to allow
focusing on a particular assembly (such as the building security system, part of the electrical
system). The same procedure of assigning relationship factors and calculating importance
factors is used to identify the most critical failure modes for the component.
32
CLASSIFICATION OF ACCOUNTS
BASIC NUMBERING FORMAT
PROJECT IDENTIFIER *
OLABOR 5 OPEN
1 BURDEN 6 ENGINEERED EQUIPMENT
2 EQUIPMENT USAGE 7 EXPENSES
3 MATERIAL 8 EXPENSES
SSUBCONTRACTS
9 TRANSFERS/COMMITMENTS
LOWEST DETAIL
Ix lix J IxL xx
xL.1xx x1 IxL x W DESCRIPTION
WORD
PROJECT! FACILITY ELEMENTS ELEMENTS
FUNCTION OF WORK OF COST
*PROJECT IDENTIFIER IS USED ONLY
ACCOUNT NUMBER FINANCIAL ON MULTIPROJECT PROGRAMS AND
IS THEREFORE OPTIONAL
Figure 3-9 Work Breakdown Structure for a Major Project (From Barrie and Paulson, 1992)
33
Step 4) Component Failure modes vs. Subcomponent Failure Modes. For each critical
component, design requirements are further defined by comparing component failure modes to
subcomponent (individual part) failure modes. Subcomponent failure modes result fiom
insufficient quality materials being used or poor quality control during construction. Using
relationship factors and importance factors, the most critical subcomponent failure modes are
identified.
Step 5) Subcomponent Failure modes vs. Material Specifications. For each critical
component, subcomponent (part) failure modes are compared to contract material specifications.
Using relationship factors and importance factors, critical specifications are identified, and more
stringent requirements and tolerances incorporated into the specifications. Critical material
specifications are further deployed to step 7 for development of the quality control plan.
Step 6) Subcomponent Failure modes vs. Process Specifications. For each critical
component, subcomponent (part) failure modes are compared to contract process specifications.
Using relationship factors and importance factors, critical specifications are identified, which
may be given more stringent controls (method specifications). Critical processes are deployed to
Step 7) Quality Control Plan. For each critical component, the critical construction
process and material specifications identifies in steps 5 and 6 are compared to production
requirements. Production requirements are used to develop schedule milestones, and select
critical quality control procedures, which should be included in the quality assurance plan.
34
Chapter 4
Introduction
To further explain the use of QFD in the programming of a construction project, a case
study was developed using a project recently completed by the Corps of Engineers. The case
study is based on integration of a hypothetical QFD team in the design process. Development of
customer requirements and priorities was completed through discussion with the project
manager; based on historical records from the project history, the project directive (DD 1391),
and his personal experience managing the project. This chapter will focus on integration of QFD
Project Background
As part of the 1993 Congressional Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) decision, Vint Hill
Farms Station, VA was identified for closure. The Operations and Security Group (OSEG),
located at Vint Hill Farms, therefore required a new headquarters and training facility be
constructed at Ft Belvior, VA. The project was managed by the Baltimore District, US Army
Corps of Engineers. The project directive (see Appendix B) and conceptual design were
developed in late 1994 with an estimated cost of $4.9 M. Architectural services were contracted
with an outside A&E firm; the final design was completed in Feb 1996. Bidding was conducted
35
in March of 1996 as a lump-sum project, and construction began soon afterwards. The OSEG
Customer Requirements
The user and primary customer for this project was OSEG. Secondary customers
identified include the Directorate of Public works, Ft. Belvior who would be responsible for
maintenance of the facility, and the Corps of Engineers, who were responsible for construction.
Due to the classified nature of work to be performed in the facility, the design required detailed
coordination with the Ft. Belvoir physical security agency and review for compliance with
numerous physical security requirements. The QFD process begins with the project manager
assembling the QFD team and defining a scope of analysis. The scope is defined by answering
the question "What are the important qualities of this training and administrative facility?" The
resulting list should capture all the customer requirements for the completed project. Based on
input from the project manager regarding the project initiation, the following list reflects what
the QFD team would have completed at this point in the procedure:
I) Expecters
2) Spokens
- Photo laboratory
- Uninterrupted operations for communications systems
- Controllable access to building sections
- Secure communication requirements
- Intrusion Detection system
- Integrated alarm system
- Backup generator and power supply system
- Handicap accessible
Once the team agrees on customer requirements, they would begin to develop the project
management plan.
In development of the first matrix, customer requirements (WHATs) are broken down
into three affinity categories, time, cost, and quality (See figure 4-1). During the projects
conceptual design early completion was desirable, however staying within the approved budget
and providing adequate quality, particularly regarding security, were viewed as more important
by OSEG and the Corps of Engineers. The priorities assigned by the hypothetical QFD group
reflects the priorities established at that point in time. Each requirement was broken down into
substitute quality characteristics and prioritized from I to 5, with 5 being the highest priority.
There is a natural tendency to assign high values to all the requirements; however, this will tend
to negate those few requirements that are the utmost priority to the customer. While the team
assigns priorities, it also reviews the customer requirement list to ensure no requirements are
missing. Upon completion, the team reviews the list of customer requirements and priorities to
ensure correctness and a proper balance of highs to lows; it may take as many as three reviews to
compile a priority list, which adequately reflects the customer's true requirements.
37
and fewer requirements to shut down classified operations while repair personnel are
working)
* Security of facility
Z,
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WHATs
REGUIREMENTS Substitute Quality
WANTs Ouality Characteristics Charecterisitcs
Minimum Design Delays No unforseen conditions 3
Drawings correct 3
On Shop Drawinsapproval 1
Time Minimum Contractor No Sequence problems 2
Delays No Material Delays 2
Good Productivity 3
No rework 4
Minimum change orders 3
Minimum Material Changes in quantity 3
Cost Increase unit cost firm 4
Material expediting 3
Cost Labor Labor costs tised 4
Minimum rework 3
Labor hours fixed
4
Equipment utmen requirements known -
Conceptual Design
In development of the conceptual design, the QFD team would select design
requirements (HOWs) which reflect ways in which the Corps would satisfy customer
requirements. The project management plan includes two types of HOWs: project delivery
system HOWs, and design requirement HOWs. The project delivery system HOWs validate
decisions made by the project team regarding selection of the delivery system (design-build,
design-bid-build, or separate prime contracts) and the design method (in house design or
contracting an outside A&E firm). Although decisions regarding project delivery cannot be
made solely using QFD, it does provide insight as to critical factors within each system which
Design requirements are the project's technical characteristics that are incorporated into
the design to fulfill customer requirements (See figure 4-2). Design requirements are further
broken down into more detailed requirements. As an example, one of the most important
customer requirements is to provide adequate security for the facility. This requirement involves
specifying certain material qualities and components (i.e., the strength of security vault doors),
and providing certain functions (i.e., ability to detect unauthorized access to a restricted area). In
answering how to provide adequate security, the team would come up with the following list,
"* Construct a sturdy building which limits unwanted access and observation
U)
o Good Auto
Good Space Low Environment Uninterupted Emerg
Delivery System Design I Allocation Sturdy Building Maintenance Controls Limits Unwanted Access Power Supply System
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importance factor (IF), and c) calculate a priority for each design requirement (See Figure 4-3).
40
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41
evaluated as either strong (9), medium (3), weak, (1), or nonexistent (0).
(HOW), each customer relationship factor (from a, calculated above) is multiplied by the
respective priority associated with the customer requirement (WHAT). For each design
dividing its IF by the sum of IFs for the matrix. This gives an indication of the relative
The priority for each design requirement is calculated by dividing its IF by the greatest IF in the
matrix.
In example, the highlighted portions of figure 4-3 are used to calculate the IF and priority
for the design requirement to supports loads under sturdy building. There are four customer
Relationship
Customer Requirement Priority Factor (RF) Priority*RF
Durable building 5 9 45
For the matrix, the total of all the IFs (TOT) is 2887. The highest IF calculated (MAX) was for
the design requirement to use durable components, with an IF of 213. For the design requirement
support loads, the weighted percentage is calculated to be IF/TOT = 120 / 2887 = 4%. The
Once the project management plan is completed, design requirements and corresponding
priorities are deployed into the second matrix, Design Requirements vs. Major Components (see
figure 4-4). During development of the conceptual design, design team typically develops a
conceptual estimate by dividing the project into major components and making rough
calculations regarding square footage, major components, and design. Using generic unit costs
based on quality levels (economy, average, luxury) for each component, the rough costs are
calculated; the estimated project cost is then included in the DD 1391 (See Appendix B). While
this analysis is being performed, a second QFD matrix is also developed. In the second matrix,
the QFD team uses the HOWs from the first matrix (Design Requirements) as WHATs. The
team then identifies which components will satisfy the design requirements. In this project,
fourteen components were identified which make up the facility. The same procedures are used
to evaluate relationships and calculate final priorities. From this analysis, three components
identifies these components for further analysis during the detailed design phase:
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Chapter 5
Introduction
In the previous chapter critical components were identified during development of the
conceptual design. As the design team progresses into final design, QFD can be integrated into
the design process to improve the quality of those components. As time and/or cost permits,
other components can be analyzed to improve the design. As previously discussed, in the
construction industry owners often expect structures and components will perform at a certain
level (the industry standard), and have no other spoken or unspoken requirements. When a wall
or other component fails to perform in the expected manner; however, there is a perceived lack of
minor as a window that does not secure properly, allowing drafts to enter the room. A failure is
any way in which the component detracts from the expected performance; a quality product is
therefore one in which failures, both extreme and minor, are reduced or eliminated. Quality is
improved by identifying modes in which failure may occur in the component, and applying
controls to reduce or eliminate the failure. QFD accomplishes this by identifying critical sub-
components, materials and construction processes that contribute to component failures, guiding
45
preparation of construction specifications and the quality control plan. This chapter uses QFD
analysis in two ways; first, to design quality into the construction of exterior walls, and second,
During the conceptual design, exterior walls received a priority rating of 4, indicating a
high correlation between quality construction of the walls and fulfilling customer requirements
for the overall project. Analysis of the exterior walls begins with the QFD team asking "What
are the required qualities of an exterior brick wall?" Using the design requirements (WHATs) of
figure 4-4, the team begins to develop the first component matrix. This analysis is more
technically oriented, and may require the addition of engineers or design personnel to the QFD
team. The QFD team identifies HOWs for exterior walls that will satisfy customer requirements.
Since 'expecters' for structural components often define customer requirements, it is preferable
to focus the analysis on component failure modes, to more accurately reflect the customer's true
requirements. During development of HOWs, the team should identify as many failure
mechanisms as possible; then, through grouping of similar items, reduce the list to a manageable
number of the most likely failure modes (See figure 5-1). As in the previous chapter, the team
completes the matrix by evaluating relationships and calculating final priorities for each failure
FAWLUEMOS
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Once component failure modes are identified, the QFD team must determine how
failures in the subcomponents (parts) that comprise the wall contribute to the overall component
failure. The failure modes identified in the matrix 3 (figure 5-2) become the WHATs; the team
must determine HOWs which reflect subcomponents failures which would cause failure in the
component. Failure could be caused either by improper or low quality materials being used, or
through improper performance during construction. This analysis is shown in figure 5-3. Once
again, the team uses grouping of similar items to reduce list of failure modes to a manageable
between wall performance, material properties, and construction techniques; and is best
performed by a dedicated committee with the required technical skills. Once the analysis of
47
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relationships and failure modes is completed, the team will have identified the most critical
failure modes for subcomponents, which would cause customer requirements to not be fulfilled.
Subcomponent failure modes are then deployed to the final two matrixes, comparing
failure modes to the construction specifications. To keep matrixes to a manageable size, and to
facilitate development of a quality assurance plan, material properties and construction processes
are separated. In general, Corps of Engineers' specifications are organized with material
properties contained in part 2 of the specification; construction processes and execution are
contained in part 3. During the conceptual design, the project manager and/or design team
identifies which specification sections are required from the Corps of Engineers General
specifications (figure 5-4). The QFD team begins by identifying HOWs from the Corps of
Engineer General Specifications. To keep the matrix size to a manageable size, only those
specification paragraphs directly related to fulfilling customer requirements for exterior walls are
51
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used in the analysis (Only those specifications which address HOW a failure mode (what) will
previous matrixes. For each specification, the priority reflects its importance to preventing
failure modes and therefore fulfilling customer requirements. Based on the traditional
engineering analysis performed during the final design and the priorities resulting from this
analysis, specification values are modified as necessary. For construction of exterior brick walls,
the analysis identified six specification paragraphs with priority 3 or greater, indicating a high
Specification Paragraph #
2.10 Mortar
During the analysis, material specifications are also compared to each other. As can be seen in
Figure 5-5, specifications are generally specific with few redundancies. The construction
manager ensures better quality for high priority items during development of the project's quality
assurance plan, by either by dictating higher material quality standards within the specification or
requiring tighter inspection standards for materials as part of the contractors quality control plan.
Quality assurance inspectors would conduct inspections and evaluations during construction to
53
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ensure materials being used comply with the critical specifications and material testing is being
conducted properly.
generally the same subcomponents received higher priorities. Seven specifications were
Specification Paragraph #
3. 10 Reinforcing Steel
Once again specifications were compared to each other; the comparison is found in figure 5-7.
Based on this analysis, during completion of the final design the design team is able to
specifically address those critical failure modes that detract from fulfilling customer
requirements. By identifying critical specifications, the designer can specify higher quality
material be used for those specification, and more stringent requirements on the construction
additional quality control requirements. Figure 5-8 represents the general process used in
55
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construction of exterior brick walls; for each step in the process, critical failure modes and high
priority specifications are identified. The QFD team is able to develop a quality assurance plan
that focuses on compliance with the highest priority specifications. The project manager uses this
information to evaluate and approve the contractor's quality control plan, ensuring critical
concerns are addressed in the plan. As part of the quality assurance plan, inspectors would
evaluate the procedures used by the contractor to ensure compliance, and reduce failure modes.
In figure 4-4, Facility Design Requirements vs. Components, the security system
Analysis of the security system begins with a review of customer requirements. During
regarding security needs. As in the previous example, the QFD team must answer the question
"What are the desired qualities of a security system?" To provide for security requirements
involves the performance of several components; walls must withstand penetration, doors and
locks must restrict movement, and the electrical system must be able to detect unauthorized
intruders and automatically notify the proper authorities. In developing a QFD analysis for
security, the team identified three functions that the facility must fulfill to satisfy customer
requirements:
Fulfilling requirements involves several components; the failure of any would result in an overall
failure to provide security. A failure mode analysis is therefore used again to develop the matrix.
Figure 5-9 compares design requirements to failure modes for security. The failure modes are
then deployed to figure 5-10, which compares component to subcomponent failure modes. As in
the previous example, the design team can then evaluate individual specifications to determine
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63
Chapter 6
Conclusion
The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of QFD as a management tool to
benefit project managers within the Army Corps of Engineers. As the primary construction
management service for the Department of Defense and other government agencies, the Corps
must provide a timely, cost effective, quality product to its customers. Executive Order 12862
established that those services would be based on identification and fulfillment of customer
clearly identify customer requirements and emphasize those requirements throughout the project
delivery process. In both the conceptual and final design, QFD was able to provide useful
during the design process, the Corps should be able to improve service by reducing the number
During the conceptual design, QFD identified which components were most critical to
fulfilling customer requirements. As the project's cost is analyzed, the QFD analysis could be
used to support decisions to require a higher level of quality (and therefor a higher cost per unit
quantity) for certain components. Other less critical components could suffice with average or
economy quality levels, while still fulfilling customer requirements. The analysis also identifies
64
which components should receive priority for further analysis during completion of the final
design.
The biggest benefit of QFD analysis occurs when integrating it into the final design.
During the QFD analysis, the most critical failure modes or failures to fulfill customer
requirements are identified. As the final design is completed, critical construction specifications
can be made more stringent to reduce or eliminate the failure modes. The analysis also allows
the quality control and assurance plans to focus on eliminating failure modes during the
construction process. Through the use of QFD analysis, the Corps should be able to improve the
quality of its construction delivery process by focusing the design process on providing for
customer requirements, and minimizing quality control problems and design changes.
Limitations
The use of QFD in today's construction industry is clearly limited by the realities of cost
and time constraints. QFD analysis will increase the cost and time associated with planning
stages; owners may not be willing to pay for these 'additional' services or wait for the analysis to
be completed without being able to see the long term benefits. Prior to beginning a QFD study
there must be a commitment to the methodology; including additional training for personnel and
longer planning time required for QFD sessions. The QFD process is time intensive to prepare
the numerous matrixes; until computer software is developed which facilitates the analysis, it
Finally, an analysis of structural components requires the QFD team to understand the intricate
components. A building component such as a brick wall is actually a composite of many vastly
different materials. A QFD team would require several individuals with specialized knowledge
65
requirements during the construction process. To effectively support QFD teams for every
project managed by the Corps of Engineers would require a significant commitment of personnel
Recommendations
The use of QFD to improve the current project delivery process clearly warrants further
investigation by the Corps of Engineers. Due to the increased lead time and cost associated with
the procedure, it would be best used when the benefits can be applied to future projects, as in a
phased barracks or housing project. QFD analysis also can benefit the corps when developing
projects with higher than usual quality requirements. Through clearly identifying customer
requirements and prioritizing them during design, the Corps should be able to better provide for
the customer.
The most difficult part of the analysis involves development of the matrixes requiring
failure mode analysis. To effectively develop the analysis requires specialized knowledge and
skills. Due to the generic nature of many components in construction (such as brick walls),
however, a dedicated committee assembled by the Corps could develop matrixes to support the
Corps of Engineer General Specifications. Once a projects' QFD team completes the conceptual
design (step 2 of figure 3-8), it could use the pre-formatted matrixes to augment the process.
QFD provides the project manager with a systematic method of compiling and analyzing
customer needs. Further research needs to be conducted on streamlining the procedure; to reduce
the time spent developing charts and matrixes. Additional research also needs to be conducted
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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Naperville, IL.
Cohen, Lou (1995). Quality FunctionDeployment: How to make QFD work for you. Addison-
Wesley Publishing Co., Reading, MA.
Crow, Kenneth. (1996) "Customer Focused Development with QFD", DRM Associates.
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Voice Through the Whole Product Development Cycle" Conference Record -
InternationalConference on Communication, v 3, p 1329 - 1333.
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Engineers (USACE) August, 1994.
Eureka, William E. and Nancy E. Ryan (1995). Quality up, Costs Down : a Manager's Guide to
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Perspectives on Quality Function Deployment. ASI Press ; Irwin Professional Pub, Burr
Ridge, IL
Ermer, Donald S. "Using QFD Becomes an Educational Experience for Students and Faculty"
Quality Progress,May, 1995, 131-136.
Foo, Suantong and Jamshid C. Hosseini. (1995) "A Framework for Analyzing Perceptual
Quality in Manufacturing" Department of Management, College of Business
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65-70.
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Construction,VTT Research Notes 1685.
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Mears, Peter (1995). Quality Improvement Tools and Techniques. McGraw Hill, New York.
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Pyzdek, Thomas and Roger W. Berger, ed. (1992) Quality Engineering Handbook. ASQC
Quality Press, Milwaukee.
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69
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Appendix B
SUBTOTAL 4,637
SUPERVISION, INSPECTION & OVERHEAD (6.00%) 278
REQUIREMENT:
is project is required to provide administrative, training, and special
rpose space for US Army Operations Security Evaluation Group (OSEG). OSEG
evaluates the security systems of Department of Defense (DOD) facilities and
other sensitive facilities worldwide. OSEG is currently stationed at Vint Hill
Farms Station, Virginia, occupying substandard facilities. Vint Hill Farms
Station has been identified for closure under Base Realignment and Closure
(BRAC) 93 decision. OSEG is scheduled to relocate to Fort Meade under that
BRAC 93 decision, but desires to relocate to Fort Belvoir, Virginia. There are
no permanent facilities available at Fort Belvoir in which to relocate this
activity.
CURRENT SITUATION:
This activity is currently located at Vint Hill Farms Station, Virginia. Vint
Hill Farms Station has been identifed for closure under the Base Realignment
and Closure (BRAC) 93 decision. OSEG is scheduled to relocate to Fort Meade
under this BRAC 93 decision but desires to relocate to Fort Belvoir, Virginia,
where their Headquarters Command is located. The current OSEG facilities
complex at Vint Hill Farms Station is classified as a restricted site. At the
present time the unit occupies ten trailers and two permanent buildings. While
the permanent buildings are in relatively good condition, the trailers have
deteriorated. Vint Hill Farms Station engineers have classified them as
uneconomically repairable.
ADDITIONAL:
This project has been coordinated with the installation physical security
plan, and all required physical security and/or combatting terrorism (CBT/T)
measures are included. This project complies with the scope and design
criteria of DOD 4270.1-M. Construction Criteria, that were in effect 1 January
1987. as implemented by the Army's Architectural and Engineering Instructions
(AEI), Design Criteria, dated 9 December 1991 and all subsequent revisions.
Peter J. Geloso
COL, EN
Garrison Commander
2.A1 GENERAL.
1.0) 61050 Administration SF 13,675 93.69 (1,281)
2.0) 17120 Classroom SF 4.125 99.86 (412)
3.0) 14184 Special Purpose SF 16,633 101.47 (1.688)
4.0) 81190 Emergency Generator KW 50 574.43 (29)
5.0) 88040 Intrusion Detection System LS -- -- t21)
6.0) 88090 EMCS Installation LS -- (6)
Landscaping LS .... 25
6)
Information Systems LS .... (28)
2.B7
1) 80800 Information Systems LS .... 28
80
IOA-