1 | 2 | 3 | 4		Client: GSA; Public Buildings Service (PBS); National Capital Region (NCR) Title: Inventory Reporting and Inventory System (IRIS) improves construction and facilities project management. (PDF)

CHALLENGE
The need for the IRIS Safety Assessment Module arose after PBS agreed to implement a comprehensive Fire Safety Evaluation System (FSES) consisting of a national fire strategy, an evaluation process for regional fire safety activities, and a method to prioritize, manage, and address fire safety projects.

Previously, PBS was using a client-server based application that needed to be installed on each user’s desktop. The desktop application was cumbersome and difficult to navigate between modules, had limited search capabilities, and an inability to share information across regions.

This new system had the following initial goals:

• Schedule and easily track safety surveys for buildings and workplaces
• Log safety conditions for buildings and workplaces
• Recommend and approve abatement plans for conditions

After 3H performed an analysis of the current system, it was determined that PBS needed a more robust, web-based application with greater search capabilities, greater navigation between modules, more informative reports, and the ability to automatically schedule surveys.

The need to develop and incorporate the IRIS Work Item Module, a second module for IRIS, arose after audits highlighted areas for improvement in financial reporting. The IRIS Work Item module helps GSA by accurately and consistently identifying capitalized vs. expensed projects, and having a robust workflow for setting and archiving the “substantial completion date” for capitalized projects.

The audit also identified that the project “substantial completion date” process needed to be flexible enough to allow for the date to be set and archived on the same day, but detail oriented enough to pass the date setting transaction to GSA financial systems. In addition, the legacy system did not meet GSA security guidelines and a secure environment, with clearly identified role based access, was needed.

The goals of the IRIS Work Item Module were to:

• Provide budgets for work items funded over multiple years.
• Provide clear distinction between cancelled and completed projects.
• Provide guidance and structure for capitalized vs. expensed projects.
• Use detailed and specific work category codes.

3H SOLUTION
In 2003, 3H Technology developed a web-based application utilizing an Oracle 9i AS/J2EE application server, Oracle 9i infrastructure, and an Oracle 9i database management system to replace the existing application. IRIS allows the Fire Safety Evaluation System (FSES) to schedule and carry out survey inspections on buildings and individual workplaces within buildings, track safety hazards known as conditions, and devise and complete abatement plans.

The layout of the Safety Assessment Module allows users to search for information on any and all of the surveys, based on multiple search criteria and pertinent information. IRIS also allows Building Managers to track the safety status of buildings and workplaces through robust reporting features. This enables PBS to maintain safe and efficient buildings and workplaces.

The IRIS Safety Assessment Module also provides an automatic scheduling function that is activated when new buildings are entered into the system, new workplaces are added to a building, when an existing building/workplace that did not previously meet the parameters for surveys is updated, and when a survey is physically conducted and its results are entered into the system. The scheduling feature generates dates for eligible surveys and schedules future surveys based on past dates.

In 2006, 3H added a Work Items module to IRIS and migrated the database from the existing application. This Module allows users to track and manage Repair and Alterations Work in the PBS inventory and pass financial information to the GSA’s financial system, NEAR, via the PBS Project File (FD 207). When funding is approved for a Work Item, an ASID number is created and the ASID and the Work Item are associated to a project in IRIS. The type of work being done determines if a project will be capitalized or expensed.

• Organizes data and work flow to meet business needs.
• Improves management control over unauthorized, inappropriate updates.
• Pulls actual obligation dollars to help manage spending.
• Eliminates the need to write numbers on paper when creating a project.
• Allows for reporting with predefined reports.
• Standardizes business processes.