• FAR Part 4.705-3, Acquisition and Supply Records, now includes the records retention requirement for contractor (stewardship) property records;
• A number of definitions have been modified and updated. A new definition: “Property Records” has been added;
• The policy on obtaining prime contractor consent for support property delegations (involving sub-contractors) has been clarified.

It is important for property professionals to be aware of the proposed rule.  You can see the proposed changes at:  http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-18799.htm.

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October Asset Ambassador:  Kim Bowley, CPPM, CF
by Cathy Seltzer, CPPM

It is my honor to introduce you to the Property Digest’s new editor, Kim Bowley.  Kim is a CPPM who just this summer received the Consulting Fellow designation from NPMA.  Kim has been with ManTech International Corporation her entire career where she is the Director of Government Property.  Many of you know Kim because she is very involved in the NPMA.  She has held a NOVA Chapter office for many years, and is the Eastern Region Director of Revelry.

Kim has had a very bright career at ManTech, accomplishing a great many tasks, but the one she is most proud to relate is her recent success as team lead for the purchase of a new property management software system.  A very daunting endeavor as many of you can attest, Kim was responsible for the entire process from acquisition through implementation.  A proud accomplishment indeed!

As a result of being raised in a family full of law enforcers, Kim has developed a very healthy respect for the law.  No wonder then that around the halls of ManTech she is well known for her demands to comply with federal regulations and corporate policies.  She has taken her appreciation of the rules to heart and enjoys sharing it with others by teaching.  Kim loves a challenge and believe it or not, she loves to conduct internal audits!  She is able to share her expertise with sites that require assistance by developing processes and procedures to fix problems.

If you are thinking that Kim sounds like a very busy person, well, she is!  But she still makes time to enjoy life by spending time with her beautiful daughters, traveling when ever possible, spending time in her vegetable garden and scuba diving.  In fact, while picking green beans and herbs this past weekend, she was quite surprised to see a family of wild turkeys waddle through the yard! 

She is very happy that the property management career chose her.  There are not many things she would like to change, but given the opportunity, she would like to develop the Government PA/Contractor PM relationship to bring more equality to the property management team.  Kim is a strong advocate of NPMA and has found many true friendships along the way as a result of her membership.  She believes that NPMA is one of the strongest associations of people anywhere and is very proud to be a member of the family.

Kim, that is why you are this month’s Asset Ambassador!

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ASTM E53 Committee on Property Management Systems Update
by Bill Franklin, CPPA

The past months have been busy ones for those involved in the ASTM International Committee E53 on Property Management Systems.  Members have voted to withdraw two of our original standards, E2219-02 Standard Practice for Entity Equipment Resource Profile and E2220-02 Standard Practice for Establishing the full Valuation of the Loss/Overage Population Identified During the Inventory of Moveable, Durable Property (whew  what a title).  We have also revised and renewed two standards E2131-09 Standard Practice for Assessing Loss, Damage or Destruction of Property and E2279-09 Standard Practice for Establishing the Guiding Principles of Property Management, both strong standards used by many companies.  In addition six new ideas ranging from data characteristics of a property record to assessing the loss of mobile data storage devices have gone through the rigorous ASTM voting process to become new standards supporting our industry.

E53 has also been the fastest growing committee within ASTM Intl. during the past two years.  We saw a 20% increase last year bringing our total to 184 members.  That is 184 people deciding with their votes and comments which ideas become standards and which do not.  If you are not yet a member please consider joining.  We embrace the multitude of voices and experiences in the property management community and want to see you become a member of this very important committee.  Membership will give you access to all the current standards and voting rights to help decide on future standards.  The cost is only $75 per calendar year and the benefits of having access to the standards and being directly involved in their development and acceptance makes this a true bargain.  To join, contact the E53 Membership Secretary, Tara Miller, at tara.s.miller@nasa.gov and she will send you step by step instructions.  These instructions will help you navigate the ASTM website application process. 

The membership of this committee should be proud of the work accomplished so far in 2009 and celebrate having 23 published standards relating to property management.  But the work is not done, a new ballot will be (or has been depending on the Digest publication) posted in October and the membership will once again tackle the job of reviewing, commenting, and voting to publish the best standards possible for our industry.  If you are not a member don’t be left out, come on and join, it’s a rewarding experience.

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SHUTTLE CHAPTER HOLDS PROPERTY RECOGNITION AWARDS EVENT by Tara Miller, CPPM CF

The NPMA Shuttle Chapter holds an annual Property Recognition Night awards meeting to recognize the efforts of property professionals in our community and local NPMA Shuttle Chapter.  The Shuttle Chapter has over 100 members belonging to a wide variety of industry contractors and government entities. 

Our most prestigious award given by the NPMA Shuttle Chapter is the “Chapter Person of the Year.”  This award is presented to the one individual in the chapter who has contributed the most throughout the year and in previous years to the Shuttle Chapter efforts and the NPMA.  The Shuttle Chapter Person of the Year was presented to Earl Evans, CPPM, from Northrop Grumman for his support at the chapter, regional, and national levels.  Earl is the Shuttle Chapter’s immediate Past President, has been a National and Regional Delegate for the Shuttle Chapter, and is supporting the one day seminar sponsored by the Shuttle Chapter.  Earl also is an active member of the Speaker and Finance Committee.

It is important to recognize those outstanding managers and leaders who recognize the importance of property management and go out of their way to assist and promote the property management activities in an organization.  During our annual Property Recognition Night event, the Shuttle Chapter recognizes the outstanding leaders and managers in our local property management community.  This year, the manager who was recognized for his outstanding support and commitment to property management was Rob Kurrus, The Boeing Company.  Mr. Kurrus is a Senior Manager of Logistics and Ground Systems on the Check-out Assembly Payloads Processing Services (CAPPS) contract.  He recognizes the importance and value of an effective property management system and has been a strong supporter of property management initiatives.  Rob has worked diligently to make certain that his local Property Management Office has the appropriate resources to ensure mission success.   In addition to Manager of the Year, the Shuttle Chapter also recognizes Leaders of the Year in the category of Property Management.  Ms. Helena Wilkas, a United Space Alliance (USA) Senior Contract Administrator, was awarded the “Leadership of the Year” for 2009.  As the Sr. Contract Administrator for USA, Ms. Wilkas has the tremendous responsibility of leading USA contracting efforts in the overall management of the Orion Program subcontract.  Her positive attitude and strong work ethic have helped her in supporting the efforts of both Logistics and Property Management.  She was instrumental in resolving issues on new contract proposals, expanded work scope, contract realignments, regulatory impacts, rent free non-interference agreements, memorandum of understandings, and transfers of accountability.

The Shuttle Chapter also takes the opportunity to distinguish one “Property Person of the Year” from organizations that would like to recognize an individual who provides exceptional support in their organization.  The four people who were recognized for their efforts were:  Mr. David Thomas, CAPPS contract with Boeing; Judi Armstrong, Boeing Corporate Property; Glenda Woods, United Space Alliance; and Abel Gomes with REDE/Critique, Joint Venture. 

Mr. David Thomas was selected due to his diligence in maintaining his property account with precise accuracy.  His interaction and support with the International Partners and their equipment is an asset to the CAPPS Property Management Office.  He is always willing to provide assistance necessary during the physical inventories and always ensures his semi-annual validations are completed in a timely manner.

Ms. Judi Armstrong is the lone Boeing Property Custodian in the USA Logistics Depot building and manages assets assigned to over 70 different users.  Since her inception as Property Custodian in 2004, her area has reflected process improvements in its location control every year.  Her attention to detail and her strong sense of record updates are all reasons as to why her property account is maintained at an optimum level.

Ms. Glenda Woods consistently demonstrates a determination to accomplish her tasks and a willingness to take on special projects.  Her support during an equipment audit performed by the General Accounting Office (GAO) was crucial to its success as evidenced by the appreciation and compliments extended by the audit team.  Because of her vast experience in the inventory group, in-depth process knowledge, and rapport with the property custodians, the audit was a complete success.  Glenda willingly shares her work experiences so the group can increase its efficiency and knowledge. 

Mr. Abel Gomes, with REDE/Critique, Joint Venture, supports the NASA Supply and Equipment Office at the Kennedy Space Center.  He was hired slightly over a year ago with a state background in property management and quickly came up to speed.  He assisted his customer in a variety of functions. He proactively and assertively dedicated himself to developing a very capable working knowledge of our customer’s mission.  He exhibited a strong desire to learn and to increase his role and contributions.  Abel responded eagerly to new challenges and assignments, and assisted very early on with a great deal of records retention and was instrumental in expanding an existing database for his customer.  Through his own initiative, he undertook the task to identify a number of NASA mandatory property requirements and developed a database to serve as a tool to track the required information.

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Career after the Corps
by Fred D. Seth, Jr. CPPM CF

While sitting at my desk at Marine Corps Logistics Base, Albany, Georgia, one afternoon in May 1990, the phone rang. Picking up the receiver, I had no idea of the importance of the call. It changed my life. Rod Miller, a retired Marine and friend of many years, was on the other end of the line.

After a few pleasantries, Rod asked about my retirement plans. I had made the decision to take one look at the next promotion, but was not optimistic. A half-completed resume sat somewhere on my desk. Retirement was over a year away.

Rod was helping to organize a seminar for some organization called NPMA. He was working in New Orleans, and the seminar was being held there in August. I had never heard of NPMA. Rod recounted how it had helped him transition from the Marine Corps into the private sector. He also talked about certification, training and the networking opportunities of this “property management” professional organization. I was not even familiar with the term “property management.” However, I did understand logistics, supply and material management well enough after nearly 25 years in the Corps.

Rod was convincing. My boss provided training funds to go to the seminar, and I headed to New Orleans in August. Fortunately, I still have the October 1990 issue of The NPMA Magazine (The Property Professional as of 1992) to help refresh my memory. I remember meeting NPMA leaders Sara Helmick-Weaver, Bernie Bargteil, Ed Winters, Ivonne Bachar, and many other members who have subsequently become close friends. My first encounter with Dr. Douglas Goetz occurred at a general session. Before asking him a question I reached for his portable microphone. You guessed it - Doug kept the mic.

During the past nineteen years, NPMA has given me the opportunity to learn and grow in my chosen profession. Networking has led to three fulfilling employment opportunities. NPMA has also given me the chance to “pay it forward” through service as a chapter president and member of the Executive Board as Vice President, Certification. Teaching, writing articles, and working on ASTM standards have all been professionally rewarding. However, NPMA has given me a gift I can never repay – understanding the meaning of the “NPMA Family.”

The concept of family has never been more apparent than this year. I committed to conducting two workshops and participating in the E53 ASTM committee meeting at the National Education Seminar. On July 8th I was let go by my employer – my specialized consulting work just dried up. Several friends suggested that I request a grant from the Foundation. As usual, NPMA came through. I was able to attend, participate and renew old friendships. For this old Marine, NPMA has truly been a blessing. 

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Book review by Dr. Douglas N. Goetz, CPPM, CF

Principles of Inventory and Materials Management
By Richard J. Tersine, 4 edition, 1994
Prentice Hall, New Jersey
ISBN: 978-0134578880

In our world of property and asset management we sometimes give short shrift to articles and discussions related to material management when, in point of fact, material management is a critical component of our world!  Therefore, when asked to write a book review I thought that this would be a good time to explore a classic text from the material management world!

Tersine provides an excellent introduction and even deeper development of the material management world – some aspects which we in the property and asset management world do not even think about because, well, there are generally others in a corporate or government structure that handle those issues.  If you are involved with the management of government owned material, understanding these concepts is a critical skill from an industry leading practice (ILP), management, assessment and an audit perspective.  If you are involved with management of material in a corporate or a municipality (state or local) or a hospital setting the concepts discussed in this text are critical skills.  But I have to be fair – this text would NOT serve the university world in its management objectives.

The text is structured into thirteen chapters including:
·  Introduction
·  Forecasting
·  Independent Demand Systems (Deterministic Models)
·  Discrete Demand Systems (Deterministic Models)
·  Independent Demand Systems (Probabilistic Models)
·  Inventory System Changes and Limitations
·  Single Order Quantities
·  Dependent Demand Systems (Material Requirements Planning (MRP))
·  In Process Inventory, Just in Time and Theory of Constraints
·  Distribution Inventory Systems
·  Inventory Valuation and Measurement
·  Simulation
·  Aggregate Inventory Control

I can hear you now, “Wow!  I don’t deal with ANY of those concepts!”
My response, “Hmmm, but if you are a property manager and your entity has material, SHOULD you deal with these concepts?”

Ahhhhh, but you should and DO deal with these concepts – but they are embedded under the various chapters.  So let me try and break this down into our language and applications.  I know you’ve heard of and dealt with different types of inventory, inventory costs, just in time inventory.  Under Independent Demand Systems I am sure that you have heard of economic order quantity, backordering and quantity discounts.  Under Inventory Valuation and Measurement I am sure that you have heard of FIFO and LIFO and Inventory Records and Cycle Count Methods.  These are concepts that we deal with but sometimes only on the periphery.  This text allows you to dig DEEPLY into these concepts – probably deeper than you really want to – but that is the academic challenge. 

Is this an easy read?  NO!  Can you read it in one night?  NO!  If you do not have a fundamental understanding of algebra, will you understand all of the formulae presented?  NO! But therein lies the challenge – to learn PAST your current level of knowledge, challenging yourself and your mind beyond what you already know!

Please understand that my purpose is not to drag you down but rather raise you up in the depth and breadth of your knowledge.  This is a classic text and every property professional should have it in their library.  As such, I recommend this text to further your intellectual development down the path of knowledge.

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Community Service – It’s all in the Road!!
By Jerri Proszek, CPPM, CF

Have you ever driven down a section of a road and seen a sign that has a company or organization name on it and it says ‘Adopted’?  Ever wonder how they got there or what it meant?

As part of our chapter’s annual community service, we thought that very same thing.  Heather Evanger, our volunteer chairperson for this event, had done an Adopt-A-Road project before as a volunteer, so she stepped right in and dug up the details. ‘Adopting’ a road just means that you are going to take a stretch of highway and do litter control.  Sounds simple, right?  Well it is!!!

First you discuss this with your group and make sure you will have volunteers. You can invite family and friends to join in. If your road is near a park, and you have a lot of volunteers, have a picnic or BBQ afterwards.  Make this a fun event…and be sure to have a photographer or two for pictures.

You then contact your Department of Transportation (DOT) for either your local community, county, or state roads.  Indicate that you want to adopt a road for your organization and tell them the area you are interested in.  In our county, the commitment is for a two year period, but you only service the road two times a year, so check with your DOT for details. They will provide you several locations and you make the choice. They will give you instructions and safety information.  Prior to your selected day, you pick up the equipment (hard hats, fluorescent safety vests, ‘grabbers’ and litter bags) and that’s all there is to it. 

So the day of our event (Saturday), we met at a small park, handed out water and ate donuts for a little energy. We then donned our official road work gear, got the litter bags and ‘grabbers’ in hand and away we went. We worked in teams and did the stretch of road and worked both sides of the street. Our photographers got pictures along the way. The weather was great and the area surprisingly did not have much litter, so we breezed through picking up what litter there was. We completed our task in an hour and a half. We didn’t even find anything out of the ordinary that could have been fun to report on.  Maybe next time!!

We then hung around the gathering spot, chatted for awhile, took more pictures.  It was a great time and we felt like we made a difference……you can too!!!

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Notes from NPMA Members:

All, I want to take this time to sincerely thank you for approving my NES grant that allowed me to attend the fabulous NES this year. I cannot thank you all enough for the grant. I love the NES and it is great to see how much it has developed over the years. It is truly the greatest time for folks in our profession to get together and network and learn from each other. Again, I truly appreciate your help. Have a great weekend and holiday!

Thank you,
Brenda Andrews
Sentinel Program Business Operations
Lockheed Martin

Greetings Paul, Cheri, et al -

My sincere appreciation for putting on a great NES. This was my first NES, but I am not new to major (national) conventions & conferences...I have had the good fortune (for about 18 years) to have been involved as a major committee member & presenter for the Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference as well as the National Hurricane Conference, and I can tell you that this NES was as well- or better-run than the many others I have attended. I know "glitches" happen, but from an attendee's point of view, NES glitches were pretty much transparent. Well done!! A special thanks to Beth Green for leading our successful accelerated CPPA certification review. I know all who took the course are appreciative. And thanks, too, for Penny Parker's patience & assistance in administering the sessions & testing - a great help.

I'm one of those who pay attention at seminars - and I'm gratified to see that we (NPMA) have such a strong group of dedicated professionals leading the property management industry through great organizational growth and development through education and standardization. I not only gleaned good information from the seminar sessions, I thought all the keynote/general session speakers were terrific. Like many other NPMA members, I spent many years in the military Marine Corps Reserve, Air Force (Strategic Air Command) & A.F. Reserve (Hurricane Hunters), so I have a strong personal interest in National Security – ICE presentation - and who wouldn't be interested in Sichan Siv's fantastic story! My Hurricane background helped peak my interest in Phil Dendy's presentation - but relating it all to property management opened another realm of perspective for me (especially since I am with FEMA now). ***By the way, a wonderful book called "Isaac's Storm" by Erik Larson gives a marvelous, albeit frightening account of the great Galveston Hurricane of 1900.

I'm also real excited about the prospect of increased opportunities & methods for professional training & development (certification) through the NPMA web site. With tightening budgets, I think I will still be able to offer some of those who work for me the opportunity to pursue the property profession at a reasonable cost to the government.

My thanks again for a great NES - and I hope to see you all soon (If you are ever in Biloxi...)

Bob Katz
Logistics Section Chief

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Special Interest Groups (SIGs)

by Raam Vichare, CPPM, CF

SIG National Director

NPMA supports all disciplines of property management. Though basic property management remains the common denominator, each discipline or property function (Federal, Inventory, State, Excess, Warehousing, University, H

ospital, etc.) has its own specific regulations, requirements, and operating processes. NPMA provides education and professional training in most of the areas; however, specific disciplines need additional training, networking and better communication in their own operations. The objective of the SIG program is to provide such service to disciplines by giving them an opportunity to establish the groups and enhance NPMA services.

The NPMA has currently established six Special Interest Groups (SIGs). These groups would increase opportunities for members to interact and network with other members that share similar backgrounds or interests in property management. SIGs will be considered as subgroups of the NPMA to assist members in enhancing their knowledge in the areas of their specific interests. SIGs will be national level groups and will cross over all three regions’ membership.

The SIG provides a forum whereby property managers can discuss property management issues, develop strategies, resolve common property issues, and make recommendations for changes to the management. The SIG can also influence the activities of the National Property Management Association (NPMA) and ASTM International to ensure that SIGs are included in NPMA Certification; professional development courses; national, regional and chapter seminars and workshops; and ASTM International voluntary consensus standards (VCS).

Membership in the SIG is open to all NPMA members. SIG organization and meetings are determined by the membership. Typically, meetings will be held at national and regional seminars and at such times as determ

ined by the SIG steering committee or operating officers.

In 2009, the NPMA has established the following six SIGs:

• Federal Property Management SIG
• Contract Property Management SIG
• University/College Property Management SIG
• State/Local Property Management SIG
• Property Inventory Management SIG
• Property Excess/Disposition SIG

If you have not joined the SIG of your specific interest, please plan to join it soon. We will be sending an e-mail to all members with names of the SIG officers so you can contact them and join the group.

We are planning to start additional SIGs in 2010 based on members’ interest. There are a lot more functions or disciplines in property management where a SIG can be established, such as: warehousing, real property, hospital, securi

ty, fleet management, etc. If you are interested in starting a new SIG, send Raam Vichare an e-mail and he will be glad to assist you. 

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Who is the mayor of San Antonio?  What chapter won the Medium Chapter of the Year award?  Which NPMA Region won the 2009 Property Challenge?  Think you know it all???  Click on the following .pdf link for the NES crossword puzzle and print out the puzzle (answers included): PROPERTY PUZZLE

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I have file cabinets full of material work orders, purchase orders, packing slips and shipping orders. I need to move these things out to make room for more. Where can I find guidance on this type of record retention?

a. Under the desk, as the file cabinet is already full

b. FAR 4.705-1, Financial and cost accounting records

c. OMB Circular A-119, Property Records Retention

d. ASTM 2279-03, Guiding Principles of Property Management

(See answer below)

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EASTERN REGION SEMINAR

Hosted by Three Rivers Chapter

Many exciting topics are planned for this event including The Property Plan, The Thirteen Commandments, Procurement and Property Strategy, University Property, NCMA and Property, The Green Storeroom, Property Liability, TGIM- Smovin in Property Management and Motor Vehicle Property Management.

November 5 & 6, 2009

Sheraton Station Square - Pittsburgh

Emerald Coast Chapter Education Seminar

Bringing together government and industry leaders to discuss the latest challenges in property management.

Program includes: ASTM Standards, Plant Clearance

Process & PCARSS - Version 3, Standards Development, and Unique Identification (UID)

Wednesday, November 18: 7:00 - 4:30 PM

Thursday, November 19: 7:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Fort Walton Beach, FL

State Government Property Management Seminar

November 17; 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

Sponsored by the Capitol City Chapter

Come network with fellow property professionals in State Government at this one-day educational seminar. 

Auburn University

Montgomery, Alabama

$50 - Members / $75 Non-Members (Register by October 28)

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Answer to Question of the Month:

b.  FAR 4.705-1 Financial and cost accounting records 

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The Digest is published monthly for the members of NPMA.  If you have news or information for The Digest, please email your articles/comments/questions to Kim.Bowley@ManTech.com