Quarters Maintenance

TABLE OF CONTENTS

OVERVIEW

3.1 What is the purpose of this chapter? This chapter describes:

A. Requirements for quarters maintenance, and

B. Special design and construction requirements for quarters.

3.2 What is the scope of this chapter? This chapter applies to all employees involved in the management of quarters that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) owns, leases, or manages through other means (e.g., service level agreements).

 3.3 What is the overall policy? We must ensure that any quarters we supply are safe, reliable, and sanitary.

3.4 What are the authorities for this chapter? See 371 FW 1 for a list of authorities for all the chapters in Part 371.

3.5 Who is responsible for quarters maintenance? See 371 FW 1 for a list of roles and responsibilities for all the chapters in Part 371.

 MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS

3.6 What are the maintenance requirements for quarters? The quarters program abides by the maintenance requirements for constructed real property assets detailed in Part 372 of the Service Manual and the accompanying Constructed Real Property Management Handbook. We recognize that maintenance to quarters may impact tenants’ health, privacy, and rental rates, and we have implemented the following additional requirements in accordance with the Department of the Interior’s (Department) Housing Management Handbook:

A. Service staff must inspect quarters before initial occupancy, annually after that, and every time there is a change in tenant.

B. The Service prioritizes quarters maintenance in the following order:

(1) Health, life, and safety issues;

(2) Structural concerns; and

(3) Cosmetic upgrades.

C. Quarters renovation and installation or replacement of appliances, furnishings, and fixtures are management actions and are not subject to prior tenant approval, even if the actions result in rental rate increases.

D. Every reasonable effort will be made to avoid inconvenience to the tenant. Plans for inspections and routine maintenance activities should be made known to the tenant as far in advance as possible, and not less than 48 hours ahead. In emergencies, the Project Leader/supervisor must give as much notice as possible.

E. Unauthorized alterations and improvements made by an occupant will become the property of the Government, and unacceptable repairs and alterations may be charged back to the tenant.

F. Project Leaders/supervisors must maintain quarters at a level at least equal to the code requirements in the vicinity of the quarters. Service maintenance and construction standards may be used if the standards equal or exceed the local code requirements.

3.7 Are there special design and construction requirements for quarters? All quarters must meet the appropriate design and construction codes and be inspected for fire and life safety hazards. See the Constructed Real Property Management Handbook for more information.

3.8 What are the accessibility standards for quarters? Federal law requires that visitors and employees with disabilities have access to the same services and opportunities provided to all other visitors and employees. These requirements include providing accessible quarters. The Service abides by the guidelines in section 3.1.6 of the Department’s Housing Management Handbook.

3.9 What are the energy efficiency standards for quarters?

A. All new building design and construction, regardless of size, should be built at least 30 percent below the current American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers 90.1 standard.

B. All new building design and construction of quarters greater than 5,000 square feet should comply with the “Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings.” To meet the energy efficiency metric, the building must meet one of the following requirements:

(1) An Energy Star rating of 75 or higher,

(2) Energy use is 20 percent below the fiscal year (FY) 2015 energy use baseline, or

(3) Energy use is 30 percent below the FY 2003 energy use baseline.

C. When feasible, energy efficiency products should be used in buildings, as required by statute (42 U.S.C. 8259(b) and 10 CFR 436.40 et seq.) This includes purchasing Energy Star and Federal Energy Management Program-designated products.

D. Tenants and field station staff, when possible, should implement energy conservation measures. Energy conservation measures are applied to Federal buildings, and they:

(1) Improve energy efficiency;

(2) Are life-cycle cost-effective; and

(3) Involve energy conservation, renewable energy sources, improvements in operations and maintenance efficiencies, or retrofit activities.