S A's Design Excellence Program

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Continuing the Legacy

1 . 0 G S A's Design Excellence Program

2004 marks the 10-year anniversary of the Design Excellence Pro g ram. The pro g ram

has resulted in dramatic improvements in the design of federal buildings and the positive

p e rceptions Americans have of their government. Implementation of the Design Excellence

mandate by GSA's regions is enhancing cities across the nation. We now have a track

re c o rd--a design legacy--that we and future generations can point to with pride.

O ver time, we have refined and improved the pro g ram. This comprehensive publication--

Design Excellence: Policies and Procedures-- replaces the 2000 desk guide. While the

values and commitment driving the pro g ram remain the same, we have fine-tuned the

p rocess in seve ral important areas. The commitment and invo l vement of private-sector

p rofessionals as national peers has been significantly expanded to include more

than 500 distinguished experts not only in architecture, preservation, and urban design,

but also interior design, landscape architecture, construction, engineering, art, and

art conservation. Sample documents and templates are now available on-line at

http://insite.pbs.gsa.gov/PM/PMB/Design_Excellence_and_the_Arts. Prototypes for

FedBizOpps announcements have been tailored to meet the requirements of specific

p roject types--new construction, border stations, modernizations, preservation, and

limited scope projects. A/E Evaluation Board scoring sheets have been standard i zed to

generate consistency in selection criteria and the weighting of these criteria. Details on

using charrettes as part of the A/E selection process are spelled out. There is expanded

information on the number and timing of peer reviews during the concept development

phase of a project. Finally, Art in Architecture procedures are now incorporated as an

integral element of the Design Excellence process.

What we seek in Design Excellence is a holistic approach that, on behalf of our customers,

delivers value by producing high quality, high performance facilities on budget and on

time. Your commitment and hard work implementing the Design Excellence policies and

procedures will help GSA meet its goal of providing superior workplaces that enhance

the nation's communities.

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