The Facility Utilization Study (FUS) conducted for Ramstein Air Base included portions of the entire Kaiserslautern Military Community (KMC). Specifically, Rexroad APG surveyed, interviewed, generated requirements, and produced drawing portfolios for 3.7 million square feet at Ramstein Air Base, Einsiedlerhof Storage Annex, Einsiedlerhof Maintenance Annex, Kapaun Administration Annex, and Sembach Administration Annex. This project resulted in extremely accurate Real Property data and updated AutoCAD floor plans in less than six months. The extensive review of facilities for this project includes Anti-Terrorism / Force Protection (AT/FP) vulnerability assessments to support the General Plan.
The swift and accurate development of FUS products is dependent on experience and organization. Rexroad APG has developed a stream lined methodology that has constantly improved since 1990. The exploitation of this experience enabled FUS at the KMC to reach 65% completion in less than six months. The accuracy level of the entire 3.7 million square feet was such that the project advanced to completion with no comments.
Some lessons learned include strict mobilization procedures that allow the survey team to immediately begin measuring facilities after the project kick off meeting. It is also key to manage concurrent development of spatial data with survey progress. This allows for quality control and the opportunity to collect additional data while the team is still on site. Population of occupants into a customized database while still in the field improves accuracy and allows for the immediate generation of requirements and relational connectivity to the floor plan drawings.
Management of this project involved extensive coordination between the field and home office, travel and lodging arrangements in Germany, and investment of $250,000 of per diem, pay, and travel ODCs before the first invoice was submitted.