PRELIMINARY

IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

PRELIMINARY IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR ADOPTED ACTION AGENDA

OF THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR BUILDING REGULATORY REFORM

IN THE DIGITAL AGE

(Adopted July 12, 2001, Washington, DC) 

STRUCTURE FOR NATIONAL INITIATIVE

National Alliance and three working groups:

National Alliance for Building Regulatory Reform in the Digital Age

The National Alliance serves as the parent body for the project with general oversight of and political support for the regulatory reform initiative. This Alliance brings together senior representatives from the three key groups necessary to bring about regulatory reform in the building regulatory process through the use of information technology.

The National Alliance is comprised of national leaders of organizations, government, and the construction and information technology communities that sign a commitment letter to annually provide a minimum level of support to the initiative.

1. National Steering Committee

The National Steering Committee serves as board of directors and management body for the national initiative. This committee: 1) Steers and guides the project from conceptualization through the development of work products by National Alliance and the Planning and Coordinating and Technology Task Forces. 2) Serves as spokesperson for initiative. 3) Coordinates work of Task Forces.

The National Steering Committee is comprised of 12 national leaders drawn from organizations/agencies serving on the National Alliance. The composition of the steering committee steering committee is as follows:

4 members from government (associations and agencies)

4 members from the construction community (private sector)

4 members from information technology and academic communities

2. Planning and Coordinating Task Force

The Planning and Coordinating Task Force is comprised of governmental entities and associations from all levels of government: local, state, federal, and participating private sector organizations which have signed letters of commitment to this project.

The Planning and Coordinating Task Force will:

• Develop a business plan and case study to gain funding and support for both the uniform application and use of information technology in the building regulatory process to make it more effective, efficient and accessible to citizens and the construction community.

• Quantify the value of streamlining the building regulatory process.

• Develop a clearinghouse for IT issues.

• Participate in and support the activities of the Technology Task Group noted below, including giving the I.T. community an understanding of the actual needs of the building regulators and the drafting of model uniform systems requirements for federal, state, and local governments to use when procuring and implementing information technology services for use in the oversight and regulation of construction.

3. Technology Task Force

The public and private sectors already has developed a number of products and services using information technology to streamline the construction process. The Technology Task Force brings together the consortia and partnerships that have developed such services to share their expertise and coordinate its future use with this initiative.

The Technology Task Force is comprised of existing private and public sector partnerships/consortia and academicians already engaged in applying information technology to the building construction and regulatory processes. This includes:

• I.T. Forum sponsors and co-sponsors and participants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH), the International Alliance for Interoperability, FIATECH, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, National Institute of Building Sciences, and NCSBCS.

• The Task Force also will include representatives from: Fairfax County, Virginia; City of Los Angeles, California; and officials form the states of California, New Mexico and Virginia which already have major information technology applications projects underway. A special liaison (affiliated) relationship between the Technology Task Force and the National Association of State Chief Information Officers is being developed.

• The Technology Task Force will be open to other associations and governmental entities engaged in information technology consortia and private public partnerships to bring I.T. to the building construction and regulatory processes.

At least one member of the Technology Task Force also will serve on the National Steering Committee.

The immediate goals of the Technology Task Force are to:

• Assemble and develop a mission statement, white paper on short-term needs, and work with the Planning and Coordinating Task Force in meeting with hardware vendors and software developers to draft systems requirements for hardware, software and intermediate ware to be purchased or shared by all levels of government to operate their construction regulatory systems.

• Research ways to assure the integration of the building regulatory process into the transformations being made by information technology in the construction industry.

Will meet at least twice each year and conduct work assignments on-line. With guidance and support work provided by the National Steering Committee, the National Alliance will develop, adopt, and oversee implementation of:

a. Work plan and work project timetable (both short-term and long-term).

Timetable: On-going throughout project. Short-term work plan and timetable by September 30, 2001.

b. Funding proposal for the initiative

Timetable: On-going throughout project. Short-term by October 31, 2001.

c. Work assignments to the Task Forces

Timetable: On-going throughout project.

d. Advocacy and education program (political support) for implementation of Action Agenda and streamlining materials generated by Task Forces. Advocacy includes presentations on project at annual meetings and other events of participating organizations/governmental entities.

Timetable: On-going throughout project.

e. Second National Forum on Building Regulatory Reform in the Digital Age within nine months to a year of original forum (May 31-June 1, 2001). (Consider making this an annual event)

Timetable: Plan second forum in September 2001 - Hold between February and late May 2002

1. National Steering Committee

Will meet several times each year to oversee progress of implementation of Action Agenda, recommend changes (updates, deletions or additions) to the Action Agenda and work products of National Alliance and Planning and Coordinating and Technology Task Forces. The National Steering Committee also coordinates work of the Task Forces.

a. Short-term Assignments and Timetable (3 to 12 months):

1) 12 members appointed and organizational meeting of steering committee held. Develop and adopt mission statement and set milestones to measure fulfillment of short- and long-term task assignments of the committee and task forces - September 31, 2001.

2) Hold second meeting to monitor work progress of Task Forces and National Coordinating Committee and plan details of second national forum - November 15, 2001

3) Hold third meeting to monitor work progress and finalize details for the second national forum - December 31, 2001

4) Oversee the conducting of second national forum - between February and May 31, 2002

5) Hold fourth meeting to monitor work progress and compile input from second national forum to make adjustments to implementation of Action Agenda – between March 31 and June 30, 2002

b. Long-term Assignments and Timetable (1 to 5 years)

Meet each year on quarterly basis from July 1 through June 30 to monitor/guide implementation of Action Agenda and plan and hold any follow-up forums.

2. Planning and Coordinating Task Force (Public and Private Sectors)

It is anticipated this task force will meet at least three times each year and will conduct many of the task assignments on-line. (It is expected several tasks of this task force will be undertaken in coordination with the Technology Task Force.)

c. Short-term Task Assignments (within 3 to 12 months):

1) Hold organizational meeting and develop mission statement for task force and set/adopt milestones for measuring progress in meeting both short- and long- term task assignments – September 1, 2001

2) Identify components of the building regulatory process where information technology (I.T.) is currently in use and share that information with jurisdictions nationwide – December 31, 2001

3) Develop a compendium of software in use including information on the purpose, cost, extent of use, level of available support, training needed, interoperability (if applicable) with other software. Compendium will include commentary on relative strengths/ weaknesses of software (in coordination with Technology Task Force) - February 28, 2002

4) Develop compendium of hardware in use including details of costs, numbers in use, typical use, percentage of time in use, and commentary on relative strengths and weaknesses of hardware (in coordination with Technology Task Force) - February 28, 2002

5) Develop a series of sets of minimum requirements for software for typical uses and identify commercial software that currently meets these minimum requirements. Hardware requirements for use of software are to be included. (In coordination with NASCIO and Technology Task Force.) Minimum set of requirements - October 31, 2001; List of current software meeting these requirements - December 31, 2001

6) Develop model purchase specifications for software (in coordination with NASCIO) – December 31, 2001

7) Develop a cost/benefit analysis of streamlining the nation’s existing building regulatory system. (Examples of streamlining at each level of government) – June 30, 2002

8) Identify interagency and multi-jurisdictional issues and models involved in streamlining – June 30, 2002

9)  Identify public/private issues involved in streamlining – February 28, 2002

10) Compile and list different basic regulatory laws in states - February 28, 2002

11) Develop model enabling legislation for multi-jurisdictional streamlined building regulatory processes - June 30, 2002.

d. Long-term Task Assignments based upon completion of short- term tasks (between 1 and 5 years). Consider adopting 3 or more of the following long-term actions:

1) Develop and complete a comparative analysis of alternate building regulatory systems in growth and no-growth environments (state and local) - February 2003

2) Examine legal, insurance, accountability and multi-tier issues that effect requirements in model codes and standards used in construction process - October 2002

3) Review and issue for national debate/consideration optional approaches towards building regulatory systems (include look at other nations systems) - February 2003

4) Advocate for regulatory streamlining – On-going throughout project

5) Work with academic community to create centers for building regulatory studies - February 2004

3. Technology Task Force

It is anticipated this task force will meet at least three times a year and conduct work projects on-line. (Several of the following items will be done in coordination with the Planning and Coordinating Task Force).

a. Short-term Task Assignments (3 to 12 months)

1) Hold organizational meeting and develop mission statement and set milestones for monitoring work progress in implementation of both short- and long-term task assignments - August 31, 2001

2) Compile listing (compendium) of all known software and hardware being used in both the building construction and regulatory processes (in coordination with the Planning and Coordinating Task Force) - February 28, 2002

3) Develop a chart of technical and cost details of available software for comparison - February 28, 2002

4) Identify and advocate interoperability needs and solutions (work with the alliance, i.e. IAI, FIATECH, CERF, NIBS and with NASCIO) – November 30, 2001

5) Identify interface problems with other e-government systems, GIS, etc. – January 31, 2002

6) Define technical performance requirements of software (with Planning and Coordinating Task Force) – December 1, 2001

b. Long-term Task Assignments (1 to 5 years). Consider adopting 3 or more of the following long-term actions:

1) Coordinate development of building element properties database and formats for use in code compliance - February 2003

2) Develop hazard scenarios for use in simulation of regulatory reforms - May 2003

3) Develop examples of simulation techniques and system dynamics models - June 2003

4) Develop examples of risk analysis techniques - May 2003

5) Predict outcomes and unintended consequences for various regulatory reform scenarios - June 2004

6) On-going monitoring of changes/trends in information technology impacting both construction and the building regulatory processes - On-going throughout project

1. Member funding pledges of either in-kind services or dollar contributions (commitment letter).

2. Public and private sector grants.

3. Explore other avenues of funding.

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