The Real Estate Program Policies and Procedures Manual has been compiled and organized to assist State of Colorado personnel with rules, processes and documentation necessary for real property transactions undertaken by State agencies and institutions of higher education. The transaction types include leases, acquisitions, dispositions, licenses, easements, rights-of-way, transfers and exchanges of real property.
The Mission of the Real Estate Program
The mission of the Real Estate Program is to provide services and assistance to State of Colorado executive agencies and institutions of higher education to maximize value received for all funds expended on real estate and real estate related requirements. The Office of the State Architect (OSA) is a division within the Executive Director’s Office of the Department of Personnel & Administration. The Real Estate Program (REP) within OSA is responsible for providing the expertise and assistance needed to negotiate favorable leases and other real estate contracts for state agencies/institutions. It is also the central resource for information regarding the State's owned real estate holdings and lease obligations.
While the State's leasing program is the largest single responsibility of the Real Estate Program, other areas of real estate activities are also handled. These include the purchase of real estate for the State, the sale, transfer, or lease of State-owned real estate, and negotiation and execution of licenses, rights-of-way and easements, either on non-state land for the use of the State, or on State land for the use of private parties. All activities of the Real Estate Program exclude three areas of real estate activity that are specifically assigned to other agencies:
- Rights-of-way acquisition and maintenance by the Department of Transportation
- Long-term holding of State land by the State Land Board
- Certain easements, rights-of-way, and vacant land leases and acquisitions by the Division of Wildlife or the Parks and Recreation Division of the Department of Natural Resources.
Additionally, Colorado statutes require that all real estate activity (including leasing, interagency, acquisition, and disposition) for all agencies and institutions of higher education, except the State Land Board and CDOT rights-of-way, must be reported to the Real Estate Program. The Real Estate Program then uses this information to fulfill its statutory responsibility to maintain a current inventory of all State-owned and State-leased real estate.
This manual is not intended to be a textbook on leasing or negotiating purchases and sales of real property, nor a substitute for professional experience. However, the Real Estate Program will develop training sessions based on agency/institution feedback derived from their review and usage of this manual.
The manual has been primarily organized according to the various functions for which the Real Estate Program provides oversight and review. This manual should not be considered as a stand-alone source of information for the Real Estate Program. Agencies should also be familiar with the following:
- Colorado Constitution
- Colorado Revised Statutes, as amended, § 24-30-1303, C.R.S., et. seq.
- Department of Law policies
- Fiscal Rules (issued by the State Controller)
- State of Colorado Contract Procedures and Management Manual
- Executive orders (issued by the Governor)
General principles of law, and specific related laws, also apply (i.e., contract law, real estate law, agency and partnership law). In addition, the source of funds (e.g., federal agency) may have additional legal requirements as a condition of expending the funds with which agencies/institutions will need to comply.
Contacts
Real Estate Program, Program Manager
Cameron Kennedy, cameron.kennedy@state.co.us 720-402-4146
Real Estate Program, Real Estate Specialist
Jennifer Threlkeld, jennifer.threlkeld@state.co.us 720-813-7642
Office of the State Architect, State Architect
Tana Lane, AIA, tana.lane@state.co.us 720-607-4228
Department of Personnel & Administration, Deputy Executive Director
Tobin Follenweider, tobin.follenweider@state.co.us 720-255-6705