FY 2025-26 Facility Program Plan Submittal Guidelines and Instructions for State Agencies
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For institutions of higher education refer to Colorado Department of Higher Education planning guidelines for preparation and submittal requirements for Facilities Program Plans.
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Statutory Authority
C.R.S. 2-3-1304.6 was modified in part through SB15-270, stating that:
“It is declared to be the policy of the general assembly (Capital Development Committee) not to acquire a capital asset or authorize or initiate any program or activity requiring capital construction, except programs or activities for controlled maintenance or capital renewal, for any state agency or state institution of higher education unless the program or activity is an element of the facilities program plan for the agency or institution and such facilities program plan has been approved by the state architect as set forth in section 24-30-1311, C.R.S., or by the Colorado commission on higher education as set forth in section 23-1-106, C.R.S.”
C.R.S. 24-1-136.5(2)
The executive director shall review facilities master planning and facilities program planning for all capital construction, controlled maintenance, and capital renewal projects on department real property, regardless of the source of funds and shall submit for approval all such facilities master plans and facilities program plans to the office of the state architect for approval as specified in section 24-30-1311. No capital construction, controlled maintenance, or capital renewal shall commence except in accordance with an approved facilities master plan, facilities program plan, and physical plan.
C.R.S. 24-30-1303(t)(I),
Make recommendations on capital construction and capital renewal project requests made by each state agency after the requests have been reviewed by the office as specified in section 24-30-1311, and submit recommendations for the same to the office of state planning and budgeting in a timely manner so that the office of state planning and budgeting can meet the deadlines set forth in section 24-37-304 (1) (c.3). The state architect may not recommend capital construction project requests if such projects are not included in the state agency's facility program plan that is approved as required in section 24-30-1311, unless the state architect determines that there exists a sound reason why the requested project is not included in the facility program plan.
C.R.S. 24-30-1311(3)(a), was created through Senate Bill SB15-270, establishing the duties and powers of the Office of the State Architect (Office) with respect to capital construction and long-range planning. The section states
“Each state agency shall forward Operational Master Plans, Facilities Master Plans and Facilities Program Plans, and Five-Year Plans to the Office. The Office shall review Operational Master Plans, and approve the Facilities Master Plans, Facilities Program Plans, and Five-Year Plans described in section 24-1-136.5.”
C.R.S. 24-37-304(a), was modified in part through SB15-270, and continues to require the Office of State Planning and Budgeting to develop an annual plan for capital construction expenditures and adds,
“But the plan for capital construction expenditures must consider recommendations made by the Office for state agencies, and recommendations made by the Colorado Commission on Higher Education for state institutions of higher education.”
Annually evaluate plans, policies, programs, and budget requests of all departments, institutions, and agencies of the executive branch of state government. The office of state planning and budgeting shall develop a financial plan encompassing all sources of revenue and expenditure. It shall propose this plan for the budget, consisting of operating expenditures, capital construction expenditures, estimated revenues, and special surveys, but the plan for capital construction expenditures must consider recommendations made by the office of the state architect for state agencies, and recommendations made by the Colorado commission on higher education for state institutions of higher education. Budget requests shall include a description of one or more measurable annual objectives in the areas of operational efficiency and effectiveness for each department, institution, and agency. Proposed expenditures in the budget shall not exceed estimated moneys available.
Process Overview
The legislation grants the Office authority to set uniform policies, procedures, and requirements for various master plans and capital construction requests for state departments. These guidelines specify what to include in facility program plans and the criteria for the Office's review and approval.
Each state agency in Colorado has unique facility needs, so a uniform set of instructions for organizing Facility Program Plans (FPP) is not practical. Instead, these guidelines outline essential elements and examples to ensure successful planning, emphasizing the importance of organization, content, and format.
The Facilities Master Plan (FMP) and the preceding Operational Master Plan (OMP) developed by each agency provide a framework for growth and development. Facility Program Plans (FPP) enable the execution of specific capital projects identified in the FMP. An FPP should justify the project based on current conditions, space requirements, long-term planning, and an analysis of alternatives and costs.
The FPP must define room specifications, spatial relationships, and design requirements to guide the project's design phase.
While professional program planning consultants can be helpful, they may not be necessary for all projects if technical staff with expertise is available. State statutes require that architectural/engineering plans align with OSA-approved FPPs, and the Office will coordinate comparisons between FPPs and capital construction requests.
Submittal Process
Statutes mandate that all state agencies prepare Facility Planning Proposals (FPPs) as a basis to justify future requests for capital construction funding exceeding $500,000. The Office of State Architect (OSA) requires these plans to be submitted electronically in either 8 ½” x 11” or 11” x 17” format, as detailed in these instructions. FPPs must be approved at the agency level by the executive director and subsequently reviewed and approved by the OSA. Approved FPPs remain valid for three years, after which recertification is required. Within this three-year timeframe, FPPs may be modified to reflect program or funding changes. Please consult with the Statewide Planning Program (SPP) staff regarding the development of planning documents or amendments to these instructions.
Contents
The FPP submittal to the Office should consist of at a minimum, the four major parts including; Overview, Justification, Design and Implementation Criteria, and Appendices as described below:
Overview
This part includes an Executive Summary outlining the scope and justifications, descriptions of program(s) and relationship to the FMP.
Executive Summary
Provide a brief abstract of the project’s scope, justification, relation to Operational Master Plan and Facilities Master Plan, future considerations, project cost, financing sources and proposed schedule.
Description of Program(s) related to the Facility
Provide a concise statement describing the program(s) related to or impacted by this FPP, including program objectives and any applicable accreditation/certification standards, etc.
Relation to Facilities Master Plan
The FPP is a required element of the facilities planning and capital construction processes in Colorado. The need for FPP’s should be anticipated by state agencies with sound FMP’s that relate to overall agency goals and strategic plans. Since FPP’s are an essential piece of the facilities planning process, a plan should articulate a strong relationship between the facility being built or renovated to the FMP and any other interim long-range planning a state agency has undergone.
Justification
This part includes analysis of existing conditions, consideration of proposed changes to those conditions and the resulting benefits, the total space requirements, and facilities/programmatic alternatives considered by the state agency needed to meet the projected goals.
Existing Conditions
Analyze current spaces to understand the impact of proposed changes. Conduct a utilization study to determine if the space meets agency goals or has excess capacity. Evaluate the quality of existing space regarding its condition and functionality.
Assess operational issues, code violations, and health/life safety deficiencies. For renovation plans, align with the Office of the State Architect Facility Condition Audit. Access detailed information on the Facility Audit Program online (See OSA website). Include an updated facility audit report with the program plan or provide a summary of health, life safety, and code issues if a recent audit is unavailable.
Changes and Projections
This section should outline proposed changes that impact programming in new or renovated facilities. Projections should show annual client and FTE changes for the next ten years.
Total Space Requirements
This section will use planning criteria and space utilization guidelines to determine the required number and types of spaces, and calculate room areas based on existing conditions, changes, and projections. It will detail the total assignable square feet (asf) and gross square feet (gsf) added or reconfigured by the project. For renovations, provide current and post-completion asf and gsf figures. Determine building efficiency factors (asf/gsf) by type using best practice guidelines and identify space for specialized equipment.
Summaries of space requirements by program and category should be included in the plan. Significant deviations from the Facilities Master Plan may require revision and re-approval. Consult with SPP staff during document development and amendments.
Include a statement of intended facility improvements from the Facility Program Plan.
Alternative Analysis
The program plan should summarize alternative facilities and solutions considered, including lease/rent options, property acquisition/disposition, and new construction versus renovation. It should also outline contingency plans if capital construction funds are not approved and explain why the selected project was chosen over alternatives, discussing operating costs and space efficiency. Additionally, a life-cycle cost analysis is required to justify facility costs over its projected lifespan.
Design Criteria and Implementation
This section expands upon the space planning requirements identified in the justification section to establish specific project elements and design criteria. These include, but are not limited to, spatial relationships, room specifications, site requirements, unique features of the program or project, final program plan, project costs, and financing methods.
Design Criteria
Include all design and construction requirements for the proposed project, such as design guidelines, security, technology improvements, sustainability goals, code compliance, and certification requirements. Further, verify the design criteria adheres to all state executive orders and complies with applicable statutes.
Spatial Relationships and Room Specifications
Include diagrams showing interactions and relationships between spaces. Summarize the organization of new spaces by functional areas, shared spaces, and areas for specific units. Develop room specifications with end users, detailing type, size, function, special equipment needs, and their relationship to other rooms.
Concept Design
This section should include:
- A building stacking diagram based on gross square footage, a massing model, and its relation to surrounding buildings and zoning guidelines.
- Conceptual design drawings such as site plans, building perspectives, floor plans, elevations, sections, and basic mechanical, electrical, and plumbing system diagrams impacting cost or design.
- Narratives and graphics addressing pedestrian/vehicular access, parking, topography, soil condition, drainage, vegetation, utility requirements, building systems options (mechanical, electrical, plumbing, structural, technology), code compliance, design guidelines, and sustainability goals including LEED Scorecard.
Project Schedule, Cost Estimate and Financial Analysis
These components of the plan constitute a significant portion of the budget documents (CC-C spreadsheet and supporting information) that must be submitted for every state agency capital construction project request. Detailed instructions for submitting the completed CC-C information are available in the current year's Office of the State Architect’s Annual Capital Construction and Controlled Maintenance Project Request Submittal Instructions on the OSA website. The information in this section of a facility program plan should directly align with the data presented in the CC-C spreadsheet and supporting information.
Additional information may include: the project's relationship to or dependence upon other current or future master plan-designated capital improvement projects; the relative urgency for funding and the implications of any delays; the construction management/project delivery method affecting project phasing, including comprehensive disclosure of all planned phases, overall project duration schedule, and detailed cost estimate.
Furthermore, this part should clearly describe the sources of funds intended to finance the project, such as capital construction appropriations, cash funds, bond proceeds, gifts or bequests, public/private partnerships, or lease/purchase arrangements. For projects that are self-funded, revenue-bonded, lease-purchased, or lease-financed, a financial analysis should be provided, including interest rates, term lengths, repayment schedules, and sources of repayment funds. The analysis should also discuss the agencies/state’s debt structure and the impact of this project on that structure. All capital budgeting documents should consider inflationary costs for any project phasing and should articulate the methodology used to avoid future supplemental and budget adjustments. A suggested method would be for the agency to estimate when funding might be realized to the anticipated midpoint of construction and compound using a research-based inflation factor to that date.
Format/Outline
Organize and format the facility program plan document as per the outline, ensuring logical order and alignment with part Contents and all other agency submittals. The outline lists necessary components for an effective plan; not all apply to every project, and some agencies may need additional elements. Consult with SPP staff when developing planning documents and amending guidelines.
Overview
- Executive summary
- Description of program(s) related to the Facility
- Relationship to Facilities Master Plan
Justification
- Existing Conditions
- Utilization Study
- Facility Condition Audit/Facility Condition Index
- Health/Life Safety deficiencies
- Changes and Projections
- Facility improvements
- Clients and FTE’s
- Total Space Requirements
- Assignable vs. Gross Square Foot analysis by program
- Program space summary and space by use summary.
- Alternatives analysis
- Facility and program options
- Life-Cycle Cost analysis
- Alternatives or contingency plan if funding is not approved
Design Criteria and Implementation
- Design Criteria
- Design guidelines and agency standards
- Security requirements
- Technology improvements
- Sustainability goals and objectives
- Detailed code compliance review of conceptual design
- Certification requirements (including historic designation if applicable)
- Spatial relationships and room specifications
- Diagrammatic plan drawings
- Room requirements and specifications
- Concept design
- Building stacking or massing diagram
- Site plan improvements
- Exterior building perspective(s)
- Building elevations
- Building sections
- Basic building MEP systems one-line diagrams:
- Narratives including but not limited to: parking, site accessibility, utility infrastructure, MEP and structural systems analysis, LEED Score Card (reference sustainability guidelines)
- Project Schedule, cost estimate and financial analysis
- CC-C spreadsheet and support information coordination
- Overall project duration schedule bar chart with milestones and commencement and completion dates.
- Project delivery method and proposed phasing defining scope of work, and funding requested per phase.
- Detailed cost estimate per the construction specification Institutes(CSI) sections and format
- Source of funds