Case in Point: Data Standards Enable Strategic Management Decisions

The DoD manages one of the largest portfolios of real property within the federal government and has undertaken a comprehensive effort to improve real property accountability. The Department's portfolio includes airfields, wharves, warehouses, barracks, dining facilities, administrative offices, tank farms, storage facilities, training ranges, and more. The Real Property Inventory Requirements (RPIR) effort encompasses four key elements outlined below - creating a common language, establishing a unique identifier registry, supporting Component Real Property management solutions, and helping enable a Real Property data warehouse.

Creating a Common Language is First Step to Accountability

Until RPIR, aggregating data across the Services has been quite difficult, because there were minimal real property data standards within each Service, and even more limited standards across the Services. Compiling a usable end product of the overall defense real property portfolio involved a one-time annual data call to the Services, which would be reconciled through an extensive series of data queries and application of business rules. OSD and the Components worked together to create the RPIR standards - as such, the RPIR standards represent the culmination of extensive work to define the core data elements, definitions, and business rules associated with the physical, legal, and financial characteristics of DoD's real property.

Real Property Unique Identifier Registry

Fundamental to RPIR implementation has been the development of the Real Property Unique Identifier Registry (RPUIR) that will be used to permanently and uniquely identify real property sites and real property assets. The RPUIR reached full operational capability for sites in June 2007, and is scheduled to reach full operational capability for real property assets in December 2007. These unique identifiers enable on-demand information in a net-centric environment based on specific data for all real property assets in which the Department has a legal interest. The RPUIR provides a constant source of reference on the historical record of a particular asset as it moves from one organization to another or when it is partially or completely disposed of. The real property unique identifier has been recognized as an industry best practice.

IT Solutions for Real Property Management

Component IT systems supporting real property tracking and management are required to become RPIR compliant. Each Component has submitted RPIR implementation plans to OSD I&E and to the Real Property and Installations Lifecycle Management IRB indicating when those implementations will occur. The IRB regularly monitors RPIR implementation progress against these plans, and progress is already being achieved. Implementation efforts include updating legacy systems and embedding the RPIR standards in target systems such as the Army's General Fund Enterprise Business System (GFEBS). Full RPIR implementation is expected by September 30, 2009.

Centralized Real Property Database

In addition to Component RPIR-compliant systems, the Department is standing up an information repository, called the Real Property Assets Database (RPAD). The RPAD is replacing the current Facilities Assessment Database (FAD). RPAD will be fully RPIR compliant and constructed based on DoD net-centric requirements. Begun less than a year ago, RPAD will achieve initial operating capability on October 1, 2007, after completing a test to receive direct data feeds from a Component's compliant system. The RPAD will provide a single point to access real property management information from across the Department. The RPAD also features a four-tiered validation tool that verifies compliant data from the lowest level entry, and will ascertain that the Components' systems are submitting RPIR compliant data.

The benefits of RPIR are far-reaching at both the OSD and Component levels, primarily related to making timely and well-informed management decisions. For example, RPIR will ensure that the right management information on the Department's real estate holdings is available to facilitate implementation of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) recommendations, including the movement of people, property transfers, etc. Second, the capability to respond to queries from external sources such as OMB, GAO, and the Congress will be facilitated by the implementation of the RPIR standards.