GSA Honors Winners of First AnnualAchievement Award for Real Property Innovation

GSA # 9448
Contact: Bill Bearden
(202) 501-1231
bill.bearden@gsa.gov

Washington, DC - The U.S. General Services Administration's Office of Governmentwide Policy will honor the first annual recipients of the Achievement Award for Real Property Innovation at an awards ceremony on November 4 at 9:30 a.m. in the GSA auditorium at 1800 F Street, NW.

The award was developed to recognize the successes of the Federal real property community, improve communications between real property professionals, and share the best policies and practices implemented by Federal agencies.

The Strategic Alignment Initiative used in the DOE "Headquarters Space Consolidation" captured the Best Practice category. The winning entry for the Best Policy category is the GSA Public Buildings Service for "A Guide to the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Contracting in the Public Buildings Service."

These winners were selected from among 56 entries submitted by Federal agencies. The initial response is exemplary of the commitment the Federal government is making in the real estate arena. Each year, Federal agencies responsible for the management of federal real property develop and implement innovative policies and practices that go unrecognized.

A four-member independent panel of real estate and management experts representing a cross-section of private, government and international organizations was established to evaluate the merits of the entrants. The judges for the premiere of the award were Carol Beal, Director General, Real Estate, Public Works and Government Service, Canada; G. Edward DeSeve, Acting Deputy Director for Management, Office of Management and Budget; Lanny Felder, Chair, International Facilities Management Association and Director, Real Estate and Facilities, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida; and, Todd Lewers, Chairman of the Building Owners and Managers Association Executive Management Committee and Managing Director with Apex Site Management Company of Philadelphia, PA.

Although only the Best Practice and Best Policy will receive recognition, each organization submitting an entry played an important part in the overall endeavors to improve Federal asset management. The success stories submitted by the other entrants as well as the winning entries will be shared through publication of Real Property Best Practices in a brochure and on the Real Property Clearinghouse Internet site at http://policyworks.gov/realproperty.