About AFM

Facilities Division

Mission Statements

• Facilities Division
• Capital Investment and Asset Management Branch Mission (CIAMB)
• Real Property Management Branch (RPMB)
• Safety, Health, and Environment Management Branch (SHEMB)

Facilities Division Mission

The ARS Facilities Division (FD) provides a variety of building related services to the REE Mission Area, as well as other USDA and Federal agencies. FD consists of 4 branches: the Facilities Engineering Branch; the Ames Modernization Branch; the Real Property Management Branch; and the Safety, Health, and Environmental Management Branch.

FD is organized into two functional areas, Design and Construction; and Asset Management and Programs. Design and Construction has responsibility for Facilities Engineering within FD with the exception of the Ames Modernization Branch. The Asset Management and Programs function has responsibility for Real Property Asset Management, Space Management, Safety, Health, and Environmental Management and other special programs.

FD delivers support and technical guidance for the ARS major building program, and provides expertise in engineering project management; architect-engineering (AE); asset management; real property; space management; and safety, health, and environmental management. End products include the construction of new and renovated ARS research facilities and disposal of ARS land/building, space layout and office relocations (within the National Capital Region), and a safe working environment. FD is responsible for the management of 300,000 sq. ft. of office space in the Washington Metro Area plus 3,300 buildings and structures, 400,000 acres of land, and a large nationwide planning, design, and construction program.

Capital Investment and Asset Management Branch Mission

The Capital Investment and Asset Management Branch (CIAMB) provides nationwide support to the Agency Capital Investment and Asset Management Program.  This includes assessing the condition of the Agency’s real property assets and strengthening the Capital Investment Strategy through effective condition metrics and defined project requirements.  This will enable prioritization of investments to sustain and recapitalize the facilities that are critical to the Agricultural Research Services’ (ARS) mission.  Additional CIAMB duties include maintaining and updating Agency policy, including Operation and Maintenance programs and the Federal Building Personnel Training Act; finalizing and publishing the annual Capital Projects and Repair Plan (CPRP) report for the Business Service Centers (BSCs); supporting development of the annual High Priority Requirements List (HPRL); supporting the Agency Energy Program; and annual updates to the Briefing Papers. 

Real Property Management Branch Mission

The Real Property Management Branch (RPMB) is responsible for the acquisition, accountability, utilization and disposal of Federally owned, leased and otherwise managed real property in the custody and control of Research, Education, and Economics (REE) agencies, including the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), the Economic Research Service (ERS), the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), and the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).  ARS-owned real property assets include over 16 million square feet in more than 3,300 buildings and 1,595 structures on approximately 400,000 acres of land at 96 domestic and 3 foreign locations and 59 domestic and 2 foreign worksites.

RPMB has operational responsibility for all land and facility acquisitions by purchase, lease, transfer, donation and exchange, as well as all disposal actions. Oversight responsibilities include:

1. The issuance of outgrants, such as easements, rights-of-way, and revocable permits;
2. The utilization of real property assets; and
3. Compliance with Federal, State, and local laws, regulations, Executive Orders, etc. governing the management of Federal land and facilities, such as the National Historic Preservation Act, the Endangered Species Act the Randolph-Sheppard Act and Executive Order 13327.

REE agencies occupy over 1 million square feet of federally leased space nationwide.  In the Washington Metropolitan Area alone, RPMB’s Physical Security Specialist manages physical security for approximately 400,000 square feet of federally owned and leased office space at seven separate locations.   

Safety Health & Environmental Management Branch Mission

SHEMB is responsible for planning, organizing, monitoring, and evaluating the occupational safety, health, and environmental management programs to ensure that they respond to the mission and program needs of the Agency; comply with Federal, State, and local statutory and regulatory mandates, guidelines, and standards; and reduces the potential for human, economic, and environmental losses associated with injury, illness, and property damage incidents throughout the Agency.

Last Updated 01/15/2013