66 



AppcMiu in 



Several A^enciee Are A— en iag R&D 

 Faeilitie*' Fuidinf Need* and MUaion* 



improvement facilities project are taking place, dod and doe facilities 

 managers stated that using a percentage of the current replacement value 

 was not appropriate for estimating routine maintenance and repair funding 

 primarily because it does not (1) differentiate between types of 

 facilities — laboratories generally have substantially greater utility 

 infrastructure needs than ofDce space — and (2) account for added 

 maintenance and repair needs associated with older facilities. The dod and 

 DOE managers noted that data obtained through condition assessments of 

 and actual e5q)erience at facilities would be more accurate. 



Backlog of Laboratory The total backlog of laboratory repairs reported by seven federal agencies 



Facilities' Repairs ranged from $3.8 billion to $4.5 billion. (See table IIL2.) This backlog, 



which represents about 10 percent of the current replacement value of the 

 laboratory facilities, is about five times greater than the agencies' funding 

 for laboratories' routine maintenance and repairs in fiscal year 1992. doe, 

 which has the most and the oldest laboratory space among the eight 

 agencies, reported the largest backlog of repjiirs. However, aks reported a 

 proportionately greater problem; the agency reported a $700 million 

 backlog, while spending only $36 million for routine maintenance and 

 repair in fiscal year 1992. According to aks facilities managers, even 

 though funding for routine maintenance and repair is about 2 percent of 

 the current replacement value of ars' facilities, it is inadequate for 

 addressing ars' facilities needs because of their age and the extent of the 

 repair backlog. 



