National Project Management System Procedure—Managing Projects for Heritage Properties

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1. Effective Date

January 9, 2013

2. Cancellations

None

3. Authority

This National Project Management System (NPMS) procedure is issued under the authority of the Director General (DG), Professional and Technical Service Management Sector (PTSM), Real Property Branch (RPB), Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC).

4. Context

This procedure describes the mandatory activities to be implemented within the National Project Management System (NPMS) as it relates to asset and space-based projects on heritage assets throughout all of the federal government, and is to be read in conjunction with:

This procedure supports the Treasury Board Policy on Management of Real Property, which includes ensuring that the heritage character of federal-owned buildings is respected and conserved throughout their life-cycles.

5. Scope

This procedure is applicable to all PSPC employees involved in the management of real property projects on buildings designated, or that have the potential to be designated, by the Federal Heritage Buildings Review office (FHBRO). The principles of this procedure are also applicable to projects on national historic sites and to buildings, structures, or sites designated by other levels of government.

6. Purpose

The purpose of this procedure is to ensure that Real Property projects undertaken by PSPC respect federal policy obligations regarding the stewardship of federal heritage buildings, structures, or historic sites before, during and after project development and delivery; and to ensure these projects integrate international heritage conservation best practices within the NPMS process.

Although heritage designations by other jurisdictions are not always legally binding on the federal government, it is important to understand their specific obligations and intent in order to meet the federal government's broad objective to be a responsible steward of cultural heritage and to respect RPB's Good Neighbour Policy. Similarly, it is recommended that the principles of this procedure be applied to projects on historic sites or structures that are not buildings, and which may not be subject to federal policy or legislation.

7. Details

In all stages of the NPMS process, the appropriate heritage conservation expert must be consulted in order to determine the exact scope of the following activities, as required by the specific project:

7.1 project inception stage

This stage involves the definition phase of the project and results in the statement of requirements deliverable.

For all projects (space-based and asset-based):

For projects in leased heritage buildings, identify the heritage designation and the designating jurisdiction (municipal, provincial or federal) in the statement of requirements (SOR).

For projects in Crown-owned buildings under the custodianship of PSPC:

For Projects in OGD-owned (Other Government Department) buildings 40 years old or older:

When PSPC is involved in preparing the SOR on behalf of an OGD client, the following actions shall be undertaken, in keeping with client approvals and governance:

7.2 project identification stage

This stage includes the Initiation, Feasibility, Analysis, and Identification Closeout Phases of the project, resulting in the preliminary project plan (PPP), the feasibility report (FR), the investment analysis report (IAR) and the Identification Close-out Document (ICOD).

For all projects (space-based and asset-based):

For projects in Classified or Recognized Crown-owned buildings under the custodianship of PSPC:

For projects in OGD-owned buildings 40 years old or older:

If RPB is involved in preparing any of the documents listed below on behalf of the client, the requirements listed for each shall be applied in keeping with client approvals and governance.

Include heritage conservation objectives into the deliverables of this NPMS stage as follows:

Preliminary project plan

Integrate the information and recommendations provided by the Conservation Plan, into the preliminary project plan (PPP) in the following sections:

Feasibility report

The feasibility report's (FR) analysis of the proposed broad solutions shall address how heritage conservation concerns can best be addressed by the project (for example, whether a proposed new use is appropriate for the building).

Investment analysis report

The analysis of options in the investment analysis report (IAR) must take a balanced approach to the costs and benefits (both financial and non-financial) and strategic considerations of proposed heritage conservation activities. In recommending an investment proposal, the IAR should include heritage conservation concerns in the analysis of the approaches' implications.

7.3 project delivery stage

This stage includes the Planning, Design, Implementation and Delivery Close-out Phases of the project. It results in completion of the project, documented in the project management plan (PMP), approval document (AD), Project turn-over (PTO) and close out document (COD).

For all projects (space-based and asset-based):

For projects in Classified Crown-owned buildings under the custodianship of PSPC:

For projects in Recognized Crown-owned buildings under the custodianship of PSPC:

For projects in OGD-owned buildings 40 years old or older:

Note

To address any technical heritage conservation issues, in-house specialized expertise is available from the Professional and Technical Services group in all regions, and from the Heritage Conservation Directorate in the National Capital Region (NCR).

8. Responsibilities

The Director, Heritage Conservation Directorate, is responsible for overseeing and maintaining this procedure.

Regional directors, Professional and Technical Services, are responsible for the overall implementation of this Procedure within their respective geographical jurisdictions.

Project Leaders, who may be represented by Property Managers/Officers, Asset Managers, Project Managers, Client Accommodation Advisors and/or Accommodation Managers, are responsible for:

Project Managers are responsible for:

The Project Leader, Project Manager, and Project Team members are responsible for:

9. Definitions

Character-defining Element:

The materials, forms, location, spatial configurations, uses and cultural associations or meanings that contribute to the heritage value of an historic place, which must be retained to preserve its heritage value.

Classified Building:

The highest level of designation for a Federal Heritage Building.

Commemorative Integrity Statement (CIS):

This document is prepared to guide the management of National Historic Sites of Canada (NHSC). It is generally used only by Parks Canada for their sites, but it is recommended for any federally-owned NHSC.

Conservation Plan:

This is a heritage guidance document that is non-project specific and which provides long-term guidance for the protection of heritage values and character defining elements of a building. It is a compilation of relevant historical information on the asset and its evolution, describes its heritage values, the overall condition of its character defining elements, and recommends appropriate approaches to be followed for the conservation of the asset.

Designation:

Designation is a recognition assigned to a building, site or structure, typically by a level of government, either municipally, provincially or federally and governed by a policy or legislation. To determine if a building, site or structure has a level of designation one can contact the local or provincial heritage department, or in the case of federal designation, Parks Canada.

Disposal:

In the context of the heritage obligations of the Treasury Board Policy on the Management of Real Property, a disposal is defined as a transaction that alienates real property from a department's inventory to a non-department(as defined under Section 2 of the Financial Administration Act), to the Provincial Crown, or to private interests.

Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office (FHBRO):

The interdepartmental advisory body, which resides in the Parks Canada Agency to recommend heritage designation and to advise custodial departments on protecting the heritage character of the heritage buildings in their custody.

Heritage Character Statement (HCS):

This document is prepared by the FHBRO after a building has been designated as either Classified or Recognized. Its intent is to guide the on-going management of a building, and is the basis for reviewing any proposed changes or interventions. It explains why the building was designated, and which of its physical features (character–defining elements) must be preserved in order to protect the building's heritage character.

Heritage Character:

This is the synthesis of a building's heritage values. The heritage values of Crown-owned buildings derive from many sources. These include historical associations, architectural significance and environmental importance.

Heritage Recording:

The action of documenting the heritage values and heritage character-defining elements of a building or site and producing a posterity record containing visual and metric information.

Heritage Value:

This is the aesthetic, historic, scientific, cultural, social or spiritual importance or significance for past, present and future generations. The heritage value of an historic place is embodied in its character-defining materials, forms, location, spatial configurations, uses and cultural associations or meanings.

Interventions:

Any action which may have an impact on the heritage character of a federal heritage building including alteration, demolition or disposal.

Life-Cycle Costing:

 This is an approach to identifying the total costs of goods or services, including the up-front costs, operating and maintenance costs, the cost of disposal or closure activities, as well as the administrative costs associated with the various options for acquiring the goods or services. Ref: PSPC, Material Management, Contract Management Guide, February 2009.

Potential Federal Heritage Building:

Any building owned by the federal government, which is at least forty years old and has not been evaluated by the FHBRO. In the context of this procedure, this would also include buildings that are not yet 40 years old but that possess high architectural or historical importance.

Recognized Building:

This is the second level of designation for a federal heritage building.

10. References

Legislation

Treasury Board

Parks Canada

Public Services and Procurement Canada

Real Property Branch

11. Attachments

Annex A: Checklist for the NPMS Procedure for Managing Projects in Designated or Potential Heritage Properties

12. Enquiries

Director
Heritage Conservation Directorate
Professional and Technical Service Management Sector
dcp.hcd@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca

Annex A: Checklist for the National Project Management System Procedure—Managing Projects for Heritage Properties

Annex A: Checklist for the National Project Management System Procedure—
Managing Projects for Heritage Properties (Word Version, 340KB)

1. National Project Management System project inception stage

Project Leader: As Project Leader responsible for ensuring that this National Project Management System procedure is followed throughout this stage of the project, have the following questions been addressed?

2. National Project Management System project identification stage

Project Leader: As Project Leader responsible for ensuring that this National Project Management System procedure is followed throughout this stage of the project, have the following questions been addressed?

3. National Project Management System project delivery stage

Project Manager: As Project Manager responsible for ensuring that the National Project Management System procedure is followed throughout this stage of the project, have the following questions been addressed?

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