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VFA CERTIFICATION PROGRAM GAINING MOMENTUM IN FACILITY MANAGEMENT INDUSTRY
F/ICP™ Meets the Need for a Consistent Method to Compile Accurate Facilities Information
Boston, MA.- March 18, 2003 - VFA, a leading provider of facilities and infrastructure lifecycle management solutions, today announced reaching a milestone for its industry leading Facilities/Infrastructure Certification Program™ (F/ICP). Since its launch last year, the F/ICP has gained approval from more than 20 public and private organizations, including customers, partners and industry associations. Through the program, VFA’s clients and partners can standardize on VFA’s leading facility condition assessment (FCA) methodology, which is supported by the Company’s advanced Web-based technology. This combination of standard business processes, assessment methodologies and technology enables facility executives and property owners to keep pace with the dynamics associated with managing the built environment.
To date, VFA has certified key customers, partners and third-party vendors including Valley Baptist Medical Center, Salem State College, ARAMARK ServiceMaster Facilities Services, Inc., Stantec Consulting Ltd. and the Maine Department of Education. Additionally, the Company has extended its relationships with leading industry trade organizations such as the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) and the National Association of State Facilities Administrators (NASFA) by making F/ICP available to their memberships through continuing education programs. For example, IFMA members can obtain continuing education certification maintenance points through VFA’s F/ICP.
“VFA’s certification program has provided us with the tools needed to effectively assess building infrastructure conditions and needs,” said Stephen Keyes, director of facilities, Salem State College. “The program details a proven, standard methodology for setting benchmarks, prioritizing projects and assisting in budget development. As a result, the ability to develop bullet-proof arguments for funding, allocate resources on an equitable basis and measure success from year to year across the entire campus has drastically improved.”
VFA’s F/ICP leverages the Company’s expert staff of architects and engineers to transfer VFA’s scalable assessment and capital planning methodology to facility management professionals in both public and private organizations. This program trains facilities professionals on the standardized facility condition assessment methodology to assure accurate, consistent information and qualifies participants to integrate building data into capital planning projects.
“The response to our F/ICP program has been overwhelmingly positive,” said Eric-Jan Schmidt, vice president of business development and marketing, VFA. “An increasing number of organizations – both clients and partners – realize that standardizing on a recognized methodology, which leverages VFA’s capital planning and asset management technology, can contribute directly to the bottom-line and the organization’s mission.”
The Facilities Inspection Certificate (FIC) certifies participants in the technical facilities condition assessment methodology to gather and maintain accurate, consistent, building and infrastructure conditions data. Condition assessment and capital planning practices highlighted in the F/ICP ensures comparative, accurate data and the overall success of a comprehensive facilities capital planning process. F/ICP certified professionals will be able to enhance data integrity and the validity of an overall long-term capital planning process. |
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