Facilities Operations - 1997 Benchmarking Report

Facilities Operations encompasses many of the daily support operations of the University. These include

Building Services
Central Receiving
General Services & Data Systems
Landscape Services
Locksmith Services
Mail Distribution Services
Preventive Maintenance
Maintenance & Projects
Transportation Services
Fire Protection

Facilities Operations implemented benchmarking in a more comprehensive manner than some other areas. Each department formed a working group, undertook an identification of the processes involved in its specific operation, sought benchmarking partners, investigated or visited partners and implemented varying changes. Facilities Operations used this benchmarking web site as a resource for their projects.

All departments in Facilities Operations participated in the effort. Many processes were identified by group analysis with agreement being reached upon which process when enhanced would provide the University with substantial benefit. Other processes identified provide Facilities Operations with targets for future benchmarking efforts.

Over the last several years Facilities Operations has sought to develop a sense of group planning and task definition that allowed this benchmarking process to proceed as rapidly as this report shows. In all cases benchmarking partners have been contacted with many site visits completed. Some departments have already implemented changes to processes at this time.

Facilities Operations performed primarily industry benchmarking and to a lesser extent, best-in-class benchmarking. Contacts were made and partnerships established with entities both inside higher education and within the private sector.

Among the changes implemented or in the planning stages are:

Partnership with a private sector firm to develop an enhanced standardized training program that focuses upon consistency and stresses quality, productivity and cost
Development of on-line and printed information for departments to facilitate inbound and outbound shipments
Redesign of requisition form to add additional data which will facilitate generation of more timely and accurate customer information
Establishment of partnerships with industry leaders in landscape maintenance
Research on alternatives to mechanical key systems currently in place
Establishment of a route coding system for campus mail distribution
Redesign of interior lighting maintenance procedures
Development of a common data base for campus maintenance projects
Revision of transmission maintenance procedures for fleet maintenance
Establishment of a 30 minute new employee fire training session which is integrated with Human Resources weekly orientation sessions

These projects are listed in matching order to departments at the beginning of this document. Mark Esenwein led the benchmarking project group for Facilities Operations.

For further information, contact either:

Gary R. Shumaker
Director of Facilities Operations
100 Maintenance Building
Notre Dame, Indiana 46556
Voice: 219-631-8256
E-mail:Shumaker.1@nd.edu

Mark Esenwein
Manager of Facilities Services
100 Maintenance Building
Notre Dame, Indiana 46556
Voice: 219-631-7710
E-mail: Esenwein.1@nd.edu