Overview of the Annual Call Process

Annual Call Time Line

  1. Call for Project Issued (Spring): Facilities Management will meet with each Associate Vice Chancellor, Director, and Dean to share the latest campus development plans, update the process and review submittal deadlines.
    • Annual Call Distribution (Spring): Recommended distribution of Annual Call requests by Deans to Department Chairs and by Associate Vice Chancellors to Exec/Directors.
    • Submit Annual Call Requests (Early Summer): Deans and Associate Vice Chancellors will submit project requests to the Provost or respective Vice Chancellor. Each request should be consistent with the university’s strategic plan.
  2. Vice Chancellor/Provost Review and Ranking (Summer): Vice Chancellors and the Provost’s Office will work with Deans and Associate Vice Chancellors to review and prioritize all project requests before submitting their projects to the Space Committee for review.
  3. Space Committee Review (Summer): The Space Committee will review requests and may request technical analysis by Facilities Management and others to help inform further project discussions. Findings and opportunities will be reviewed iteratively, as needed, with Vice Chancellors, Vice Provosts, Deans and Directors to assist in prioritization.
  4. Recommendations to Executive Cabinet (Early Fall): Space Committee will bring forth recommendations to Executive Cabinet. Approved projects will be undertaken as soon as Feasible and in response to available funding.

Project Categories

The Annual Call for Projects includes two categories:

Category 1: Alterations, Renovations, Repairs

  • Typically small in size, but not routine maintenance
  • Minor reallocation of space (usually the size of a few offices) with minimal construction
  • Moves, furnishings and refresh of finishes
  • Non-Space related requests, such as deferred maintenance and energy efficiency projects (e.g. correct HVAC issues, install newly purchased equipment, providing additional data lines, move partition, add door, improve lighting, etc.)

Category 2: Space Reallocation or Renovation

  • Major Space Reallocations that require programming and analysis
  • Space reassignment following new construction or major renovations
  • Renovations or improvements to wet labs or any space larger than 750 square feet (about 1 typical classroom or 5 offices)

Principles for Facilities Project Development

  • In the interest of achieving both effective space use, which supports university activities, and fiscal responsibility, the following guiding principles will be used during the review and prioritization process.
  • Minimize unnecessary construction: seek to move occupants to spaces that are similar as possible to the final use type (e.g. avoid converting office to labs or vice versa).
  • Seek to move people to locations that achieve the desired academic adjacencies.
  • Prioritized requests should be consistent with accepted master plans for each campus.
  • Maximize the shared use of common and support spaces/equipment across buildings and users.
  • Program space needs to fit existing and approved staffing growth within the short-term planning cycle, not long term anticipated growth.
  • Loose Fit Programs: to the degree feasible, maximize space flexibility through the lowest feasible level of customized construction.
  • Prioritize moves and renovations where occupants can contribute to the cost of projects.
  • Seek to avoid moving staff more than once.
  • Projects will be reviewed holistically to identify all impacted systems and codes (IT, phone, mechanical, audio-visual, finishes, accessibility/ADA, etc.)
  • Building infrastructure upgrades will be investigated as part of project scoping and will be implemented according to available resources.
  • Expect to use campus standards for all upgrades (hardware, signage, locks, equipment, etc.)
  • Energy improvements may be incorporated and deterred maintenance addressed.

Special Conditions

  • Buildings expected to undergo substantial renovation or major change in the next few years are not priority candidates for significant interim construction.
  • Minor repair requests (e.g. non-functional light, broken door hardware, etc.) may be submitted as a service request to the Facilities Management Service Center via the online request form or by calling 978-934-2601.

If you have any planning questions or comments, please contact us via email: planning@uml.edu.