Standards Manual for UW Managed Capital Projects

Original Issuance Date: February 17, 2022

Last Revision Date: March 29, 2023

Effective Date: July 1, 2022

1. Policy Purpose

This policy establishes the requirement that the UW System Office of Capital Planning & Budget (CPB) create, manage, and regularly update a standards manual for guiding the project delivery of UW Solely Managed (UW-managed) capital projects for the UW System. The policy also establishes the expectation for applicable employees and third parties to adhere to the provisions of the manual.

2. Responsible UW System Officer

Senior Associate Vice President for Capital Planning and Budget

3. Scope

This policy, and the underlying manual, applies to UW System institutions, including UW System Administration, that undertake capital projects financed entirely using gifts and/or grants.

4. Background

In July 2015, as part of Wisconsin Act 55, the statutes were amended to allow the University of Wisconsin System to deliver capital projects funded entirely through gifts and grants. The statute requires institutions to utilize only gift and/or grant funds to support capital projects and provides no opportunity for the substitution of non-gift/grant funding in lieu of the statutorily mandated funding source.

Regent Policy Document 13-5, Capital Projects Solely Managed by the UW System: Approval, Signature Authority, and Reporting, requires the UW System Office of Capital Planning and Budget to assist the UW System President in developing and maintaining policies and procedures to oversee capital projects solely managed by the UW System.

5. Definitions

Gift/Grant Funding: A source of financing from donations (both restricted and unrestricted) or by federal grant, state grant or private grant or gift funding.

6. Policy Statement

Capital projects delivered through UW System’s authority must be delivered in a timely manner, consistent fashion, and in alignment with industry standards. To achieve this, the UW System Office of Capital Planning and Budget (CPB) will create, manage, and regularly update a manual that covers procedures and processes. The manual shall outline all salient aspects of the UW-managed projects program, including, but not limited to:

Project management: scope, budget, and timeline
Feasibility studies, and design and construction project processes
Initiating a project
Architect/Engineer and/or other associated consultants’ selection and contracting
Contractor bidding and contracting
Construction management
Project close-out

To deliver high quality and consistent services throughout the program, any and all employees and third parties directly involved with the management of a UW-managed project are expected to understand and adhere to the procedures and processes in the manual.

Any employee or third party who does not adhere to the manual may be restricted from participating in the program at the discretion of CPB.

Employees are expected to contribute to the manual so that it remains relevant and contains best practices as the design and construction industry evolves.