We have several priority projects in the design phase, and those are expected to move to the solicitation phase in the spring of 2025. These projects include repairs for assets in the Denver Davison Building and the Transportation Building. As of Jan. 20, there are two active, two complete and several upcoming projects. 

The roofing contractors are actively replacing the Will Rogers Building roof, and this project should be wrapped up in March. Additionally, the Transportation Building is receiving an upgrade to an air handler unit.

As mentioned in December, the buildings of the Capitol Complex quad will be receiving new entryways. The Oliver Hodge and M.C. Connors buildings are receiving automatic entrances on the courtyard and main parking lot sides. The automatic entrances were necessary for these two buildings as traditional swing doors wouldn't meet ADA compliance. The automatic entrance parts arrived earlier than anticipated, and these projects will commence the week of Feb. 10.

In the same week, another contractor crew will begin comprehensive work on the first and second floors of the Agriculture Building, including a ceiling grid refreshment and replacement lighting, air handler units and the heating and cooling control system. All projects will bring the building up to code compliance, restore assets previously at the end of their useable life and modernize the building for a computer-based work environment. 

We will provide updates as these projects progress.

The upcoming 2025 Annual Real Property Asset Survey will be consolidated, eliminating duplicate surveys from previous years.

The survey is delayed as OMES REALS and Risk Management work to merge the survey fields and improve user experience. Prior to the survey's launch, both teams will notify agencies of when the survey will be available. In addition, REALS and Risk will host a joint live Q&A session via Microsoft Teams to answer any questions or concerns.

For REALS inquiries, contact Kristie Wallace. For Risk Management inquiries, contact Melissa Forrestier.

OMES REALS is pleased to announce the publication of a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a qualified food and beverage service operator/vendor to operate the Capitol Snack Bar in the Oklahoma State Capitol Building. 

Those who wish to submit proposals must: 

• Demonstrate the ability to successfully operate this type of business.
• Clearly articulate plans for the day-to-day operation and management.
• Obtain and maintain appropriate certifications and licenses.
• Adhere to local, state and federal laws and regulations.
• Demonstrate the ability to implement a concession program that will meet the objectives of OMES as well as incorporate innovative ideas appropriate for this concession.

This RFP seeks to generate proposals to provide cafe food and beverage service for the Oklahoma State Capitol Building tenants, surrounding state agencies and visitors in the State Capitol Complex.

This RFP closes at 5 p.m. on Feb. 28, 2025. More information can be found on the CAM Opportunities page.

Since February 2024, OMES has partnered with Mender, a global IT asset disposition company, to implement a new system for managing surplus IT assets like cellphones, laptops and desktops from Oklahoma’s state agencies and other affiliates. Through this partnership, OMES has achieved significant cost savings and strengthened its approach to data security. 

“OMES selected Mender, an R2-certified company, because they adhere to the strict guidelines required of responsible and sustainable electronic waste disposal,” OMES Capital Assets Management Administrator Nathan Wald said. “Breaking down IT assets is a complex, intricate process. Facilities like Mender help us break down IT equipment and allow the precious metals like gold and nickel found inside the devices to be harvested.”

According to Mender’s two reports, OMES has:

• Generated a total year-to-date cost savings of $381,000.
• Secured the proper disposal of 700 kilograms of potentially harmful materials.
• Processed two to three semitrucks full of surplus IT materials monthly, reducing waste while maximizing asset value.

Read the full press release.

Recent editions of the CAM newsletter provided updates from the Office of Facilities Management (OFM) regarding building temperature standards noted in the Tenant Manual. To provide more transparency, OFM would like to give further insight into the function of the temperature control system and how it maintains the ideal range for buildings operated by our office.

All state-owned buildings are controlled by a state-of-the-art automation system that reacts to interior environmental conditions. The base setpoints for all buildings in the Capitol Complex is 68 degrees for heating and 72 degrees for cooling. OFM asks tenants to submit a ticket when internal temperatures vary two degrees above or below the setpoints.

As heated air is dispersed throughout a given building, the building-wide temperature is reduced to prevent overheating. The use of space heaters can raise temperatures above our setpoint of 72 degrees, which causes the system to respond by dropping the temperature for the entire building and presents problems with overall temperature control.

The air distribution equipment and building layouts were not designed for modern office environments, so the system may not always react appropriately to temperatures. OFM is actively working to upgrade obsolete and inefficient equipment in state-owned buildings through the deferred maintenance plan.

OMES Fleet Management is exploring training options to better assist our agency partners. 

We invite all agency representatives performing administrative functions related to Fleet Management to fill out this survey and propose training topics.

These topics will be used to create a schedule of one-hour curated training sessions for Fleet customers.

Access the survey.

We encourage fleet contacts to utilize the shared services offered by Onward Fleet Solutions. Services include troubleshooting and administrative support for your Geotab system and hardware, assisting with reporting dashboards, nonreporting devices and any other system needs that may arise.

Email Janelle Cox at Onward Fleet or call her at 405-467-3532.

The Fleet Management team is also available to assist with introductions. To request an introduction to Onward Fleet Solutions and their services, please reach out to Nathan Pumphrey.

There were several minor revisions and updates to most CAP forms in 2024, so please ensure you are using the most up-to-date version of all forms. If you have saved versions of the CAP forms on your desktop, please update those accordingly using the updated CAP forms listed on the website.

As a reminder, the CAP purchase order process is available on the web for reference. For more information, including the process map for purchase orders, please visit the Purchase Order Procedures page on the CAM website.

The Sallisaw Veterans Home project is slated to wrap up soon! Pending a successful inspection by the state fire marshal, the expected completion date is Jan. 25, 2025.

In January, Flintco generated and delivered a contractors' punch list to OMES, the Department of Veterans Affairs (ODVA), the architect and the engineer. The punch list is a list of work items that must be completed by the contractors prior to the project's completion.

The project is currently on track and on time. The last few items for completion are the punch list and the walk-through with OMES, the architect, engineer and ODVA. Following the walk-through, the state fire marshal will complete an inspection to determine the issuance of the Certificate of Occupancy. 

We are pleased that this project has reached its final stages and look forward to turning the facility over to ODVA for its intended use.

The design team and the state's security and IT teams are coordinating discussions about audio-visual equipment, furnishings and fixtures so the space meets tech requirements.

Currently, active construction projects at the Jim Thorpe Building include continuing installation of historic windows, mechanical ducting and roof drain leaders. 

Many of these projects begin in the basement and then move up to higher floors. Now that the basement has been prepared for new underfloor plumbing systems, we are in the initial stages of interior wall framing and electrical preparations.

This project is on schedule and expected to complete in August 2026.

All of the required construction documents for the Kelley Building have been completed, so the next steps are for CAP to solicit this project for a construction manager. Solicitation is expected to begin in mid-February.

Construction is expected to begin at the end of February, and the expected completion date for construction at the Kelley Building is set for July 2026.

We look forward to providing more information about the Kelley Building's progress as new milestones are achieved each month.

In January, CAM and the Oklahoma Department of Libraries (ODL) convened with Manhattan Construction, Alvine, ZFI and REES to conclude the predesign phase.

As this project transitions into the schematic design phase, ODL and OMES are exploring options for temporary workspaces and storage solutions for the library's collections. Meanwhile, REES is actively updating plans for the exterior facade and interior space planning.

With our refined project schedule, the design phase is targeted for completion by summer 2025, so construction can begin in the fall.

Biweekly meetings with the project team are scheduled to ensure deliverables are met and the project remains on track.

For a detailed, more expanded update, view the comprehensive progress report provided by our architect, REES.

This month we are shining the spotlight on the leader of our Interagency Mail team, Thomas Weems!

Thomas has been with OMES for more than five years. He joined Interagency Mail in 2019 as a mail courier. By the beginning of 2020 and the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, he and only one other mail courier had assumed the daunting task of maintaining a successful flow of interagency and USPS mail. This required adjusting every route and stop and developing new procedures. According to Central Printing and Interagency Mail Enterprise Manager Jon Paulk, "He handled this amazingly well, especially for someone with only six months of experience."

Since then, Thomas has been promoted to customer service supervisor and handles Central Printing scanning services and the OMES office supply program. Of Weems, Paulk said that, "Every single task he has been assigned, he has met head-on and performed exceptionally." Weems is known for his intrinsic motivation and initiative-taking. Outside of outstanding professional performance, Weems also organizes quarterly potluck meals for the Central Printing Interagency Mail team as well as March Madness competitions, print shop Olympics and other team-building activities. Paulk added, "To say Thomas is an essential member of our team would be an understatement."

Thank you, Thomas, for the skills and services you provide!