FAA Administrative and Technical Space Standards

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ORDER FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION 4665.4B National Policy Effective date: 03 / 20 / 2024 SUBJ: FAA Administrative and Technical Space Standards 1. Purpose. This Order provides standards for managing the Agency’s administrative and technical spaces; promotes workforce mobility and workplace flexibility; and improves the Agency’s space utilization rate. This Order supersedes all prior space orders, notices, and approved exceptions pertaining to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) occupied facilities.

2. Audience. This Order applies to those responsible for planning, procuring, implementing, maintaining, or occupying administrative and technical spaces in the FAA. It also applies to any other person or entity who has a formal written agreement with the FAA to plan, implement, or maintain FAA space.

3. Where can I find this Order? FAA employees can find this Order on the MyFAA Employee website at https://employees.faa.gov/tools_resources/orders_notices . It is available to the public at http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/orders_notices.

4. What this Order cancels. This Order cancels FAA Order 4665.4A, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrative and Technical Space Standards, May 26, 2016.

5. Scope. This Order applies to all planned, in-progress, and future FAA administrative office and technical space projects, including consolidations, renovations, reconfigurations, alterations, construction (including build-to-suit facilities), infrastructure upgrades, and personnel relocations.

6. Real Property Council. APM-1 chairs the FAA Real Property Council (RPC). The RPC meets quarterly to review the status of major space initiatives and projects. Supplemental RPC meetings may be scheduled to address time-sensitive actions.

7. Space Types.

a. Administrative Space. Administrative space includes workspaces the Agency designates to conduct typical office operations, such as enclosed offices, individual workspaces, hoteling workstations, and touchdown stations. Technical space or space used for air traffic control operations is not included under this space type.

b. Administrative Support Space. Administrative support space is a subset of administrative space that is not designated for use by a single person and is mainly configured for common support activities, such as file areas, copy and print areas, team rooms, collaborative areas, reception areas, executive conference rooms, and storage areas.

Distribution: Electronic Initiated By: APM - 1

03/20/2024 4665.4B c. Special-Use Space. Special-use space is a non-technical space that supports special functions, such as operations centers, simulation rooms, and Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) spaces.

d. Joint-Use Space. Joint-use space is used by all building occupants, with costs shared on a pro-rata basis (as appropriate). Examples include mobility centers, fitness centers, conference centers, guard desks, security and badging offices, cafeterias, snack bars, auditoriums, multipurpose rooms, credit unions, drug testing rooms, shared conference rooms, and mail rooms.

e. Technical Space. Technical space refers to non-administrative space that supports the establishment, maintenance, and operations of the National Airspace System (NAS), such as environmental workshops, NAS electronic workshops, and group personal protective equipment storage areas. Space required for voice and data networks (e.g., LAN closets, server rooms) is considered technical space. Technical space does not include space used for air traffic control.

8. Utilization Rate.

The maximum FAA Utilization Rate (UR) is 170 Useable Square Feet (USF) per person.

This all-in UR standard includes administrative, administrative support, special-use, and joint-use space but does not include technical space. FAA administrative spaces that have twenty (20) or fewer Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) permanently assigned to the space will be provided an exemption to allow for a minimum of one (1) conference room and one (1) pantry above the 170 USF all-in UR standard. USF refers to the total Net Area and Circulation Area, but it excludes building core and common spaces, such as elevators, exit stairs, mechanical rooms, and core toilets. For multi-tenant floors, common building corridors are excluded from the USF and, instead, are included in the Rentable Square Feet (RSF).

While the 170 USF all-in UR standard is applied consistently across all FAA administrative spaces, the calculation of the total allowable USF for an FAA administrative space is determined by two variables: (1) the number of FTEs permanently assigned to the FAA administrative space, and (2) the number of days each of those FTEs report in person to the FAA administrative space.

Specifically, an FTE who is permanently assigned to the FAA administrative space and required to report in person there six (6) days or more per pay period is counted at the full per-person UR rate (i.e., 170 USF) for the purpose of determining the total allowable USF of that FAA administrative space. An FTE who is permanently assigned to the FAA administrative space and required to report in person there fewer than six (6) days per pay period is counted at half of the per-person UR rate (i.e., 85 USF). FTEs who are not permanently assigned to the FAA administrative space or who are not required to report in person to the FAA administrative space (i.e., 100 percent telework) do not factor into the total USF (i.e., 0 USF), even if they frequently visit the FAA administrative space. However, when calculating the total allowable USF of FAA administrative spaces with twenty (20) or fewer FTEs permanently assigned to the space, all FTEs will be counted at the full per- person UR rate (i.e., 170 USF) regardless of the number of days the FTEs are required to report in person to the space.

03/20/2024 4665.4B Space for a standard dedicated workspace will not be allotted for FTEs who are required to report in person to an FAA administrative space fewer than six (6) days per pay period. These FTEs may utilize available unassigned areas within the administrative workspace. The UR continues to provide joint-use space for these FTEs, as well, by allocating 50 percent of the allotted joint-use space in the standard UR of 170 USF per person. This joint-use space can be utilized, in part, to design touchdown stations and collaboration areas in support of days of overlap between FTEs who are required to report in person to the FAA administrative space fewer than six (6) days per pay period. In addition, dynamic office designs may provide flexibility in how our space can be used, such as making use of open space to serve many functions (e.g., a conference area that can be quickly reconfigured into conference rooms, a collaboration area, or offices).

To illustrate the application of the UR standard, assume a new or renovated FAA administrative space to which one hundred (100) FTEs will be permanently assigned and required to report in person at least one day per pay period. Forty (40) of those FTEs will be required to report in person to the FAA administrative space six (6) days or more per pay period, and sixty (60) of those FTEs will be required to report in person to the FAA administrative space fewer than six (6) days per pay period. The maximum USF for the design of the new or renovated FAA administrative space is calculated as follows: 40 x 170 (6,800 USF) plus 60 x 0.5 x 170 (5,100 USF) = 11,900 USF 9. Space Reduction. The FAA is committed to reducing its administrative square footage to support climate change and sustainability initiatives through more efficient workspace utilization, as well as telework and hybrid work environments. Accordingly, only FTEs who are permanently assigned to an FAA administrative space and required to report in person there six (6) days or more per pay period will be assigned a standard-sized dedicated workspace. For FTEs who are required to report in person to the FAA administrative space fewer than six (6) days per pay period, their on-site workspace requirements could be supported by alternate arrangements utilizing readily available spaces such as shared spaces, hoteling, and touchdown locations or a smaller than standard dedicated workspace.

10. Administrative Space Design Concepts. Workstations and collaboration areas should be located along perimeter windows to provide maximum daylight. Offices and conference rooms will not be constructed along perimeter windows of buildings except executive offices. To allow maximum natural light, any non-light transparent solid surface panel used in the construction of workstations will not exceed a height of sixty (60) inches. In addition, the intent is to limit interior wall construction separating Lines of Business (LOBs)/Staff Offices (SOs) and organizational elements to further support the design of administrative office space. Only supervisory FTEs are authorized to occupy enclosed offices.

11. Administrative Space Standards. The space standards in this Order support collaborative, adaptive, and efficient workspace utilization. The criteria used for establishing space standards include: size, capacity, design and space availability, circulation factor, contiguous and collaborative objectives, job functions, and open environments.

03/20/2024 4665.4B a. Administrative Space Band Level Maximum Space Work Space Type Executive (Band 1) 400 usable square feet (USF) Executive (Band 2/3 , M/L Band ) 225 USF Office M/L/K/J/I (Supervisory) 150 USF Description Maximum Space Work S pace Type Contractor/Intern/ Summer Aide 48 USF Touchdown Station/ Hoteling Workstation 32 USF Workstation b. Administrative Support Space Space Classification Description Maximum Space 8 - person capacity 150 USF Team/Collaboration/ 10 - person capacity 200 USF Conference Rooms 16 - person capacity 300 USF (Executive Bands 1 and 2 only) In accordance with the approved Other Support Copy/Printer Room File/ Storage Room Minimum Requirements Document Rooms Meeting/ Reception Areas (MRD) c. Joint-Use Space S pace Classification Description Maximum Space Conference Center/Auditorium Building Amenities (Cafeteria, Snack Bar, Credit In accordance with the Joint-Use Union, and Fitness Center) approved MRD Shared Services (Guard Desks, Security and Badging, Drug Testing Rooms, and Mail Room) 12. Technical Space Standards. A list of technical space classifications is detailed in the Air Traffic Organization Technical Space Guideline v2, which can be accessed at https://ksn2.faa.gov/afn/apm/300/SpaceOrderRepository/Space%20Order/ATO%20Technical%2 0Space%20Guidance/ATO%20Technical%20Space%20Guideline%202.14.19%20ATO%20Dist r%20FINAL.pdf .

13. Exceptions. Exceptions and deviations from the space standards will be addressed on a case-by-case basis. Aviation Property Management (APM-1) will consider and serve as the approving authority for exceptions requested by LOB/SO executives (Dash 1s) through the submission of a Waiver Exception memo (in coordination with Bargaining Unit representatives, if applicable). Waivers for joint-use and shared spaces will be considered based on local telework patterns and other operational considerations. Waivers grant authority to not comply with specific space standards outlined in this Order. These written determinations are only granted after reasonable efforts have been made to comply with the standards. Approved waivers do not serve as precedents for subsequent requests. For instances where waiver exceptions are submitted for joint-use spaces, concurrence from all LOBs and SOs potentially impacted by the exception must occur prior to submitting the written memorandum.

03/20/2024 4665.4B 14. External Authorities Applicable to Real Estate. The laws, executive orders, regulations, and authorities pertaining to real estate are accessible in the Acquisition Management System (AMS) in Appendix E .

15. Communications. Inquiries specific to the Space Order Policy may be directed to the RPC Secretariat at 9-awa-afn-rpc-secretariat@faa.gov .

Michael G. Whitaker Administrator 03/20/2024 4665.4B Appendix A Appendix A. Glossary Meaning Term Dynamic office designs Flexible and adaptable layouts that can be easily modified to meet the changing needs of the occupants. These designs often incorporate movable furniture, modular partitions, and versatile spaces to promote collaboration, creativity, and productivity.

Hoteling Temporary workspaces for (Full-Time Equivalents) FTEs who do not have assigned desks. FTEs can reserve these spaces as needed, allowing for more flexibility and efficient use of office space.

Touchdown Station Small, temporary workspaces within an office environment that are used for short periods, typically for FTEs who are visiting the office for a brief time or need a quick place to work between meetings.

A-1 03/20/2024 4665.4B Appendix B Appendix B. Administrative Information 1. Distribution. This order is available electronically on the Orders & Notices website at https://employees.faa.gov/tools_resources/orders_notices/ for all affected FAA employees.

2. Space Authorities and Delegations. The FAA Administrator assigns all management and oversight of FAA administrative and technical space to the Assistant Administrator for Finance and Management (AFN-1). AFN-1 delegates this authority to the Deputy Assistant Administrator for Acquisition and Business Services (ACQ-1). ACQ-1 delegates nationwide management, oversight, and assignment of space allocations to the Director of Aviation Property Management (APM-1). APM-1 is also the approval authority for administrative space projects nationwide. As an exception, APM-1 delegates approval of Air Traffic Organization (ATO) technical space projects to the ATO Technical Space Team. The Administrator reserves the authority to approve modifications that set policy and delegate authority.

3. Suggestions for Improvements. Please forward all comments on deficiencies, clarifications, or improvements regarding the contents of this order to the RPC Secretariat at 9-awa-afn-rpc- secretariat@faa.gov .

B-1