[Moderate revision–posted 12/21/23 (replaces 7/23/21 edition)]
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Operating Policy and Procedure

OP 61.29: Furniture, Floor Covering, Wall Covering, Window Treatment, and other Interior Design Services

DATE: December 21, 2023

PURPOSE: The purpose of this Operating Policy/Procedure (OP) is to establish the design and review process for furniture, floor covering, wall covering, window treatment, and other interior design services. This OP applies to all university users: academic, administrative, and auxiliary. Installations not complying with this OP are subject to removal at the user's expense. This OP is intended to ensure that projects comply with the university design and construction standards, life safety codes, handicapped accessibility, building codes, and other administrative procedures, as mandated by the state Legislature and the Board of Regents of the Texas Tech University System.

REVIEW: This OP will be reviewed in September of each year by the Senior Managing Director of Facilities Maintenance and Construction with substantive revisions forwarded to the Associate Vice President for Operations and the Senior Vice President for Administration & Finance and Chief Financial Officer.

POLICY/PROCEDURE

1.  Requests for furniture, floor covering, wall covering, window treatment, and other interior design services will be handled by the Operations Division Facilities Maintenance and Construction departments (ODFMC). New construction projects and renovation projects costing $4 million and above will be managed by Facilities Planning & Construction (FP&C) and are subject to FP&C's and TTU's design and construction standards; project requests below $4 million will be managed by ODFMC.

It is recommended that the selection, specification, and procurement of furniture, floor covering, wall covering, window treatment, and other interior items be made by interior designers licensed through the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners. The offices of both FP&C and ODFMC have a staff of licensed professionals who are experienced in the design and construction of university facilities and whose function is to assist the user from the development stage to the completion of projects. These professionals are familiar with applicable codes and standards, as well as alternatives and options available for progressing through the project, and they will assist the user in the development of a project schedule.

FP&C/ODFMC will assist the user in developing project costs and will evaluate the resulting ownership costs (life cycle, repair, replacement, and maintenance costs), as necessary. FP&C/ODFMC will also evaluate the project regarding impact to adjacent users and facilities.

All departmental requests for furniture, floor covering, wall covering, window treatment, and other interior finishes must be reviewed by FP&C/ODFMC. Requests that require building construction and renovation will follow the procedures outlined in OP 61.28, Construction Projects Costing Less than $4 Million and Renovation Projects Costing Less than $4 Million.

2.  A department requesting furniture, other than that available on state contract, or requesting preliminary design services will submit a request through iServiceDesk. Note: University surplus items that are available for repurpose will be considered first as opposed to new purchase of items.

All furniture, window treatment, and other interior projects requested by the department will require approval from ODFMC, unless the interior project is part of an FP&C construction project. All permanent floor covering and wall covering projects will require approval through a Self-Help Request (see TTU OP 61.35, Requesting Approval for Building Self-Help Projects) or a regular Project Request (see TTU OP 61.28, Construction Projects Costing Less than $4 Million and Renovation Projects Costing Less than $4 Million).

3.  Before the arrival of the furniture, floor covering, wall covering, window treatment, and other interior finishes, the department will be required to have an asbestos report (if required), a project manager to schedule and supervise the installation, and when complete, have the project site clean and free of construction debris. If ODFMC support services are required, then a design fee will be applied. An ODFMC project designer will approve final installation for furniture.

4.  All upholstered furniture, including items available from state contract, shall comply with California Bulletin #117 flammability standards. All open-office systems furniture shall comply with ASTM E-84 flammability standards. Wall coverings shall meet NFPA Class A interior finish requirements. Drapery/window treatment shall comply with NFPA 701 code. The standard color for window treatments as viewed from the exterior of a building shall be neutral and without pattern. Acceptable examples include Mecho Shades (colors steel, shale, silver birch, light gray, or similar) and SWFcontract (colors white/linen, white/eggshell, or creamy beige for blackouts). Carpet must meet or exceed the Federal Flammability Standard (DOC-FF-1-70) Pill Test, meet NFPA Class 1 ASTM E-648 glue down, and NBS Smoke Chamber NFPA-258 less than 450.

5.  It is highly recommended that departments consult ODFMC when purchasing furniture.

6.  Floor covering, window treatment, wall covering, and other interior finish projects will be handled as follows:

a.    An ODFMC project manager will be assigned to each project. All requests will be handled on a first in/first out basis. Consideration for special processing must be obtained by directing a request to the Senior Managing Director of Facilities Maintenance and Construction.

b.    An initial meeting will be scheduled with the requestor to initiate the design process. This phase will include the review of available funds and the determination of probable project cost. ODFMC will provide product information and cost estimates only at this stage. Projects will not be initiated until the requesting department issues an account number to ODFMC. It is the responsibility of the requesting department to ensure adequate funds are available to meet the project's cost requirements, and that the user's supervisor has approved the expenditure of such funds for said purposes.

c.    ODFMC will provide a palette of material and finish selections. The project designer will assist the user in selecting appropriate materials for each project's application from this palette.

d.    At the completion of the selection phase, ODFMC will begin the state's required procurement process and will prepare all necessary forms. The period required will be dependent on the dollar amounts involved and the source of funds.

e.    After bids/proposals have been received, ODFMC will contact the requestor for verbal approval prior to awarding to the successful firm.

f.    Upon arrival of furniture, floor covering, wall covering, window treatment, and other interior items, ODFMC will schedule installation with users and supervise the installation. The ODFMC project designer has the authority to accept or reject goods as per university standards. The ODFMC project designer will approve all payments to vendors.

g.    The installer will be responsible for protection of university property, for repair and replacement of damaged property, and for leaving the project site clean and free of construction debris.

7.  The Board of Regents has mandated that Texas Tech shall comply with applicable codes, and the administration has approved certain design standards; therefore, it is highly recommended that departments consult ODFMC when purchasing furniture, floor covering, wall covering, window treatment, and other interior items in order to ensure compliance with all applicable codes and the university design and construction manual. It will be the responsibility of the department to fund the replacement of furniture, floor covering, wall covering, window treatment, and other interior items that have not been submitted for review to ODFMC and are not in compliance. Furnishings that do not comply must be removed and disposed of according to the university policy.

OP Categories

01 Chancellor
02 Development
04 Audit Services
10 President
30 Academic and Student Affairs – General
32 Academic Policies – Faculty
34 Academic Policies – Students
36 Academic Programs
40 Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action
48 Communication Services
52 Information Technology
60 Environmental Health and Safety
61 Facilities Management
62 Financial and Accounting
63 General Services
64 Graduate Programs (Faculty and Students)
65 Research Accounting
66 Libraries
67 Mail Services
68 Communications and Marketing
69 Payroll and Tax Services
70 Human Resources
72 Purchasing, Contracting, and Payables
74 Research
76 Security
77 Student Services and Registrar
78 Traffic and Parking
79 Travel
80 Vehicles