Inventory what already exists
Collect available equipment information, schedules, sequences, maintenance records, service contracts, logs, prior studies, control documents, and staff knowledge. Mark missing or outdated records instead of guessing.
Washington Clean Buildings documents
Washington Clean Buildings operations and maintenance program: a practical owner guide
Understand the Washington Clean Buildings operations and maintenance program, how it differs from an EMP, and what to require in a provider scope and owner handoff.
How to use this guide
Verify the exact scope.
The Clean Buildings operations and maintenance program turns current building practices into an organized, maintainable body of procedures and records. Commerce identifies O&M as mandatory for Tier 1 and Tier 2 covered buildings. The work should describe the real facility—not a generic binder that staff cannot use.
Owners can develop O&M and benchmarking work concurrently. The useful sequence is to inventory current documents and practices, identify gaps, assign responsibility, then preserve the resulting procedures in a form the operating team can update.
O&M scope guide
Define the building, systems, records, and handoff.
The value is not the document count. It is a usable operating process with clear responsibility, current records, and a path for correcting gaps.
Define the systems and practices in scope
State which building systems, preventive-maintenance activities, operating schedules, setpoints, controls, inspections, and recordkeeping practices the engagement will address.
Assign owners and update intervals
Identify who performs each activity, who reviews completion, what evidence is retained, how exceptions are escalated, and when the procedures are reviewed or revised.
Plan the owner handoff
Require editable documents, staff orientation or training, a list of unresolved gaps, and a clear boundary between documentation, later repairs, implementation, and ongoing service.
Common questions
Understand the service before comparing firms.
Short answers grounded in public program and federal guidance. The written scope still controls each engagement.
Is an O&M program mandatory for Tier 1 and Tier 2?
Commerce identifies an operations and maintenance program as mandatory for both tiers. Confirm the current standard, tier-specific reporting process, and applicable building record before scoping the work.
Can an existing facilities manual be used?
Commerce allows owners to use documents other than its optional templates when they meet the current standard. An existing manual may be useful, but it should be checked against the applicable requirements and the building's current systems and practices.
Does an O&M planning scope include repairs?
Not automatically. Documentation can identify missing records, deferred maintenance, or operating issues without including design, repair, programming, installation, or verification. Require the proposal to separate those later services.
Before hiring
Questions worth asking every finalist.
- Which current standard, tier, building systems, and O&M requirements does the scope address?
- What existing documents, logs, controls information, staff practices, and site observations will be reviewed?
- What procedures, schedules, responsibilities, editable files, training, and gap lists will the owner receive?
- Which repair, programming, design, installation, or ongoing service tasks are excluded or separately priced?
- Who maintains the O&M program after delivery, and how will future changes be recorded?
Primary source
Washington Commerce Clean Buildings documents ↗Confirm the requirement before choosing help.
This directory is independent and cannot determine what a particular building must do.