VFA would like to correct some inaccuracies in The Daily Reveille’s April 23 article, “Campus buildings need $255M in repair,” the first in a three-part series that detailed the state of the University’s academic buildings.
We fulfilled our contract in 2005 for assessing University and other state-owned buildings. It is considered facilities management best practice to reassess 25 percent of building portfolios annually in order to properly plan for the upkeep of buildings, but we were never contracted to perform those reassessments. VFA is prepared to do the reassessment, if we are contracted to do so.
VFA does have a separate contract with the state to license the software that stores the data on the condition of buildings. Historically, this assessment data has helped the state to create projects, plans and budgets, as well as to document for insurance purposes the changes in the condition of facilities since 2005. We certainly agree the data has aged and needs to be updated.
We would also like to clarify that the VFA project manager with a medical condition referenced in the article was actually a state employee.
VFA stands behind the quality of the services and software we have provided to Louisiana, and are ready to do a re-assessment if contracted to do so.
Ameeta Soni Senior vice president and chief marketing officer VFA, Inc.