DOGE Response Plan & Asset Management
How to rapidly demonstrate US Federal Agency alignment and support of the Department of Government Efficiency's Agenda for built infrastructure portfolio management
The new administration has initiated a wide range of policy directions for the US Federal Government. One is being commissioned through a new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Details for DOGE have been released through Presidential Action – Establishing and Implementing the President’s “Department of Government Efficiency”. The purpose of this action order is to “implement the President’s DOGE Agenda, by modernizing Federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity.”
This action order directs “the highest-ranking official of an agency, such as the Secretary, Administrator, Chairman, or Director” to establish a DOGE Team within each agency to commence a Software Modernization Initiative within thirty days of the order—meaning by February 19, 2025. The objective of this modernization initiative is “to improve the quality and efficiency of government-wide software, network infrastructure, and information technology (IT) systems.”
What does DOGE mean for federal agencies managing built infrastructure portfolios? It means a lot. At the core of DOGE is the concept of “government efficiency,” which is open to interpretation. An obvious interpretation is efficiency in mission execution, that is aiming for optimal performance at minimum expense.
In this context, DOGE establishes an expectation for federal agencies to demonstrate their competence and capability to efficiently manage built infrastructure among may other things. IT and technology are important, but represent only a pathway to do so. Their improvement alone will not achieve this objective.
The need to manage built infrastructure more efficiently is detailed in the National Academies report "Strategies to Renew Federal Facilities". This report recognizes that poor management of federal facilities is a “facility asset management problem that requires a facility asset management solution”. A federal agency’s ability to solve this problem requires adherence to the following tenets:
Managing Assets in the Context of Asset Management: Asset management and managing assets are different. Managing assets attends to the life cycle needs of individual assets. Whereas, asset management focuses on managing the value generated from and through assets. Evaluation of built infrastructure efficiency is entirely an asset management analysis. See Managing Assets in the Context of Asset Management for more insight.
Systems are Greater than Goals: Achievement of a performance goal does not ensure best use of resources, repeatability, nor sustainment of performance. These objectives require management system thinking. The ISO 55000 – Asset Management System standards are uniquely focused on management of organizational value through efficient management of assets. Use of ISO 55000 is a prerequisite for agencies wishing to demonstrate their capability and competency to efficiently manage built infrastructure. See What is Management System Thinking and Management System Thinking is a Superpower for more insight.
Transformation through Digitalization: Management power is focused and accelerated through IT and technology. DOGE has this part right, but focusing on IT and technology without understanding the need to improve the underlying management systems or ignoring management of changes needed to make IT and technology successful is hazardous and can be wasteful. See Leadership in Asset Management and AI’s Role and AI and Limitless Asset Management for more insight.
DOGE’s emphasis on IT and technology will shine the light on federal agencies ability to effectively and efficiently manage built infrastructure portfolios. Most federal agencies well demonstrate their ability to effectively manage built infrastructure. This is through the performance, work and commitment of federal planners, designers, constructors, specialists, operators, and maintainers in everyday activities. Whereas, no federal agency has successfully demonstrated its ability to efficiently manage built infrastructure - ever. The basis for this claim is detailed in the National Academies "Strategies to Renew Federal Facilities" report.
This is a problem for federal agencies to solve. DOGE shining light on this problem presents an opportunity to resolve entrenched, systematic problems that imped federal agencies from efficiently managing their built infrastructure portfolios. The solution for this problem can be proactively advanced through an agency DOGE Response Plan. All federal agencies now have an urgent and compelling mandate to demonstrate their competency and commitment to perform efficiently. This includes demonstrating their ability to efficiently manage the built infrastructure in their charge.
Development of DOGE Response Plans for the efficient management of built infrastructure is in part, already a standing order. Its essence is embedded in:
OMB Circular A-11 – Preparation, Submission and Execution of the Budget
OMB Circular A-123 – Management’s Responsibility for Enterprise Risk Management and Internal Control
OMB Memorandum M-20-03 – Implementation of Agency-wide Real Property Capital Planning
OMB Memorandum M-20-10 – Issuance of an Addendum to the National Strategy for the Efficient Use of Real Property
These sources define a fiduciary responsibility all federal agencies share to efficiently and effective manage built infrastructure. The novel DOGE aspect is to do so through better use of IT and technology. More will be forthcoming explaining what this means and how it is applied, but in the meantime, proactive leaders will not wait to be told what to do.
DOGE opens a new improvement pathway. Effective agencies will leverage DOGE’s energy to improve management of built infrastructure to obtain true efficiencies. This is critical because management of built of infrastructure is inefficient across the federal sector and it wastefully consumes not less than $70B in funding each year.
In addition, responsive DOGE Response Plans for built infrastructure is value adding and responsive to language contained in the draft National Defense Appropriation Act of FY 2025 that ramps up DoD Facility Sustainment, Restoration, and Modernization (FSRM) funding between FY2027-2030 to be not less than 4% of built infrastructure’s Present Replacement Value (PRV) by FY2029 (see NDAA 2025 - Section 2815 § 2698). Historic funding levels for FSRM are around or below 1.5% of PRV. Being inefficient faster is the opposite of a good plan and strategy, and a failure in leadership.
Leading this activity would be a Built Infrastructure / Facility / Real Property DOGE Response Plan. This plan should align with industry best practices detailed in the National Academies’ "Strategies to Renew Federal Facilities". This would require the DOGE Response Plan to be clearly structured to address the following:
1. Strategic Context
Alignment with Agency Mission:
Demonstrate alignment with agency mission objectives by clearly stating how asset management practices are linked to the agency's strategic goals, mission, objectives, and budget.
Asset Management System Scope:
Clarify the scope of the asset management system being improved. In accordance with best practices the scope would cover whole built infrastructure portfolios, whole mission sets, and whole asset life cycles. See How to Define an Asset Management System’s Scope for more insight.
Policy and Commitment:
Develop or revise the agency's asset management system (i.e. its policy, objectives, and processes) to reflect commitment to the principles in ISO 55000, emphasizing efficiency, effectiveness, and risk management. This will ensure that the plan is focused on mission achievement and value generation. See Asset Management System Implementation Principles – Activation and Conclusion for more insight.
DOGE Alignment:
Clarify that implementation of improvements to the agency’s asset management system will be through digital means. This streamlines workflows and generates efficiencies for performance, risk, and change management.
2. Leadership and Governance
Leadership Engagement:
Make clear senior leadership’s endorsement and support of the agency’s the asset management strategy. This statement should set the tone for the agency’s asset management culture. See Leadership through Asset Management Systems and the Playbook on How to Engineer an Organization’s Asset Management Culture for more insight.
Governance Framework:
Establish governance structures that oversee asset management decisions, ensuring they align with strategic objectives. This includes explicit reference to budget authority and appropriations. See AMS Behavior – Policy and Pathway to Limitless Asset Management for more insight.
3. Asset Management System (AMS)
Development of AMS:
Framework: Based on ISO 55001, define the Asset Management (AM) Framework used to implement the agency’s AMS for built infrastructure in policy. This AM Framework must define what is valuable and how value is measured and communicated. The purpose of the AM Framework is to guide resource, risk, and change management activities. Additional information on this is available throughout the AMP Newsletter, with the AM Framework: Activation article as a good place to start.
Performance Objectives: Clarify the objectives used to define and measure value. These include both Organizational Objectives and Asset Management Objectives (see Overview, Purpose, Outcomes and Alignment, Scope, Outputs).
IT System Architecture: Define the plan and strategy that will be used to digitize and implement the AM Framework. This establishes the configuration baseline for the management of DOGE initiatives.
Performance Management:
Set up KPIs that measure asset and AMS performance, cost, risk, and value, ensuring they tie back to strategic objectives. See AMS Implementation Principles on Operational Risk for more insight.
4. Risk Management
Risk Assessment:
Conduct systematic risk assessments for all assets, focusing on risks that could impact asset performance or the agency’s ability to meet its objectives. See AMS Behavior: Risk Management for more insight.
Mitigation Strategies:
Develop strategies to mitigate identified risks, integrating these into asset management plans. See AMS Behavior: Plans, Planning, and Strategy for more insight.
5. Asset Management Plan (AMP)
Strategic Asset Management Plan (SAMP): See SAMP Overview, Purpose, Outcomes and SAMP Alignment, Scope, Outputs for more information.
Outline the SAMP which includes:
Definition of the agency’s Organizational Objectives
Defining the relationship that exists between built infrastructure Asset Management Objectives and Organizational Objectives.
Lifecycle management strategies for each asset category.
Financial planning and budget requirements for asset acquisition, maintenance, renewal, and disposal to achieve the above.
Operational Asset Management Plans (AMPs): See Execution of AMPs Overview, Purpose, Outcomes and Execution of AMPs Alignment, Scope, Outputs
Create detailed plans for individual assets or asset groups, covering maintenance schedules, funding, and performance targets noting execution of AMPs is governed by the SAMP and linked to statutory objectives and budget authorities.
AM Framework Activation: Introduce the AM Framework digitalization strategy that is integral to SAMP development and AMP execution. See AM Framework Optimization for more insight.
6. Implementation: See AM Framework Implementation How to Start and What to Focus On for more insight.
Resource Allocation:
Ensure adequate resources (human, financial, technological) are allocated for effective asset management. See AMS Behavior - Support/Resources and AM Framework Investment Decision Making for more insight.
Training and Competence: See AMS Behavior - Support/Competence for more insight.
Implement training programs to ensure all staff involved in asset management are competent in ISO 55000 principles and practices.
7. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Continuous Improvement
Performance Monitoring:
Showcase common performance monitoring using set KPIs. Adjust strategies as needed through updates to the SAMP and subordinate AMPs.
Audit and Review:
Define how periodic internal audits or external certifications will be employed to ensure and assure compliance with ISO 55001, followed by management reviews to drive improvement. See AMS Behavior – Performance Evaluation and AM Framework Performance Evaluation and Reporting Overview, Purpose, Outcomes and Alignment, Scope, Outputs for more information.
Continual Improvement: See AMS Behavior Support/Continual Improvement for more information.
Use feedback loops from performance data to refine processes, reduce costs, enhance reliability, and increase asset value.
8. Communication and Stakeholder Engagement: See AMS Behavior Support/Communications for more information.
Internal Communication:
Keep all levels of the organization informed about asset management strategies, performance, and changes. This is directly enabled and accelerated through IT and technology advancements.
External Stakeholders:
Engage with external stakeholders (like Congress, public, partners, service providers) through transparency and updates on asset management initiatives. This is accelerated through AM Framework enabled performance, risk, and change management communications.
9. Documentation and Reporting
Documentation: See AMS Behavior Support/Documented Information for more insight.
State assurances that thorough documentation of asset management activities addressing how accountability and knowledge management is actuated. This is an opportunity for AI enablement. See AMS Behavior Support/Data and Information and AMS Behavior Support/Knowledge for more insight.
Reporting:
Clarify reporting means and pathways on how value needed from assets and the agency’s asset management system is realized in simple terms.
The DOGE Response Plan must either showcase how the activities mentioned above are currently performed or outline a pathway for developing these capabilities. Ultimately, Asset Management is All About Outcomes, so the core of the DOGE Response Plan should, if nothing else, define what value means to the agency and its stakeholders, and how this value is measured and delivered. In addition, the DOGE Response Plan must show how digitalization of the agency’s AM Framework it being led to drive agency efficiency through IT and technology improvements. Below is a structured approach to developing a DOGE Response Plan that will improve an agency's asset management capabilities:
1. Initial Evaluation Phase (2-6 Months):
Assessment of Current State:
Conduct a comprehensive review using ISO 55000 to evaluate current asset management practices. This standard provides a benchmark for asset management systems, focusing on:
Leadership and commitment
Planning
Support
Operation
Performance Evaluation
Improvement
Identify gaps in:
Policy and strategy formulation
Asset management system capabilities, to include IT/technology enablement
Risk management processes
Lifecycle management of assets
Stakeholder Engagement:
Involve key stakeholders (internal and external) to understand expectations and definitions of value so that performance, risk, and change can be effectively managed.
2. Defining Value and Outcomes:
Value Definition:
Clarify what value means to both the agency and its stakeholders. This might include:
Operational efficiency
Cost savings
Improved asset performance and longevity
Compliance with regulatory standards
Environmental sustainability
Energy resiliency
Measurement of Value:
Establish KPIs aligned with ISO 55000 to measure outcomes like:
Operational Readiness and Availability
Asset uptime
Maintenance costs vs. benefits
Compliance rates
Return on investment and mission improvement from infrastructure projects
3. Digitalization Strategy:
Pathway for Digital Improvement:
Current State Analysis: Document how digital tools are currently used in asset management.
Technology Roadmap: Outline the adoption of new IT solutions such as:
Digital Twin of the Organization (DTO) for simulated decision-making and pathfinding
IoT (Internet of Things) for real-time asset monitoring
AI and machine learning for predictive analysis and forecasting
BIM (Building Information Modeling) for detailed asset lifecycle management
Cloud solutions for enhanced data accessibility, collaboration, and security
Implementation Plan:
Short-term Goals:
Immediate upgrades to existing systems or processes for quick wins.
Long-term Vision:
Strategic IT and management system investments that integrate with broader agency objectives.
4. Continual Improvement Plan:
Sustainability and Adaptation:
Develop policies for regular review and adaptation of the asset management system to ensure it remains aligned with agency goals and external changes.
Establish feedback loops from asset performance to strategy adjustment.
Execution via Asset Management System:
Ensure all activities are guided by the agency’s policies, objectives, and procedures, which should be regularly updated based on performance data and stakeholder feedback.
5. Reporting and Communication:
Demonstrate Competency:
Regularly report on achievements against the DOGE Response Plan goals to both internal leadership and external stakeholders.
Use metrics and case studies to showcase how digitalization leads to efficiency and value.
By framing the DOGE Response Plan around these elements, the agency will both enhance its asset management capabilities and clearly articulate how digital transformation is driving efficiencies and value, directly supporting mission objectives.
Written by: Jack Dempsey | January 25, 2025
AMF Journal #013
Copyright © 2025, Asset Management Partnership LLC. All rights reserved.