What does it take to manage the construction of a new world-class 1.275 million square foot medical complex?
Meet Philip Federle, from Orlando, Fla.
Q: Is there personal satisfaction working with the Corps team, and if so, what is it?
A: Yes, especially as a member of a high-performing team, working on nationally significant projects.
Q: What is your advice to someone who has a desire to work in your career field?
A: Maintain agility, flexibility, critical thinking and the ability to communicate both orally and written, especially to senior leader audiences. Continue to learn throughout your career, especially regarding leadership development.
Q: Tell us about a specific project, your role, including how many people were involved to complete the project and cost?
A: The Fort Belvoir Community Hospital is a world-class 1.275 million square foot medical complex complete with 120 beds, 10 state-of-the art operating rooms, and will feature more than 55 clinical services. It also includes two garages (3,100 parking spaces) and surface parking for an additional 450 automobiles. The project cost is $1.03 billion with an additional $56 million architectural and engineering contract. The project was designed and built using the innovative Integrated Design Bid Build acquisition process. More than 2,000 construction contract employees, designers and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employees teamed to deliver this project Aug. 1, 2011.
Q: When did the project start and end, and can you share some of the challenges of the job?
A: The project was awarded in September 2007, at a 10 percent design state. A major challenge was building and designing the project simultaneously. The project also had high congressional and Department of Defense senior leader interest. The project vision of “World Class” was quantified with specific parameters by a defense health board report to congress in March 2009, long after we were well into the design and construction phase. Undeterred, the FBCH project team met the “World Class” vision through an extraordinary project delivery team effort that included the Joint Task Force, Capital Medical Region, the Army’s Surgeon General’s Health Facilities Planning Agency, the TRICARE (managed military healthcare) Management Agency, as well as the Fort Belvoir installation and Norfolk-Forward Integrated Project office.
Q: What is the importance of this project; what kind of difference is it making for the men and women in uniform?
A: This project will provide a facility to administer “world class” medical care to our nation’s wounded warriors and their families, as well as our military retired beneficiaries for decades to come and will be among the highest quality hospitals in the world.
Q: What would you attribute the successful completion of the project to? Can you provide details, including coordination efforts with contractors, client and customer feedback?
A: This project success is directly attributable to the partnership and teamwork established among all the stakeholders who met on a monthly basis at the executive level and more often at the site management levels.
Q: If you could summarize BRAC 2005 in one sentence, what would it be, and why?
A: Challenging, high pressure, but the satisfaction of knowing that as a team we provided a legacy that set the standard for state-of-the-art medical care is immeasurable.
Q: What is/was the most rewarding part of the project?
A: It will occur when the first patients use the hospital around Aug 31.
Q: What’s next for you both professionally and personally now that 2005 BRAC is coming to a close Sept. 15, 2011?
A: Retirement!!
Q: Can you share a “to do” on your “Bucket List”?
A: Live each day with purpose
Professional background:
• Began federal service in January 1973 and served 31 years before retiring as a colonel in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
• Served in a variety of command and staff positions from 1973 through 2003. Commanded engineer companies in the 1st Armored Division and the 18th Engineer Brigade, the 249th Engineer Battalion in Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, and the 4th Infantry Division Engineer Brigade at Fort Carson, Colo. Key staff assignments include infrastructure planning staff officer at the U.S. Central Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. (1986-89), strategic planner in the Army War Plans Division (1993 -1994), director of training, U.S. Army Engineer School, Fort Leonard Wood Mo. (1996-1998), and assistant deputy chief of staff, engineers, Headquarters, U.S. Army, Europe (1998-2000). Final assignment was on the faculty of the NATO Defense College, Rome, Italy (2001-2003).
• Joined the civil service in November 2003, as a general engineer assigned to the U.S. Army Garrison, Vicenza, Italy. Promoted to supervisory general engineer (2005) and supervisory strategic planning officer (2006). Led the Vicenza Transformation Project Management Office and the Plans, Analysis and Integration Office for the Vicenza Army Garrison.
• In November 2006, transferred to Raven Rock Mountain Complex (Site R) in Adams County, Pa., as the director of engineering through July 2008. Attended the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College (1982), the Armed Forces Staff College (1986), the U.S. Army War College (1993) and the NATO Defense College (2001).
• Military awards include; the Bronze Star, the Legion of Merit, with three oak leaf clusters, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Meritorious Service Medal, with four oak leaf clusters, and the Superior Civilian Service Medal in 2006.
| Date Taken: |
08.23.2011 |
| Date Posted: |
08.23.2011 10:46 |
| Story ID: |
75780 |
| Location: |
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: |
138 |
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0 |
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