2021 JUSTIFICATION FOR APPROPRIATION & PERFORMANCE PLAN - National ...
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
JUSTIFICATION FOR APPROPRIATION & PERFORMANCE PLAN 2021
THIS PAGE LEFT BLANK INTENTIONALLY
NATIONAL CAPITAL PLANNING COMMISSION
MEMBERS
APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT
T H O M A S M. G A L L A S , V I C E C H A I R M A N
Maryland
E L I Z A B E T H A. W H I T E
United States at Large
APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
ARRINGTON DIXON
District of Columbia
LINDA ARGO
District of Columbia
EX OFFICIO MEMBERS
H O N O R A B L E D R . M A R K T. E S P E R
Secretary of Defense
HONORABLE DAVID BERNHARDT
Secretary of the Interior
H O N O R A B L E E M I L Y W. M U R P H Y
Administrator of General Services
H O N O R A B L E R O N A L D H A R O L D “R O N ” J O H N S O N
Chairman
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
United States Senate
H O N O R A B L E C A R O L Y N B. M A L O N E Y
Chairwoman
Committee on Oversight and Reform
United States House of Representatives
HONORABLE MURIEL BOWSER
Mayor
District of Columbia
HONORABLE PHIL MENDELSON
Chairman
Council of the District of Columbia
JUSTIFICATION FOR APPROPRIATION
& PERFORMANCE PLAN
2021
CONTENTS
About the National Capital Planning Commission........................................................................... 2
Strategic Goals and Performance Framework……………................................................................... 3
Fulfilling the President’s Management Agenda at the NCPC…....................................................... 4
Evidence Based Evaluation and Decision-Making at the NCPC…………………………........................ 6
Evaluating FY2019 Performance Outcomes..................................................................................... 7
Performance Plan for FY2021.......................................................................................................... 14
Budget Request Overview................................................................................................................. 16
Comparative Analysis of Proposed Spending for FY2021............................................................... 17
Budget Request Details…….………………………………………………………............................................... 18
Appropriations Language …………………………………………................................................................. 20
1
A BOUT THE N ATIONAL C APITAL P LANNING
C OMMISSION
The National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) is an independent agency in the Executive Branch of
the federal government. The NCPC’s core responsibilities include preparing the Comprehensive Plan for
the National Capital’s Federal Elements; reviewing plans and projects for federal property; preparing the
Federal Capital Improvements Program; and providing recommendations to the District of Columbia
Zoning Commission on the consistency of proposed text and map amendments with the Federal Elements.
L EGISLATIVE A UTHORITIES
The National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) was established by the National Capital Planning
Act of 1952, as amended (40 U.S.C. §§ 8701 et seq). The Act coupled with other statutory authorities
define the agency’s core responsibilities. The NCPC also possesses statutory authorities related to the
acquisition and disposition of land for parks, parkways, and playground purposes.
M ISSION S TATEMENT
The National Capital Planning Commission’s mission is to preserve and enhance the extraordinary
historical, cultural, natural resources, and federal assets of the National Capital Region to support the
needs of the federal government and enrich the lives of the region’s visitors, workers, and residents.
O RGANIZATIONAL S TRUCTURE
Together with a 12-member Commission, the NCPC is comprised of five Divisions, managed by an
Executive Director and advised by a General Counsel. The NCPC’s full time staff is comprised of
planners, architects, urban designers, landscape architects, and other professionals. The NCPC’s cadre
of highly skilled specialists develop optimal solutions by balancing the needs of many different federal
agencies with the concerns of local and regional authorities and the opinions of citizens and
stakeholders.
Commission
Chairman
Office of General Executive
Counsel Director
Office of Secretariat Urban Design and
and Office of Physical Planning Policy and
Plan Review
Administration Division Research Divison
Public Engagement Division
2
S TRATEGIC G OALS AND P ERFORMANCE
F RAMEWORK
Through planning, policymaking, and plan review, the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC)
defines and protects both federal interests and broader national interests in the development of the National
Capital Region. The federal interest is wide-ranging and multifaceted; interests range from ensuring that
government agencies have adequate facilities and their employees have quality workplaces, to protecting
the environment, public parks, and the region’s historic resources. The NCPC encourages efficient
transportation and smart growth, accommodates the needs of foreign missions, and balances security
elements with urban planning principles.
The NCPC also incorporates broader national interests into the agency’s planning guidance. This includes
safeguarding the visual preeminence of Washington’s iconic civic and symbolic structures, such as its
national monuments, which have contributed to the identity of our nation’s capital for over 200 years. The
NCPC’s planning guidance also includes enhancing the visitors’ experiences within and around
Washington’s federal buildings, commemorative works, and national parks.
To carry out the agency’s mission and ensure that the nation’s capital evolves, the Commission established
three strategic goals and one management goal in the NCPC’s Strategic Plan for the period covering 2018
through 2022. The agency’s strategic plan provides the framework for measuring performance, assessing
progress, improving results, enhancing efficiency, and managing risk. The NCPC’s Strategic Plan is
located on the agency’s website at www.ncpc.gov.
S TRATEGIC G OALS
G OAL O NE
Foster a vibrant, beautiful, and well-planned national capital
and engaged public.
G OAL T WO
Ensure that individual projects and plans within the National Capital
Region are consistent with federal interests.
G OAL T HREE
Advance coordinated and efficient federal development in the
National Capital Region.
G OAL F OUR
Ensure effective stewardship and accountability of agency resources.
3
F ULFILLING T HE P RESIDENT ’ S M ANAGEMENT
A GENDA AT THE NCPC
The President’s Management Agenda (PMA) lays out a
long-term vision for modernizing the Federal Government.
According to the PMA, modernization in the information
technology arena will help meet customer and stakeholder
expectations, create better customer experiences, and
increase agency visibility and accountability. In alignment
with the vision of the PMA, the NCPC has continued its
efforts to improve the agency’s ability to deliver mission
outcomes through a highly-skilled workforce, IT
modernization, and transparency in its operations.
Following are some of the NCPC’s most recent
accomplishments in these arenas.
M ODERN I NFORMATION T ECHNOLOGY
E LECTRONIC S UBMISSION P ORTAL
In FY2019, the NCPC began developing an electronic submission portal to enable applicants to
submit projects on-line for NCPC review. Once fully implemented, the electronic portal will
eliminate the need for in-person project submissions. The electronic portal will automate data entry
into the agency’s Central Filing System and will minimize manual processing of administrative data
by nearly 50%. The automated portal will eliminate paper files (except for large displays and
secure files), save time, improve efficiency, increase effectiveness and allow a better customer
experience.
4
D ATA , A CCOUNTABILITY , AND T RANSPARENCY
P UBLIC E NGAGEMENT AND I NFORMATION S HARING
Two years after launching a new, internally developed and maintained website, the NCPC has
experienced steadily increasing numbers of users and page views. The award-winning website is
continuously updated to increase public and stakeholder access to the NCPC’s information on
major projects in the national capital that are under review. After the website redesign, views
increased steadily from 7,800 average page
views per month in FY2017 to 10,250 average
page views per month in FY2018, to an average
of 10,850 monthly page views in FY2019.
The NCPC has also undertaken other initiatives
to engage and inform the public such as
electronic newsletters, digital annual reports,
and publishing two-to-three blogs per month
with an average of 750 views per blog.
A H IGHLY S KILLED W ORKFORCE FOR THE 21 ST C ENTURY
With human capital being the primary catalyst to fulfilling the agency’s mission while also being
the agency’s greatest investment, the National Capital Planning Commission’s leaders endeavor to
plan and manage the agency’s workforce to ensure that its human capital is aligned to meet the
agency’s strategic goals, budget planning, and employee performance management. The NCPC’s
leadership ensures that employees are appropriately qualified, highly skilled, and perform at levels
that meet or exceed the agency’s performance standards. Because of the NCPC’s reputation of
having a highly qualified and trained staff, in FY2019 the NCPC was invited to enter into
agreements with the National Parks Service, the District of Columbia, and the National Capital
Authority of Canberra, Australia. As part of the agreements, staff engaged in an international
exchange of information about capital city planning, as well as provided guidance and expertise on
topics such as commemoration and comprehensive planning.
Budget
Leadership is Strategic Planning Skill-sets are Performance
Engaged in Goals and Sustains the Evaluated Expectations
Workforce Objectives Agency's and are
Planning and Drive Workforce and Appropriately Communicated
Alignment Performance Rewards High Utlized Regularly
Performers
5
E VIDENCE B ASED E VALUATION AND D ECISION
M AKING AT THE NCPC
Under the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018, Federal agencies are mandated
to engage in evidence-building activities such as, foundational fact finding, performance measurement,
policy analysis and program evaluation. Under the direction of the Chairman, the NCPC’s career SES,
Executive Director has been designated as the agency’s senior evaluation official and the Director of
the Office of Administration has been designated as Chief Data Officer.
The Chairman and Executive Director direct the agency’s staff in fulfilling their collective
responsibilities—the agency’s professional staff of planners, architects, designers, landscape architects,
information technology specialists, and other support professionals strictly rely on the best available
evidence to make decisions to develop
optimal solutions that balance the needs
of the organization, other federal
Who are the agencies, local and regional authorities,
Stakeholders? citizens and interested stakeholders. For
Do we have What do we example, in FY2019, the NCPC in
enough already collaboration with the District of
information? know? Columbia and the National Park Service,
worked to develop a coordinated
EVIDENCE approach to research, inventory, and
BUILDING address the impacts of cell infrastructure
PLAN
on the function and character of the city’s
What are the What are the sidewalks and public open spaces within
lessons policies, laws,
practices, areas of federal ownership and interest.
learned? limitatons? Based on the coordinated efforts, the
gathered evidence was used to inform the
Has it been District Department of Transportation’s
done before?
development of design guidelines
regarding the placement and design of
new small cell infrastructure located on
District rights of way that minimize impacts on national parkland, historic buildings and important
views. Gathered evidence helped to identify cellular infrastructure needs and issues associated with the
increasing demand for mobile connectivity during special events in public spaces. This is one example
of how the NCPC uses an evidence building/learning agenda approach to make decisions that have far
reaching impact as it pertains to the agency’s mission.
6
E VALUATING FY2019 P ERFORMANCE O UTCOMES
The NCPC’s strategic goals reflect the agency’s broad, long-term outcomes to which, collectively through
its Commissioners and full-time staff, the agency aspires to achieve. The agency’s strategic goals are
derived from the NCPC’s statutory mission and are more specifically expressed by the agency’s strategic
objectives. The strategic objectives are outcome-oriented and provide the framework for the NCPC’s
annual performance plan. The annual performance plan serves as the road map for guiding the
organization’s performance from year to year. The NCPC uses the strategic objectives and evidence
gathered throughout the year to measure, evaluate, and monitor the agency’s progress in fulling its mission.
Using the strategic objectives developed in the NCPC’s strategic plan for the period covering 2018 through
2022, following are highlighted outcomes of the of the agency’s FY2019 performance.
S TRATEGIC G OAL O NE
Foster a vibrant, beautiful, and well-planned national capital
and engaged public.
P ARKS AND O PEN S PACE E LEMENT
In late FY2018 the NCPC released a draft of the Parks and Open Space Element for public comment. In
the first quarter of FY2019 the final version was published. The Parks and Open Space Element,
located on the NCPC’s website, offers a new organizational structure and streamlined policies to
address emerging issues such as, balancing multiple uses within parks, providing access to and
connections between parks, encouraging
stewardship of the environment, building
partnerships, and balancing park space and
commemorative works. When preparing the
element, the Staff conducted research to
improve the effectiveness of policies guiding
the NCPC’s review authority under the Capper
Cramton Act. In addition, applying a learning
agenda/evidence building approach, the staff
conducted a study on designed landscapes to
address the agency’s broader obligation to
protect historical and natural features while
managing change to resources in a manner that
is deliberate and defensible. As a result of the
study, the staff developed a list of key
considerations when analyzing designed
landscape proposals in response to
programmatic changes, user needs, and changes
to the surrounding area, which is subsequently
used in the Commission’s project reviews.
7F EDERAL W ORKPLACE E LEMENT
In the 3rd quarter of FY2019, the NCPC released the draft update of the Federal Workplace Element for
a 60-day public comment period. Coupled with the release of the draft, the NCPC hosted two open
houses to allow the public and interested stakeholders an opportunity to learn more about the updated
element and to provide written comments. The draft Comprehensive Plan’s Federal Workplace Element
establishes policies that: (1) emphasizes
the District of Columbia as the seat of
the federal government; (2) encourages
efficiently planned and located federal
workplaces that contribute to the
National Capital Region’s economic
well-being; (3) promotes resource
protection, and; (4) provides sustainable
and healthy work environments for the
federal workforce. The NCPC uses the
element’s policies to guide agency
actions as it reviews projects and long-
rang plans that affect federal buildings,
installations, campuses, and master
plans. NCPC staff also moderated a
panel discussion during the annual National Capital Area Chapter of the American Planning
Association conference on the Future of the Region’s Economy and featured policies in the draft
Workplace Element.
F EDERAL T RANSPORTATION E LEMENT
In the 4th quarter of FY2019, the NCPC released the draft update of the Comprehensive Plan’s Federal
Transportation Element for a 60-day public comment period. The Transportation Element update
provides policy guidance to support a regional multimodal transportation system that promotes
responsible land use and development and contributes to a high quality of life for residents, workers,
and visitors. The element is structured
around four new guiding principles that
serve as the organizational framework: (1)
advance an interconnected transportation
system that meets regional planning goals
and objectives; (2) integrate a range of
equitable mobility options to improve
transportation access throughout the
region: (3) connect transportation and land
use to encourage responsible development
patterns and; (4) promote efficient and
sustainable travel to federal destinations.
Further, the draft element uses an evidence-
based evaluation in revising the element’s
parking ratios. The revisions are based on
recommendations from the 2017 National Capital Region Federal Parking Study conducted by NCPC
with the USDOT Volpe Transportation Center. The study recommended a data-driven approach to
parking standards among other recommendations and those findings are incorporated into the draft
element. The new parking standards, when adopted, will provide a more rational and realistic approach
for NCPC’s submitting Federal applicants. Along with the Transportation Element, staff prepared a
Transportation Addendum to articulate the Commission’s requirements for Transportation Demand
8Management and Transportation Management Plans. Staff also proposed changes to the NCPC
Submission Guidelines that align with the updated element and the information included in the
Transportation Addendum. In early FY2020, the NCPC will host an open house along with several
targeted focus group meetings with applicant agencies, local jurisdictions, and interested stakeholders to
seek public comments.
P ENNSYLVANIA A VENUE I NITIATIVE
In collaboration with an executive committee of federal and local jurisdictional stakeholders, the NCPC
continued to lead the Pennsylvania Avenue Initiative. The NCPC’s accomplishments included
identifying ways to generate greater cultural and economic opportunities; enhance the capital city
experience and attract more daily activity; and use infrastructure and assets more efficiently along the
Avenue. The interagency executive committee completed the following activities in FY2019: (1)
completed two workshops with a focus group of professional planners, designers, and the executive
committee to identify and document best practices and a range of ideas to reposition and improve
Pennsylvania Avenue; (2) completed evidence building research and analysis on public space events,
activities and gleaned best practices to inform concepts development; (3) convened a multi-agency
working group to develop preliminary concepts that identify a feasible range and potential support for
programmatic and physical changes to the Avenue.
MONUMENTAL CORE STREETSCAPE GUIDE
In FY2019, the NCPC led an interagency effort in collaboration with The National Mall Roads
Working Group to update the 1992 National Mall Streetscape Manual. The team of federal and local
agencies addressed emerging issues including smart city technologies, the sharing economy, storm
water management, and the development of a comprehensive Streetscape Guide that will include
information, guidance and reference material to improve coordination among agency stakeholders. The
guide will achieve a more cohesive public realm within and surrounding the National Mall. This will
reinforce the city’s unique role as the nation’s capital, and create an accessible, welcoming, and livable
environment for residents, workers, and visitors. To advance the agency’s efforts, the NCPC completed
the following activities in FY2019: (1) completed the draft Monumental Core Streetscape Urban Design
Framework and Lighting Policy for review by the NCPC and the Commission of Fine Arts; (2)
completed draft federal-local LED streetlight performance criteria and specifications to coordinate with
the District’s Smart Lighting retrofit project to promote consistent illumination among five
jurisdictional agencies to achieve cohesive night-time identity for the nation’s capital; (3) updated and
revised the Interagency Working Group 2015 MOU to document the scope and roles among eleven
agencies to prepare the Monumental Core Streetscape Guide; (4) prepared a new MOU to establish a
partnership among three federal and local agencies to prepare a Streetscape Guide addendum that
coordinates federal and local design guidelines on streets beyond of the monumental core under the
jurisdiction of the District government; (5) completed field work, mapping, and regulatory analysis for
those streets beyond the monumental core and presented to the local Business Improvement Districts,
and college campus planners for review and input; and (6) completed cultural resources research for the
National Mall Roads Interagency Working Group.
9C OMMEMORATION , M EMORIALS AND M USEUMS M ASTER P LAN
The memorials and museums in Washington's monumental core symbolize the city and the nation. The
Memorials and Museums Master Plan (2M), prepared in 2001 in partnership with the Commission of
Fine Arts and the National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission built upon the Legacy Plan’s vision
to strategically distribute memorials and museums to all quadrants of the city. The 2M Plan sought to
protect the National Mall’s open spaces by identifying
and promoting 100 potential locations for memorials
and museums as well as provide general guidelines for
development on the potential sites. While the 2M Plan
has been successful in helping site a few memorials,
many memorial sponsors continued to primarily seek
to locate memorials as close to the National Mall as
possible. In FY2019, NCPC staff conducted the first
of a series of workshops with various stakeholders to
discuss changes to the 2M Plan and to identify new
strategies to encourage more memorial sponsors to
locate in other areas of the city.
Additionally, in FY2019, the staff published a Memorial
Site Selection and Design Review resource guide to clarify
the design review process for potential memorial sponsors;
the guide will help improve efficiency and effectiveness in
the review process and will help expedite the approvals
required to construct memorials in the nation’s capital.
10S TRATEGIC G OAL T WO
Ensure that individual projects and plans within the National Capital
Region are consistent with federal interests.
P LAN AND P ROJECT R EVIEWS
In FY2019, the NCPC reviewed 100 project submissions within 30 days or less after being submitted to
the Commission for review. With the newly adopted submission guidelines implemented in FY2018,
the NCPC issued exceptions for 25 submissions in FY2019. Increasing the agency’s efficiency in
project reviews, the updated submission guidelines included a list of project exceptions whereby NCPC
review and approval is no longer required for certain types of projects that do not impact the federal
interest. The project exceptions streamline the project submission and review process saving time and
money for both the applicants and for the NCPC’s staff.
The NCPC’s staff and Commissioners evaluate project submissions in accordance with the
Comprehensive Plan for the nation’s capital to coordinate development in the region and protect
historic, cultural, and natural resources. The NCPC has review authority for: (1) projects on federal
land in the National Capital Region; (2) master plans for federal installations and campuses; (3) projects
on district land in Washington, DC, and (4) certain types of private development projects referred to the
NCPC by the District of Columbia Zoning Commission.
For many of the projects, the NCPC has a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and National
Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) responsibility, which entails planning and design consultation
meetings in addition to written analyses of planning issues and the implementation of formal
agreements. Some of the projects reviewed by the NCPC staff in FY2019 included the following:
COMMEMORATIVE WORKS MASTER PLANS PROJECTS
- Native American Veterans - Federal Drug Administration - Franklin Park Rehabilitation
Memorial White Oak Master Plan - Georgetown Canal Plan
- World War 1 Memorial - Foreign Missions Center Master - Fort Meyer Henderson Hall
- Peace Corps Memorial Plan Security Fence
- Suitland Federal Center Master - Walter E. Washington
Plan Convention Center
- Small Cell Infrastructure Design - US Naval Observatory Master
and Downtown Map Clock Facility
- Smithsonian Zoo Perimeter
Security Fencing
- Frederick Douglass Memorial
Bridge
- WMATA Canopy Program
- US Park Police Stables
- National Arboretum Fence
- Hirshhorn Museum Sculpture
Garden
- Uniformed Services University at
NSA Bethesda
11S TRATEGIC G OAL T HREE
Advance coordinated and efficient federal development in the
National Capital Region.
P ROPOSED C APITAL I MPROVEMENTS P ROJECTS FOR F EDERAL E NTITIES
In FY2019, the NCPC staff reviewed and analyzed 57 proposed capital improvement projects submitted
by federal agencies with an estimated value of $3.6 billion for fiscal years 2020 through 2025.
Subsequent to conducting reviews, the NCPC prepared
and submitted the Federal Capital Improvement Plan
containing analysis and recommendations to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB). The Plan addressed the
proposed projects’ consistency with the Comprehensive
Plan and other adopted plans. The NCPC’s review and
analysis help to inform OMB’s fiscal decisions for
proposed projects in the National Capital Region. The
NCPC also reviewed and analyzed eight non-federal
Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) in FY2019. The
proposed non-federal projects included those proposed by
the Government of the District of Columbia, Prince
William County, Fairfax County, the City of Alexandria,
and Loudon County. The NCPC’s review of the non-
federal capital improvement projects included analysis
and recommendations regarding consistency with the
policies of the Comprehensive Plan for the National Capital: Federal Elements.
P ARTNERSHIPS TO I NCREASE S ECURITY IN THE N ATION ’ S C APITAL
In FY2019, the NCPC staff represented the agency on the
Department of Homeland Security’s Interagency Security
Council (ISC). Staff coordinated a webinar with ISC
members on small cell technology and assisted with the
ISC’s inaugural Federal Security Compliance reporting
submission requirements. Additionally, in an effort to
inform the public and policy makers on how to balance
access and security in our public spaces including federal
parks, in late FY2019, the NCPC in partnership with the
American Society of Landscape Architects coordinated a
symposium and workshop titled Rethinking Security and
Access in Public Space.
C OLLABORATING TO A DDRESS F LOOD R ISK M ANAGEMENT
In FY2019, the NCPC through its leadership role with the District of Columbia Silver Jackets, coordinated
stakeholder workshops on the impact of flooding in the Federal Triangle area, culminating in a meeting
with agency leaders continuing the commitment to study long-term system-wide solutions and develop
damage impact analyses throughout FY2020.
12S TRATEGIC G OAL F OUR
Ensure effective management and accountability of resources.
In FY2019, the NCPC started several new initiatives that are in alignment with carrying out the President’s
Management Agenda to efficiently and effectively meet mission outcomes. Some of the agency’s
accomplishments include the following:
D IGITIZATION OF I NTERNAL P ROCESSES
In FY2019 the NCPC began providing in a digital format, all Commission Meeting materials to the
Commissioners and staff; the electronic documents allows 5 to 7 days earlier review of project materials
when compared to the previous fiscal year. In addition to that, the NCPC
implemented digitized review, routing, and signatures of various types of
internal administrative documents such as training requests, requests for
personnel actions, procurement requests, reasonable accommodation
requests, and change in duty requests just to name a few. The move to
digitization of these processes has significantly eliminated the use of
paper and has resulted in a 70% cost savings in supplies associated with
paper-based document production in FY2019.
F EDERAL S HARED S ERVICES
In FY2019, the NCPC entered into an agreement with a federal shared services provider for all fiscal and
travel related functions. As a result of the interagency agreement, the NCPC has experienced increased
efficiency in its fiscal operations by outsourcing functions previously
managed internally. For example, in FY2019, the NCPC met the Office of
Management and Budget’s mandate and deadline for E-invoicing by
implementing the use of the electronic Invoice Processing Platform (IPP).
IPP allows secure Web-based fiscal transaction management from the
issuance of purchase orders through vendor invoicing. Other improved
efficiencies include streamlined and automated processing and tracking of
purchase card expenditures; 100% on time quarterly fiscal reporting;
paperless processing of all travel related transactions with travel
reimbursement payments made on average in 1 to 2 days compared to 5 to 7
days in past years.
F EDERAL C OMPLIANCE AND R EPORTING
In FY2019, the NCPC’s leadership continued to focus on staff compliance, awareness, and training to
ensure workplace safety, security, and equal opportunity and treatment; following are some of the agency’s
accomplishments in this arena: (1) the NCPC’s Commissioners, leaders, and staff successfully adhered to
Equal Opportunity and Anti-Sexual Harassment laws and policies and timely submitted all annual reports as
required; (2) agency employees continued to practice safe Occupational Safety and Health Practices in
agency operations and all federal reporting requirements were met; (3) employees effectively followed
physical and information security practices to protect the agency’s physical and digital resources; and (4) in
FY2019, the NCPC received an unmodified audit opinion to conclude that the agency’s FY2018 financial
statements were presented fairly and in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
13P ERFORMANCE P LAN FOR FY2021
The NCPC’s FY2021 performance plan is a continuation of the goals outlined in the agency’s strategic plan
for the period covering 2018 through 2022. The strategic plan is reviewed each year, and if necessary, is
updated to respond to changing circumstances that impact the vison and mission of the NCPC. In FY2021
the NCPC will continue its work to protect and advance
the Federal Government’s interests in the national
capital region’s development. The agency’s work in
FY2021 will be mission, service, and stewardship
focused and will be dedicated to four main areas: (1) the
Form of the City; (2) Commemorative Works; (3)
Security; (4) and Infrastructure. The NCPC has also
identified the following specific performance objectives
for FY2021.
P ENNSYLVANIA A VENUE I NITIATIVE
Enhance Pennsylvania Avenue’s elevated and symbolic
status as the Nation’s ceremonial street by improving its
physical appearance and adapting to 21st century needs.
In FY2021, by using concepts developed in FY2020,
prepare the NEPA document and carryout consultation
in accordance with the NHPA (section 106) that inform
a potential record of decision on physical changes to
improve the Avenue.
M ONUMENTAL C ORE S TREETSCAPE G UIDE
Submit more detailed streetscape design guidelines for public review and Commission adoption; continue to
facilitate coordination among the Federal Highway Administration and the National Mall Interagency
Working Group to prepare construction specifications for future inclusion in the construction manual.
Work with federal and District of Columbia agencies to address visitor and emergency management
demands for mobile connectivity in federal public spaces during special events.
I NDEPENDENCE A VENUE U RBAN D ESIGN AND S TREETSCAPE P LAN
Facilitate improved mobility, curbside use, streetscape, and pedestrian experience along Independence
Avenue, as well as improve connections between the southwest communities and the National Mall by
developing the programmatic concept plan; seek agreement on the needed resources, and determine the next
steps to advance urban design concepts for Independence Avenue.
14C OMPLETING THE U PDATE TO THE M EMORIALS AND M USEUMS M ASTER P LAN AND T HE
V ISITORS AND C OMMEMORATION E LEMENT
In FY2019 and continuing into FY2020, the NCPC initiated a series of workshops with designers,
academics and federal stakeholders to develop strategies to encourage more memorial sponsors to consider
locating memorials within other parts of the city. Using the data gleaned in FY2019 and FY2020, in
FY2021, the NCPC will complete an update to the Memorials and Museums Master Plan. Once complete,
the update to the Plan will provide the empirical framework for an update to the Visitors and
Commemoration Federal Element of the Comprehensive Plan.
U PDATE THE U RBAN D ESIGN E LEMENT
Building on the FY2019 and FY2020 workshops, forums, and discussions held on the topic of Rethinking
Security in the Public Realm and applying the learning agenda/evidence building approach, the NCPC will
develop policies to address the topic of security in the Federal Urban Design Element of the Comprehensive
Plan. As the National Capital Region continues to grow, public spaces are increasingly used to help local
economies and revitalize urban centers.
Additionally, outdoor spaces that often include
cultural resources that accommodate more
people and host a greater variety of uses and
programs, all of which require effective
approaches that preserve the openness and
improve the security of the District’s public
spaces. The updated urban design element will
address these concerns.
15BUDGET REQUEST OVERVIEW FOR FY2021
To continue its efforts to successfully meet its statutory mission and produce results, for FY2021,
the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) is requesting $8,124,000. This request is the
same amount appropriated to the NCPC in FY2020.
The NCPC is committed to the effective stewardship of its fiscal resources. Each fiscal year, the
NCPC’s leadership conducts a meticulous review of the agency’s projected operational costs to
ensure the annual budget request reflects fiscal responsibility and accountability.
As reflected in this FY2021 request, the NCPC’s staff and Commissioners are its most valued asset
and the agency’s largest investment of appropriated funds. The second largest investment for the
NCPC is the agency’s leased space. The agency’s FY2021 budget request reflects a slight
reduction in projected rental payments to the General Services Administration. The NCPC’s
occupancy lease agreement will expire in the first quarter of FY2021 (December 1, 2020). At the
time of this request, the lease negotiations continue; however, under a newly established lease, the
NCPC has requested approximately 6,000 to 8,000 reduction in square footage of leased space.
The actual cost savings are yet to be determined; however, the budget request reflects anticipated
lower rent costs for the 2021 fiscal year.
FY2019 FY2020 FY2021
APPROPRIATION APPROPRIATION REQUEST
Personnel Compensation & Benefits $5,141,000 $5,439,000 $5,602,000
Other Non-Labor Expenses 2,958,000 2,685,000 2,522,000
Total Projected Spending $8,099,000 $8,124,00 $8,124,000
16COMPARATIVE SPENDING ANALYSIS
FY2019 - FY2021
FY2020 Budget Request by Object Class (In Thousands)
With Comparative Analysis of Spending FY2019 – FY2021
Object
FY2019 FY2020 FY2021
Class Description
Appropriation Appropriation Request
Code
11.0 Personnel Compensation $3,892 $4,129 $4,253
12.0 Benefits 1,249 1,310 1,349
21.0 Travel and Transportation 33 34 35
23.0 Rental Payments to GSA 1,516 1,516 1,293
23.3 Communications & Utilities 190 175 175
24.0 Printing and Reproduction 10 20 20
25.1 Contractual Services – Federal 346 355 380
25.2 Training and Related Costs 37 30 40
25.3 Contractual Services – Non Federal 577 449 455
25.4 Facilities Maintenance 14 10 17
25.7 Machine Maintenance 175 70 75
26.0 Supplies & Subscriptions 40 13 16
31.0 Equipment and Furniture 20 13 16
Total Projected Spending $8,099 $8,124 $8,124
Total Full Time Equivalent (FTE) Employees 36 36 36
17DETAILS OF THE NCPC’S FY2021 BUDGET REQUEST
O BJECT C LASS 11 – P ERSONNEL C OMPENSATION - $4,253,000
The NCPC’s FY2021 budget request estimate includes compensation for the agency’s part-time
Commissioners as well as a staff of 36 full time employees. This object class category also includes
funding to support the NCPC’s Workforce Fund Plan to reward its high performers and to provide
recognition for special achievements.
O BJECT C LASS 12 – P ERSONNEL B ENEFITS - $1,349,000
The NCPC’s estimated spending for this object class represents the government’s contribution for
employee benefits to include payments for health insurance, thrift savings plan contributions, life
insurance, and transit subsidy benefits.
O BJECT C LASS 21 – T RAVEL AND T RANSPORTATION - $25,000
The FY2021 estimate for travel costs remains consistent across several fiscal years with less than a 3%
increase each fiscal year. The NCPC expends travel funds for Commission members to travel to attend
Commission Meetings; it also includes funding for NCPC staff to travel, when necessary, to conduct
official business on behalf of the agency.
O BJECT C LASS 23 – R ENTAL P AYMENTS TO GSA- $1,293,000
The amount requested in this object class category for FY2021 is to cover the expense of rental
payments to the General Services Administration under an Occupancy Agreement for leased office
space. The decrease in the FY2021 request versus the FY2020 request is due to anticipated lower rental
costs associated with a downsize in leased square footage under a newly established lease that will
become effective in the first quarter of FY2021.
O BJECT C LASS 23.3 – C OMMUNICATIONS AND U TILITIES - $175,000
The NCPC’s FY2021 request in this object class category is the same as the agency’s FY2020 request.
The estimated spending in this category represents costs for long-distance and local voice of internet
protocol (VOIP) telephone service and a transition from the General Services Administration’s (GSA)
Networx contract to GSA’s EIS communications contract. It also includes other projected
telecommunications and wiring expenses associated with reconfiguring the downsized leased office
space. Other expenses in this object class category include expenses to support Continuous Diagnostic
and Mitigation (CMD), copier maintenance and leases, postage and express mail services, local courier
services, video teleconferencing, webcasting support, internet, wireless communications, and
supplemental HVAC maintenance. Funds used in this area will also include increased digitization and
electronic initiatives to engage and inform the public to ultimately improve stakeholder and customer
experiences.
18O BJECT C LASS 24 – P RINTING AND R EPRODUCTION -$20,000
The estimate for this object class represents costs for creating and publishing special Commission
informational materials as well as the costs associated with publishing notices in the Federal Register.
While the NCPC has not fully eliminated spending in this object class category, the agency continues to
make progress towards digitizing all work products and materials.
O BJECT C LASS 25.1 – C ONTRACTUAL S ERVICES – F EDERAL - $380,000
Expenditures in this object class category include federal interagency agreements for financial services
support, payroll and human resources support, personnel background investigation clearances,
credentialing services, building security services from the Department of Homeland Security, federal
occupational health and support services, and other administrative and operational support provided
through federal interagency agreements.
O BJECT C LASS 25.2 – T RAINING AND R ELATED C OSTS - $40,000
The NCPC’s leadership remains committed to ensure agency staff are skilled, trained, and highly
qualified to fulfill the mission of the organization. Funding in this category will cover staff professional
development training in accordance with the NCPC’s training and professional development policies.
O BJECT C LASS 25.3 – C ONTRACTUAL S ERVICES – N ON -F EDERAL - $455,000
The projected expenses in this category include transcription and stenography services, annual
independent auditor assessments for fiscal accountability, internal controls, risk management, and
cybersecurity. Projected spending in this category also includes various program support contracts for
technical assistance and professional consultation services.
O BJECT C LASS 25.4 – F ACILITIES M AINTENANCE - $17,000
Anticipated expenses in this area include monthly logistical and set up support during monthly
Commission Meetings and other general routine facilities maintenance, trash removal and repairs that
may be required during the fiscal year.
O BJECT C LASS 25.7 – M ACHINE M AINTENANCE - $75,000
The amount requested in this object class category for FY2021 supports the agency’s need to maintain
its IT and peripheral infrastructure; it includes anticipated spending for the continuation of upgrades and
ongoing maintenance to the NCPC's IT and physical security equipment, continuity of operations
(COOP) operations, support of E-Gov efforts, and for the management and ongoing maintenance and
upgrades of the NCPC's cybersecurity initiatives.
19O BJECT C LASS 26 – S UPPLIES AND S UBSCRIPTIONS - $16,000
The anticipated spending in this object class category includes spending for general office supplies and
subscriptions for technical publications and materials.
O BJECT C LASS 31 – E QUIPMENT , S OFTWARE AND F URNITURE - $16,000
The amount of anticipated spending includes estimated costs to upgrade or replace IT and other
electronic equipment, and software.
______________
APPROPRIATIONS LANGUAGE
SALARIES AND E X PE N SE S
For necessary expenses of the National Capital Planning Commission under chapter 87 of title 40, United
States Code, including services as authorized by 5 USC 3109, $8,124,000: Provided, that one-quarter of
one-percent of the funds provided under this heading may be used for official reception and representational
expenses associated with hosting international visitors engaged in planning and physical development of
world capitals.
(Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2021)
20You can also read
