Fire Code Reviews of Delegated Construction Projects

Department of Veterans Affairs

VHA DIRECTIVE 2005-007

Veterans Health Administration

Washington, DC 20420

February 15, 2005

FIRE CODE REVIEWS OF DELEGATED CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

1. PURPOSE: This Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Directive establishes the minimum

requirements for reviews must be conducted of delegated construction projects to ensure

compliance with all applicable fire protection code and standards; and establishes requirements

for project designers for selected delegated construction projects.

2. BACKGROUND

a. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) acts as its own building and fire protection

official and Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ). All Federal agencies constructing and

renovating structures and facilities on Federal property are generally exempt from local building

and fire codes and standards. In addition, Federal government construction projects are

generally exempt from fire code compliance reviews by local fire officials. Therefore, VA must

have a system to ensure that this critical function is conducted. VA's AHJ for ensuring fire code

compliance is the Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Operations and Management (10N).

b. Additional background information governing code compliance on VA construction

projects can be found in Public Law 100-678, Public Buildings Amendments Act of 1988, and

the Office of and the Chief Network Officer memo dated November 15, 1996, on Construction

Project Fire Code Compliance Process.

c. Delegated construction projects include projects funded from the Major, Minor, or Non-

Recurring and Maintenance (NRM) programs that are managed at the facility level and other

projects completed with local operating funds.

d. VA general requirements addressing construction code and standards are found in the

Office of Facility Management document Program Guide (PG) 18-3, Topic 1, Code and

Standards (see website: http://vaww.va.gov/facmgt/standard/cpro/cp_top01.doc). VA is

required to comply with national consensus codes and standards. Specific VA requirements for

fire protection can be found in the VA Fire Protection Design Manual.

e. VA requirements for Architectural and/or Engineering (A/E) services are contained in

numerous Office of Facility Management documents. For selected delegated projects involving

significant fire code applications, a fire protection engineering disciple is necessary to design, or

assist in the design, of projects to ensure adequate fire code compliance.

3. POLICY: It is VHA policy that all delegated construction projects must be provided fire

code reviews, as needed, at appropriate stages in the design and construction phases of the

project by qualified individuals to ensure compliance with VA referenced fire codes and

standards; and that fire protection engineering firms or expertise be part of the design and

construction of selected projects as part of the A/E team.

THIS VHA DIRECTIVE EXPIRES FEBRUARY 28, 2010

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