Explanation of Sustainment Cost Factor (SCF) Components
This section is intended to clarify the nature of the specific tasks and categories of work that are included in
the sustainment function. This explanation will focus on those FACs with a UM of SF (square feet) for two
reasons:
1. The bulk of the PRV and sustainment requirement is contained in these FACs.
2. With few exceptions, the SCF for all of these FACs is calculated with the Whitestone MARS
cost model in a consistent manner.
Whenever sufficient data exists for those FACs with a UM other than SF, the same components are
included.
The SCF is comprised of three (3) categories of work:
Preventive maintenance & minor repair
Unscheduled maintenance
Renewal & replacement (major component replacement, i.e. roof, HVAC system)
Each category includes both materials and labor. Labor costs are impacted by several factors:
Local maintenance cost indexes that measure relative maintenance and repair (M&R) costs
across various geographic areas.
In-house shop rates that are the cost for trades and supervisory positions common to the in-house
M&R staff.
Contract labor rates that are the cost for trades common in M&R work.
Whitestone Research reports that for in-house shop rates they assume "that the facility staff does PM,
minor repair tasks, and unscheduled maintenance. The labor costs of these tasks are estimated with shop
rates specific to selected trades and management positions. The shop rate includes direct wages and a shop
markup. The shop markup includes fringe and required benefits, non-productive time, support and
supervision, and most tools and equipment costs." A "trade shop supervisor" is specified in the Whitestone
labor skills. Whitestone expresses this value as a multiplier, with a default value of 2 in the MARS
system. DoD cost factors use this value.
Whitestone Research reports that contract labor rates form the basis for renewal and replacement tasks.
Contract labor rates include "basic wage and fringe, compensation insurance, and other required benefits.
When used for estimating purposes, these costs are burdened with an overhead and profit multiplier of 1.3,
a rate common in light construction industry."
Description of Specific tasks
sustainment. The semi-annual HVAC heating or cooling season prep/inspection is considered part of
sustainment. Many of the component task lists in MARS specify an "inspection", for example:
Fire Sprinkler Head has an annual task defined as "Inspect & Test Sprinkler Head".
Air Conditioner, Rooftop, 5 Ton has an annual task of "Maintain Air Conditioner, Rooftop, 5
Ton". Inherent in this is a minimum of a visual inspection.
Humidifier, Steam, Duct w/Controls has an task "Annual PM, Humidifier, Steam, Duct
w/Controls, an inspection is inherent in performance of this task.
Inspections (not included): Inspections in support of total facility assessments, such as those used for
installation readiness reporting, are not included in the SCF. The only caveat to this would be that some
Whitestone tasks may, depending upon the building type, have an allowance for "inspections" performed
by in-house staff. This is based on a commercial model that includes it in the "non-productive, support and
supervision" component of the shop markup rate. To this extent, some level of effort equivalent to the
conduct of the Services' condition assessment programs may be included in the SCF for specific FACs.
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