Department of Administration Selects Consultant Team for Remote & Office Workplace Study

• Belinda Adams
• November 08 2021

Helena, Mont. – The Montana Department of Administration (DOA) has selected SMA Architecture & Design as the consultant to conduct the COVID-19 Remote & Office Workspace Study and Planning Project (ROWS) for State of Montana agencies.

“The selection of this consultant team is an important step toward modernizing our workforce and workplace needs,” said DOA Director Misty Ann Giles. “We are excited to review the findings and begin implementing improvements to benefit our employees and to prioritize customer service.”

SMA will begin gathering data and assessing the physical barriers to safety and hybrid work within state-owned and -leased spaces. SMA’s team of workplace consultants will also be evaluating the state’s human resources policies and procedures to identify best practices for telework, remote, and hybrid work environments.

This is SMA’s 40th year of providing architectural services across Montana. In addition to space planning, utilization, data collection, and architecture, its team of 29 employees also provides interior design, graphics, and branding services. Founded by John McKittrick and Rick Schlenker, the firm is now led by Jason Davis, Tim Meldrum, Klint Fisher and Charley Franklin.

The state received five applications; three were interviewed, and SMA was selected to fulfill the request for proposal. Work on scopes one and two will begin concurrently with gathering and assessing current occupational data, as well as assessing human resources policies and procedures.

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