Boston, Mass. -- VFA announces the launch of AssetFusion, a Web-based interface designed to facilitate the seamless exchange of information between daily maintenance and operational systems and capital asset planning software. Leveraging Web services architecture, AssetFusion will integrate VFA's Capital Planning and Management Solutions (CPMS™) software, VFA.facility™, with facility management applications, such as Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS). By joining these previously disparate systems, AssetFusion eliminates inconsistent and redundant data entry, providing a more streamlined approach to managing facility assets and generating tasks such as work orders.

In its initial launch, AssetFusion will enable the integration of VFA.facility with MRO Software's MAXIMO®, its strategic asset management solution. Using AssetFusion for MRO Software's MAXIMO, facility professionals can now share MAXIMO's operational and work order information with VFA.facility's building condition and long-term capital planning information, creating an integrated solution for operational asset management and capital planning. With the release of AssetFusion, VFA further distinguishes itself from its competition, providing facility managers across all market segments with an unmatched depth of technological functionality and reliability.

"We selected AssetFusion because it enables us to leverage our investments in both MAXIMO and VFA.facility," says Jeffrey Peterson, vice president of information technology, for UNICCO Service Company. "With AssetFusion, we will be able to link inventory and labor data as well as the status of ongoing projects with capital planning information. As a result, we will be able to eliminate redundant data entry and accurately track where funds have been spent, the impact on maintenance and repair, and the relation to multi-year capital planning requirements."

Utilizing AssetFusion's integrated solution, organizations gain increased clarity and precision for the long-term operation, maintenance and ownership of facility assets. With multiple systems to manage operational costs and develop facility reinvestment plans, capital planners and maintenance professionals had no means of bridging their individual processes and lacked an effective method of sharing information. With the sharing of complementary capital planning and work order information, facility professionals now have a concise understanding of a building's total cost of ownership, which is critical in forecasting short- and long-term expected costs of facility maintenance and repair.

"AssetFusion will allow customers using VFA.facility for capital planning and MAXIMO for strategic asset management to relate facility condition information with maintenance and management initiatives," says David Rothberg, vice president alliances, MRO Software. "By deploying both products together, customers will have greater insight and management control over operating and ownership costs for their facilities."

Product Highlights and Benefits
VFA's AssetFusion for MRO Software's MAXIMO will enable facility professionals and building owners to:
• Leverage AssetFusion's Web services architecture for easy integration and communication between VFA.facility and MAXIMO systems, with access via the Internet;
• Facilitate the transfer of detailed facility condition and cost data into work order management systems, reducing time and risks associated with data re-entry. Additionally, users can leverage MAXIMO to update capital planning information maintained in VFA.facility;
• Track the progress and execution of projects and work orders through both VFA.facility and MAXIMO;
• Gain accurate facilities' capital and expense data that provides facility managers and owners with the total cost of ownership; and,
• Develop an "audit trail" that traces where funds have been spent and the resulting impact on maintenance and repair.

"AssetFusion represents the next advancement in facility management technology," says Jerry Kokos, president and chief executive of VFA. "The integration of our CPMS software with disparate facility management systems yields more comprehensive capital planning capabilities and provides a holistic view of a facility portfolio. Ultimately, AssetFusion will enable VFA.facility to interface with a range of mission-critical enterprise applications including financial, enterprise resource planning and human resource systems."

VFA will unveil AssetFusion at MRO World 2003, which will be held July 20-23, 2003 at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, D.C. The Company will demonstrate the product at Booth #2 throughout the event.

About VFA VFA provides powerful Web-based tools and consulting services for guiding its clients through the process of strategic infrastructure management. VFA's software application has the proven capability to integrate with preventive and routine maintenance, work order management, and inventory systems (CMMS), and CAD-centric space planning and move management systems (CAFM). Presidents, CEOs, CFOs and facility managers of multi-structure and multi-site organizations need planning and decision-making capabilities for facilities resource allocation.  VFA understands and addresses these needs by offering a wide range of software and services solutions, from conducting comprehensive facilities condition assessments and prioritizing associated deficiencies, to establishing funding levels and assisting in ongoing capital planning programs and reassessment initiatives. Through the VFA led Facilities/Infrastructure Certification Program (F/ICP), facilities professionals are trained and qualified on VFA's proven, standardized condition assessment methodology and to implement the acquired data in budget development and capital planning.

VFA has developed a strong customer base in education (including higher education and K-12), government, healthcare and with major corporations – all markets that have a critical need for facilities assessment and management. VFA can be contacted at (617) 451-5100. The Company's headquarters are located at 266 Summer Street, Boston, MA 02210-1112. Additional information about VFA can be found at www.vfa.com.