FAMIS Software Inc. and AgilQuest Corporation are working together to bring a system that uses new measurement standards for space utilization to Corporate Real Estate professionals. The standards are being developed by the Open Standards Consortium for Real Estate (OSCRE).

OSCRE is an industry-based non-profit group that is defining workplace standards for the corporate real estate industry. OSCRE's goal is to define terminology and measurement statistics that will allow software solutions from different vendors to standardize terminology and calculations. The result is to provide the market with a choice of software tools that work seamlessly with each other. By capitalizing on the comprehensive view of space utilization that both products currently possess, the AgilQuest-FAMIS Software partnership expects to offer one of the first integrated solutions that will allow organizations to produce reports that adhere to the OSCRE standard for workspace utilization as well as produce floor plans which are color-coded based on both permanent and transitional utilization. The combination will give real estate executives the empirical data needed to make invest/divest decisions based on actual utilization data rather than on guesswork.

"The collaboration between AgilQuest and FAMIS to employ common data definitions is a significant, historic and pivotal industry milestone," says Andy Fuhrman, chief executive of OSCRE. "Not only do these two firms have something to be extremely proud of, so do PISCES, the Appraisal Institute, Data Consortium and other standards development bodies who have agreed to submit their data definitions for harmonization, to OSCRE for free distribution and adoption throughout the supply chain as noted by this AgilQuest and FAMIS agreement."

FAMIS Software's integrated Enterprise Facilities Management solution, FAMIS, unites all aspects of a facilities management into one, fully adaptable and scalable system. FAMIS offers adaptive and integrated software solutions that are available for all aspects of the facilities lifecycle, all operating on a single technology foundation, the FAMIS Adaptive Architecture, including Facilities Management, Maintenance & Operations, Real Estate, Project Management, and Performance Management. FAMIS has a documented track record for saving organizations between $1 and $2 per sf per year directly off their bottom line through better management of occupancy, churn and utilization.

"The partnership with AgilQuest is one that we are very excited about. The combined power of our two solutions will afford organizations the ability to remain agile through changing business environments, market conditions and global technology. It will also provide organizations with increased competitive advantages necessary to maximize all aspects of time and profitability. As Mr. Vivadelli notes, this integration will be developed using the newly created OSCRE industry standards, which in short is a set of definitions and rules to facilitate the automatic data transfer between the two software packages," says Michael Ellis, founder and chief executive of FAMIS Software.

AgilQuest's OnBoard® Workplace Management Solution manages daily workplace operations and measures the actual utilization of every workspace in a global real estate portfolio. OnBoard users save tens of millions of dollars by reconfiguring, sharing, or eliminating underutilized workplace assets. OnBoard also empowers workers to locate and reserve all the corporate resources they need whenever and wherever they need to work—from assigned office space to shared office space, from conference rooms to offices, from catering to projectors.

"We are delighted to partner with FAMIS Software. Our complementary product offerings provide our customers the powerful capability of truly managing their local, regional or global portfolio of workplaces. FAMIS provides workspace inventory, planning and data administration while AgilQuest OnBoard extends these capabilities with workspace scheduling, operational management and utilization measurement. Our partnership will provide the corporate real estate industry with one of the first tools to adhere with newly developed OSCRE industry standards," says John Vivadelli, president of AgilQuest.

For further information contact Robert P. Trenck, director of marketing for AgilQuest at (203) 845-8869 or rob.trenck@agilquest.com

David Levenstein, manager of business development for FAMIS Software (805) 899-9249 or dave.levenstein@famis.com

Andy Fuhrman, chief executive officer for Open Standards Consortium for Real Estate (OSCRE) (831) 458.3346 or andy.fuhrman@oscre.org