Subtitle
Improving How Projects Are Delivered Across Facilities and Real Estate
Early Support for Small Projects (ESP)
Early Support for Small Projects (ESP) helps the UCSF community plan projects before design and construction begin so you can move forward with clarity and confidence.
Through ESP, our teams at UCSF Real Estate and Facilities provide early technical support and funding to define your project’s scope, cost, and timeline. This helps avoid surprises, delays, and costly changes later.
ESP is part of UCSF’s broader effort to improve how small and mid-sized projects are delivered across Facilities Services and Real Estate. ESP reflects a collaborative approach between Facilities Services and Real Estate to support the UCSF community.
Why use ESP?
You don’t have to figure out your project on your own. This early planning approach helps teams make better decisions and keeps projects moving forward more efficiently.
ESP helps you:
- Understand what’s needed early (space, utilities, infrastructure)
- Get a clear scope, budget, and schedule
- Explore options before committing to a solution
- Avoid delays and rework
- Reduce the need for escalations to leadership
What does ESP provide?
ESP delivers an early project assessment (ESP Report) that outlines:
- Project scope and requirements
- Budget estimates
- Timeline and key milestones
- Risks and constraints
- Options and recommendations
This replaces the traditional “study phase” with a more actionable plan, giving you a clear path forward earlier in the process.
Who is ESP for?
ESP is best suited for education and research-related projects, including:
- Lab and research space changes
- Equipment installations
- New faculty or program needs
- Space reconfigurations
Projects are prioritized based on factors like:
- Alignment with UCSF’s mission and research goals
- Regulatory or safety requirements
- Broad impact across departments
- Project readiness and feasibility
When should I use ESP?
Engage ESP as early as possible, ideally when you:
- Are planning new equipment or hires
- Need to understand space or infrastructure requirements
- Are considering a project but don’t yet have full details
Early engagement leads to:
- Better cost certainty
- Fewer delays
- More efficient project delivery
ESP is designed to:
- Reduce fragmented or duplicate requests
- Improve routing and coordination across teams
- Provide clearer guidance from the start
- Solve issues at the project level before they escalate
How do I request ESP support?
- Submit a project request through the UCSF project portal (FM Track)
- Include “ESP” in the request title or description
- Your request will be reviewed and routed to the appropriate team
2. Facilities Services and Real Estate will evaluate your request and
- Determine eligibility for ESP
- Begin early planning support if applicable
- Once your request is submitted, your project is reviewed and triaged. If selected, ESP funding supports early planning.
- You receive an ESP Report with clear recommendations
- Your project moves forward with a defined scope and path
Need help?
- If you’re not sure where to start, that’s okay.
- Submit a work order request or reach out. We’ll help guide you to the right path.
Early Support for Small Projects (ESP) helps the UCSF community plan projects before design and construction begin so you can move forward with clarity and confidence.