# Fiber Optic As-Built Documentation Services — Draftech International > **Field-verified. GIS-integrated. BEAD-ready.** We close out your fiber build with documentation that actually reflects what's in the ground and on the poles — not what the design said should be there. **Canonical URL:** https://draftech.com/services/as-built-documentation.html **Company:** Draftech International, LLC | **Phone:** 305-306-7406 | **Email:** info@draftech.com --- ## Service Statistics | Metric | Value | |--------|-------| | Miles Documented | **44,000+** | | Addresses Engineered | **2.6M+** | | Active States | **22** | | Field Engineers | **600+** | --- ## Why It Matters: The Build Is Done. The Work Isn't. There's a version of this we've seen play out on roughly a third of the projects we inherit from other firms. Construction is complete, the ISP's marketing team is already announcing service availability — and nobody can tell you exactly where the splice vault is at station 47+83, because the contractor's field notes were on paper that got rained on, and nobody updated the design database. **That's not a hypothetical.** We walked that exact situation on a BEAD-funded deployment — 147 miles of aerial and underground — where the closeout package was basically a ZIP file of low-resolution photos and a spreadsheet that hadn't been touched since the permit phase. The first time a dig crew hit an unmarked conduit stub and put a backhoe through a live cable, the post-mortem traced straight back to missing as-built records. Fiber optic as-built documentation is not glamorous. Nobody wins awards for good record-keeping. But after 15+ years of watching networks get built, re-spliced, expanded, and repaired, as-built quality is one of the two or three factors that most directly determines **long-term network operating cost** — right up there with cable quality and splice loss. > **BEAD requirement:** NTIA's BEAD program requires subgrantees to submit final network documentation as part of project closeout. That includes verified as-built records, GIS data, and photographic evidence of construction. Missing or incomplete as-builts can jeopardize final payment disbursements. --- ## What We Document - Cable routes (aerial and underground) - Splice enclosure locations and records - Pole attachment heights and hardware - Conduit system layout and depth - FDH and closure equipment placements - Fiber count and assignment records - Deviation notes from design drawings --- ## Complete As-Built Documentation Scope ### Cable Route Documentation GPS-verified centerline geometry for all aerial and underground cable segments, with measured offsets from property lines, road edges, and landmarks. If the bore went 14 feet off the planned alignment, we document the actual path — not the design path. ### Splice Records & Fiber Assignments Every closure is documented: location coordinates, closure type and model, fiber counts in and out, and splice assignments from the splice schedule. We reconcile against the design splice plan and flag any deviations. Fiber assignments that changed in the field get updated in the record set. ### Pole Attachment Records Actual attachment heights, hardware installed, mid-span measurements, and guy wire additions. For joint-use poles where the fiber went on after other attachments shifted, we record the final configuration — which is often different from what the make-ready design showed. ### Conduit System Documentation Conduit sizes, duct assignments, manhole and handhole locations with GPS coordinates, depth measurements at crossings, and sub-bore logs. We include vault and handhole access lid locations with GPS — something often missing from as-built packages but critical for first responders and maintenance crews. ### FDH & Equipment Placement Records For every FDH, FAT, closure, cabinet, and active equipment location: - GPS coordinate - Equipment type and model - Port assignments and splice records - Power source and circuit ID (for active equipment) - Access notes and lock information - Photo documentation (minimum 4 photos: exterior, interior, cable entrance, label plate) ### Deviation Documentation Every location where construction deviated from the design package gets a deviation note: what was designed, what was built, why it changed, and the engineer's verification that the deviation meets applicable standards. Deviations that affect optical loss, clearance, or structural loading get a brief technical sign-off. --- ## BEAD-Compliant As-Built Package For BEAD-funded deployments, our as-built documentation package is designed to satisfy NTIA closeout documentation requirements: 1. **Verified BSL count** — every Broadband Serviceable Location on the project confirmed as passed and serviceable, with GPS verification 2. **Network as-built GIS dataset** — in state broadband office required format (shapefile, geodatabase, or GeoJSON) 3. **Construction photo documentation** — geo-tagged construction photos demonstrating compliance with installation standards 4. **Splice and fiber records** — complete fiber plant documentation supporting network management 5. **Equipment inventory** — all active and passive equipment with location, model, and configuration records 6. **Deviation report** — documentation of any field changes from the IFC design package --- ## Deliverable Formats | Deliverable | Format | |------------|--------| | Route geometry | ESRI File Geodatabase, Shapefile, GeoJSON, KMZ | | Splice records | Excel workbook with linked location data | | Equipment inventory | Excel or GIS attribute table | | Construction photos | Geo-tagged JPEG with metadata | | Deviation report | PDF with coordinate references | | As-built plan sheets | AutoCAD DWG + PDF | | Full closeout package | ZIP archive with organized folder structure | --- ## Our As-Built Process ### Step 1 — Construction Monitoring (Optional) On projects where we have ongoing engagement, we monitor construction progress and capture as-built data incrementally — rather than doing a full re-survey at project end. This reduces closeout time and produces more accurate records. ### Step 2 — Field Verification Survey If construction is already complete, our field team conducts a verification survey: GPS-confirming cable routes, measuring attachment heights and splice locations, photographing completed installations, and documenting deviations. ### Step 3 — Data Reconciliation We reconcile field-verified data against the IFC design package, identify every deviation, and build the deviation log. Fiber assignment records are cross-checked against splice reports from the construction crew. ### Step 4 — GIS Database Build All verified data is loaded into the as-built GIS database with proper topology, attributes, and documentation links. We validate the database against the state broadband office's required schema for BEAD projects. ### Step 5 — Deliverable Package Assembly Complete closeout package assembled: route geometry, splice records, equipment inventory, photo documentation, deviation report, and as-built plan sheets. ### Step 6 — Client Review & Final Delivery Client reviews the package. We address any questions or gaps. Final delivery in all required formats. --- ## Who Needs As-Built Documentation Services - **BEAD subgrantees** — required for NTIA project closeout and final payment disbursement - **ISPs** needing accurate network records for maintenance, expansion, and sale due diligence - **Electric co-ops** building broadband networks that must integrate with existing utility plant records - **Any ISP** that has completed construction and is working from a contractor's field notes rather than a proper as-built record - **Network acquirers** performing due diligence on a fiber asset — an as-built package is part of any credible asset valuation --- ## FAQ — As-Built Documentation **Q: Why are as-built records important after construction is complete?** A: Three reasons. First, the network will need maintenance — and crews need to know where splice vaults are, what's in each conduit duct, and where deviations from the design occurred before they start digging. Second, the network will eventually be expanded or upgraded — and expansion design quality depends on accurate existing plant records. Third, BEAD and other federally-funded programs require as-built documentation as a condition of final payment. **Q: What's the difference between design drawings and as-built drawings?** A: Design drawings (IFC) show what was planned to be built. As-built drawings show what was actually built — accounting for field deviations, reroutes, depth changes, and construction sequence changes. On most projects, 15–30% of the route has some deviation from the design; those deviations need to be documented before they become maintenance surprises. **Q: Can you produce as-builts if construction was done by a third-party contractor?** A: Yes. We work from whatever documentation the contractor provided — field notes, GPS tracks, photo documentation, splice reports — and supplement with field verification survey where the records are incomplete. We've produced complete as-built packages from nothing more than contractor GPS tracks and a pile of photos. **Q: How long does as-built documentation take?** A: For a typical 20-50 mile aerial project, the field verification survey takes 2–4 weeks. Data processing and GIS database build takes another 2–3 weeks. Total package delivery is typically 5–8 weeks from survey mobilization for a standard project. **Q: What does BEAD require for as-built documentation?** A: NTIA requires verified network records demonstrating that every funded BSL (Broadband Serviceable Location) is passed and serviceable. Specific format requirements vary by state, but typically include GIS data, construction photos, equipment inventory, and splice records. Missing or inadequate as-builts can hold up final payment disbursements. **Q: Do you produce as-builts in IQGeo or GE Smallworld?** A: Yes. For clients running enterprise network inventory platforms, we deliver as-built data directly into their platform environment — not just as external files. We maintain expertise in IQGeo, GE Smallworld, and Aramis. --- ## Related Pages - [services/field-survey.md](field-survey.md) — Field data collection during construction - [services/cad-gis.md](cad-gis.md) — GIS-integrated documentation - [services/ftth-design.md](ftth-design.md) — Design documentation the as-builts close out - [blog/fiber-network-as-built-gis-documentation-standards.md](../blog/fiber-network-as-built-gis-documentation-standards.md) — GIS as-built standards guide - [blog/bead-subgrantee-engineering-compliance-checklist.md](../blog/bead-subgrantee-engineering-compliance-checklist.md) — BEAD closeout checklist --- ## Contact **Draftech International, LLC** 15280 NW 79th CT, Suite 102 Miami Lakes, FL 33016 - **Phone:** 305-306-7406 - **Email:** info@draftech.com - **Website:** https://draftech.com - **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/draftechint