Property & Construction

The Property & Construction (“P&C”) Section of the Office of General Counsel (“OGC”) of The Texas A&M University System (“A&M System”) provides centralized and comprehensive services in the areas of real estate, oil & gas, gifts/donations & bequests, and facilities planning and construction.

SYSTEM ENERGY RESOURCE OFFICE, a function of OGC
The System Energy Resource Office (“SERO”) provides oversight control of A&M System’s energy related real property assets, to include mineral holdings as well as related surface and subsurface easements and rights-of-way, and corresponding seismic and reservoir data, for the Board of Regents and the respective A&M System members in accordance with System Regulation 41.01.01. For more information and contact information for the SERO, please click here.

SYSTEM REAL ESTATE OFFICE, a function of Business Affairs
All activities involving the acquisition, disposition, and lease of real property and real property interests, with a few exceptions, are consolidated in the System Real Estate Office (“SREO”) and coordinated with the appropriate A&M System Member or Members in accordance with System Regulation 41.01.01.  As such, Members should initiate most real estate matters with a Real Estate Specialist in the SREO (with the exception of oil, gas, mineral, and easement matters which should be initiated with the Landman in the System Energy Resource Office). The SREO works closely with the attorneys in the P&C Section of the OGC to assist Members with their real estate issues. For more information and contact information for the SREO, please click here.

RATE AND FEE SCHEDULE
Under the direction of Business Affairs, SREO administers surface assets while under the direction of OGC P&C, SERO administers mineral assets and right-of-way improvements located on A&M System real property (the “Property”).

In furtherance of their mandate, SREO & SERO have published a Rate & Fee Schedule (the “Schedule”) to provide guidelines for the assessment of rates and fees associated with the use of the Property by a third-party entity (“Requestor”). The Schedule is intended to serve as an aid to Requestor that is considering engaging in operations of any kind (the “Operations”) on the Property.  The Schedule should assist Requestor in estimating Requestor’s minimum financial exposure to rates and fees associated with the Operations on the Property and to establish certain administrative guidelines which may govern the Operations.  Click here to access the Schedule.

DOCUMENT DRAFTING, REVIEW & APPROVAL PROCESS
The attorneys in the P&C Section are responsible for drafting, reviewing, and approving real estate documents as required by System Policy 41.01 and System Regulation 41.01.01.  After Members initiate a real estate matter with the Landman in SERO or the Real Estate Analyst in SREO, as applicable, the file is then assigned to an attorney in the P&C Section. Together SERO, SREO and the P&C Section work to address our Members’ real estate needs.

REAL ESTATE & OIL AND GAS
The P&C Section of OGC handles all real property acquisitions, sales, leases, licenses/permits, easements, mineral leases, and other real estate matters for the A&M System. The services include negotiation, preparation, and review of documents. The P&C Section assists SREO with processing required approvals of real estate transactions through A&M System officials and the Board of Regents, and with reporting to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board when necessary.

A&M System Members may click here to access Lease/License Information and Forms. 

GIFTS/DONATIONS & BEQUESTS
Attorneys in the P&C Section provide advice and represent the A&M System and A&M System Members in connection with contemplated and completed gifts/donations and bequests.

FACILITIES PLANNING & CONSTRUCTION
The P&C Section provides legal advice and counsel to the A&M System’s Facilities Planning and Construction office, including preparation and review of professional service contracts and construction contracts. The P&C Section also provides legal advice and counsel to A&M System Members for questions regarding Member-managed construction projects.