A/RES/72/262 Special subjects relating to the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2018–2019 1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General; 32 2. Endorses the conclusions and recommendations contained in the report of the Advisory Committee, 33 subject to the provisions of the present resolution; 3. Welcomes the continued support of the Government of Switzerland for the construction project in Geneva; 4. Reaffirms the proposed project scope, schedule and estimated cost of the strategic heritage plan in the maximum amount of 836,500,000 Swiss francs for the period from 2014 to 2023; 5. Stresses the importance of effective governance, oversight, transparency and accountability in the management of the project to ensure that the project objectives are achieved on time and within budget; 6. Recalls paragraph 11 of the report of the Advisory Committee, notes with concern the potential adverse impact of slippages on the project, and requests the Secretary-General to ensure that the strategic heritage plan is fully completed within the project scope, schedule and overall cost approved in its resolution 70/248 A; 7. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to ensure that the procurement of goods and services for the construction project is carried out in strict compliance with the existing regulations, rules and relevant provisions of General Assembly resolutions governing procurement in the United Nations; 8. Recalls paragraph 16 of its resolution 69/273 of 2 April 2015, reaffirms the importance of transparency in the procurement process, and requests the Secretary-General to ensure that the project team takes vendors from develop ing countries and countries with economies in transition fully into account when contracting and subcontracting and to report on the specific steps taken and progress achieved in the context of increasing procurement opportunities for vendors from developing countries and countries with economies in transition in the implementation of the strategic heritage plan; 9. Requests the Secretary-General to ensure that the application of flexible workplace strategies at the Palais des Nations takes into account staff welfare and productivity, the physical characteristics and the specific heritage preservation needs, as well as ongoing business transformation initiatives, in a cost -effective manner; 10. Also requests the Secretary-General to continue to ensure that the implementation of the strategic heritage plan takes into account measures to eliminate physical, communications and technical barriers to persons with disabilities, taking into account relevant resolutions adopted by the General Assembly, while ensu ring compliance with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 34 and to report on this subject in future annual progress reports; 11. Further requests the Secretary-General to make every effort to avoid budget increases through sound project management practices and to ensure that the strategic heritage plan is completed within the approved budget and the envisaged schedule; 12. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to take appropriate measures to mitigate risks, including those associated with currency exchange rates, and to include relevant information in this regard in the context of future progress reports; 13. Recalls paragraph 23, of section XVIII of its resolution 71/272 A, and reiterates that the valorization of real estate owned by the Organization in Geneva __________________ 34 16/27 United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 2515, No. 44910. 17-23363