Category: US GSA

Source: United States General Services Administration

January 9, 2023

BOSTON – The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), as part of a Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Land Port of Entry (LPOE) program, has awarded a contract to provide National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) services for four LPOE projects in the state of Maine.

The $505,435 contract was awarded to Johnson, Mirmiran, and Thompson (JMT). Using the NEPA process, JMT will evaluate the environmental and related social and economic impacts of each individual LPOE project on its surrounding community.

NEPA compliance will be part of a larger project at each LPOE funded under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to design and construct facilities that incorporate sustainability features that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, mitigate environmental impact, and simultaneously increase the mission readiness of the federal government by increasing resilience to climate change.

GSA’s goal is to provide sustainable, climate resilient, superior facilities with low maintenance and operating costs; and which are functional, technologically efficient, and provide a welcoming gateway into the United States.

The projects covered by this contract are located in Calais Ferry Point, Coburn Gore, Fort Fairfield, and Limestone. Overall, this legislation allows GSA to invest more than $195 million in these four Maine land ports of entry.

The projects will improve public and officer safety, as well as expedite crossing times for the traveling public and businesses that rely on binational commerce. Beyond creating state of the art facilities that support the mission of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, these investments will also foster local economic growth and job creation.

“The ports of entry along the Maine border are more than just a secure, welcoming gateway to our country,” Region 1 Public Buildings Service Commissioner and Acting Regional Administrator Glenn C. Rotondo said. “They are intrinsic to the fabric of life and community along the New England border with Canada. We are excited for the opportunity to begin the process to improve these facilities, and the economic prospects this project will bring to the region. Our NEPA efforts will be an integral part of our community engagement efforts for these projects.”

The NEPA process allows the public to provide input and comments through public information meetings and public hearings. It provides steps and procedures to evaluate the potential social, economic and environmental impacts of project alternatives while providing an opportunity for local, state, tribal and federal agencies to provide input.

About GSA:
GSA provides centralized procurement for the federal government, managing a nationwide real estate portfolio of nearly 370 million rentable square feet and overseeing approximately $75 billion in annual contracts. GSA’s mission is to deliver the best value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services across government, in support of the Biden-Harris administration’s priorities. For more information, visit GSA.gov and follow us at @USGSA.

Source: United States General Services Administration

January 4, 2023

ATLANTA, Georgia — The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) today announced the sites that are under consideration as the potential location for a new federal courthouse in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Earlier this year, GSA received Congressional authorization in the amount of $218,381,000 for the site acquisition, design and construction of a new 186,000-gross square-foot Chattanooga Federal courthouse.

After issuing a Request for Expressions of Interest seeking potential sites and conducting initial due diligence including site visits, GSA has identified three sites for further analysis. Ordered from north to south, the sites are:

• A portion of (specific size and location to be determined) 201, 203, 205, and 301 Power Alley.
• The property bounded by Lindsay St on the west, E. 8th St on the north, Houston St on the east, and extending south to (and including) 814 Lindsay St.
• A portion of (specific size and location to be determined) the property bounded by W. 11th St on the north, Market St on the east, W. 12th St on the south, and Chestnut St on the west.

“As GSA moves forward with the project, we will continue our partnership with the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, and the City of Chattanooga,” said Region 4 Public Buildings Service Commissioner and Acting Regional Administrator Kevin Kerns. “We look forward to delivering a successful project for the Court, the American people and the City of Chattanooga.”

GSA will further analyze these sites and seek public comment as part of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) assessment. GSA anticipates the NEPA process starting by the end of the first quarter of the calendar year 2023. For more information and updates, please visit: gsa.gov/chattanoogacourthouse.

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About GSA: GSA provides centralized procurement for the federal government, managing a nationwide real estate portfolio of nearly 370 million rentable square feet and overseeing approximately $75 billion in annual contracts. GSA’s mission is to deliver the best value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services across government, in support of the Biden-Harris administration’s priorities.

For more information, visit gsa.gov or join the conversation on social media @US_GSAR4 and other platforms.

Source: United States General Services Administration

December 21, 2022

WASHINGTON – U.S. General Services Administrator Robin Carnahan issued this statement in support of the Biden-Harris Administration announcement yesterday to electrify the U.S. Postal Service mail delivery fleet:

“We are thrilled to voice support and partnership for this major effort to electrify the fleet of the U.S. Postal Service. This will help us drive toward the President’s goal of 100% acquisition of zero-emission light-duty vehicles by 2027 and medium- and heavy-duty vehicles by 2035. As the buying source for 423,000 federal fleet vehicles, GSA has been helping all federal agencies transition to zero-emission vehicles, including offering 65 zero-emission models to federal agencies in FY22 (up from 34 in FY21) and achieving a fivefold increase in ZEV acquisitions from FY2021 to FY2022.

We look forward to working alongside USPS to continue to strengthen the federal government’s relationships with automakers, utilities, government agencies at all levels, and others to accelerate electrification of fleets and speed the market’s transition to cleaner vehicles.

Announcements like the Administration made today are a triple-win. We’re creating good jobs, we’re reducing energy costs, and we’re helping ensure a healthier planet for future generations.”

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About GSA: GSA provides centralized procurement and shared services for the federal government, managing a nationwide real estate portfolio of nearly 370 million rentable square feet, overseeing approximately $75 billion in annual contracts, and delivering technology services that serve millions of people across dozens of federal agencies. GSA’s mission is to deliver the best customer experience and value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services to the government and the American people. For more information, visit GSA.gov and follow us at @USGSA.

Source: United States General Services Administration

December 19, 2022

The project will allow three statistics-related federal agencies to co-locate, saving taxpayer dollars and gaining efficiencies

WASHINGTON – The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has awarded a contract for the renovation of the 4600 Silver Hill Road Building in Suitland, Maryland. This project will enable the collocation of three statistical government agencies — U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), and U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), to maximize the use of federally owned space, reduce government spending, save taxpayer dollars, and provide a modern and updated headquarters for the agencies to support the future of their work.

The $173 million contract was awarded to Whiting-Turner General Contracting Company. The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company provides construction management, general contracting, Design Build and integrated project delivery services throughout the United States for a diverse group of customers including GSA.

The 4600 Silver Hill Road Building is a federal building on the 226-acre Suitland Federal Center Campus in Suitland, Maryland, consisting of two towers commonly referred to as the North and South Buildings. The buildings are currently occupied by the U.S. Census Bureau and BEA. The BLS Charting Forward and the Census Reimagined project will take the existing space and reconfigure it to allow for the collocation of BLS.

“This project is a win-win for the federal government and the local community,” said Melanie Gilbert, GSA’s Commissioner for the Public Building Service in the National Capital Region. “It embodies GSA’s ongoing commitment to invest back into our federal portfolio and within our local communities by creating an array of economic development opportunities and savings for the taxpayers while also demonstrating our ability to respond to our clients’ ever changing needs. ”

The redesign of the space can support an additional 1,800 employees. The collocation of these employees will create opportunities for collaborative workplaces as well as benefits for the local community. It will also help the government avoid annual lease costs of approximately $16 million that would be needed to otherwise house BLS.

“The BLS Charting Forward Project provides U.S. Department of Labor BLS staff with a state-of-the-art facility that supports the future of work and the production of gold-standard data and analyses. BLS looks forward to continued innovation with the U.S. Census Bureau and Bureau of Economic Analysis in our shared mission of producing statistical data vital to our nation,” said William Wiatrowski, BLS Deputy Commissioner.

As a part of the project, the buildings will undergo fire and life safety upgrades, building automation systems enhancements, and interior renovations. These upgrades will create a higher density, open office environment that will maximize space utilization rates for the three federal organizations.

The U.S. Census Bureau, BLS and BEA are government agencies responsible for collecting and analyzing critical data about the economy, the labor market and the people of the United States. Having three statistical agencies in the same space can create more opportunities for partnership and cooperation as they work to achieve their missions.

“The Census Bureau Reimagined Project modernizes our facilities with new technology and flexibility to help our staff do their jobs,” says Ron Jarmin, Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer, U.S. Census Bureau. “We look forward to continued collaboration with our counterparts at BEA and BLS, who will be sharing the facility, as we work together to provide critical data for the nation.”

“The Census Reimagined and BLS Charting Forward project, not only presents an opportunity to bring federal employees into a renovated and high quality workspace that is cost effective, it also meets GSA’s goal to continue modernizing and optimizing its real estate footprint,” said Gilbert.
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Contact: Stephanie Ramirez
stephanie.ramirez@gsa.gov
202-834-9673

About GSA

GSA provides centralized procurement for the federal government, managing a nationwide real estate portfolio of nearly 370 million rentable square feet and overseeing approximately $75 billion in annual contracts. GSA’s mission is to deliver the best value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services across government, in support of the Biden-Harris administration’s priorities. For more information, visit GSA.gov and follow us at @USGSA.

Source: United States General Services Administration

December 19, 2022

WASHINGTON – One year after President Biden’s executive order to transform the way the federal government serves the American public, the Technology Modernization Fund is making its first project investments from the $100 million customer experience allocation the Office of Management and Budget and the General Services Administration announced earlier this year. The new investments will build and improve digital services at the U.S. Agency for International Development, designated one of the nation’s 35 High Impact Service Providers due to the scale and impact of its public-facing services, and the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board. With these investments, USAID will accelerate the creation of an enterprise-wide customer relationship management system, and the RRB will implement new online self-services for railroad retirees so they can get answers faster in accessing the benefits and services they’ve earned.

“Every day, the public experiences well-designed interactions when using consumer products and services, and they want the same when they interact with our Government,” said TMF Board Chair and Federal CIO Clare Martorana. “With our investments in USAID and RRB, the Federal Government is signaling a shift to a product mindset, one where we put our customers at the center of everything we do and use technology and design to deliver a better customer experience. By ensuring technologists are partnering with agency subject matter experts and leadership teams from the beginning, the Federal Government can deliver experiences on par with our country’s most recognizable consumer brands.”

“The American public deserves to have a simple, seamless, and secure experience when they interact with their government,” said TMF Executive Director Raylene Yung. “These investments represent the TMF’s commitment to helping agencies improve the ways they interact with the American public and better deliver the services identified in the President’s Executive Order. USAID and the RRB’s projects will streamline information sharing and reduce the burden on both agencies and the taxpayer by eliminating outdated and costly systems.”

USAID Enterprise Customer Relationship Management Campfire
A $5.9 million TMF investment will provide the startup capital necessary to develop and launch a new IT platform to coordinate USAID’s work with businesses, foundations and philanthropic organizations, academic and research institutions, public interest organizations, and more. TMF support will accelerate an enterprise-wide CRM system implementation and bolster USAID’s financial commitment to the project, enabling them to deliver a more functionally mature product faster.

“USAID’s first enterprise-wide customer relationship management platform will streamline and systematize how we manage our relationships with critical external partners, not just here in Washington, but across the Agency’s 90 posts and missions worldwide,” said Deputy Administrator Paloma Adams-Allen. “This will enable us to collaborate more effectively and readily innovate with our partners as we tackle climate change, bolster the global food security system, support burgeoning democracies, and respond to disasters and humanitarian emergencies. TMF’s support for this project will expedite USAID’s evolution into a more modern and effective partnership organization, and allow us to tap into new ideas and sources of investment to advance U.S. development and humanitarian objectives around the world.”

USAID presently relies on a patchwork of disconnected systems, standards, and business processes across different initiatives and offices worldwide. The current approach burdens both USAID staff and partners with information silos, duplicative work, and inefficiencies.

RRB Citizen-Centric Online Self-Services
An $8.7 million TMF investment will move major services for railroad retirees from phone and paper to new online systems. This project will allow the agency to address critical customer experience challenges by redirecting frontline customer representatives’ efforts toward handling more complex beneficiary requests and allowing customers to update their own personal information through new online self-services.

“This investment will vastly improve the annuitant, beneficiary, and active railroad employee experience with the RRB, while saving time and reducing costs for the agency,” said Terryne Murphy, Chief Information Officer for the RRB. “It will save time for our customers and eliminate the uncertainty of application statuses, reduce call wait times, and avail more RRB staff hours to address complex beneficiary requests.”

“The Technology Modernization Fund is looking to invest in even more proposals from agencies that articulate end-user impact, and can yield measurable progress in the shorter term, as well as over the life of the project,” said Yung.

GSA encourages federal agencies to contact the TMF Program Management Office at tmf@gsa.gov if the vision, mission, and use of TMF makes sense in their agency IT modernization efforts. Agencies can follow these guidelines for submitting a proposal.

These are not the first investments the TMF has made in improving the public’s experience with government. Some other examples include AmeriCorps’ Grants Modernization efforts, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmers.gov Customer Experience Portal, and the National Archive and Records Administration’s High Value Asset Mission Essential Systems project. Anyone can find more information about these and all the TMF project investments to date at tmf.cio.gov.

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About the TMF: The Technology Modernization Fund is working to transform the way the government uses technology to deliver for the American public in an equitable, secure, and user-centric way. The TMF invests in technology projects across government, providing incremental funding, technical assistance, and oversight throughout execution to ensure the success of its investments.

The TMF is overseen by the Technology Modernization Board, which is composed of government IT leaders representing proven expertise in technology, transformation, and operations. To date, the TMF has announced investments totaling over $600 million. These investments have supported projects ranging from providing a single secure login experience for government websites to digitizing temporary worker visa programs and modernizing systems that support crop inspection and certification. The TMF has received $175 million through the annual budget process and $1 billion through the American Rescue Plan to fund modernization projects to date. For more information, visit tmf.cio.gov and follow us at @TMF_gsa.

About GSA: GSA provides centralized procurement and shared services for the federal government, managing a nationwide real estate portfolio of nearly 370 million rentable square feet, overseeing approximately $75 billion in annual contracts, and delivering technology services that serve millions of people across dozens of federal agencies. GSA’s mission is to deliver the best customer experience and value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services to the government and the American people. For more information, visit GSA.gov and follow us at @USGSA.