Category: US GSA

Source: United States General Services Administration

August 17, 2022

WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) released the fiscal year 2023 continental United States (CONUS) per diem reimbursement rates, effective October 1, 2022, through September 30, 2023. For FY 2023, the maximum lodging allowance rates in some existing per diem localities will increase and the standard CONUS lodging rate will increase from $96 to $98, resulting in 316 locations receiving a maximum lodging allowance higher than the standard rate. The M&IE per diem tiers for FY 2023 are unchanged at $59-$79, with the standard M&IE rate unchanged at $59.

GSA bases the maximum lodging allowances on historical average daily rate (ADR) data, less five percent. However, the COVID-19 pandemic led to unprecedented declines in ADR, followed by a volatile hotel industry recovery. In light of these conditions, GSA made upward adjustments based on recent ADR data. FY 2022 rates, which were based on pre-pandemic data, served as a floor to ensure that maximum lodging allowances for federal travelers are sufficient in FY 2023 as the hotel industry recovery continues.

For more information on FY 2023 per diem reimbursement rates, visit: gsa.gov/perdiem.

###

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

August 17, 2022

$25 billion contract ceiling increase extends opportunities for federal agencies to access information technology solutions

WASHINGTON – The U.S. General Services Administration is increasing the ceiling of its Alliant 2 contract by $25 billion, bringing the ceiling to $75 billion.

Alliant 2 is GSA’s premier enterprise Governmentwide Acquisition Contract (GWAC) which provides customized information technology (IT) services and IT services-based solutions to the federal government. As a best-in-class contract, Alliant 2 provides agencies with access to more than 40 companies offering integrated IT solutions for evolving needs worldwide. Alliant 2 allows for the application of technology to meet business needs, including the ability to stay on the forefront of emerging IT services. More than 100 federal agencies have used Alliant 2.

“Alliant 2 has surpassed our expectations at every turn. With more than 465 task order awards exceeding $36 billion in estimated value already, it’s clear that this ceiling increase is critical to ensure consistent mission delivery for our customer agencies,” said GSA Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) Commissioner Sonny Hashmi. “The Alliant GWAC has again proven itself to be a go-to IT service contract to meet the complex IT modernization and mission needs of the government.”

“This increase, combined with the team’s efforts on Alliant 3, should signal loud and clear to our customers and industry partners that we are committed to ensuring the Alliant program remains the contract of choice for federal IT well into the future.” said Laura Stanton, Assistant Commissioner for the Office of Information Technology Category. “Further, this also benefits small businesses through additional subcontracting opportunities. Small businesses have already won more than $1.3B on Alliant 2, substantially surpassing small business subcontracting dollars won on the original Alliant contract at this same point in the contract’s life.”

In addition to increasing the ceiling on Alliant 2, GSA is hard at work on Alliant 3. Market research is well underway, Alliant 3 has been approved, and the release of the draft Request for Proposals is slated for Q1, FY23.

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

August 16, 2022

WASHINGTON — Administrator Robin Carnahan of the U.S. General Services Administration issued a statement following President Joe Biden signing the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) into law:

“The Inflation Reduction Act will lower costs, create good-paying American jobs, and invest in sustainable technologies,” said GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan. “GSA looks forward to working with our partners in government and industry to seize this once-in-a-generation opportunity to move the federal government forward to a cleaner, greener future that will provide better value for taxpayers and a healthier planet for the next generation.”

The law provides $3.375 billion that will allow GSA to:

• Invest in federal buildings with low-carbon materials and sustainable technologies, making them more efficient, saving taxpayer dollars and creating opportunities for small businesses;
• Leverage emerging clean technologies to achieve greater carbon reductions and catalyze American innovation;
• Help boost the competitiveness of American manufacturers developing sustainable materials.

This includes $2.15 billion for low-embodied carbon materials in construction projects; $975 million to support emerging and sustainable technologies, and $250 million for measures to convert more buildings into High Performance Green Buildings.

###

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

August 12, 2022

Brownsville, Texas – The General Services Administration (GSA), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Cameron County and the Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority (CCRMA) recently formalized a public-private partnership to provide improvements to the Los Tomates Land Port of Entry (LPOE), also known as the Veterans International Bridge (VIB). Through the partnership, the improvements will be donated to the federal government to speed the flow of non-commercial traffic and help alleviate wait times at this busy border crossing. Construction is scheduled to begin in August 2022 and it will take approximately 12 months to complete.

“When we engage in public private partnerships, the value of the services GSA provides to our customer agencies like CBP increases exponentially,” said Christopher Anzaldua, GSA’s Donations Program Manager in the Greater Southwest Region. “Basically, it’s a win-win scenario that improves operations and timeliness for CBP and provides a path to economic recovery for the local business economy.”

“This Donation Acceptance Agreement is another great example of CBP and its federal and local partners working together to enhance America’s economic competitiveness,” said Pete Flores, Executive Assistant Commissioner of the CBP Office of Field Operations. “The addition of four personally owned vehicle lanes, eight additional secondary inspection bays, and other infrastructure improvements at Veterans International Bridge will benefit the economy of the local communities by enhancing the flow of legitimate trade and travel into the United States.”

“In 2016 this multi-jurisdictional proposal of border trade connectivity and infrastructure enhancement was submitted and we are now pleased to announce the large-scale improvements at the Veterans International Bridge, also known as Los Tomates Bridge or the Puente Internacional Ignacio Zaragoza, which unites one of the largest metropolitan areas, the Brownsville and Matamoros US-Mexico border region/area. Thanks to the tremendous collaboration from GSA, CBP, and our CCRMA, vehicle commute time and border trade and crossings will be facilitated through our border thus boosting our local economy,” stated Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño, Jr.

Through the Donations Acceptance Program, Cameron County and the CCRMA will donate the following improvements:

• Four additional Personally Owned Vehicle (POV) primary lanes with necessary infrastructure and technology
• Eight additional secondary inspection bay spaces with necessary infrastructure and technology
• Relocation of existing secondary inspection areas for buses for safer movement and faster traffic flow in the area
• Construction of a new head house structure

On an average day in fiscal year 2021, CBP personnel at Veterans International Bridge processed an average of 3,035 vehicles per day, including 655 trucks. The donation project will reduce wait times while increasing throughput providing consumers with faster access to business and retail establishments on both sides of the Texas – Mexico border. This project will economically benefit Brownsville and its surrounding communities, as well as the U.S. economy as a whole.

###

About GSA: GSA provides centralized procurement for the federal government, managing a nationwide real estate portfolio of more than 370 million rentable square feet and overseeing approximately $68 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: www.gsa.gov and follow us at @USGSA.

Source: United States General Services Administration

August 11, 2022

Busy Pacific Highway Land Port of Entry to receive funding to add lanes and make other upgrades to strengthen supply chains, create jobs, and enhance national security and trade

BLAINE, Wash. — Today, Administrator Robin Carnahan of the U.S. General Services Administration visited the Pacific Highway (PacHwy) Land Port of Entry (LPOE) in Blaine, Washington, which will be modernized by the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). With lane expansion from six to 10 lanes and other upgrades, this improved LPOE will help strengthen supply chains, create jobs, and enhance security and trade throughout the region.

“With billions of dollars in goods and services crossing our borders each day, America’s busy land ports are critical to our economy, to supply chains, and to creating good jobs,” said GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan. “We’re making dozens of investments on our borders at places like Blaine, Lynden, and Sumas to make our land ports more efficient, effective, sustainable, and secure.”

The BIL included a total of $3.4 billion for GSA to undertake 26 major construction and modernization projects at LPOEs. The investments are estimated to support, on average, nearly 6,000 annual jobs over the next eight years; add $3.23 billion in total labor income across the United States; contribute an additional $4.5 billion to the National Gross Domestic Product; and generate hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue for state, local, and federal governments.

PacHwy is a full-service, continuously operating land port that processes inbound and outbound privately owned vehicles, commercial truck traffic, buses, and pedestrians. It is the busiest LPOE on the Canadian border in the Western U.S. The project will greatly expand the port by adding four additional vehicle entry lanes, for a total of 10 primary inspection lanes. A new canopy and expanded bays will provide enhanced secondary inspection capabilities. A project agreement was signed with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in April, and GSA will begin soliciting bids for construction management of the project in September, with completion estimated for late 2025.

Expanding the port will help reduce wait times for both commercial and non-commercial traffic. Faster screening times reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions due to decreased vehicle idling time. The project will also be required to meet GSA’s new standards for low-carbon concrete and environmentally preferable asphalt, implemented earlier this year.

In addition to the PacHwy upgrade, the BIL includes funding to replace two other land ports of entry in Washington. The Kenneth Ward LPOE in Lynden will add two POV primary inspection lanes and three commercial inspection lanes. The LPOE in Sumas will add one POV and two commercial inspection lanes.

Overall, the legislation will invest approximately $300 million* in LPOE projects in Washington. Beyond making these border crossings more functional, sustainable, and secure, these investments will also foster economic growth and job creation in surrounding communities.

These projects also provide opportunities to incorporate sustainability features which will sharply reduce greenhouse gas emissions, mitigate the impact of buildings on the environment, and simultaneously increase the mission readiness of the federal government by increasing resilience to climate change. The historic Inflation Reduction Act, which passed the United States Senate over the weekend, will build on this progress by making the single largest climate investment in U.S. history.

For more information on how GSA is modernizing land ports of entry, please go here.

*Note: Estimated project costs are planning estimates and subject to change due to time and market conditions.

###

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.