Category: US GSA

Source: United States General Services Administration

March 31, 2022

GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan speaks on a roundtable with building trades in St. Louis about bipartisan infrastructure investments.

GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan talks to apprentices at Plumbers and Pipefitters Local Union 562.

GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan receives a tour of training equipment at Plumbers and Pipefitters Local Union 562.

ST. LOUIS – U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Administrator Robin Carnahan today visited a worker training center in Earth City, Missouri. The Administrator discussed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and other Biden-Harris administration efforts to create good-paying union jobs by investing in federal facilities and infrastructure.

“These are once in a generation investments in America’s roads, bridges, rail, airports, ports and public transit as well as expanding access to safe drinking water and high speed internet and addressing the climate crisis,” said Administrator Carnahan. “And when we make these investments, we’re also committed to making sure we get the best value for taxpayer dollars. The President’s executive order calling for project labor agreements on major federal construction projects will help make sure these projects are completed on-time, on budget, and with workers getting the fair wages and benefits they deserve.”

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes the largest ever investments in broadband, rail and transit, clean energy, and water, and will bring billions of dollars to Missouri, while supporting fair wages and benefits. For Missouri, the law will mean an estimated $7 billion to upgrade Missouri highways and bridges; over $670 million for public transit; nearly $250 million for infrastructure development at airports, and almost $100 million more for electric vehicle charging stations. The law also will also bring a minimum of $100 million to Missouri to help improve broadband coverage, and $860 million for water infrastructure upgrades for schools and communities, including removing lead pipes. The law will also lower costs and strengthen supply chains. For example, GSA recently announced 26 major construction and modernization projects at land ports of entry, strengthening security and facilitating the flow of goods at America’s borders.

Administrator Carnahan also discussed the President’s fiscal year 2023 budget request, which includes funding to improve the safety and sustainability of federal buildings. The President’s Budget includes $10.9 billion in budget authority for the Federal Buildings Fund to reduce the growing backlog of critical repairs and renovations, enhance federal facilities’ climate posture and resiliency, and reduce long term costs. In addition to making long-overdue repairs, the Budget will allow GSA to continue reducing the federal government’s reliance on costly leased space.

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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 value and savings in real estate, acquisition, technology, and other mission-support 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

March 31, 2022

WASHINGTON — The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) released its five-year strategic plan, outlining the agency’s top priorities and key initiatives. 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.

GSA will focus on enhancing the delivery of its products and services by:

• Developing solutions with the end user in mind to make it easier and faster to work with GSA.
• Using technology and innovation in real estate and acquisition to transform the business of government.
• Offering equitable and sustainable solutions.
• Enabling the federal government to operate more efficiently and effectively, allowing agencies to focus on their mission.
• Serving as a champion for interagency collaboration, with a focus on continually growing and improving people, policies, and processes.

As GSA implements its strategic plan, the agency will pursue key initiatives that are thoughtful, bold, and sustainable, while fostering diversity and inclusion with customers, suppliers, and in support of the Biden-Harris Administration and the American people.

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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 $84 billion in annual contracts. 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, 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

March 30, 2022

Market insights from industry inform first standards for low-carbon concrete and environmentally preferable asphalt used at GSA job sites

WASHINGTON – With considerable marketplace feedback gathered from small businesses and other industry partners, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has issued new standards for the concrete and asphalt used in nationwide GSA construction, modernization, and paving projects. These standards are the first in the U.S. to apply beyond a local jurisdiction. They will help strengthen American leadership in clean manufacturing, catalyze clean energy innovation, and combat climate change.

“GSA is excited to deploy these groundbreaking standards as part of this administration’s all-hands-on-deck effort to catalyze clean energy innovation and strengthen American leadership on clean manufacturing,” said GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan. “The feedback we received from industry is proof positive that combating climate change is also an opportunity to boost American innovation. We were impressed by the industry’s overall ‘can-do’ response to our requests for information, and by the fact that over 44% of the manufacturers that responded were small businesses.”

Concrete is the most widely used building material, with over 500 million tons produced in the U.S. each year. And over 90% of U.S. paved roads are asphalt-surfaced, with about 420 million tons of asphalt produced in the U.S. each year. These widespread materials present an opportunity to lighten the environmental footprint of GSA’s building and paving projects, including upcoming improvements to land ports of entry along the northern and southern borders of the U.S.

“Prioritizing government procurement with lower carbon and cleaner construction materials means helping American manufacturers and workers make products that are more globally competitive – and better for the planet,” said Sonal Larsen, GSA’s Senior Advisor on Climate. “It makes sense to work strategically with our partners early on because the emissions from constructing a new building can contribute more to climate change than three decades of operating it.”

The new low embodied carbon concrete standard requires GSA project contractors to provide environmental product declarations (EPD), where available. An EPD is a standard, third-party-verified summary of the primary environmental impacts – including greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions – from a product’s extraction, transportation, and manufacturing. GSA also now asks its contractors to provide concrete that meets specific numeric limits for the amount of GHG emissions, or “embodied carbon,” associated with its production. GSA’s standard reflects a 20% reduction from national concrete GHG limits.

The new asphalt standard requires EPDs and at least two environmentally preferable techniques or practices to be used during the material’s manufacture or installation. Input directly from the asphalt industry helped shape a menu of widely-available practices to improve this material’s environmental footprint. These options include bio-based or alternative binders, recycled content, and reduced mix temperatures. Both standards will evolve as GSA and its partners build implementation experience.

GSA worked with key federal agencies and a wide variety of trade associations, nonprofits, and local government agencies to develop these new standards. Surveying the state of the market was essential. GSA posted two requests for information, one each for concrete and asphalt, on SAM.gov to gain marketplace insights. Over 130 industry respondents provided valuable input for consideration, including:

• Over 80% of the concrete manufacturers reported already producing or supplying low embodied carbon material, over 60% said they have developed a product-specific EPD, and over 55% said that their low embodied carbon concrete costs about the same as conventional equivalents.
• Over 80% of the asphalt manufacturers say they use recycled asphalt pavement in their products, over 60% use warm mix technology to reduce asphalt’s environmental impact, and over 50% said environmentally preferable asphalt costs about the same — or less — than conventional equivalents.

GSA will now include these requirements seeking more sustainable alternatives, where available, in solicitations for land ports of entry modernization and construction investments, and other building and paving projects across the country. These standards apply to all GSA design and construction contracts that involve at least 10 cubic yards of concrete or asphalt material, including the agency’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law projects. GSA is also implementing a whole building life cycle assessment approach for its construction and major modernization projects.

GSA appreciates the support of U.S. manufacturers and the sustainable design community as the agency seeks to promote “buy clean” actions across its real property portfolio and to help grow the market for more sustainable products and services, including from small businesses across the nation.

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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 $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

March 28, 2022

Oklahoma City – The Biden-Harris Administration today submitted to Congress the President’s Budget for fiscal year 2023, proposing historic investments to create good jobs, build on economic growth, and lower prices for the American people. The proposed $2.6 billion budget for the U.S. General Services Administration makes strategic investments in technology, cybersecurity, electric vehicles and federal buildings, including the William J. Holloway Jr. U.S. Courthouse and U.S. Post Office in Oklahoma City, OK.

“These are common-sense investments in our nation’s physical and digital infrastructure that will improve governmentwide digital services and cyber defenses; strengthen American leadership on clean energy; and make critical upgrades to our public buildings,” said Administrator Robin Carnahan. “The President’s budget reaffirms the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to providing outstanding service to the public by improving how government delivers digital services and ensuring a sustainable and cost-effective federal real estate footprint for our federal customers.”

“The General Services Administration delivers value and savings in real estate, acquisition, technology, and other mission support services across Government,” said Acting Regional Administrator Giancarlo Brizzi. “Investing in our federal assets allows us to deliver 21st century space to our customer agencies so they may continue performing their missions safely and effectively.”

The FY23 budget request includes $55,199,000 for the final phase of a two-phase repair and alteration project at the William J. Holloway Jr. U.S. Courthouse and U.S. Post Office. Alterations include interior alterations; exterior improvements, such as stone repair and roof and window system replacements; modernization of outdated mechanical, electrical, fire alarm, and plumbing systems; and sitework. The project will strengthen public infrastructure, create good jobs and improve sustainability.

For more information on GSA’s Budget request, visit www.gsa.gov/cj.

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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 value and savings in real estate, acquisition, technology, and other mission-support 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

March 28, 2022

Repair and alteration project relocates HUD from leased offices to federal space

SAN FRANCISCO – The Biden-Harris Administration today submitted to Congress the President’s Budget for fiscal year 2023, detailing his vision to build a better America, reduce the deficit, reduce costs for families, and grow the economy from the bottom up and middle out.

The Budget makes critical investments in the American people that will help lay a stronger foundation for shared growth and prosperity for generations to come.

“These are common-sense investments in our nation’s physical and digital infrastructure that will improve governmentwide digital services and cyber defenses; strengthen American leadership on clean energy; and make critical upgrades to our public buildings,” said Administrator Robin Carnahan. “The President’s budget reaffirms the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to improving digital service delivery and ensuring a sustainable and cost-effective federal real estate footprint for our federal customers.”

In California, the President’s FY 2023 budget request for GSA includes funding for a:

• $15.6 million repair and alteration project for Housing and Urban Development (HUD) at the San Francisco Federal Building (SFFB). Pending funding, the project will relocate HUD’s regional office, currently housed in leased space, to the SFFB located at 90 7th Street.

“This proposed project supports HUD’s long-term mission requirements by significantly reducing annual leasing costs,” said GSA Acting Regional Administrator Dan Brown. “By moving HUD’s regional offices to federally owned space, taxpayer dollars are saved by providing more efficient space and reinvesting in the federal government’s owned real estate instead of external rent. The project also is a climate-sensitive investment in this Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum federal building.”

For more information on the President’s FY 2023 Budget, please visit: https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/ and for the GSA Budget request, please visit: www.gsa.gov/cj.

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 value and savings in real estate, acquisition, technology, and other mission-support services across government, in support of the Biden-Harris Administration’s priorities. For more information, visit GSA.gov and follow us at @USGSA.