Category: US GSA

Source: United States General Services Administration

May 15, 2023

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina — A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for 4 p.m. May 19 to mark the opening of the new federal courthouse in Charlotte. The event, which will be held on the front steps of the new facility, is open to the public.

“It will be my honor to preside at the upcoming ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the completion of the new Jonas Federal Building and Courthouse in Charlotte,” said Chief Judge Martin Reidinger. “This day has been decades in the making, and all of us in the Court family are grateful to all who had a hand in this remarkable achievement. This inspiring facility – a combination of a lovingly renovated historic Jonas Building and a beautiful and functional New Wing – will provide those who work so diligently here, and the citizens of the Western District we serve, a Court home for many decades to come. We could not be more pleased.”

The ceremony will feature the Charlotte Youth Choir, the firing of ceremonial muskets, and remarks by U.S. Senator Thom Tillis, U.S. Representative Alma Adams, Chief Judge Roger Gregory, Chief Judge Martin Reidinger, Judge Frank Whitney, and Judge Robert Conrad.

“It has been a privilege for our office to lead the design of this important civic project in Charlotte,” said Grant Marani, an architect and partner at Robert A. M. Stern Architects, LLP. “The original building’s high-quality design and craftsmanship, preserved for over a century by a stalwart and enlightened stewardship, is now being rejuvenated with deserved care, including the refurbishment of the much beloved Potter courtroom. We trust the citizens of Charlotte will be proud of this elegant addition to the city’s growing skyline.”

Following the event, the public is invited to tour the new facility. The building is located at 401 W. Trade Street. Due to limited parking, guests are encouraged to use the Charlotte Trolley and exit at Mint St.

The Charlotte Courthouse project consists of a new 198,000 square-foot wing and the renovation of the existing 134,000 square-foot historic Jonas Courthouse. The facility will serve as home to the U.S. District Court, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, the office of the Bankruptcy Administrator, and the U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services office, for the Western District of North Carolina.

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About Federal Courts: The U.S. Courts were created under Article III of the Constitution to administer justice fairly and impartially, within the jurisdiction established by the Constitution and Congress.

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

May 12, 2023

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), in consultation with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), announced the inaugural membership of the Federal Secure Cloud Advisory Committee (FSCAC).

The FSCAC will advise and provide recommendations to the GSA Administrator, the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) Board, and federal agencies on technical, financial, programmatic, and operational matters regarding securely adopting cloud computing products and services.

The FSCAC is designed to ensure effective and ongoing coordination of federal agency adoption, use, authorization, monitoring, acquisition, and security of cloud computing products and services to help agencies to meet their mission and administrative priorities. The work of the FSCAC will serve to help build and sustain FedRAMP’s operational successes.

“Technology changes fast, so ensuring the federal government, and especially FedRAMP, can quickly respond to that constantly evolving product and threat landscape is critical,” said GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan. “We’re eager to get feedback from both industry and agency partners about how we can improve the experience of using FedRAMP by streamlining the process and enhancing security. Establishing this new Federal Secure Cloud Advisory Committee is an important first step.”

The Committee is comprised of 15 members who are qualified representatives from the public and private sectors, appointed by the GSA Administrator, in consultation with the OMB Director, as follows:

• Committee Chair: The GSA Administrator or designee.
  • Ann Lewis, GSA (Regular Government Employee)
• At least 1 representative each from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST):
  • Branko Bokan, CISA (Regular Government Employee)
  • Matt Scholl, NIST (Regular Government Employee)
• At least two officials who serve as the Chief Information Security Officer within an agency:
  • Bo Berlas, GSA (Regular Government Employee)
  • LaMonte Yarborough, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Regular Government Employee)
• At least one official serving as Chief Procurement Officer (or equivalent) in an agency:
  • Nauman Ansari, U.S. Small Business Administration (Regular Government Employee)
• At least one individual representing an independent assessment organization:
  • Marci Womack, Schellman (Representative)
• At least five representatives from unique businesses that primarily provide cloud computing services or products, including at least two representatives from a small business:
  • Victor Brown, IBM (Representative)
  • Michael Vacirca, Google (Representative)
  • Ravi Jagannathan, Palo Alto Networks (Representative)
  • John Greenstein, Bluescape, (Representative, Small Business)
  • TBD, (Representative, Small Business)
• At least two other representatives from the federal government as the Administrator determines necessary to provide sufficient balance, insights, or expertise to the committee:
  • Jackie Snouffer, Defense Information Systems Agency (Regular Government Employee)
  • Bill Hunt, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (Regular Government Employee)
• Fifteenth Member (no category):
  • Joshua Cohen, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (Regular Government Employee)

Meeting information will be made available on the Federal Registry and the FSCAC website.

Background

GSA, in compliance with the FedRAMP Authorization Act of 2022, part of the FY23 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), is required to establish the FSCAC, a statutory advisory committee to accord with the provisions of FACA (5 U.S.C. § 10). The purposes of the FSCAC are to:

• Examine the operations of FedRAMP and determine ways that authorization processes can continuously be improved.
• Collect information and feedback on agency compliance with and implementation of FedRAMP requirements.
• Serve as a forum that facilitates communication and collaboration among the FedRAMP stakeholder community.

For more background on this announcement, see the initial call to establish this committee.

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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 @USGSA.

Source: United States General Services Administration

May 11, 2023

Completed Multi-Year Project will Reduce Energy Use by 41%, Save Taxpayers Millions

OKLAHOMA CITY – Today, U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Administrator Robin Carnahan visited Oklahoma City for a ribbon cutting event to announce the completed installation of new grid-interactive and smart building technologies that make the Oklahoma City Federal Building a national model for clean energy innovation and efficiency.

The “deep energy retrofit” project was made possible through a Utility Energy Service Contract with Oklahoma Gas and Electric (OG&E) and their selected energy service company (ESCO) Ameresco, encompassing the Oklahoma City Federal Building and four other Oklahoma federal buildings. It will result in energy cost savings achieved through new grid-interactive efficient building (GEB) technologies, a solar photovoltaic (PV) system, lighting controls, a battery energy storage system (BESS), and new heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) controls. The funding was supported through a grant from the Department of Energy and GSA appropriations totaling around $11 million.

GEB technologies connect the federal building with the power grid in a new way that dynamically adjusts with the needs of the grid to coordinate energy loads, manage energy demands, and optimize energy use. The project is expected to reduce energy use by 41%, cut 3,100 metric tons of carbon emissions, and save about $400,000 annually in energy and water costs at today’s prices.

“We are proud to deliver on GSA’s first project that demonstrates how we can transform federal buildings into high-tech clean energy hubs that dynamically interact with the grid, generate their own energy, and make the grid stronger and more resilient for the surrounding community,” said GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan. “Right here in Oklahoma City, this project is a groundbreaking model for the kind of innovation that we hope to replicate across the country through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda – creating good jobs, saving taxpayer dollars through energy efficiency, and ensuring a healthier, brighter future for our communities and our kids.”

“Oklahoma City has long been a home of energy innovation, and it is fitting for this model project to occur at our Federal building,” said Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt. “I thank the GSA for its investment here and Administrator Carnahan for her personal visit.”

“We are committed to providing our customers with reliable and resilient energy, and we were pleased to work with GSA to help them achieve their energy and sustainability goals,” said Donnie Jones, vice president of utility operations for OG&E. “By advancing solar and wind energy in Oklahoma, we support innovative projects like this one that expand clean energy options for customers.”

“We are grateful to be a continued partner to the GSA on this use of grid interactive and smart building technologies at an impressive scale,” said Nicole Bulgarino, Executive Vice President at Ameresco. “This project demonstrates tangible progress in the clean energy transition. We commend the forward-thinking leadership for this essential installation, which will result in the reduction of energy use, water consumption and carbon emissions all while increasing energy cost savings.”

President Biden has charged the federal government to lead by example by sustainably managing its footprint of over 300,000 buildings, over 600,000 vehicles, and $650 billion spent annually on goods and services. On Dec. 8, 2021, President Biden signed Executive Order 14057 and issued his Federal Sustainability Plan, which directs the federal government to achieve net zero emissions by transitioning federal infrastructure to zero-emission vehicles and energy efficient buildings, powered by carbon pollution-free electricity.

The completion of this project will help GSA continue on the path to achieve the net-zero-emissions buildings goal by 2045, leveraging smart investments, many funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act.

The Department of Energy developed a case study for the project, which won the FEMP director’s national award in 2022.

For more information, see this recent GSA blog.

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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

May 10, 2023

Public scoping meeting begins conversation with local community

TACOMA, Wash. ㅡ In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the U.S. General Services Administration will host a public meeting in support of an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the expansion and modernization of the Porthill Land Port of Entry (LPOE) in Porthill, Idaho. The public is invited to attend the virtual meeting on May 17 from 5–7pm Pacific Daylight Time.

The meeting will be conducted in an open house format. GSA will offer the public an opportunity to hear about the project and learn how they can provide input on the issues that are important to the community. This input is a valuable step in the process and will be used by GSA to determine the scope and content of the EA.

The online meeting will be hosted via Zoom, and the public can register here: http://ow.ly/GVHz50OaTkP

The Porthill LPOE processes personal vehicles, buses, pedestrians, and limited commercial traffic at the U.S.-Canada border in Porthill. After 55 years of continuous operation, the Porthill LPOE is no longer able to meet the operational needs of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Additionally, traffic flow through the port is inefficient and susceptible to congestion and delays. The port expansion project, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will enhance Porthill LPOE’s operational efficiency and capability. The new, modern and energy-efficient facilities will meet CBP’s current mission requirements and improve customer service to travelers. The EA will evaluate alternatives that would improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Porthill LPOE.

The public is encouraged to provide written comments regarding the scope of the EA at the meeting and throughout the comment period. The views and comments of the public are necessary to help determine the scope and content of the environmental analysis. Comments must be postmarked & submitted by Monday, June 5 via the following methods:

• Virtual Meeting: Comment forms will be distributed & collected during the virtual public meeting. Register for the public scoping meeting at http://ow.ly/GVHz50OaTkP.
• Email: Send comments to PorthillLPOE@gsa.gov and include “Porthill LPOE EA” in the subject line of the message.
• Mail: Send written comments referencing the “Porthill LPOE EA” to:
  U.S. General Services Administration
  Attention: Emily Grimes, Environmental Program Manager
  1301 A Street, Suite 610
  Tacoma, WA 98402

Project information, including a video recording of this public meeting, will be available at: gsa.gov/Porthill.

Source: United States General Services Administration

May 10, 2023

President Biden’s Investing in America agenda enables energy and cost-saving improvements for 10 federal buildings

DALLAS – Today, U.S. General Services Administrator Robin Carnahan toured the Earle Cabell Federal Building and Courthouse in Dallas and announced $43.5 million for improvements at ten federal buildings as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. That investment was catalyzed by $9.6 million in Inflation Reduction Act funding and is estimated to save over a million dollars in energy costs annually while also cutting pollution and creating local jobs.

Through an Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC), GSA will upgrade building infrastructure and install new technologies that will reduce energy consumption and costs at four federal buildings in the Dallas area and six in Louisiana. The contract was awarded to Ameresco and the investments are estimated to save about $1.4 million per year at today’s energy prices and reduce emissions by about 6,000 metric tons per year.

This project is one of many supported by the Inflation Reduction Act – which provided $3.4 billion to GSA for emerging and sustainable technologies, low-embodied carbon materials, and other measures to improve the sustainability of the federal footprint.

Two of the buildings – Cabell and the New Orleans Custom House – will undergo “deep energy retrofits,” meaning at least a 40% reduction in emissions. At Cabell, one of the largest consumers of energy among federal buildings in the region, the project will reduce energy consumption by an estimated 49%, supported by magnetic levitation chillers, building automation improvements, and high-efficiency transformers. Examples of other major upgrades in the ten buildings include chiller replacements with cleaner refrigerants at the Terminal Annex Federal Building in Dallas and the Hale Boggs Federal Building and Courthouse in New Orleans.

These efforts will help GSA continue to drive toward the Administration’s goal to achieve a net-zero emissions buildings portfolio by 2045, reducing emissions from GSA’s building portfolio and improving air quality.

“These investments are a prime example of how President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is a triple-win: we’re creating good jobs, saving taxpayer dollars through energy efficiency, and ensuring a healthier, brighter future for our communities and our kids,” said GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan. “We look forward to working with industry and other stakeholders as we maximize the impact of these investments for the benefit of communities in Texas and Louisiana.”

“Here in Texas, our reliance on fossil fuels and our outdated, inefficient power grid has landed us in an energy crisis. Every year, one winter storm or heatwave leads to weeks of power outages and blackouts. Just this month, the Public Utility Commission of Texas acknowledged that data for this year shows demand for power this summer is expected to outweigh supply,” said U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett. “This investment in energy efficient and renewable infrastructure in Dallas from the Biden Administration couldn’t come at a better time, and I hope to see the improvements made at Earle Cabell Federal Building and Courthouse, Terminal Annex Federal Building, and more serve as a blueprint for how we can modernize our existing infrastructure to meet the needs of tomorrow.”

“It is an honor to have been selected to work on this critical project with GSA. It will improve facility infrastructure and ensure energy needs are met at federal buildings across two states while furthering the Administration’s 2045 goal,” said Nicole Bulgarino, Executive Vice President at Ameresco, Inc. “Partnerships such as this further demonstrate the leadership and progress of the federal government to strengthen and encourage the clean energy transition.”

GSA estimates that the $3.4 billion it will invest through the Inflation Reduction Act will create over 9,500 average annual jobs nationwide for the duration of the projects, support $2.8 billion in labor income, and generate nearly $1 billion in tax revenue for federal, state and local governments. In total, Inflation Reduction Act investments from GSA are expected to avoid more than 2.5 million metric tons of emissions and save $720 million in cost avoidance over the next two decades.

President Biden has charged the federal government to lead by example by sustainably managing its footprint of over 300,000 buildings, over 600,000 vehicles, and $650 billion spent annually on goods and services. On Dec. 8, 2021, President Biden signed Executive Order 14057 and issued his Federal Sustainability Plan, which directs the federal government to achieve net zero emissions operations by 2050 by transitioning federal infrastructure to zero-emission vehicles and energy efficient buildings, powered by carbon pollution-free electricity.

Read more about the Inflation Reduction Act’s impact on delivering clean energy in Texas and Louisiana.

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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.