GSA Invests $1 Billion in Recovery Act Construction Projects Nationwide

GSA Projects Will Yield Higher-Performing, Money-Saving, Greener Federal Buildings

GSA # 10614

July 30, 2009
Contact: MaryAnne Beatty, (202) 501-1231
maryanne.beatty@gsa.gov

WASHINGTON — The U.S. General Services Administration marked a major milestone in its implementation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act today, as it brought its total investments in construction projects to date to more than $1 billion.

“Given the intent of the Recovery Act to stimulate the economy and put people back to work, we set a very aggressive goal to obligate our first $1 billion by the end of July,” said GSA Acting Administrator Paul Prouty. “With that goal met, our focus now is to continue to get shovels in the ground as quickly as possible.”
 
GSA was appropriated $5.5 billion under the Recovery Act to convert federal buildings into high-performance green buildings and build new energy-efficient federal buildings, courthouses, and land ports of entry.

“These projects will modernize our nation’s infrastructure and save taxpayer dollars by reducing the federal government’s consumption of energy and water, and increase our use of clean and renewable sources of energy,” Prouty added.

“Through our use of state-of-the-art green technologies, our construction projects are creating jobs in traditional construction sectors and in emerging green industries,” said GSA Acting Commissioner of Public Buildings Anthony Costa. “We’re driving growth and innovation that will ensure American leadership in the new energy economy of the future.”

GSA’s first $1 billion in Recovery Act investments is funding projects at 120 buildings across the country. For example, in Austin, Texas, GSA is designing and building a new courthouse which will meet both the future needs of the courts as well as security requirements. In Otay Mesa, Cal., GSA is developing a Land Port of Entry that will accommodate better commercial traffic flow, and have new primary inspection booths as well as office and processing areas. And in Boston, Mass., GSA is improving energy performance while enhancing security at the John F. Kennedy Federal Building by installing energy efficient, blast resistant windows surrounded by improved insulation.

GSA will obligate its remaining $4.5 billion in Recovery Act construction funds by September 30, 2011.  Prouty noted that contract bids are coming in, on average, approximately 8 - 10 percent lower than expected, allowing GSA to fund additional high performance features in existing projects, and using existing criteria, consider funding additional projects with the goal of continuing to stimulate the real estate, construction, and manufacturing sectors of the economy.

The following is the list of GSA federal buildings and projects for which construction contracts have been awarded.

###

GSA provides a centralized delivery system of products and services to the federal government, leveraging its enormous buying power to get the best value for taxpayers.

• Founded in 1949, GSA manages more than 11 percent of the government’s total procurement dollars and $24 billion in federal assets, including 8,600 government-owned or leased buildings and 213,000 vehicles.
• GSA helps preserve our past and define our future, as a steward of more than 480 historic properties, and as manager of USA.gov, the official portal to federal government information and services.
• GSA’s mission to provide superior workplaces, expert technology solutions, acquisition services, purchasing and E-Gov travel solutions and management policies, at best value, allows federal agencies to focus on their core missions.

Did You Know? GSA's Public Buildings Service is one of the largest and most diversified public real estate organizations in the world, with over 8,600 assets and almost 354 million square feet of rentable space across all 50 states, 6 U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia.