American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and ARS
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and ARS
President Obama signed the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 on February 17, 2009. The Recovery Act is
an unprecedented effort to jumpstart our economy, create or save millions of
jobs, and put a down payment on addressing long-neglected challenges so that
the country can thrive in the 21st century.
From the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009:
For an additional amount for Building and Facilities
$176,000,000 for work on deferred maintenance at Agricultural Research Service
facilities: Provided, That priority in the use of such funds shall be given to
critical deferred maintenance, to projects that can be completed, and to
activities that can commence promptly following enactment of this Act.
(Recovery Act, H.R. 1-3)
The principal objective of the Recovery Act is job creation. Through the
completion of $176 million of critical deferred maintenance work at ARS
facilities across the country, the agencys Recovery Act program will
create about 1,900 jobs.
ARS is pleased to utilize Recovery Act (ARRA) funds to
take care of critical deferred maintenance on some of our
laboratory research facilities across the Nation. These projects not only will
help revitalize local economies by creating jobs and supporting local
businesses that supply needed construction products and services, the results
of the agriculture and food product research that takes place in these
laboratories supports the agricultural economy, contributing to its high
productivity and efficiency.
Most important of all the outcomes of ARS research and that of
our many cooperators provide the science and technology that enables the U.S.
agriculture and food system to provide consumers the highest quality and most
abundant, safest, nutritious, and affordable food supply in the world. ARRA
funding will assist ARS in sustaining the efficiency of our research
performance and their benefits to the public.
Edward B. Knipling
Administrator, ARS
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Identifying Facility Repairs to Be Funded Under the
Recovery Act
All of the projects selected for Recovery Act funding were taken from the
ARS Capital Project and Repair Plan, a plan that was developed in accordance
with the United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service
Building Block Plan, as required by Executive Order (E.O.) 13327, Federal
Real Property Asset Management.
In all instances, selected projects meet the criteria of needing critical
deferred maintenance--maintenance associated with critical systems such as
HVAC, electric, roofing, exterior closure and plumbing. On many of the
projects, adjacent building components will also be replaced as a consequence
of the deferred maintenance work. (For example, to replace plumbing it will be
necessary to remove laboratory casework; if the condition of the casework
warrants, the scope of work will include replacing the casework).
Each specific project was selected based on the high priority of the
research program and how it will enhance the ARS core research capacity at that
location. Some of the projects selected already have a design for addressing
the deferred maintenance work. Having an existing design allows the
construction phase of the work to begin much earlier than it would for a
facility without a design, resulting in faster job creation.
The program criteria used to identify high priority research programs and
the associated need for essential research facility capacity are:
- Unique national resources critical to meeting the needs of US Agriculture:
germplasm repositories, containment facilities, and critical human nutrition
clinical facilities;
- High priority research program needs: human nutrition/obesity prevention,
climate change, and bioenergy feedstock production:
- Essential research capacity: locations with a critical mass of scientists
that resolve complex problems of agriculture through multidisciplinary
research: utilization centers and other large campuses;
- Critical for the support of action and regulatory agencies: biocontrol
laboratories, food safety, and watersheds.
- Projected costs include all of the estimated costs associated with the
project including professional design services (design/post design),
construction award cost, and a contingency for change orders.
List of Projects
The list includes work at 36 locations in 28 states and the District of
Columbia.
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