Air Force previews plans for $2B sustainable building contract
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By
Ross Wilkers
The federal government has ambitious targets for its sustainability effort and this contract will be a part of that.
The Air Force has started its work to create a new architect-engineer services contract vehicle amid the service branch's journey to having its facilities around the world achieve net-zero emission status.
Consider the full name of this planned procurement unveiled on Tuesday when thinking about its broad mandate and ambitious goals: "AE MATOC for NETZERO Title I and Title II Services in support of Executive Order 14057."
Signed by President Biden in December 2021, that order laid out several targets for the federal government to achieve with respect to becoming a carbon pollution-free and zero-emission entity. Agencies are to be fully carbon pollution-free on a net annual basis by 2030 and have a net-zero emissions building portfolio by 2045 under that order.
For the entire country and economy, the order's goals are to have a fully carbon pollution-free electricity sector by 2035 and a net-zero emission economy by no later than 2050.
The multiple-award task order contract's ceiling is likely to exceed $2 billion. Potential services will include the demolition of some existing facilities, the sustainment and modernization of other existing facilities, and the eventual construction of new facilities.
The Air Force wants further details on the planning and design aspects of those new facilities as well.
Examples of project areas the Air Force is considering include energy and water efficiency, electrification of standard building operations, renewable or clean energy for the purposes of carbon pollution-free electricity, and deep energy retrofits.
Small businesses are being encouraged to respond and particularly those with HUBZone, 8(a), woman-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned designations.
Responses to the sources sought notice are due by Feb. 2 and the Air Force plans to release a synopsis for the contract during either the second or third quarter of this calendar year.
The Air Force Civil Engineer Center, Air Force Installation Contracting Center, Army Corps of Engineers and Army Installation Management Command.