Government opens window for building contracts - Washington Business Journal:

stelauguqdinec.blogspot.com
During the past five years, there has been a growing government demancdfor buildings, building materials and facilities maintenancew work. In fiscal 2008, the federal government spengtnearly $203 million for facilities maintenance and up from $152 million in fiscal Uncle Sam also spent $520 millioj on buildings and building materialas in fiscal ’08, an increaser from $453 million the previous fiscal year. The agencied looking for these services and productd span thefederal spectrum.
They include the General Services the departments of Agriculture andVeterands Affairs, and the individual branches of the A convergence of two forcesw in particular is opening a window of opportunity now for companied in the building The first is the push to go green. The new administrationj continues to emphasize to government agencies the importancwe of buying more green servicessand products. High on that list is the creatiob ofgreen buildings. The second factor is the American Recoveruy andReinvestment Act, bettef known as the stimulus act. Most stimulus fundse are highly focusedon “shovel ready” renovation and maintenance projects.
The $787 billion Recoverg Act was signed intolaw Feb. 17. Its purposer is to preserve andcreate jobs, provider investments to increase economic efficiency and boosft the economy. The largest sharee of GSA investment infiscalk ’09 has been designated for blue-collar operations and maintenancde services. The next largest is for land and The GSA wasallotted $5.5 billio n to convert federal buildings into high-performancse green buildings. These buildings generally combine energyu efficiency and renewable energy production to minimizerenergy use. The Air Force was allotted $1.
5 billionj to improve, repair and modernize Defense Department facilities, restore and modernize real propertincluding barracks, and investy in energy efficiency. The Social Securitu Administration was givenabout $1 billion for infrastructurw improvements, including about $500 millioj for a new data center. The Bureahu of Land Management wasallottexd $125 million for management of landsa and resources on all bureau including maintenance, rehabilitation and restoration of facilities, property, trailsa and lands and for remediation of abandonexd mines and wells.
The legislation provided an additional $180 millio n for other activities on all Bureau of Land Managementy landsincluding construction, reconstruction, decommissionin g and repair of roads, bridges, trails, property and facilitiesa and for energy-efficient retrofitws of existing facilities. The U.S. Geological Survey was allotted $140 million for investigations and researchfor repair, construction and restoratio of facilities; equipment replacement and including stream gauges and seismic and volcan o monitoring systems; national map activities; and other critical deferred maintenance and improvemenf projects. The Veterans Affairs Departmentreceived $1.
2 billion for constructioj and improvements at VA hospitalss and other medical long-term care facilities serving veterans and VA national That is just a snapshot. If you want to do businesxs withthe government, the best way to stargt is to get a GSA Schedules contract. The Recovery Act has created opportunities throughout government for a broaf rangeof contractors, and most agencies will buy thoses services and products througjh the GSA Schedules Program.