Government Agencies Gear Up for Major Projects in 2005

Military and government construction projects totaling $16 billion are on the drawing board for next year. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is laying plans for an $11.2 billion military construction program, including $4 billion for barracks and living quarters for troops in Afghanistan, and $738 million for engineering. The agency also expects fiscal year 2005 civil works appropriations to be close to the $4.5 billion it received last year, according to Don Basham, chief of engineering and construction for the USACE. The General Services Administration (GSA) also has several new projects in the works, including $587 million in new construction and $1 billion for repair and alterations to existing facilities. David Eaken, GSA's chief engineer, says GSA procured about 50% to 60% of its projects using the design-bid-build approach, while the USACE will hire private contractors to perform most of its construction work.