Army Corps Prepares For Construction Surge The Army Corps of Engineers is gearing up for an anticipated wave of new construction projects that is likely to follow this year’s round of base closings and realignments and the redeployment of troops from overseas to domestic bases. The Corps has scheduled five Industry and Technical Forums around the country this month as part of its market research. (See below.) Although details of individual construction projects are not yet known, the Corps wants to be ready to move quickly when projects are identified and funded, said Judith Blake, chief of the Small Business Office. The number of projects over the next few years is likely to be substantial, ranging from housing to huge aircraft hangars. “We will be moving a lot of troop locations,” she said. “We don’t know where. We don’t know what. We don’t know how much.” Blake said some of the contracts may be 8(a), service-disabled veteran or HUBZone set-asides. The Corps also encourages small firms to form teams to bid on larger projects. Among the objectives of the Corps initiative is to develop standard designs for buildings that can be replicated and standard solicitation packages, terms and conditions and evaluation criteria. Details about the program are available at www.fedteds.gov under the solicitation number USA-SNOTE-050318-001. The first industry forum will be held April 6 in Washington at Gallaudet University. Other meetings are scheduled April 12 in Atlanta; April 14 in Dallas; April 19 in Kansas City, MO; and April 21 in Seattle. Exact locations will be announced through FedBizOpps. Separately, Pentagon officials said they will ask Congress to cancel new construction at bases that DOD is targeting for shutdown, Federal Times reported. The department’s recommended list of bases to be realigned or closed is due May 16. Soon afterward, DOD will send Congress a list of construction projects that “may no longer be needed,” Philip Grone, deputy undersecretary of Defense for installations and environment, said in testimony before the House Armed Services Committee. Final decisions on base closing will be made in the fall. President Bush has nominated a former Veterans Affairs secretary, Anthony Principi, to head the Base Realignment and Closure Commission that will consider the Pentagon’s recommendations.