Air Force Plans $2.1 Billion In Military Housing Construction By 2007 Capt. Mark Donnithorne of the U.S. Air Force briefs Market Forecast Series event participants on the Air Force Housing Privatization Program. The U.S. Air Force plans to coordinate construction and renovation of more than 22,000 homes worth $2.1 billion for military families between now and 2007, as part of its ongoing housing privatization program. Capt. Mark Donnithorne, Air Force Housing Privatization Program Manager, told attendees at the May Market Forecast Series event this week that the program offers a proven business opportunity for engineers. "This allows us to accelerate our ability to eliminate inadequate housing units for our military families," Donnithorne said. "This also brings the expertise of the nation's A/E industry to our military installations." The program requires the A/E firm to partner with a developer who takes ownership of the homes on a 50-year lease agreement with the government. The construction team is then responsible for securing primary financing, developing, and maintaining the residences. The housing privatization program already has resulted in $1.4 billion in construction or renovation of 10,977 military family residences nationwide since 2002. Today, more than 38 percent of Air Force family housing remains substandard and requires either major improvement or replacement. He would not comment on the recent Pentagon proposal to close 33 military installations nationwide, or how the closing would impact the housing privatization program. Contracting information for the housing program is available by contacting the program website at http://www.afcee.brooks.af.mil/.

House Report Contains ACEC Language To Address Industry Competition With USGS ACEC/Oklahoma's Jim Sullins says "step in the right direction." ACEC-drafted language to limit the ability of the US Geological Survey (USGS) to compete with the engineering industry is contained in a report accompanying the $26.1 billion F.Y. 2006 Interior appropriations bill, just passed in the House. ACEC members continue to express concern over competition from USGS and, in particular, the extent to which the agency provides matching funds for state and local projects. These funds are typically tied to USGS performing the work, which includes bridge scour, water quality assessments and modeling, in direct competition with the private sector. The House report states: "The Committee strongly discourages WRD (Water Resource Division of USGS) from providing commercially available services to federal and non-federal entities through its Cooperative Water program, unless these services are performed by a private sector firm under contract with the Survey or the entity with which the Survey has entered into a cooperative agreement." "This report language is a step in the right direction," said Jim Sullins, president and CEO of ACEC/Oklahoma. "Private industry simply cannot compete with USGS' ability to bring project money to the table." ACEC will continue its efforts to prevent competition from government agencies. Members who have concerns regarding the activities of USGS, or competition from other federal agencies, should contact Camille Fleenor at 202-682-4343 or cfleenor@acec.org.

4th Annual TISP Congress On Infrastructure Security Set For Oct. In Jacksonville The Infrastructure Security Partnership (TISP) will hold its Fourth Annual Congress on Infrastructure Security for the Built Environment (ISBE), October 18-20 in Jacksonville, Fla. ACEC is a founding member of TISP, which was created following the events of September 11 to offer technical support and comment on public policy related to the security of the nation's built environment. TISP membership currently includes more than 180 organizations, representing more than two million individuals and firms involved in the planning, design, construction, and operation of the nation's critical infrastructure. ISBE 2005 will feature meetings between government and industry experts from all infrastructure sectors working in the built environment; latest updates on government plans and projects to improve homeland security; and local, state, and regional emergency response, planning, and preparedness strategies. ACEC members wishing to register for ISBE 2005 can do so by clicking here to register as a TISP member and receive a discounted rate. For further information on TISP, visit their website at www.tisp.org.

Copyright © 2004 by the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC). All rights reserved. No part of this newsletter may be reproduced, stored in any form of retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, photographic, or other means without the prior written permission of ACEC.

Click here to review past editions of the Last Word.

Click here to subscribe to the Last Word.