The General Services Administration said today that it’s awarded $4 billion in contracts for hundreds of building construction and renovation projects through the Recovery Act.
More than 500 companies across the country have received contracts for the 391 projects GSA has funded so far since the Recovery Act was passed in February 2009. GSA overall received $5.5 billion in stimulus funds for construction projects, including $4 billion to improve the energy efficiency of existing federal buildings.
Vice President Joe Biden praised GSA for stretching its Recovery Act dollars further than originally planned. Due to the slumping economy, bids came in lower than anticipated, allowing GSA to fund an additional $173 million in work. “By delivering on-time and under-budget on these green retrofit projects, we’re not only making more cost-saving building improvements than anticipated, but creating new opportunities for more than 500 companies nationwide,” he stated.
Some of the projects now underway include construction of a new energy-efficient courthouse in Austin, Texas; installation of a solar roof on the Veterans Affairs building in downtown Philadelphia; and the conversion of a former World War II munitions plant in St. Louis into a high-performance green building.
by Tim Kauffman-Federal Times-Apr. 7, 2010
