March 16, 2017, update: This story has been updated to reflect a potential expansion of design requests by the CBP.
March 9, 2017, update: This story has been updated to reflect a new date for the final Request for Proposals, as seen below.
Last week, ARCHITECT reported that the Trump administration had taken first steps in planning for a U.S.–Mexico borderwall with an announcement on the Federal Business Opportunities website. On Friday, the Department of Homeland Security 's Customs and Border Protection (DHS' CBP) division updated the pre-solicitation with further details and parameters for the structure.
Initial submissions will now be accepted from about March 8 until March 20 (dates are still slightly open in the release) according to the CBP posting, which includes further guidance adding, "We anticipate procuring concrete wall structures, nominally 30 feet tall, that will meet requirements for aesthetics, anti-climbing, and resistance to tampering or damage." A second phase will open around May 3 to a short list of teams and final contracts could be awarded to multiple vendors. The updated pre-soliciatation concludes asserting that borderwall submissions are " not intended as the vehicle for...the total wall solution for the border with Mexico."
The updated full DHS notice reads:
[March 16, 2017 update:] The Dept. of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, is finalizing the request for proposal and still estimates release soon. Industry interest has been high. To accommodate the industry interest and feedback, DHS CBP intends to expand the opportunity for offerors to propose wall designs. We currently contemplate releasing two RFPs - one focused on concrete designs, and one focused on other designs.
[March 9, 2017, update:] The Dept. of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) appreciates the many expressions of interest received concerning the solicitation and provides this update to ensure all interested parties are informed of the status of the solicitation. CBP intends to issue the final Request for Proposals not before March 15, 2017. The dates for receipt of responses to the two phases of this procurement will shift accordingly.This pre-solicitation notice is amended to provide additional information to interested bidders and due to a revision in strategy based on input received after the original posting:
The Dept. of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) intends on issuing a solicitation in electronic format on or after March 8, 2017 for the design and build of several prototype wall structures in the vicinity of the United States border with Mexico. Detailed requirements will be included in the RFP, but for planning we anticipate procuring concrete wall structures, nominally 30 feet tall, that will meet requirements for aesthetics, anti-climbing, and resistance to tampering or damage. This procurement will be conducted in accordance with the procedures outlined in FAR Part 36.3, Two Phase Design Build Procedures. Phase 1 of the RFP will be due on or about March 20, 2017 and will require vendors to submit a concept paper of their prototype which will result in the evaluation and down select of offerors. Phase 2 will require the down select of phase 1 offerors to submit proposals in response to the full RFP, including pricing, which will be due on or about May 3, 2017. CBP intends to issue multiple award Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts. Some limited number (yet to be defined) of additional miles are contemplated to be included by competing the requirements among the successful IDIQ contract holders. The intent of this procurement is to acquire and evaluate available wall prototypes and provide some initial construction of some wall segments, but is not intended as the vehicle for the procurement of the total wall solution for the border with Mexico.