MetricClassWaiver FY21 Design and Construction Program.pdf
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- Solicitation number
- 47PB0020R0055
About this file
This memorandum issues a waiver for the use of metric units on the FY21 PBS Design and Construction Program. The waiver allows all project documentation and construction materials to be in imperial units. Key reasons cited for the waiver include the cost of materials and services being higher when using metric units due to industries only stocking imperial products and special ordering metric items. Other reasons given are procurement lead times being longer, increased labor costs and complexity when using metric units, coordination errors being more likely, and existing facilities and historic buildings originally being constructed using imperial units.
The related federal contract opportunity is a solicitation for a Design Build Bridging Team for the design and construction of a New U.S. Land Port of Entry in Madawaska, Maine. The project includes construction of approximately 76,717 GSF facility on a 10.7 acre site with a Main Port Building, Commercial Inspection Building, 3 primary inspection lanes, and a bypass lane. The project must be completed upon opening of a new International Bridge spanning the St. John River between Madawaska, Maine and Edmundston, New Brunswick in November 2023. The estimated construction value is between $30-50 million. The solicitation will require technical and price proposals and selection will made based on best value rather than lowest price.
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Text version
GSA Public Buildings Service
U.S. General Services Administration
1800 F Street, NW Washington, DC 20405-0002
September 28, 2020
MEMORANDUM FOR: Regional Chief Architects
Regional Design and Construction Directors
FROM: Charles Hardy
Chief Architect (Acting)
Office of the Chief Architect
Public Buildings Service
SUBJECT: Waiver – Metric Units
FY21 PBS Design and Construction Program
This memorandum issues a metric waiver for the FY21 PBS Design and Construction Program, in accordance with the GSA PBS Policy for Granting Waivers and Exceptions. Relevant policy and standards include:
o FAR 11002(b) o GSAM 511.002 GSA Metric Program o GSA Order 8000.1D ADM GSA Metric Program o P-100 Facilities Standards for the Public Buildings Service
The FY21 PBS Design and Construction Program supports successful delivery of projects to federal agencies, on budget and schedule. The GSA works to develop and execute construction programs that best utilize funding. Currently, use of hard metric does not provide a cost-effect manner in which to best satisfy the long-term requirements of federal agencies.
This waiver allows all project documentation and construction materials to be in imperial units.
The approval of this waiver is based on both traditional and project specific reasons for waiving hard metric requirements, including:
o Cost of materials and services o Procurement lead times o Labor productivity and increased complexity of construction projects o Impact to client agencies, operational and maintenance issues o Personnel are not fluent in the metric system.
GSA Public Buildings Service
U.S. General Services Administration
1800 F Street, NW Washington, DC 20405-0002 o Ongoing operational and maintenance costs as a result of industries not stocking metric products and only providing them as a result of special order which increases cost and delay in receiving products o Increased risk for coordination errors in BIM, fabrication, and installation.
o Local industry having disproportionate or lack of local experience with metric construction, which may increase the cost and/or time to deliver the project.
The use of metric increases risk of design and coordination errors for the repairs and alterations
(modernization) of the existing historic buildings and existing facilities originally constructed using imperial units. The use of both “soft metric” and the mixture of metric and imperial units increases the complexity of construction projects as well as risks coordination errors between equipment and building systems, coordination with third party contractors, and coordination with tenant agencies. Further, given the local market’s lack of experience in using metric for construction projects, waiving the use of metric supports GSA’s obligation to maximize competition to the fullest extent practicable.
The cost of metric for some of the materials used in construction, particularly when considering the Buy America Act, is up to 5% to 15% premium paid for material costs when applying hard metric. Hard metric currently is not the accepted industry system for design and construction, commissioning, and facility management, thus, the FY21 PBS Design and Construction
Program is granted a waiver. In addition, use of the metric system creates inefficiencies and causes hardships to the program and mission of impacted agencies. Furthermore, waiving the hard metric requirement supports the GSA obligation to maximize competition to the fullest extent practicable. This waiver is allowable per Executive Order 12770, 1991; Metric usage shall not be required to the extent that such use is impractical or is likely to cause significant inefficiencies or loss of markets to United States firms.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Natalie Huber at 202-262-3323.
Cc: Andy Young, Assistant Commissioner, Office of Project Delivery
Central Office Division Directors, Office of Design and Construction Regional Chief Architects
Regional Design and Construction Directors Bill Hunt, Chief Estimator, Office of Project Delivery
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