FTR Industry Day meeting transcript for posting.docx

FTR Industry Day-20260630_100229-Meeting Recording Transcript June 30, 2026, 6:02PM 1h 21m 13s

Introduction Afrank, Theresa M CIV USARMY CEPOA (USA):

All right, everyone. We're going to get started. I'm sure there's still going to be people joining, but we'll just work through the notifications as they pop in. So please bear with us. As you will see on the screen shortly, there's a lot of people that will be joining in. Please mute upon entry, and as soon as we do a little intro here, I'll start sharing the slides again.

Just a couple of things: make sure you mute your phones or the screens. Please don't join on camera because it does hold the bandwidth. We've received a lot of questions here. So once we've finished going through the briefing, we'll read through the questions and answers that we do have right now for everybody to hear. Any questions that you have, please put those in the chat. Please don't join verbally because it's obviously going to bounce against other people. We've got a lot of people here. Once we've finished reading all the questions we received, we'll go to the chat questions and read and answer what we can. If there are questions that we can't answer, we'll take those down and work through them and provide those after the briefing.

So once we're done here, we will, either today or tomorrow, send out the questionnaire that was mentioned in the notice along with the slides. We'll follow up with the questions and answers if we don't have that completed at the time. That is all I'll say. I'll go ahead and start sharing the information and then turn it over to Neil to talk through the information.

Briefing by Neil Murray Murray, Neil A CIV USARMY CEPOA (USA):

Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the Virtual Industry Day for the Fighter Town recapitalization program, also known as FTR or Fighter. Thanks for taking the time to join us. We look forward to this as an informal information gathering session to get the conversation started about our massive new MILCON program here at JBER.

Purpose of Industry Day:

The primary goal is information sharing and to collaborate and partner with industry because we've got a big heavy lift to get this done. This program will leverage the new authorities in the FY2026 NDAA, specifically around other transaction authority (OTA) and utilizing progressive design-build. Our mission here is to gather industry feedback around that. While the OTA pathway is pretty set as our procurement method, the structure of how we execute it is not. Because of this procurement method, we want to make sure we're aligning with our industry partners and incorporating best practices and other feedback as necessary. Early feedback is really important to us, especially around how we're going to structure the campus approach and the procurement of this entire program.

Program Overview:

We are doing a complete campus overhaul on the northeastern part of the flight line at JBER to recapitalize existing mission functions because the current structures cannot meet mission needs. This requires a new site to continue to execute the program here at JBER. The big goal is to find a way to start construction next summer in 2027.

The map you see shows the overall flight line facilities in the green area, but note that this program also includes multiple facilities not on the airfield, like a dormitory, flight simulator, academy range, fire station, and other things. This map depicts different zones for the construction approach, which are nominal at this point. We're looking for industry feedback on how to structure the procurement and zone out the construction. This is a 400-500 acre site with a public transport route relocation highlighted in blue.

What We Are Building:

We're taking a full campus approach. It's a $6.9 billion authorization with a current FY22 goal of a $2.1 billion appropriation. Campus features include:

· Hangars

· Shops

· Operation centers

· Other airfield infrastructure (taxiways, aprons)

· Munitions, POL, Logistics support

· Personnel training facilities (dormitory, flight line kitchen) We need industry partners who can manage complex, multi-facility integrations. We're looking for innovative and creative solutions to cut down on administrative burdens, costs, and logistics challenges.

Acquisition and Delivery Strategy:

We are leveraging the new authorities from the FY26 NDAA, specifically Other Transaction Authority (OTA) for a construction agreement utilizing a progressive design-build methodology. OTA gives us the flexibility to move at commercial speed with a custom design process, without being shackled by strict FAR requirements.

This allows us to potentially start construction next year before a design is complete.

The ultimate goal is to get early builder involvement. We need construction contractors on board early to partner with the design team, construction team, and the government on how to deliver these things quickly with creative and innovative solutions. We need industry's help in finalizing this acquisition strategy.

Next Steps:

Immediately following this, or within the next day or two, all attendees will receive an industry questionnaire. This is your opportunity to give us feedback, specifically around OTA, consortium structures for a $7 billion campus, how to structure progressive design-build stage gates, payment structures, etc. We are open to feedback on things we haven't even thought about yet.

Please send the e-mail to Theresa and Danielle in the next couple of weeks. Sooner would be better. We're spinning up a large team between USACE and the Air Force, and we need a lot of industry partners to make this happen. We need everyone's help in shaping what this looks like to set everybody up for success.

Pre-Submitted Questions & Answers Murray, Neil A CIV USARMY CEPOA (USA):

I have some questions that were previously submitted that I will read through quickly.

· Q: Any known timing for the release of solicitations?

· A: Anticipated to start in the fourth quarter of FY26 (next month or so) and continue into FY27-28 as timing and funding allow. Initial challenge statements will be posted relatively soon.

· Q: Has the program been funded?

· A: The first increment is funded. Funding is expected to be appropriated in the FY27 defense appropriations.

· Q: Will any projects be IDAC contracts?

· A: Yes, a massive infrastructure project for the campus (electrical, comms, water, grading, pavements, stormwater) will be procured using an IDAC approach. However, all future procurements are expected to be OTA utilizing progressive design-build.

· Q: Will facilities be contracted through other agencies?

· A: No, the USACE Alaska District is the MILCON design and construction agent for the entire program.

· Q: Will there be any consideration for A-E MATOC or Design-Build?

· A: No, it will all be Other Transaction Authority.

· Q: How does this change in acquisition strategy affect the timeline?

· A: The use of OTA and progressive design-build should allow us to get to construction sooner.

· Q: Is there a guide document available for the OTA process?

· A: DBIA is working on one, and we are too. Nothing public-facing yet, but it should be coming soon from headquarters.

· Q: Is bundling of projects a consideration under OTA?

· A: Yes, all projects are on a single 1391, which allows for bundling. We anticipate each procurement will be for a "zone" of buildings.

· Q: Will small business requirements be associated with OTA?

· A: Small business participation won't be an evaluation criterion, and there won't be a required subcontracting plan.

· Q: What is the general process for execution under an OTA?

· A: It will start with a white paper challenge, followed by a down-select, then a detailed proposal and design phase. Our process is still being developed but will align with the DBIA progressive design-build framework.

· Q: Will there be a separate contract for an owner-advisor role?

· A: No, USACE will be the DCA agent on behalf of the government and the Air Force.

· Q: Have environmental reviews been completed?

· A: The current expectation is that all NEPA actions will be completed prior to any construction activities.

· Q: Will this be multiple awards or a single award?

· A: To be determined. We need feedback from the market. It is unlikely to be a single $7 billion procurement.

· Q: At what level of classification will the contractor need clearance?

· A: At this time, we are not anticipating any construction contracts to require clearance, outside of applicable CMMC Level 2 requirements.

· Q: Will the Alaska District follow a phased bonding approach?

· A: Yes, we intend to use a phased bonding approach. Bonds will be required only for the specific value of discrete work packages being authorized.

· Q: What is the target overall program duration?

· A: To be determined, pending funding and other details.

Live Chat Questions & Answers Corn, Mark R CIV USARMY CEPOA (USA):

Okay, we got a couple of questions.

Afrank, Theresa M CIV USARMY CEPOA (USA):

We'll answer those as we can.

· Q: Will there be an owner's advisor OTA to go with the PDB execution?

· A: No.

· Q: Slides are marked CUI for CMMC compliance. Will they be provided via DoD SAFE?

· A: Yes, the slides are CUI and will be provided via DoD SAFE as needed.

· Q: Will this OTA contract include AE design support services, or is it geared toward prime contractors coordinating design-build?

· A: The latter. The plan is to award the prime agreement to a firm with integrated design and construction. However, the prime contractor can also be an AE firm.

· Q: Will this be a MATOC-style contract?

· A: No.

· Q: What is the expected tranche structure/bundling of requirements?

· A: To be determined, based on industry feedback.

· Q: Is USACE seeking program management support services?

· A: That will be handled by the district.

· Q: Are there any solicitation numbers assigned yet?

· A: No.

· Q: Can you share an example of an OTA contract?

· A: Not at this time.

· Q: Will award be based on best value, technically acceptable, or lowest price?

· A: None of those. This is an OTA, which the FAR does not apply to. It will be qualifications-based.

· Q: Is a PLA anticipated for the IDIQ portion?

· A: PLA doesn't apply to OTA.

· Q: Will an attendee list be issued?

· A: I had not anticipated it, but I can if there is interest.

· Q: Does USACE need additional CM services to manage construction?

· A: Not at this time.

· Q: Have owner/district personnel gone through DBIA training on PDB?

· A: We've gone through training through our district's school office. The plan is to align with the DBIA PDB "Done Right" methodology.

· Q: You said the infrastructure IDAC has already been awarded?

· A: I misspoke. The AE design task order has been awarded, but the construction part of the IDAC has not yet been posted or awarded.

Closing Remarks Murray, Neil A CIV USARMY CEPOA (USA):

I appreciate everybody attending, with 230 attendees, which is fantastic. Please take that questionnaire seriously and give us your feedback. We are really open to industry feedback because we're not going to be able to do this without a lot of industry partnership. If there are other things we didn't ask on the questionnaire, bring it up. Let us know.

Afrank, Theresa M CIV USARMY CEPOA (USA):

You'll see something from me or Danielle Sprague within the next day or tomorrow with the questionnaire, the slides, and the attendee list. I'll send all that through DoD SAFE. Once we get all the questions answered, I'll send that out to all attendees as well. We appreciate you all attending and providing any feedback. We're looking to you to make sure we're aligned with you on this program. Thank you.