Virtual IRA Industry Exchange Day - Q and A.pdf

Questions and Answers (Q&A) from:

U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), Public Buildings Service (PBS), Greater Southwest Region (Region 7)

Virtual Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Industry Exchange, as it relates to R7’s Low Embodied Carbon (LEC) Pilot Projects.

August 2, 2023

1. Will this presentation be made available to us?

Answer: Yes. The presentation slides and recording are available on SAM.gov under Notice ID 47PH0823BRIC-IndustryDay. https://sam.gov/opp/cff721d9834f4d0b9366cd4ff7a20a71/view

2. Who should we contact if we have questions?

Answer: Embodied carbon policy: embodiedcarbon@gsa.gov Specific GSA PBS Region 7 Pilot Projects: jason.gerloff@gsa.gov General GSA IRA program questions: IRAexternalinquiries@gsa.gov

3. Do the companies on the LEC map for Concrete, Asphalt and Glass meet or beat the 40% EPD levels?

Answer: The publicly-viewable map identifies worldwide plants that have environmental product declarations (EPDs). This public map does not indicate which EPDs qualify for IRA funding under GSA’s IRA global warming potential (GWP) limits. Third-party databases can generate lists of product-specific EPDs by type, location, and GWP.

4. Were “better than average” limits calculated nationwide or by regions?

Answer: All of GSA’s IRA pilot program GWP limits were calculated based on publicly-available third-party-verified EPDs for the region of North America.

5. Glass and steel can be shipped to site if approved factories are not nearby. Concrete and Asphalt needs to be close enough to site when the project has flatwork. Is there a limit in distance and travel applied to a company's proximity to a site that, if exceeded, would kill the project for LEC material?

Answer: GSA’s IRA LEC Pilot seeks proposed LEC solutions from material suppliers and GSA’s contracted project delivery teams. These may include new EPDs for locally-sourced materials, mobile batch plants producing mix designs that have EPDs, the use of additives that “pause” curing to allow for transportation durations over 90 minutes, etc.

https://sam.gov/opp/cff721d9834f4d0b9366cd4ff7a20a71/view mailto:embodiedcarbon@gsa.gov mailto:jason.gerloff@gsa.gov mailto:IRAexternalinquiries@gsa.gov https://www.buildingtransparency.org/resources/maps/ https://www.gsa.gov/system/files/Interim%20IRA%20LEC%20Material%20Requirements%20-%20used%20in%20Pilot%20May%202023%2005162023.pdf

U.S. General Services Administration Public Buildings Service

6. Since this is relatively new, will you be considering companies that have the willingness and capabilities to meet the requirements but not the past performance?

Answer: Past performance and experience requirements are anticipated to be with complex paving work -- not necessarily with low embodied carbon materials. The solicitations will include specifics.

7. Is GSA researching these 'local' companies, or is EPA?

Answer: GSA and its construction management (CM) firms do market research, as do design and/or construction firms bidding on GSA contract opportunities.

8. There are hydration control concrete admixtures that can put concrete "to sleep" for traveling longer distances.

Answer: GSA appreciates this insight, among other suggestions from industry partners on how to resolve challenges and implement GSA’s IRA appropriations.

9. For the asphalt materials, are there other product requirements to meet beyond EPD limits?

Answer: Performance requirements may be in the solicitation or in a designer’s material specifications. The project-specific requirements may go beyond identifying material that has an EPD showing GWP within GSA’s IRA pilot limits.

10. Does the IRA program address salvaging/reusing building materials and reusing/renovating existing buildings onsite?

Answer: During this pilot period, the four initial pilot product categories eligible for GSA’s IRA funding (concrete, asphalt, steel, and glass) do not specifically include salvaged or reused building materials. However, products in these categories containing recycled or reused content may qualify for GSA’s IRA funding if they have EPDs demonstrating compliant GWPs. Similarly, Greater Southwest Region

819 Taylor Street Fort Worth, TX 76102-6195 www.gsa.gov material suppliers/installers may reuse or recycle pre-existing paving or other material, onsite or offsite. GSA’s IRA pilot projects include renovation and reuse of existing buildings.

11. How will suppliers of low embodied carbon materials be selected for these projects? Can you explain the contract process?

Answer: GSA intends to contract with construction contractors who propose to furnish low embodied carbon materials documented with Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). See Question 16 for more information. Interested material suppliers can respond to the Sources Sought notices and/or project-specific Expressions of Interest within a presolicitation notice, and their information may be shared with potential offerors.

12. What is the forecast for Task Orders over next 12 months, to help us properly prepare for staffing and be able to respond favorably to solicitations?

Answer: See Question 15.

13. Can you speak to how a company can structure themselves to meet the Government's needs considering the variability and volatility in how this could roll out?

Answer: The solicitations will include more detail, however, having similar complex paving experience and proposing materials that are supported by Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) will be required. See Question 16.

14. Are there regional restrictions that you foresee being in place when these programs roll out?

Answer: No, not at this time.

15. When can a contractor expect to see opportunities in this program?

Answer: Region 7’s Pilot Projects Sources Sought for Ysleta Land Port of Entry, Ysleta, TX is anticipated to be posted on SAM.gov by August 21, 2023.

Greater Southwest Region

819 Taylor Street Fort Worth, TX 76102-6195 www.gsa.gov

The respective Request for Proposals are anticipated for October 2023 (Ysleta Land Port of Entry, Ysleta, TX) and January 2024 (Kika de la Garza LPOE, Pharr, TX and World Trade Bridge LPOE, Laredo, TX).

GSA Forecast of Contract Opportunities:

https://hallways.cap.gsa.gov/app/#/dv/federal-business-forecast

16. What are the Government's screening process to qualify competent contractors to perform on this program?

Answer: A source selection evaluation factor will be included that favors the provision of IRA-Eligible Materials with the lowest possible GWP.

Offerors will propose materials that meet Top 20% Limits, Top 40% Limits, or Better Than Average Limits and will be scored accordingly. Materials meeting the Top 20% limit are scored higher.

Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) to support the proposed materials will be required, as reflected in the solicitation for each project.

17. How do I get an Environmental Product Declarations (EPD)?

Answer: Below is a list of known EPD resources. GSA does not endorse these or any other third-party resources.

https://climateearth.com/ https://thetaepd.com/signup/concrete https://asphaltepd.org/ https://www.buildingtransparency.org/resources/how-get-epd/

Greater Southwest Region

819 Taylor Street Fort Worth, TX 76102-6195 www.gsa.gov https://hallways.cap.gsa.gov/app/#/dv/federal-business-forecast https://climateearth.com/ https://thetaepd.com/signup/concrete https://asphaltepd.org/ https://www.buildingtransparency.org/resources/how-get-epd/