DSTAR Industry Day Questions.pdf

Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate

Detection Science Testing and Applied Research Program Industry Day Questions

1. What HVAC building systems tend to provide the best lifecycle cost and maintainability for the laboratory climate being constructed?

2. What are typical schedule delays you see on similar projects (e.g., utility coordination, material lead times, inspections), and what design or contracting strategies have best mitigated them?

3. Which details typically generate RFIs and field rework on laboratory projects, and how can the drawings and specifications be clarified to minimize ambiguities?

4. What contractual or commercial barriers typically prevent you from proposing bold ideas or meeting contract requirements, and how can this project avoid them?

5. Can you share examples where you significantly reduced cost or schedule on a similar building through unconventional means, and what design conditions made those successes possible?

6. Do you feel that the local sub-contractor pool availability will be a constraint in the execution of this project?

7. What is your strategy for securing highly skilled, cleared tradespeople in the local market, and how do you intend to meet or exceed Small Business Subcontracting goals?

8. Are there particular systems or materials that are difficult to staff or supply locally that we should avoid or redesign around?

9. What do you identify as the single greatest risk in constructing a specialized laboratory in the local economic climate, and what specific mitigation or contingency workflows do you employ?

10. What do you identify as the single greatest risk in constructing a specialized laboratory in the local economic climate, and what specific mitigation or contingency workflows do you employ?

11. What is your firm's recent experience (past 5 years) managing MILCON projects exceeding $50M in value, specifically under USACE?

12. Can you demonstrate your capability in constructing and commissioning energetic or specialized laboratory spaces under federal standards?

13. How does your firm ensure compliance with DHS/DoD requirements for protecting Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) during the design-build or construction phase?

14. What percentage of your core project management team and primary subcontractors currently hold active Secret clearances, and what is your process for rapidly onboarding personnel with physical access badges (PIV/CAC)?

15. Given the current global logistics environment, how will you mitigate long-lead times for specialized laboratory equipment (HEPA systems, autoclaves) while ensuring strict compliance with the Buy American Act (BAA)?

16. What is your approach to the Total Building Commissioning (Cx) process, specifically regarding the integration and certification of complex laboratory HVAC, backup power, and environmental control systems?

Telephone inquiries will not be accepted or acknowledged, and no feedback or evaluations will be provided to companies regarding their submissions. If you have any questions concerning this opportunity, please contact: Responses should be sent to Eric.A.Leach@usace.army.mil and Connor.A.Struckmeyer@usace.army.mil on or before 11 November 2026, at 2:00 PM EST.