summary
Introduced
01/03/2019
01/03/2019
In Committee
01/03/2019
01/03/2019
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
12/31/2020
12/31/2020
Introduced Session
116th Congress
Bill Summary
To improve the design and construction of diplomatic posts, and for other purposes. This bill amends procedures related to Department of State overseas construction to reduce costs. For any new embassy or consulate compound construction projects, the State Department may use a non-standard design only after consulting Congress. The State Department shall justify the choice to use such a design and provide documentation of the full lifecycle costs and the project's completion date, compared to the project if it used a standard design. The State Department shall report to Congress quarterly on overseas capital construction projects; currently it is required to report annually on embassy construction costs. The bill also expands the required information for such reports, including the value of all requests to adjust the contract amount (such as a request for equitable adjustment or a certified claim). The bill also directs the State Department to complete all contractor performance evaluations by October 1, 2021. The State Department shall use the design-build project delivery method (where a single firm is responsible for both designing and construction) for all diplomatic posts and shall notify Congress if it seeks to use a different method for a project. The bill directs the State Department to report to Congress on various topics, including a six-year Long-Range Overseas Building Plan, a Long-Range Overseas Maintenance Plan, and a report detailing steps to expand the embassy construction contractor base to increase competition.
AI Summary
This bill aims to improve the design and construction of diplomatic posts. It has several key provisions:
1. The State Department must consult Congress before using a non-standard design for any new embassy or consulate construction project, and provide documentation justifying the choice and comparing the lifecycle costs and completion date to a standard design.
2. The State Department must now report to Congress quarterly, rather than annually, on all ongoing overseas capital construction projects, including details on cost estimates, requests for equitable adjustments, and project timelines.
3. The State Department must complete all contractor performance evaluations by October 1, 2021 and develop a system to prioritize clearing the current backlog.
4. The State Department must base growth assumptions for new embassy and consulate projects on projections using historical data and analysis of strategic importance.
5. The State Department must develop long-term plans for its overseas building program and maintenance, and submit these plans to Congress.
6. The State Department must use the design-build project delivery method (where one firm handles both design and construction) for all new diplomatic posts, unless it notifies Congress that another method is more appropriate.
7. The State Department must take steps to expand its embassy construction contractor base to increase competition.
Committee Categories
Military Affairs and Security
Sponsors (2)
Last Action
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. (on 01/03/2019)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/193/all-info |
| BillText | https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/hr193/BILLS-116hr193ih.pdf |
| Bill | https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/hr193/BILLS-116hr193ih.pdf.pdf |
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