For Progressive Design-Build Services under Other Transaction Authority
Project: Multi-Domain Cyber and Intel Operations Center, Joint Base San Antonio, Lackland AFB Texas.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is issuing this special notice to announce an upcoming solicitation for Progressive Design-Build Construction under Other Transaction Authority 10 U.S.C. § 2808a for the Multi-Domain Cyber and Intel Operations Center at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. This notice is for informational and planning purposes to allow interested parties to prepare for the official solicitation release.

Progressive Design-Build (PDB) Approach: This requirement will be executed using a qualifications-based PDB model. Unlike traditional design-bid-build or fixed-price design-build, PDB is a collaborative, two-phase delivery method designed to optimize design, cost, and schedule alignment for complex projects.

The process is defined by two distinct phases under a single contract:

Phase 1 (Design and Preconstruction Services): After selecting a Company to serve as the progressive design-build team (Design-Builder and Designer of Record) based on qualifications and experience, not a final price, the Government, Company, and the end-user work as an integrated team. This phase focuses on collaboratively developing the project design from an early concept to a sufficiently detailed level (typically 60-90% completion). Throughout this phase, the Company provides open-book cost estimates, constructability reviews, and value engineering to progressively align the project scope with the budget.
Phase 2 (Final Design and Construction): Once the design is advanced to an agreed-upon level of completion, the Company submits a commercial proposal, often a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP), for the final design and construction work. If the Government and the Company agree on the price and schedule, the contract is modified to authorize Phase 2. If an agreement cannot be reached, the Government has an “off-ramp” option to take the completed design and procure the construction work via other means.
This progressive approach is intended to leverage the builder’s expertise early, reduce risk by identifying challenges before construction begins, and provide greater cost certainty and budget control.

Industry Day

USACE intends to conduct an Industry Day at Lackland AFB on 21 July 2026 to provide an overview of the project, acquisition strategy, and anticipated requirements. This event will offer interested parties an opportunity to gain additional insight and ask questions in advance of the solicitation release.