GSA celebrates first biennial Construction Award winners

February 29, 2024

BOSTON – On February 28, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), which oversees federal real estate, announced the winners of the new biennial GSA Construction Awards. 18 winners were honored at a special ceremony at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington. Recipients were recognized with either “Honor” or “Merit” level awards, and one project was determined to be the “Project of the Year.”

In this inaugural event, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Clinic in the Silvio O. Conte Federal Building in Pittsfield, Massachusetts received an Honor level award in the Small Projects Category, as well as a Merit level award in the Engaged Customer Support category.

In 2020 the VA requested GSA’s help to find available space to build out a new VA clinic. GSA quickly got to work and found space to meet the VA’s needs within the Federal Building. GSA coordinated and relocated The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) from the second floor down to the first floor of the building and brought the VA over from leased space to occupy the entire second floor.

The $4.1 million project was awarded to, and completed by, City Enterprise, a woman-owned small business from Springfield, Mass. The company worked diligently to construct a state-of-the-art clinic that includes a high-end HVAC system complete with an energy recovery ventilator (ERV) system, a fire suppression sprinkler system, parking lot upgrades, and a new fire alarm system for the entire building. It will also be able to accommodate more appointments for veterans than their former space allowed.

“Federal buildings play important roles in the communities they inhabit, providing vital government services and serving as civic cores that catalyze economic development and growth,” said GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan. “When it comes to the award-winning work we’re celebrating – and the talented Americans who worked on them – these buildings will accomplish all of that and serve the American people for years to come.”

GSA’s Construction Awards were created to honor outstanding achievements in construction, with a focus on quality and craftsmanship, collaboration and team dynamics, sustainability, innovation, and technology. GSA recognizes projects of all sizes and scope that resulted in highly successful outcomes while delivering best value and demonstrating excellent practice of the following core values: safety, construction quality and craftsmanship, collaboration and team dynamics, sustainability, innovation, and technology. These awards will continue to be held in years that alternate with the longstanding GSA Design Awards.

About GSA:  
GSA provides centralized procurement and shared services for the federal government, managing a nationwide real estate portfolio of nearly 370 million rentable square feet, overseeing over $100 billion in products and services via federal contracts, and delivering technology services that serve millions of people across dozens of federal agencies. GSA’s mission is to deliver the best customer experience and value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services to the government and the American people. For more information, visit GSA.gov and follow us at @USGSA.