case study “EXECUTION OF THE FORT BLISS EXPANSION PROGRAM IS THE BEST, IN MY OPINION, OF ANY MAJOR CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM IN D.O.D.” – TROY COLLINS, PE, DEPUTY DISTRICT ENGINEER FOR PROGRAMS & PROJECT MANAGEMENT, USACE FORT WORTH DISTRICT Fort Bliss Expansion BACKGROUND disciplines + services The 2005 Base Realignment and Closure • Develop and ready a 160-year-old Commission (BRAC) initiative targeted the military installation located in the jv land development engineer Army Installation of Fort Bliss, Texas, to Chihuahuan Desert for a 250 percent construction management receive an influx of nearly 30,000 troops, increase in soldiers and their families program integration (from 49,000 to 106,000), all within a ultimately totaling six new Brigade Combat design Teams. Many compared the Fort Bliss seven-year window Expansion Program to building a small city • Deliver facilities better, faster, and client from the ground up. greener – facilities that cost 15% less u.s army corps of engineers than traditional Army construction The $4.8 billion program encompassed in 30% less time, while maintaining fort worth district 4,500 acres of greenfield development, quality and sustainable design 130 projects, and 300 facilities, totaling location 11 million square feet of new buildings. • Borrowing from private sector el paso, texas This program was laid out in four land practices, the LDE team planned and development districts: East Fort Bliss, developed the site while moving from Infantry Brigade Combat team, Biggs Army a “prescriptive” to a “performance- “Team Bliss” grew Airfield, and Main Cantonment. based” approach to contracting in order to accelerate delivery. from a handful of Huitt-Zollars, as part of a Joint Venture, key personnel to was selected to be the Land Development more than 350 full- Engineer (LDE) for the Fort Bliss Expansion SOLUTION Program and was responsible for design, Huitt-Zollars, a multidisciplinary design time, part time, and program integration, and construction firm, specializes in wide-range of practice contract members management. areas such as federal, aviation, public works, and buildings. This depth enabled performing work in CHALLENGES the team to provide a variety of in-house full integration with Challenges of the development and design services, including MEP engineering, civil of this extensive project included: engineering, architecture, construction the USACE personnel. www.huitt-zollars.com ©2018 Huitt-Zollars, Inc. disciplines + services $4.8 Billion Program jv land development engineer • 4,500 Acres of Greenfield Development construction management • 130 Projects program integration • 300 Facilities design • 11 Million SF of New Buildings management, landscape construction, and For example, in order to meet the new LEED and the commitment of Team Bliss, all planning. Huitt-Zollars has the knowledge requirements, the LDE team and the USACE helped keep the project on schedule and and resources to manage a project of this organized a sustainability validation within budget. size effectively. team. This specialized and dedicated team ensured the complex design met Learn more about the specific projects of Innovation and creativity played key the standards of the LEED principles, and Fort Bliss Expansion Program: roles in successfully integrating a high developed a new installation approach and performance design program. The team method for documenting Fort Bliss LEED • Alternative Project Delivery - Fort Bliss was able to understand the complex nature credits. • Fort Bliss Replacement Hospital of the program and incorporate innovative • Fort Bliss CAB Airfield Design solutions that ultimately paved the way for These innovations, along with demonstrating success. continual flexibility throughout the project OUTSTANDING FEDERAL PLANNING PROJECT AWARDED TO USACE, FORT WORTH DISTRICT, AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION (2012) case study.