Barracks Resilience Through Industrialized Construction (BR-IC)

Problem Statement

The Department of War (DoW) faces a critical challenge in modernizing its aging infrastructure, particularly barracks, which continue to degrade due to poor environmental conditions, structural inefficiencies, and outdated building systems. Issues such as mold, pests, and inadequate HVAC performance directly affect the health, safety, and morale of service members, ultimately diminishing force readiness and retention.

Current military construction (MILCON) processes are characterized by lengthy design cycles, fragmented delivery models, and escalating costs. These legacy approaches cannot meet the speed or scalability required to align infrastructure modernization with operational tempo and strategic readiness goals.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, in announcing the formation of the Barracks Taskforce on October 7, emphasized this urgency: “How can we expect them to be ready for anything on the battlefield when their own living space is a constant source of stress and frustration?”

To address these challenges, the DoW seeks to prototype and scale advanced manufacturing and industrialized construction (IC) solutions capable of delivering high-quality, energy-efficient, and resilient facilities at accelerated timelines and reduced lifecycle costs. The objective is to establish repeatable, modular design and construction methodologies that can be rapidly deployed across installations—improving quality of life and ensuring the warfighter’s environment matches the standard of excellence expected on the battlefield.

Desired BR-IC Solution Objectives 

DIU is seeking vendor solutions from the commercial sector that directly address the challenges listed above. 

The Department is seeking a transformative approach to military construction, one that leverages controlled factory environments to shift significant portions of work off-site. This model enables automation, mechanization, and digital precision, allowing for simultaneous site preparation and module fabrication while ensuring superior consistency and quality. The result is accelerated delivery, improved cost predictability, and durable, high-performance structures that enhance warfighter readiness both domestically and abroad.

Through this effort, DIU aims to prototype IC solutions for repeatable military facility types, showcasing how commercial innovation can revolutionize defense construction. These prototypes will demonstrate how industrialized building methods can deliver faster timelines, reduced costs, and resilient, scalable infrastructure that meets the evolving demands of the DoW.

Proposed vendor solutions should address the following:

• Innovative IC building methodologies, such as volumetric modular, hybrid, and Kit of Parts
• Structure(s) that are adaptable for a variety of geographical locations, both domestic and international
• Organization of specialized roles that often are siloed in traditional construction which need to come together to effectively implement Industrialized Construction, organized into project delivery lifecycle: Design, Manufacturing, Assembly, and onsite construction
• Advanced manufacturing methodologies that can deliver high-quality barracks that ensure both performance and durability
• Faster delivery by reducing design and build timelines 30% or more compared to traditional construction. Proposed structure(s) must be capable of being designed, reviewed, and approved within a 9 to 12 month time frame
• Greater cost predictability by reducing design and construction costs by 20% or more as compared to traditional construction
• A comprehensive prototype that encompasses BR-IC design, manufacturing, and building methodologies while employing advanced manufacturing techniques
• Adaptable designs for barracks.
• Process Efficiency: Describe in as much detail as possible, the vendor’s unique BR-IC process, through design and prototyping, as well as estimates for increased efficiencies in terms of scale, cost, and deliverability
• High Performance Sustainable Buildings: Buildings must be energy resilient high performance sustainable buildings and validated by a third-party certification

Complementary Capabilities

In addition, the DoW is interested in the following optional complementary capabilities:

• Utilities: Vendors may propose solutions that consider Enhanced Use Leases, Intergovernmental Support Agreement (IGSA), Energy Resilience Contracts and/or Power Purchase Agreements 
• Finance: Vendors may propose private capital investment, with little or no government upfront capital investment. For example, proposals may leverage third party/private financing, either independently or through a public private partnership
• Owned, Operations and Maintenance Services: Vendors may propose post-construction building operations and maintenance services

Vendors are requested to provide BR-IC design, manufacturing, and construction solution briefs that include the following; 

• Effective cost and schedule control in all phases (design, manufacturing, construction, integration, performance and servicing) 
• Provide design construction process improvements
• Demonstrate the use of technology/AI to provide a scalable, faster, and reliable aid to design efforts
• Ensure design for manufacturing and assembly 

DoD building standards are typically established by the Whole Building Design Guide (WBDG) and DoD Unified Facility Criteria (UFC). Vendors are free to propose alternative means of ensuring building longevity, life/safety requirements, and force protection standards are met.

Vendor Solution Brief Submission Options

Vendors have flexibility in how they submit their solution briefs, which can be proposed either independently or through a teaming arrangement:

1. Teaming: Vendors (e.g., Design/Build Firms, Design/Build Joint Ventures) are permitted to submit proposals as part of a team.
2. Scope of Objectives: Vendor or vendor teams may submit a solution brief that addresses one, multiple, or all of the BR-IC objectives.
3. Complementary Capabilities: Vendor or vendor teams may also submit a solution brief that focuses exclusively on one or more of the complementary capabilities.

Expectations 

The successful vendor(s),or team will work collaboratively with DoW personnel to meet the following expectations: 

• Design, manufacture, construct, and commission BR-IC 
• Develop detailed project requirements to meet objectives 
• Submit detailed proposal(s) for completing the design, manufacturing and construction for barracks
• Develop and negotiate design, manufacturing and construction agreements 
• Perform quality control and collaborate with DoW quality management personnel
  • Functions of quality control will be the responsibility of the vendor
  • Functions of quality assurance will reside with the DoW
• Vendor(s) must have the ability to conduct the projects at DoW installations in CONUS and/or OCONUS

Desired solutions should demonstrate relevant and verified experience, as well as descriptions of past examples of designing and constructing BR-IC commercial buildings that are energy efficient with reduced life cycle costs.

Vendors or vendor teams are to provide examples and descriptions of designing and building three completed IC projects within the past 10 years with each project value exceeding $20,000,000. Past building projects must include achievement of sustainable third-party certification. 

The selected vendors/teams will initially demonstrate these approaches by designing, constructing, and commissioning new building(s); some examples include: 

(a) AND/OR ~100,000 SF for ~160 rooms (~300 personnel) multi-story Barracks

(b) AND/OR ~440,000 SF for a 600 room (1200 personnel) multi-story Student Housing

(c) AND/OR ~100,000 SF for 200 rooms (200 personnel) multi-story Unaccompanied Personnel dormitory 

Process 

Submissions will be evaluated in accordance with CSO HQ0845-20-S-C001 available on https://DIU.mil and https://SAM.gov. 

Vendors selected for Phase 2 will receive an amplification letter with expanded details to help inform their Phase 2 pitches. Those vendors will be expected to provide their Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) cost breakdown. 

The vendors’ Phase 2 pitch shall address the Phase 2 evaluation factors contained in CSO HQ0845-20-S-C001. 

DoW requires companies without a CAGE code to register in SAM https://SAM.gov if selected for an agreement award. The Government recommends that prospective companies begin this process as early as possible.