GSA awards $94 million Design/Build contract for land port of entry at Dunseith, North Dakota

July 24, 2024

Funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda

DUNSEITH, N.D. — The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) awarded a Design-Build contract to McGough Construction that will replace all existing outmoded buildings at the Dunseith Land Port of Entry with more secure, efficient, and high-capacity new facilities. This helps strengthen supply chains, create jobs, and enhance security and trade. The Design-Build contract includes all design, construction, labor, equipment, and materials for the new port.

Funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, the scope of the $94 million award encompasses the design and construction of new land port of entry buildings to support the critical functions of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Included in this award, $64 million is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and $27 million is provided by the Inflation Reduction Act. GSA’s Inflation Reduction Act appropriations will fund low embodied carbon concrete, steel and glass, emerging and sustainable technologies including a new electric boiler and solar photovoltaic array. The building will be net-zero ready, all-electric, and LEED Gold certified. GSA’s reimbursable services program will fund the remaining award balance.     

“The Dunseith Land Port of Entry is another example of how this Administration is making once-in-a-generation investments that benefit all Americans,” said GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan. “By focusing on sustainability, we’re driving toward a triple win – creating good jobs that boost our economy and national security, saving taxpayer dollars through reduced energy costs and greener materials, and building a stronger and more prosperous future for our communities.”

The new facility will provide operational space, reduce traffic congestion, increase processing capacity, enhance security, facilitate trade and travel volumes, and provide safer conditions for employees and travelers.

“The investment in the Dunseith Land Port of Entry through both the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will include sustainable technologies and innovative construction materials, with a focus on low embodied carbon materials. It will move us toward the goal of reducing our carbon footprint,” said Denise Maes, Regional Administrator for GSA’s Rocky Mountain Region. “We are not just building a new infrastructure, we are chartering a more efficient, sustainable and resilient gateway for the future.”

This announcement is part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to grow the American economy from the bottom up and middle-out. 

The Inflation Reduction Act includes $3.4 billion for GSA to use its buying power to promote the development and manufacturing of low embodied carbon construction materials and to make federal facilities more sustainable and cost-efficient. GSA’s Inflation Reduction Act projects will implement new technologies and accelerate GSA’s efforts in achieving a net-zero emissions federal building portfolio by 2045. Through these investments, GSA estimates that it could reduce carbon emissions by over 2 million metric tons in operational greenhouse gas emissions. That’s the equivalent of taking about 500,000 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles off the road for one year.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes a total of $3.4 billion for GSA to build and modernize land ports of entry on the country’s northern and southern borders. The investments will improve commerce and trade, enhance security, create good-paying jobs, and incorporate innovative sustainability features. GSA is estimated to support an annual average of nearly 6,000 jobs over the next eight years; add $3.23 billion in total labor income across the United States; contribute an additional $4.5 billion to the National Gross Domestic Product; and generate hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue for federal, state and local governments.

These projects provide the opportunity to incorporate sustainability features that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, mitigate the impact of buildings on the environment, and simultaneously increase the mission readiness of the federal government by increasing resilience to climate change.

Construction is anticipated to begin in spring 2025, with substantial completion by late 2028. 

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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 about $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.