Army awards first FORGE contract under innovative agreement at JBLM

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. — The U.S. Army awarded its first contract under the FORGE program July 7 using an Other Transaction Agreement, marking a transformative milestone in installation modernization and Army contracting.

Conti Federal Services LLC, based in Orlando, Florida, received a firm-fixed-price OTA valued at $169.1 million to execute the Joint Base Lewis-McChord FORGE Facilities Modernization Program. This award represents a key step in rapidly upgrading critical infrastructure to support force projection in the Indo-Pacific region.

The FORGE (Facilities, Operations, Readiness, Growth and Experience) program, a $250 million Secretary of the Army-directed initiative, aims to modernize 19 projects at JBLM that span operational facilities, energy resilience, training and housing modernization, as well as airlift and infrastructure deployment supporting I Corps and the 62nd Airlift Wing. In a way, it’s many projects “forged” together under one unique contract. The JBLM contract’s period of performance extends through July 2031 – a hard limit of five years – reflecting the scope of facility improvements planned as well as the urgency and seriousness of getting the projects completed.

Lt. Gen. Matthew McFarlane, commanding general of I Corps and JBLM, highlighted the urgency driving this modernization effort. “We cannot afford to wait years to break ground on the facilities our warfighters need today. We need a new model. And that new model is the JBLM FORGE pilot,” he said, stressing the need to move at the “speed of need” to maintain strategic readiness in the Indo-Pacific region.

Central to this groundbreaking effort is the Army’s use of an OTA as the primary procurement method. Unlike traditional Federal Acquisition Regulation contracts, OTAs provide greater flexibility by bypassing rigid rules and regulations. This flexibility allows the Army to accelerate prototyping, invite ideas from non-traditional industry partners, and focus on project outcomes over process.

“OTAs invite innovation and accept prudent risk to avoid greater risk to the American Soldier,” explained Brig. Gen. Freddy Adams, commanding general of the Mission and Installation Contracting Command, which oversees the procurement process for FORGE.

The award under the OTA framework not only promises to enhance Soldiers’ quality of life and mission readiness, but also sets a precedent for future Army contracting – enhancing efficiency and collaboration with industry.

As the Army continues to refine its contracting strategies, the FORGE pilot at JBLM stands as a leading example of how modernization can be achieved faster and smarter, ensuring Soldiers have the facilities they need to train, deploy, fight and win in a rapidly evolving security environment.

For more information on contracting opportunities through MICC, visit https://www.army.mil/micc or sam.gov.