The PTO's landlord asked a federal court in late December to halt the awarding of the General Services Administration's largest lease ever for construction of a new PTO campus. More Information Needed for Unbiased Bidding To ensure fair bidding, the Smith Companies maintain that the government must also provide information on planned office space allocation, the PTO's phase-in and adjacency plans and the final Environmental Impact Statement, according to the Smith lawsuit. A space allocation plan details PTO's program needs, such as where to locate certain activities, officials and equipment. Adjacency needs outline which programs and activities should be near each other. Phasing plans dictate when and where personnel and functions are to be relocated during and after construction.
Proposals based on new buildings have no such similar problem.
By breaking new ground on new sites, Smith anticipates that its competitors will have to spend much more to mitigate still-unknown environmental factors. Among the myriad environmental factors, the impact on traffic is of primary importance to the surrounding community. A final Environmental Impact Statement was issued in early February. By statute, a lease may not be awarded until 30 days after the final statement issues. According to a GSA spokesman, a lease decision is expected by March 12.