TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – Tyndall will usher in a new era Oct. 13 when it breaks ground on the air battle manager simulator training facility, the base’s first major military construction project since Hurricane Michael devastated the base Oct. 10, 2018.
While the base begins to ramp up construction efforts, the Program Management Office there continues to look for ways to optimize critical resources and make the best use of every dollar in the estimated $4.9 billion rebuild of Tyndall as the “Installation of the Future.”
The Air Force Civil Engineer Center PMO is taking a page out of Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr.’s book, ensuring it is acting as a good steward of taxpayer dollars, said Lt. Col. Andrew Hoisington, PMO Execution Division chief.
“The first step is to understand the fiscal environment,” Hoisington said. “With a program of this magnitude, it is critical to monitor the current market to ensure we continue to make smart investments and gain the most value for Tyndall and American taxpayers.”
Through analysis of the local construction market, PMO leadership believes the market is now driving lower costs for the various new military construction projects in the five-to-seven-year rebuild.
Several factors have contributed to expected cost reductions, including the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic which has limited other major construction activities in the United States.
“We are confident in our ability to deliver a rebuild that is not only resilient and innovative, but also makes the best use of taxpayer dollars,” said Col. Travis Leighton, PMO director.
For example, the PMO has an active working group with coastal resiliency stakeholders to identify mutually beneficial and cost-sharing solutions for Tyndall, such as nature-based flood defenses.
The PMO will award the majority of its construction projects over the next 18 months and will continue to explore financially responsible options that meet mission requirements, Leighton added.
To date, the PMO has executed over $1 billion for recovery and repairs, and more than $1 million for new military construction at Tyndall.
“Essentially building a base from scratch is a massive undertaking and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Leighton said. “We are excited to start moving into this new phase of the program, begin seeing the vision for Tyndall become reality, and strengthen the military ties to the Panama City area that have always been so supportive of our troops and mission.”