Trump’s Mexican Border Wall Going Out To Bid

March 20 is the current deadline for submission of “concept papers” proposing designs for the estimated $12 billion to $25 billion cost of a pedestrian and vehicle wall along the U. S. 2,000 mile border with Mexico. Final design-build proposals are expected in early May. Hundreds of companies have registered as prospective bidders on the Department of Homeland Security website devoted to the project.

Offerors chosen by DHS from the list of initial proposers will have to submit detailed designs and prices by the early May deadline, unless DHS delays the bidding process further. However, it remains completely unclear when Congressional appropriations will be approved for actual construction of the project, or how much money will be budgeted for construction. Much more work will be needed in DHS and in Congress before the first shovel full of earth is scooped up to begin the project.