Base seeks developer to privatize base housing

Published June 22, 2007
By Tinker Public Affairs
Tinker Air Force Base Public Affairs

Tinker Air Force Base -- A new request for proposal was made public earlier this month in an effort to reinvigorate housing privatization efforts at Tinker, AFB. Last September, base military members and their families initially learned more about plans for privatizing Tinker's military family housing, but those plans were delayed when McChord AFB was realigned for a separate project.
   Air Mobility Command and the Air Force Materiel Command are working closely with Air Force Center for Engineering and the Environment, the lead organization for the AMC West housing privatization initiative. AFCEE along with both commands retargeted the single real estate and financial transaction proposal to privatize military family housing at three U.S. Air Force Bases -- Fairchild AFB, Tinker AFB and Travis AFB.
   "The realignment leverages greater opportunity for finding interested developers for TAFB," said Carol Hill, the base housing privatization program manager.
   "With the release of the new RFP made public, we anticipate responses by the end of July, at which time the Air Force will identify the highest rank offeror, commonly known as the developer, who will provide the most advantages project to the Air Force," said Ms. Hill.
   The RFP suggests a total of 432 units to be demolished, 398 new units be constructed and 262 be renovated at Tinker. "These are initial suggestions," said Ms. Hill, "our end goal is to find a developer who can provide quality housing comparable to that found in the local community."
   According to Ms. Hill, privatization provides a nontraditional approach to revitalize military family housing through private sector investments and improves the quality of our housing over a quicker period of time than through the traditional military construction programs.
   Under the proposal, the government will lease about 225 acres of land for 50 years to a private developer. Twenty-five of those acres are currently undeveloped; however, some units will not be rebuilt in their current location because of flood plain issues.
   Base officials anticipate the developer would take up to eight years to complete renovation and construction.
   "Upon completion, we anticipate a total of 660 privatized housing units. This number is based on current manpower requirements for Tinker," Ms. Hill said.
   Ms. Hill said, "AFCEE officials currently foresee having responses for RFP to DoD this fall from the most advantageous offer to the Air Force. A developer should be selected and approved by Congress for award by Spring of 2008."
   Col. Correll said, "there would be more town hall meetings in the future as the base gets closer to privatized housing."
   Congress authorized a housing privatization program in 1996 to modernize housing and reduce the number of inadequate units faster and with minimal cost to the government.
   For more information go to the housing privatization Web site at http://www.afcee.brooks.af.mil/dc/dcp/news/default.asp or http://www.jllpress.com/, Ms. Hill said.