SLSCO Ltd. awarded $287 million California/Mexico border wall contract

SLSCO Ltd. has been awarded an approximately $287 million contract to build part of President Donald Trump’s border wall with Mexico.

The contract with US Customs and Border Protection (CPB), in partnership with the US Army Corps of Engineers, is to “construct up to 14 miles of secondary wall and up to 15 miles of primary pedestrian replacement wall in California within the U.S. Border Patrol’s  San Diego, Yuma, and El Centro Sectors” within CBP’s 2018 appropriations.

Construction for the San Diego secondary is anticipated to begin in February 2019 and construction for the primary pedestrian replacement wall is anticipated to begin in July 2019.

CPB says in a statement that the contract award includes approximately $156 million for the primary pedestrian replacement wall project, including approximately $68 million in the contract base and approximately $88 million in unawarded options.

The primary pedestrian replacement wall project will include replacement of various outdated designs with new 30 ft. tall steel bollard wall. The approximately 15 miles supported in the contract base and options include approximately 11 miles in Calexico, approximately three miles in Tecate, and approximately one mile in Andrade, California.

The contract award includes approximately $131 million for the secondary wall project, including approximately $101 million in the contract base and approximately $30 million in unawarded options. The secondary wall project will include the replacement of existing secondary barrier with a 30 ft. tall steel bollard wall. This project is adjacent to the San Diego primary fence replacement project that is currently under construction.

“These two important barriers, in combination with a patrol road and technology, create an enforcement zone for the USBP as part of the border wall system. Given the high-density population in San Diego-Tijuana urban area, the stronger infrastructure is critically important,” the statement says.