The U.S. Customs and Border Protection plans to start awarding contracts by mid-April for the proposed border wall between the U.S. and Mexico, according to the Associated Press. The agency will start requesting bids in early March, calling for companies to submit "concept papers" to design and build prototypes by March 10. Candidates will be narrowed down by March 20, and finalist will have to submit offers with proposed costs by March 24.
It is still unclear how soon and how much funding Congress would provide. The Government Accountability Office estimates the wall could cost an average of $6.5 million a mile for a fence (with the total wall being a 2,000-mile border) and $1.8 million a mile for vehicle barriers.
(more on plans to award contracts for the proposed border wall...)
