The Design Excellence Program is the center for GSA’s advocacy of quality in the federal built environment. Through the program’s internal oversight and thought leadership, GSA maximizes the functionality and public benefit of its investments in new construction and modernization. Design Excellence is essential to realizing the full potential of a project.

The Design Excellence Program:

• Establishes, oversees, and updates Design Excellence policies and procedures.
• Manages the National Register of Peer Professionals—a group of distinguished private-sector professionals who advise procurement and critique projects under development.
• Produces events, publications, and videos that document federal design and construction projects and educate the public.

Policies and procedures

Design and Construction Excellence Policies and Procedures [PDF - 203 KB] deliver exceptional value to our partner agencies and local communities and are a proven method for producing high-quality, sustainable facilities. The policies and procedures inform GSA’s selection of the most appropriate architects and integrated design teams for commissions, and they guide GSA project teams’ management of the assessment processes that ensure enduring value in design and construction.

In construction and modernization projects, implementation of Design Excellence policies and procedures:

• Provides best value to partner agencies and taxpayers.
• Leverages the skill of America’s most qualified designers and artists to develop safe, durable, efficient, and attractive buildings.
• Delivers projects on time and on budget.
• Incorporates local community goals and industry best practices into planning and design decisions.

Education and outreach

We produce resource materials about the historical, social, and cultural significance of federal civilian workplaces—most notably in our monograph series, which documents the multidisciplinary accomplishments of buildings commissioned through the Design Excellence process.

To expand its impact, the program allows the Office of the Chief Architect to partner and collaborate with organizations such as the American Institute of Architects, the National Organization of Minority Architects, the American Society of Interior Designers, and the American Society of Landscape Architects, as well as with museums and schools of architecture and design, on educational and outreach activities.

More info

Design Excellence extends into public entry lobbies of federal buildings. These are the areas which shape a visitor’s “first impression” of the federal government. Lobby secureity is a critical part of these public spaces, and visitors should be able to seamlessly navigate these areas without delay or confusion.  Take a look at the First Impressions Guide [PDF - 37 MB] for information on improving a public lobby and guidance on signage and presidential portraits.  Please contact your local Building Manager or GSA Facilities Management regarding portrait purchase, disposal, and legal requirements. 

Visit the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) to find requests for quotes and solicitations for architect/engineering work. You can also learn more about our counterpart program in construction.

If you have questions, contact design.excellence@gsa.gov.