How to bid on Coburn Gore LPOE artwork for the Public Buildings Service

What the agency is buying

The U.S. General Services Administration’s Art in Architecture Program is seeking American artists to create and install permanent artwork for the new Coburn Gore Land Port of Entry in Coburn, Maine. The estimated art budget is $275,000 to $400,000, and one or more artists may receive fixed-price contracts.

The artwork will be part of a facility serving Customs and Border Protection and coordinating with the Canadian port of entry at Saint-Augustin-de-Woburn, Quebec. This opportunity may suit artists with experience creating and installing permanent public artwork.

Deadline and what happens next

GSA must receive application materials by November 18, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered for this project, though they may be considered for future GSA commissions through the National Artist Registry.

GSA will evaluate artists’ past work, materials, content and style, along with experience and past performance on similar commissions or projects. Shortlisted artists will be asked for more information, including a statement that they can perform the work within the identified budget.

Who this opportunity suits

This is a professional-art opportunity for artists who can develop, fabricate and install permanent artwork for a federal building. The stated minimum services include working with the project’s lead designer, traveling to the site, presenting concepts, attending meetings and conservation reviews as needed, and providing documentation and a detailed maintenance plan.

Artists selected for award must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents and must have active System for Award Management registration at the time of award. The SAM registration must be renewed annually for the duration of the project.

How to access the opportunity and apply

Use the portal’s “View original source” control to open the opportunity. If the first click takes you to the portal homepage, click it again. A free account may be needed to view documents, though some opportunities can be viewed without one.

Submit application materials to GSA so they are received by the deadline. Artists already on the National Artist Registry do not need to resubmit, but may update their information before the deadline. The listing also provides a project contact for inquiries and says questions will not be answered after October 7, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

Prepare a strong application

Choose past work that clearly shows your media, materials, content and style, and explain how your experience relates to a permanent public-art commission. Make it easy for reviewers to understand your role and the results of comparable projects.

Plan for the full stated scope, including collaboration, site travel, concept development, fabrication, delivery, installation, documentation and maintenance planning. Since shortlisted artists must confirm they can perform within the budget, consider the costs and practical demands of the work before applying.

The notice says GSA weighs the combined selection criteria significantly more than price. It also notes an executive-order priority for art portraying historically significant Americans or events, or illustrating the ideals on which the nation was founded.