The residential education and job training complex will serve low-income youth ages 16 to 24, with a focus on homeland security, health care and hospitality jobs. Planning for the center began more than a decade ago but it has been in limbo since 2009, when the bidding process was cancelled.

At issue was a "project labor agreement" included in the bid solicitation that would have required construction contractors to negotiate with union officials, recognize union wages and generally abide by collective bargaining agreements. New Hampshire has the smallest unionized construction workforce in New England, and opponents of the requirement said it would favor out-of-state unionized contractors rather than New Hampshire companies that employ in-state workers.

On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Labor re-issued its solicitation for bids without the labor agreement. The latest development was announced by Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte, who pushed the labor department to drop the requirement, and Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, who was governor when she first submitted a proposal for the center.