The Department of Veteran Affairs is seeking final clearances for plans to build a permanent VA clinic in Hinesville, according to Tonya C. Lobbestael, VA public affairs officer at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center in Charleston.

Lobbestael said the VA’s central office acknowledged Tuesday that it still is seeking final clearances “internally,” and it “anticipates award in late summer 2012.”

She added the VA is not expected to change the proposed clinic’s selected 7-acre site of the intersection of East Oglethorpe Highway and Memorial Drive, the site of the old Mills House.

The property is owned by Hinesville attorneys Joel and Jay Osteen.

Lobbestael said the VA will provide more details about the site layout and final costs of the clinic following selection of the “successful awardee.”

According to the VA central office, after the contract is awarded, the 23,348-square-foot clinic’s construction will take 18-24 months. Once completed, the clinic would serve 12,000 local veterans.