Key Takeaways from the 2026 Annual Convention on Civil Works and Federal Lands

At the 2026 ACEC Annual Convention & Legislative Summit, industry leaders and federal officials outlined a clear shift in how infrastructure is planned, funded, and delivered—a shift reflected in initiatives ranging from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ push to “build infrastructure, not paperwork,” to new project pipelines within the Eastern Federal Lands Division. The sessions highlighted a common theme: accelerating delivery, strengthening partnerships, and positioning engineering firms to meet growing demands. These discussions offered attendees a forward-looking view of where federal infrastructure policy—and opportunity—is headed next.

A New Era for Civil Works: Delivering Infrastructure, Not Paperwork

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) held a session titled “A New Era for Civil Works,” where leaders discussed a transformative shift in how the agency delivers critical infrastructure to the nation. Ryan Fisher, acting director of civil works, led the discussion, which highlighted a strategic move toward empowering district commanders to take informed risks and leveraging smarter contracting to accelerate project delivery.

At the heart of this new era is the “Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork” (BINP) initiative, officially launched by Operation Order 2026-36. This initiative seeks to modernize USACE execution by providing a greater focus on core missions while cutting red tape and minimizing non-core administrative requirements that have historically slowed project completion and increased costs. Under this directive, the Corps is entering “Army Mode,” a process designed to surge limited resources toward clear priorities to deliver infrastructure to the public right away, rather than perpetuating decades of paperwork.

To achieve these goals, USACE is implementing several key changes:

• Established Priorities: Human capital and discretionary resources are now prioritized into seven specific “bands of emphasis,” with protecting human life and safety (including emergency potable water) as the top priority.
• Strict Investigation Limits: To propel project delivery, investigations into complex water resource problems must now be completed within three years and $3 million, unless specific legal exceptions apply.
• Leveraging Partners: There is a renewed emphasis on leveraging non-federal capabilities, encouraging local sponsors to conduct feasibility studies and implement projects using their own expertise to achieve shorter timelines and lower costs.
• Smarter Resource Management: The Corps will prioritize workload sharing among districts and contracting non-inherently governmental work to the private sector before seeking to hire new staff.

The transformation also includes technical and procedural updates intended to streamline operations—utilizing navigation ship simulation early in the design process to avoid costly re-designs, expanding the use of mitigation banking to increase dredging capacity, and modernizing real estate acquisition policies to incentivize early acquisition by non-federal sponsors. Additionally, USACE is working to codify Section 408 procedures into formalized rules to ease the regulatory burden on those seeking to modify federal civil works projects.

During the session, Fisher emphasized the importance of stakeholder engagement in refining these processes, specifically referencing a Notice of Solicitation of Input regarding potential future changes to the Nationwide Permit (NWP) program. The Corps is seeking feedback on measures to increase permitting efficiency and eliminate unnecessary reviews for activities that cause minimal environmental effects.

Spotlight on the Easter Federal Lands Division

A specialized session focused on the Eastern Federal Lands Division (EFLD) and its critical role in national infrastructure was held in conjunction with ACEC’s Federal Agencies and Procurement Advocacy (FAPA) Committee Meeting.

Tim Marshall, director of the Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), provided an in-depth overview of their mission to deliver innovative and context-sensitive transportation solutions for federal and tribal lands. Marshall detailed the division’s extensive history and collaboration with key Federal Land Management Agency (FLMA) partners, including the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

The session offered attendees a review of the diverse expertise and services the division requires, ranging from highway and bridge design to geotechnical engineering, hydraulics, and environmental compliance. Marshall walked through several significant ongoing projects, including the George Washington Memorial Parkway North Rehabilitation and the Arlington National Cemetery Southern Expansion, both in Virginia, showcasing the scale and impact of the division’s work.

Upcoming contract recompetitions drew strong interest from attendees. Many firms were particularly focused on the announcement of a $60 million shared-capacity IDIQ contract for highway and bridge design services, which is specifically designated for small businesses. This five-year contract opportunity underscores the division’s commitment to engaging a wide range of highly qualified A/E firms.

The FAPA Committee works to promote the interests of ACEC members in federal contracting and advocate for Qualifications-Based Selection (QBS). Members are encouraged to stay engaged with FAPA to remain informed about shifting federal market opportunities and legislative developments like the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) reauthorization and the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for FY27.