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USACE welcomes feedback on Revolutionize USACE Civil Works. To see feedback submitted to date and to provide additional feedback, click here.  Additional feedback on Revolutionize USACE Civil Works may also be submitted electronically to:

CW.Infrastructure.Team@usace.army.mil

Webinars

A summary of the February 2021 webinars can be found here.

Additional Resources

The links listed below provide more information on efforts being conducted through Revolutionize USACE Civil Works.

BREAKING NEWS!  FIRST P3 ON CORPS PROJECT ANNOUNCED!

USACE is celebrating the Metro Flood Diversion Authority’s contractor selection of a public-private partnership (P3) to the Red River Valley Alliance, Corporaciόn Acciona Infraestructuras S.L.

The P3 contract is the first public-private financing of a civil works project in the Corps of Engineers’ history.  The Fargo-Moorhead Flood Risk Management Project, in Fargo, North Dakota, and Moorhead, Minnesota, was the inaugural pilot project for the innovative funding concept.  This accelerated solution significantly increases the speed to complete the region’s resilience to the annual Red River of the North flood threat.

"The implementation of this project using public, private partnership provides proof of concept and represents a new era in community-based infrastructure investment,” said Lt. Gen. Scott Spellmon, U.S Army Corps of Engineers commanding general.

Compared to traditional construction delivery, the P3 model will save $330M and 10 years.

Revolutionize U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(USACE) Civil Works Program

USACE is taking bold actions to improve its performance and engineer solutions for the nation's toughest challenges through the Revolutionize USACE Civil Works initiative.  Traditional delivery of the annual Civil Works program is being overhauled by using innovative tools, modernizing internal processes, and pursuing alternative financing approaches. USACE is streamlining permit processes and eliminating duplicative reviews to expedite permit decisions for infrastructure projects while protecting the environment.  Speeding up how USACE does business will save millions of dollars and complete projects sooner.

The Revolutionize USACE Civil Works initiative has three objectives:

OBJECTIVE 1:  Accelerate Project Delivery
Accelarate Project Delivery

Goal: Start and finish projects faster.
 
  • Continuing Authorities Program: Streamlining business processes, identifying best management practices, and delegating decision making to improve project execution.
  • Cost Sharing Agreements: Streamlining business processes and identifying best management practices to improve execution of Project Partnership Agreements (PPA), Feasibility Cost Sharing Agreements (FCSA), and Design Agreements (DA).
  • Water Supply Delegations: Working with ASA(CW) to develop water supply delegations.
  • Non-Federal Implementation: Seeking to leverage willing non-Federal capabilities to deliver project sooner.
  • Additional streamlining & delegations: Pursuing additional streamlining and delegations.
  • Emergency Supplemental Projects: Taking Lessons Learned from Supplemental Program and making them Enterprise Best Practices.
 
  • Delegated 23 authorities to lower levels
  • Streamlined processes to execute projects with a lighter Federal touch
  • Implemented Risk-Informed Decision-Making across the Corps

Accomplishments: 16 years of saved time; reduced bureaucracy; leveraged sponsor capabilities

OBJECTIVE 2:  Transform Project Financing and Budgeting
Transform Project Financing and Budgeting

Goal: To accelerate project delivery with fewer resources and less Federal involvement. 
 
 

P3 Pilot Program

There are three pilot projects in the program:

  • Fargo-Moorhead Metropolitan Area Flood Risk Management Project (under construction) - protect Fargo-Moorhead-West Fargo metro area during times of extreme flooding using a variety of flood protection measures.
  • Brazos Island Harbor Channel Improvement Project (designated pilot, ready for implementation) - deepen the Port of Brownsville ship channel from 42 feet to 52 feet, among other features.
  • Los Angeles (LA) River Ecosystem Restoration Project (designated pilot) - restore ecosystems, provide improved water quality and recreation features for a span of 11 miles along the LA River near downtown LA.

USACE Civil Works is inviting input on conceptual P3 delivery of specific USACE Civil Works projects. Project nominations can be submitted at any time. Nominations will be accepted on USACE authorized or likely to be authorized projects. 

More information about the P3 Pilot Program, including project status, can be found here.

Corps Water Infrastructure Financing Program (CWIFP)

USACE has developed the Federal loan program CWIFP authorized by WIFIA.

The USACE has completed development of draft program and fee rules, completed development of all products necessary to fully develop the loan program and has been worked with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) though a Memorandum of Understanding to streamline the program development.

More information on CWIFP can be found here.

Accomplishments: Accelerated delivery by 13 years; Reduced bureaucracy; Empowered partnerships and out-of-the-box thinking.

OBJECTIVE 3:  Improve Permitting and Regulation Reform
Improve Permitting and Regulation Reform

Goal:  Streamlined permit processes and elimination of duplicative reviews to expedite delivery of projects
 
  • Mitigation: Revisit Mitigation Rule, based on partner input and lessons learned, revise as appropriate
  • Educate and Inform: Review all existing guidance and refresh as needed
  • Permitting: Renew Nationwide Permits and modify as necessary
  • Waters of the U.S.: Continue to work with the EPA to develop clear and appropriate implementation materials
 

Environmental Reviews and Permits:

  • USACE published a Regulatory Guidance Letter clarifying the time frames for Tribes, states, and the EPA to act on requests for Clean Water Act Section 401 Water Quality Certification for discharges into Waters of the United States authorized by Department of the Army permits.

Modifications to Civil Works Projects (Section 408):

  • Established single point of contact for incoming Section 408 actions at each District.
  • Completed local operating procedures to better synchronize the processing of actions requiring Regulatory Permits and Section 408 permissions.
  • Status information for individual permit requests are now available on the USACE public website.
  • Under revised guidance issued in 2018, many Districts are now developing Categorical Permissions to expedite the authorization of minor activities having low potential to adversely affect the operation or performance of the Federal project.
  • These changes provide a more straightforward and simplified approach for entry into the USACE review process, streamline the processing of actions requiring Section 408 permissions and better synchronize reviews for those actions also requiring a Regulatory Permit.

Mitigation:

  • USACE published a Regulatory Guidance Letter providing guidance on credit release schedules for mitigation banks and ensuring equivalency in service areas for mitigation banks and in-lieu fee programs.

Accomplishments: Efficient decision-making; enhanced processes for coordinated and efficient delivery.