SESSION SUMMARIES

The 20-Minute Bid/No-Bid Decision.
Not every opportunity is the right opportunity. This practical session will help construction firms quickly assess whether a federal project is worth pursuing. Participants will learn how to evaluate scope alignment, bonding capacity, staffing, past performance, location, schedule, competition, and proposal requirements using a simple bid/no-bid decision framework. Attendees will leave with a clearer process for focusing resources on opportunities they are positioned to win and successfully perform. 

Cash Flow, Bonding and Financial Survival.
Federal construction projects can create significant financial pressure before the first payment is received. This session will help contractors understand bonding requirements, working-capital needs, mobilization costs, progress payments, retainage, and subcontractor payment obligations. Participants will learn practical strategies for protecting cash flow, strengthening their financial readiness, and avoiding common financial challenges that can jeopardize successful project performance. 

Working Behind the Gate.
Working on a military installation brings unique access, security, safety, and coordination requirements. This session will prepare contractors for the practical realities of performing construction behind the gate, including badging and vetting, vehicle and equipment access, controlled-area restrictions, work-hour limitations, utility shutdowns, deliveries, and coordination with installation personnel. Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of how to prevent avoidable delays and keep projects moving safely and efficiently. 

Building the Future Workforce.
The federal construction market continues to face significant workforce challenges, including skilled labor shortages, an aging workforce, evolving credential requirements, and growing demand for specialized trades. This panel will bring together representatives from ApprenticeshipNC, regional Workforce Development Boards, and academic institutions to discuss practical strategies for developing and sustaining the workforce needed to support federal construction projects. 

Government & Industry Perspectives: Challenges, Trends, and Emerging Issues.
This session will provide an open dialogue between government and industry representatives on key issues affecting the federal marketplace. Panelists will share perspectives on current challenges, evolving acquisition practices, and emerging trends impacting both federal agencies and the businesses that support them. 

Topics will include the current use of Other Transaction Authorities (OTAs), lessons learned, federal workforce training, project types and bundling strategies; the use of artificial intelligence in government evaluation processes; the impact of changes and delays associated with CMMC and the identification and handling of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI); the federal government’s adoption of alternative construction methodologies; emerging issues affecting the architecture and engineering community; and ongoing labor and workforce constraints across the industry. 

Federal Agency Program & Acquisition Briefings.
Representatives from participating federal agencies and military installations will provide an overview of anticipated FY27–28 programs, projects, and acquisition priorities and engage in interactive discussion with industry. Briefings will focus on upcoming requirements, execution strategies, contracting approaches, and opportunities for businesses to support agency missions. 

Topics may include installation and agency growth and facility utilization plans; MILCON and repair-to-replace projects; sustainment, restoration, and modernization (SRM); civil works and horizontal infrastructure; environmental programs; non-appropriated fund construction; architectural and engineering services; and current and future service contract requirements. 

Representatives will also discuss anticipated acquisition strategies and pathways for industry participation, including public-private partnerships; teaming, subcontracting, and supplier opportunities; Multiple Award Task Order Contracts (MATOCs); Multiple Award Construction Contracts (MACCs); Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts; Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs); Basic Ordering Agreements (BOAs); and other acquisition vehicles. Discussion will also address agency use of small business set-asides, direct awards, sole-source authorities, and other small business contracting strategies. 

Alternative Construction Methodologies & Emerging Construction Materials.
This session will explore evolving construction delivery methods and materials being considered or utilized by federal agencies. Government and industry representatives will discuss which alternative methodologies agencies are currently permitting, where flexibility exists, and how these approaches may influence project execution, cost, schedule, and risk. 

Topics will include Progressive Design-Build, traditional single-phase and two-phase Design-Build, Early Contractor Involvement, and other alternative delivery approaches, including those authorized or encouraged through recent legislation and acquisition authorities. Panelists will discuss whether agencies have preferred methodologies for specific project types and the factors that influence those decisions. 

The session will also examine new and emerging construction materials, including where they are currently being used, their potential applications in federal construction, and the advantages and challenges associated with adoption, performance, cost, availability, and long-term maintenance. 

Implementation of the Portfolio Acquisition Executive (PAE) Structure.
This session will examine the implementation of the Portfolio Acquisition Executive (PAE) structure and its impact on the organization and management of acquisition programs across the Department of War. Panelists will discuss the origins and purpose of the PAE model, the organizations and agencies affected by the transition, and how the new structure is intended to improve portfolio-level oversight, integration, and acquisition decision-making. 

Discussion will include the organization of Program Executive Offices (PEOs) within the PAE structure, how individual programs and portfolios align under the new model, and the roles and responsibilities of Direct Reporting Portfolio Managers (DRPMs). Panelists will also address how DRPMs interact with PAEs and PEOs, where they may operate independently of the PAE structure, and what these organizational changes may mean for industry engagement and future acquisition activities. 

Getting Facility Commissioning Right 
This session will examine best practices for facility commissioning and the roles and responsibilities of the various parties involved throughout the design and construction process. Panelists will discuss when commissioning should begin, how responsibilities should be coordinated among the commissioning provider, general contractor, and architecture and engineering team, and why early engagement is critical to successful project delivery. 

Discussion will also address different approaches to contracting for commissioning services, including the advantages and disadvantages of using a separate commissioning contract versus incorporating commissioning responsibilities within the general construction contract. Panelists will explore how each approach can affect independence, coordination, accountability, schedule, cost, and overall facility performance. 

Building Defense Infrastructures Innovation.
The future of military construction and infrastructure will be shaped by more than new materials, equipment, and construction methods—it will depend on the ability to rapidly translate emerging technologies into deployable capabilities that address the operational demands facing the Department of Defense. Building Defense Infrastructure Innovation brings together leading experts from Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC), the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s WERX program, and the Air Force’s AFWERX program to explore how innovation is changing the way the military designs, builds, operates, and sustains infrastructure.

The panel will examine emerging solutions across a range of challenging environments and missions, including Arctic and extreme-environment construction, infrastructure requirements in the Indo-Pacific, additive manufacturing and 3D-printed structures, micro-expeditionary nuclear reactors, resilient and autonomous infrastructure, advanced materials, and rapidly deployable expeditionary construction capabilities.

Panelists will discuss not only what technologies are emerging, but the more important question: How do promising technologies move from the laboratory and commercial marketplace into real military construction programs and operational environments?The discussion will provide attendees with a practical look at where defense construction innovation is headed, which technologies are closest to meaningful adoption, and how government and industry can work together to accelerate technology transition.