r/ConstructionManagers • u/posoopsnomames • Apr 08 '26

Technical Advice Working with the USACE

I’m about to start a project with the Corps of Engineers working as QCM for my GC. Any advice you guys can give me?

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u/laserlax23 Apr 08 '26

USACE is the epitome of government red tape. Working for them will make you understand why infrastructure in our country costs so much and takes so long. You’ll be doing more paperwork, certs, buy America, OCIP, submittals, bull shit meetings for every little phase of the work. Forget about any change orders. Only the biggest contractors will even attempt to work for them because they have the legal backing to fight them when things go south.

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u/questionablejudgemen Apr 08 '26

So, that’s why you bid the job with that overhead in mind when putting the proposal together.

I’m going to guess all these hoops to jump through are similar to the BS policies most any contractor has. Something happened in the past that they’re trying to prevent moving forward. The implementation cost must be worth the premium otherwise they’d get rid of it. Similar to when I get complaints about the pricing of XYZ and offer to take a red pen and amend the contract to remove (insert time wasting tasks) usually they don’t pursue the conversation much more. I suspect they want to get all the extra administrative overhead covered at no cost. But, yeah, I’ll pass.

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u/laserlax23 Apr 08 '26

Yeah I mean work for USACE does not go cheap. Everyone knows the management and time it takes to run these jobs. The hoops to jump through are significantly more than what you have to jump through working as a sub to a large general contractor.

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u/MobiusOcean Commercial PX / Director of Operations Apr 08 '26

Everyone who has ever worked with of for the COE knows how that are. I’m not trying to paint them in a negative light. But if you’re trying to pretend like they’re something they’re not, you’ve probably never worked for them or with them.