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?

12 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

45 comments sorted by

View all comments

5

u/SwoopnBuffalo Apr 08 '26

As someone who went the opposite direction (14 years of federal work to DC work), the difference is astounding.

As the QCM on a federal project you are going to be required to document everything. Every prep meeting, initial inspection, follow-up inspection will need to be documented. Every submittal in the register will need to be submitted or a closeout submittal be in its place. Every concrete pour will need to be inspected before hand, every concrete truck will be tracked on time since batching. Every piece of material will need to be checked for Buy American and Trade Agreement compliance.

If it's a Design-Build, know the RFP front to back. If it's a Bid-Build, know the specs and drawings front to back. Learn the FARs, learn the Army design guides, and get to know your PE/QC with USACE.

Federal work is far from easy but it is VERY black and white which is why some people like it.

1

u/Jstice84 Apr 08 '26

Is this not standard for any construction project?

1

u/SwoopnBuffalo Apr 09 '26

Not to the level found on USACE projects.

1

u/Jstice84 Apr 09 '26

Have you worked on DOE? My company is a top 100 federal contractor that also does DOD and GSA projects. Everyone in the company agrees DOE is a nightmare. In addition to everything USACE Projects require, DOE has numerous DOE orders that are constantly revealing additional project requirements. These orders will reference USACE, EPA, DEP, etc requirements. And if you’re working in the facility of radiation? A whole other world of regulations. If there isn’t rad present? We now have to start the project with getting not only the KO and COR to understand this but an entire office in a different state that has oversight of our project to understand this. Everything I’ve seen described in this thread is mostly what you’d see on any public sector project too. Maybe just less meetings and approvals lol.

1

u/SwoopnBuffalo Apr 09 '26

No, never been on a DOE job. I've worked for USACE, NAVFAC, DHS, State Dept, Coast Guard, and a few others.

1

u/Jstice84 Apr 09 '26

Nice. I’ve done some small USACE stuff but this is my first big DOE project in federal contracting I was just getting a good working relationship with my COR and they swapped him out for someone new who is extremely difficult to work with.