USACE Caribbean District 1st Industry Day draws 30+ construction firms
The inaugural event explored partnerships and discussed the implementation of design-build formats in the agency’s Civil Works Program.
Executives, engineers and professionals from more than 30 Puerto Rican and national construction-related companies gathered for the first Industry Day hosted by the newly established U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Caribbean District.
The event featured informational sessions, Q&A forums and discussion groups, all designed to explore the implementation of the design-build format in USACE’s Civil Works Program.
“This Industry Day was a tremendous success. It was very exciting to see such a high level of interest in the Caribbean District from our industry partners,” said Charles Decker, Caribbean District commander, USACE.
“We have a large and growing program of flood risk management, ecosystems restoration, dam and hydropower restoration, energy resiliency, and military construction projects, among others,” he said.
“Many of these projects are not only large but also very complex in multiple different ways. As a federal agency, we cannot execute them alone and must develop strong partnerships with the private sector. That’s what today was all about: building trust and forming partnerships.
“Our intent is to be very transparent about the scope and progress of our projects as well as share those aspects that are particularly challenging so that we can collectively solve these problems for the benefit of the communities that we serve,” he added.
Industry Days typically serve as informational meetings for contractors and construction industry professionals, the entity stated. The events provide opportunities for attendees to enhance their business relationships with USACE, stay updated on upcoming projects, and network with other contractors and USACE personnel.
“I believe this Industry Day was an excellent opportunity to gauge the true interest and receive feedback from members of the industry, discuss our organizational goals [and] challenges and use the event as a platform to identify collaboration opportunities,” said José Bilbao, chief of the Río Puerto Nuevo Section.
The meeting addressed participants’ questions, including how the federal agency is managing current challenges in the construction industry, constructability related issues and future work opportunities. The forum also underscored the importance of teamwork and collaboration between the federal agency and contractors.
“The event saw very good participation, with approximately 30 companies and around 60 attendees. This turnout is very positive for communicating our message,” said Maricarmen Crespo, chief of Construction for the USACE Caribbean District.
“The discussions on capabilities were excellent, and the contractors appreciated the opportunity to engage with our team, ask questions, exchange ideas and share general knowledge, as well as learning about future business opportunities. Such events are important for maintaining industry interest in USACE projects,” she added.
The event featured group sessions on topics including contracting, design, engineering and construction.
The USACE team announced that another Industry Day will be held in the coming months, which will include the Flood Control Project for Río de La Plata and the Caño Martín Peña Ecosystem Restoration. To participate in future events, register at USACE’s website.
