As the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District wrapped up final contract awards for fiscal year 2020, the team wants to share a summary of a few major accomplishments and how they tie into the district mission and benefit the Heartland region.
The district awarded 1575 contracts worth $740.1 million in fiscal year 2020 – ending September 30.
“I am very proud of our team – we didn’t slow down during the pandemic, even with a significant amount of our employees working virtually. We made strong progress repairing levees and navigation structures while responding to the longest Missouri River flood in the district’s history – 279 days. Whether repairing flood damages, working on one of the district’s five Mega Projects, supporting our military installations, constructing our civil works projects, operating our recreation areas or supporting the environment, the mighty Kansas City District Team has worked above and beyond to serve the Heartland and our Nation. Our employees are fully committed to working with our partners to do the best we can while serving,” said Col. Bill Hannan, commander, Kansas City District.
“Our Contracting team overcame multiple challenges this fiscal year to successfully execute a large FY 2020 mission. We worked closely with Project Delivery Team members and business partners to solicit and award contracts on time, in a quality and fiscally responsible manner. I’m proud of the team’s efforts and our role in awarding the contracts that allow our district to continue to meet the needs of the Heartland and our nation,” said Brad Wright, acting chief of Contracting.
The Office of Small Business Programs awarded 1,029 contract actions valued at over $302 million – 40.9% of the total funds committed - distributed between small businesses including Small Disadvantaged, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned, Women-Owned and Hub Zone small businesses.
“As a district, we assist small businesses compete and win contracts and subcontracts,” said Arthur Saulsberry, deputy for the Office of Small Business Programs.
The Civil Works mission is to provide quality, responsive service to the nation and assist with water resource development activities including flood risk management, navigation, recreation, infrastructure and environmental stewardship, and emergency response.
After the record setting flood of 2019 on the Missouri River, the Kansas City District pulled together to contract repairs on our partner’s breached levees and damaged Corps lake properties – all while continuing the planning, design, and construction of vital water resources projects in Missouri and Kansas,” said Melissa Corkill, chief of Civil Works Programs and Project Branch.
Some highlights from the Civil Works branch this fiscal year are listed below:
Kansas Citys Levees
- Completed design and awarded 2 construction contracts totaling $17M for Armourdale and Central Industrial District Levee Units pump station repairs
- completed a risk-informed 95% design on the Argentine, Armourdale and CID levee raises
- Developed collaborative relationships with four major railroads
Flood Recovery
- Awarded over $22M on 4 contracts to repair Bank Stabilization Navigation Protection structures between River Mile 0-498 and 2 contracts to repair 5 side-channel chutes that were severely damaged from the 2019 flood - all repairs being performed are to support and benefit the navigation channel
- Awarded 45 construction contracts totaling over $34M to repair 54 levee units damaged during the 2019 flood event
Dam Safety Projects
- Awarded over $13M on contracts to repair damages at district lakes caused from the 2019 flood event – projects included a slide repair at Kanopolis, road repairs at 8 lakes and campground repairs at Tuttle Creek
- Completed non-flood related maintenance/repair projects at Perry Lake, Truman Lake, Longview Lake, Wilson Lake, Stockton Lake and Harlan County Lake
Civil Works total dollars committed: Over $189 million.
The Military Branch mission is to provide premier engineering, construction, real estate, and environmental management products and services for the installations and other U.S. Government agencies within Kansas and Missouri. Outside of our traditional area of responsibility, the district continues to provide support to other Military mission Corps districts, the U.S. Northern Command initiatives in Mexico and the Army Facilities Components System.
“We executed the largest Sustainment, Restoration and Modernization program in the district's history. We awarded 40 contracts for over $205M in support of our 5 military installation and the 88th Regional Support Command. In addition to the large SRM workload, we continue to execute 4 mega projects and support numerous USACE districts through our reachback program. Our Military Program continues to be very large and diverse and our team has done an exceptional job adapting to the changes and executing our mission in support of the warfighter," said Tim Kurgan, chief of the Military Branch.
Some highlights from the Military programs this fiscal year are listed below:
- Executed a $527 million program and the largest Sustainment, Restoration and Modernization Program in the District’s history
- Awarded 40 SRM contracts for over $205 million - supported the Army’s initiative to improve barracks by awarding 4 barracks renovation projects for $50 million
- Improved small project execution, awarding 20 projects at Fort Leonard Wood for over $14 million
- Initiated construction on the $635.5 million Next National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency West headquarters in St. Louis, Mo
- Initiated construction on the $296 million Fort Leonard Wood Hospital Replacement
- Support to Others
- Completed the design for the National School for Civil Protection Facility in Mexico
- Awarded 3 construction contracts to support the 88th Regional Support Command for $11.6 million
- Continued support to Japan and the Army Facilities Components System
- Military Branch total dollars committed: Over $527 million
The Environmental Program focuses on protecting human health and the environment in a timely and cost-effective manner. The Kansas City District investigates, designs, and executes a full range of cleanup and protection activities from coast to coast.
“Environmental Programs was stretched during FY20, as COVID-19 restrictions impacted our ability to be face-to-face with each other, with our customers, and with our sister Districts that we work with across the country. Our team pulled together and increased communication with each other to ensure we could meet our mission in the Midwest, on the East Coast, and in the Pacific Northwest. I am extremely proud of the professionalism and dedication of our team,” said Jill Fraley, chief of the Environmental Branch.
A few highlights from fiscal year 2020 are listed below:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Nuclear Reactor Decommissioning (Livermore, Calif.)
- Partnered with San Francisco District to execute a nuclear reactor decommissioning project for the Department of Energy
- Scoped and awarded $7.9M environmental remediation task order to decommission the test reactor
Cornell Dubilier Electronics Superfund Site (South Plainfield, N.J.)
- Awarded $23M remedial action task order to remediate contaminated wetlands at the site and to re-route a major waterline
- Partnered with New York District
Matteo & Sons Superfund Site (West Deptford Township, N.J.)
- Awarded $8.9M remedial action task order to remove soil contaminated with lead, antimony and PCBs that is impacting 23 residential properties
- Partnered with Philadelphia District
Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant (DeSoto, Kan.)
- Removal of over 128K linear feet of explosive propellant production lines to date
Environmental Programs total dollars committed: $158 million
The team provides services and expertise to our district which covers parts of Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska and Colorado in the Missouri River watershed as well as environmental work in California, Idaho, Washington (state), New York and New Jersey.
The Kansas City District is a team of dedicated professionals with a strong heritage and proven results who, in collaboration with our partners, proudly serve in the Heartland providing leadership, technical excellence, and innovative solutions to the nation's most complex problems.