NAVFAC Washington to Industry: Build Faster, Build Smarter – the Mission Depends on it

The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Washington Commanding Officer Capt. Daniel Schmitt told architecture, engineering and construction industry leaders that the military construction program is growing, the pace is accelerating and industry partnership is essential to mission success. During his keynote address at the 19th Annual Society of American Military Engineers Washington DC Post Joint Conference, Schmitt acknowledged significant organizational change while making clear the core mission is unwavering.

Supporting a $19.3 billion portfolio across the National Capital Region (NCR), NAVFAC Washington’s delivery of construction, engineering, construction and contracting in concert with industry partners improves the warfighting advantage emanating from the NCR.

“Our workforce is smaller than it was yesterday and it’s not going to get bigger,” said Schmitt. “The reliance on industry partners to fill that gap is something we are actively working on right now.”

The program tells the real story. A $2 to $3 billion, 10-to-15-year infrastructure investment at Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head, the Navy’s largest munitions arsenal; and approximately $650 million in active military construction at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center headline a pipeline that is expanding, not contracting. Unaccompanied housing investments are accelerating across all installations under new repair-by-replacement authorities.

“We need to lean into our industry partners to help us firm up requirements,” said Schmitt. “My door is open. If there’s something frustrating you on our end that’s preventing win-win outcomes, let’s fix it.”

Planning, Design and Construction Director and Chief Engineer Tom Cox reinforced the urgency, describing near-doubling workload against shrinking staff — and a decisive shift toward design-build, modular and industrialized construction.

“You all are the ones tasked to come back to us and say, here are technologies that meet the mission. This is the way we are going to move,” said Cox.

He also pointed to artificial intelligence (AI) as an increasingly powerful capability being embraced across the command. “AI is this incredible thing; it’s incredibly powerful,” said Cox. “We are getting tasked within NAVFAC to utilize AI more, and it is a tool that we all need to learn how to use to deliver faster and smarter for the mission.”

The conference brought together senior leaders from across the defense and architecture, engineering and construction community at the Army and Navy Club at Farragut Square, Washington DC.