Your project infrastructure is at risk of deauthorization. What next?

This year Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Adam Telle issued a memorandum

entitled “Preliminary List for the Deauthorization of Projects” as a part of his Building Infrastructure Not Paperwork (BINP) initiative. This effort is intended to accelerate delivery, improve quality, and reduce costs for the highest priority projects identified by the Administration. 

Part of this process, according to Telle’s memorandum, involves eliminating (or “deauthorizing” in Army Civil Works parlance) certain proposed projects or separable elements of existing projects. Typically, these fall into one of the following categories: 

• No federal or non-federal funding for more than 10 years; 

• Lack of local support; 

• Lack of federal and/or non-federal resources; and/or 

• No longer meet a water resource need. 

The memorandum directs the Corps to identify projects for deauthorization. Likely, the Army will provide this list to Congress as per existing legal rules.

Currently, more than 150 federally authorized water resources projects have not received funding. The typical construction portfolio for the Corps annual budget is only between $1.5 and $1.8 billion with several must-fund projects and programs. The discretionary amount ranges between $300 and $600 million. The total annual demand for construction projects and programs exceeds $3 billion. 

Over the years and more recently, I have fielded the same question from sponsors of projects at risk of deauthorization: What can I do?

Having previously served as the Corps of Engineers Planning & Policy Division Chief, I had the responsibility for project authorization and played a key role in budget development. As the former Civil Works Program Integration Division Chief, I led the budget development process, budget defense and program execution. With that experience, I know well what many non-federal sponsors are going through. They see the potential loss of years of effort if their project is deauthorized.

While there is no uniform solution, here are a few things that can help:

Can you change your project to improve the way it meets Corps budget criteria?

Updating project costs and benefits by refining the economic justification, controlling project features and demonstrating the project's alignment with Corps budget priorities can make the project more competitive for budget and appropriation considerations. Focus on strategic project implementation to maximize benefits, improve cost efficiency, and enhance the project's competitiveness for federal funding.

How can you improve local and regional support?

Improve project costs and benefits by refining the economic justification and demonstrating the project's alignment with Corps budget priorities. Focus on strategic project implementation to maximize benefits, improve cost efficiency, and enhance the project's competitiveness for federal funding.

Can you improve how your local Corps district and division offices perceive value in the project?

Continue to engage regularly with the local Corps District and Division offices to maintain communication, address concerns, and demonstrate the project's value. Align the story of the project's strategic importance, economic and environmental benefits with Corps priorities to strengthen institutional support.

Can you revise your strategies to move the project forward by making the project more valuable?

Focus on strategic implementation opportunities that enhance project value, tell the story, link the project to national priorities, improve funding potential, and establish a clear path toward successful execution. Consider ways to reduce project costs, increase benefits and identify separable elements.

Dawson and Associates has a team of experts with extensive firsthand experience with this process. Please contact us to learn more.

Theodore A. “Tab” Brown, PE

Senior Advisor

A member of Dawson & Associates since 2026, Tab spent more than 42 years in the US Army Corps of Engineers. He served as Chief of Programs Integration and Chief of Planning and Policy at Corps Headquarters.