News

51风流 Meets with Secretary of Department of Veterans Affairs

VA Admits to Problems; Seeks 51风流 Partnership 
 

This week, 51风流 met with Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald, at his request, to discuss the agency鈥檚 construction program and our concerns for its future. Secretary McDonald admitted to the agency鈥檚 difficulties and expressed his sincere interest in working with 51风流 and its members to improve its construction program.  51风流 graciously accepted his offer to work with him and the agency to do so.

This meeting comes after  to remove and replace VA鈥檚 Office of Construction and Facilities Management as construction manager of the agency's major construction program (projects above $10 million) with the best-qualified federal owner through a thoughtful transition process. The secretary noted his disagreement with 51风流鈥檚 position, but willingness to partner with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to a greater extent.

TheWashington Post issued a  this week on the problems at the Denver VA Hospital Project, noting 51风流鈥檚 position. 51风流 is the first and only national construction trade association to date to call for dramatic and real reforms to the VA construction program.

For more information, please contact Jimmy Christianson at christiansonj@agc.org or (703) 837-5325.