NAVFAC Southwest Delivers MCAS Yuma Mission Capability, Higher Standard of Living Ahead of Schedule

SAN DIEGO — Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Southwest participated in a ribbon cutting ceremony hosted by Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Yuma signifying completing the first phase of construction for a 100,756 square-foot barracks complex for the MCAS Yuma, July 23 in Yuma Ariz.

“Today, we delivered mission capability to MCAS Yuma,” said NAVFAC Southwest Commanding Officer Capt. Cathy Eyrich. “Last spring, the NAVFAC Southwest team was presented a problem - provide adequate berthing for unit deployed Marines in Yuma with a strict timeline and stricter budget. Within four months, the team awarded the contract to Harper Construction. How did we do it? With a performance-based request for proposal that included only general scope and requirements, we reduced the RFP package by 75 percent. We gave the contractor flexibility in construction methods, saving time and money on the project. Finally, we developed a best value trade-off for innovative design solutions that prioritized delivery of Phase 1 within 1 year of award, and Phase 2 within 2 years of award.”

NAVFAC Southwest’s Construction Engineering and Contracts team needed to take a massive 1,408-bed facility complex, originally planned for completion in 2028 and compress the timeline to guarantee initial occupancy in one year, all while working under a strict, non-negotiable budget cap.This project was split into two strategic phases to reduce risk and to maintain health and safety standards. The project’s completed Phase 1 delivered the foundational site, installed utilities, and built infrastructure to accommodate the first 144 beds. Phase 2 leverages the prepared site for rapid vertical construction to allow for the remaining 1,264 beds and is on schedule to include a centralized laundry facility, community room and office.

NAVFAC Southwest overcame the time crunch through rapid construction decisions through executive alignment between NAVFAC Southwest and Marine Corps Installations Command to force immediate decisions and eliminate administrative delays.Instead of a standard rigid design, the team used performance-based requests for proposals (RFP)s that attracted non-traditional vendors and opened the project to faster and alternative construction methods. The team also prioritized Real-Time Collaboration over traditional document routing by using live SharePoint files which allowed opportunities to instantly resolve RFP comments and contractor inquiries.

“The speed and scale of this project is not possible without the partnership of government and industry stakeholders,” said Eyrich. “From the mission owners to the contractor, to the project management team, there was a deliberate plan to elevate barriers and make decisions quickly to keep up with the pace of construction. By developing a standardized design concept, the contractor implemented an assembly-line approach to sequence construction for nine identical barracks buildings with a central common facility, progressing from foundations, framing and walls, HVAC, and interiors. Because the structures are identical, the government review teams quickly mastered the plans, expediting approvals and keeping momentum moving for the project. It is now time to turn-over the keys to this new facility and deliver mission capability that enables force generation for Marine Corps aviation!”

Another challenge that threatened the project timeline that the team overcame was the logistics hurdle of remediating contaminated soil. The southern side of the site, where the project’s future underground utility corridor needed to be installed, contained contaminated soil that required remediation by a strict contractual deadline of 15 March 2026. Success required mastery in coordination due to the cleanup falling under a separate contract. Through schedule flexibility and joint meetings, NAVFAC Southwest ROICC Detachment Marine Corps Air Station Yuma and Harper Construction successfully aligned with the Marine Corps Restoration and Compliance Team and Cape Environmental Management Inc. to clear the soil on time and keep construction moving forward.

"Our ability to deliver operational readiness for the warfighter at this pace boils down to a few critical lessons,” said NAVFAC Southwest Project Manager Michael DeCuba. “We proved that flexible result-oriented contracting unlocks faster construction methods, and that live collaborative environments are the fastest way to kill paperwork delays. We also proved the value of smart phasing where separating site prep from building gets boots in beds early. But the most critical lesson is resource sustainability. Operating at this tempo heavily strains our teams. To make this velocity repeatable, future projects must be backed by adequate staffing and active leadership committed to making the fast, high-level decisions necessary to maintain momentum.

This barracks complex project establishes a higher standard of living for the Marinesaspart of the Marine Corps’ Barracks 2030 initiative, an effort to improve the quality of life of Marines through meaningful investments into barracks management, modernization, materials,and ample amenities.

“As our training mission has grown, our billeting infrastructure has needed to evolve alongside it,” said MCAS Yuma Commanding Officer Col. David Bennett. “Today's ribbon cutting marks an important step in meeting that need. Some of our barracks date back to the 1950s and 1970s, and it is time to replace them with facilities that better support the Marines and service members who train here. Today, that changes... We are investing in the quality of life of our Marines while strengthening readiness across the force. This investment not only helps retain our nation's top talent but also allows Marines to focus on what matters most, training for the next fight.”

Successful completion of phase 1 was made possible by the work by MCAS Installation, Logistics, and Environmental department staff, Marine Corps Restoration and Compliance Team Lead Tim Heironimus, oversight provided by the NAVFAC Southwest team which includes Project Manager Michael DeCuba, Construction Manager Brian Sinclair, Design Manager Alberto Equihua, Engineering Technicians Paul Lauzon and Reggie Brown, Mechanical Acceptance Engineer Tim Brogan, Contracts Specialists Maribel Sanchez and Jacqueline Carrera, and management by ROICC Detachment Marine Corps Air Station Yuma Director Lt. Cmdr. Alberto Rodriguez and staff.

NAVFAC Southwest supports planning, design, construction, real estate, environmental and public works in the Southwest region and in various locations within the INDOPACOM theater to include Southern Australia. NAVFAC Southwest’s area of responsibility spans a six-state region covering California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico. It manages facility life-cycle operations and contracting, supporting 19 installations across the Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force and other supported federal agencies.

-USN-