Early Contractor Involvement Program at USACE

Presented by Tom Podany 

Chief, Protection and Restoration Office, US Army Corps of Engineers

This month's venue: Zea's on St. Charles Ave

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Full funding of contracts up front provides opportunities for alternative contracting methods.  One relatively new form in the Federal civil works program is Early Contractor Involvement (ECI).  Tom will discuss the pros and cons of this acquisition strategy in relation to design-build and traditional firm-fixed price methods.  He will provide a case study of the lessons learned in ECI on the West Bank and Vicinity West Closure Complex as well as a brief status on the progress of the hurricane risk reduction system in the New Orleans area.

Tom Podany's Biography

Tom Podany is currently serving as the New Orleans District’s Chief, Protection and Restoration Office.  This office is charged with execution of hurricane and flood control works associated with the flood control and coastal emergencies program.  For several years, the office was also responsible for implementing the Louisiana Coastal Area; Louisiana Comprehensive Protection and Restoration; and Coastal Wetlands, Planning Protection and Restoration programs.  The mission of the office is to execute a comprehensive and integrated flood control, ecosystem restoration, and hurricane and storm damage reduction system for south Louisiana.

From 2002-2006, Tom served as Assistant Chief, Planning, Programs and Project Management Division.  As a senior civilian in the District, he assists the Deputy District Engineer for Project Management. The New Orleans District has a staff of over 1200 and has a Civil Works program with an annual budget of over $400 million.  

A native of Washington, D.C., Tom has Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from George Washington University in Washington.  During his career with the Corps of Engineers he has served as a project and study manager on several coastal navigation, flood control, hurricane protection, and environmental restoration projects.  He is a graduate of the Corps’ Planners and Project Managers Program.  He has participated in the Coastal Wetland, Planning, Protection and Restoration Act for many years as Chairman of the Planning and Evaluation Subcommittee and as acting Chairman of the Technical Committee.  Tom led a Task Force on MVN reconstitution after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and has assisted in the leadership of the Louisiana Coastal Area Study and Hurricane Recovery Efforts. He has served on the Corps’ Programs and Project Management Steering Committee, the Regional Program Budget Advisory Committee, and the MVD Planning Advisory Board.