Making History Together: KEDA and NAVFAC Northwest partner for landmark Multi-Mission Dry Dock industry day
A historic, standing-room-only industry day brought together the Kitsap Economic Development Alliance (KEDA) and the U.S. Navy on Aug. 20 to map out the future of peninsula naval construction projects under the banner of strategic partnership, local economic integration and national defense.
The landmark event featured two highly focused segments: a KEDA-hosted morning session highlighting the strategic vision of the Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program (SIOP) and the Multi-Mission Dry Dock, followed by a Navy-led afternoon program that walked industry partners through the exact steps of procurement, cyber compliance and prime-to-subcontractor matchmaking.
Morning Session: Hosted by KEDA
KEDA kicked off the morning by welcoming hundreds of attendees to its defense and readiness summit, bridging the local business community and senior Navy leadership.
Opening the morning briefings, Capt. Troy Brown, the NAVFAC Pacific Multi-Mission Dry Dock accountable project officer and incoming commanding officer of the Officer in Charge of Construction, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (OICC PSNS), set a deeply personal, legacy-focused tone. A 32-year Navy veteran originally from Oregon, Brown noted the profound significance of returning home to lead a project of this magnitude.
"I spent my entire career wanting to come back to the Pacific Northwest to serve the missions in this area," Brown said. "There is no better time in my career and in my life to build something that will last beyond my lifetime. This is truly a legacy project."
The Multi-Mission Dry Dock project represents the first dry dock construction in the region in 65 years — dating back to the construction of Dry Dock 6 in the 1960s. Upgrading this infrastructure is critical because the upcoming Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers and Virginia-class Block V submarines are structurally and geometrically different from the legacy vessels they replace, rendering older dry dock footprints obsolete.
The Grand Design: SIOP and the Regional Workload
Bryan Cochran, deputy director of the SIOP Department, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, expanded on the national scale of the Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program. Under this massive, multi-billion-dollar initiative, the Navy is systematically recapitalizing its four public shipyards: Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, Norfolk Naval Shipyard and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.
Cochran detailed the program’s three lines of effort, focusing on dry docks, waterfront infrastructure and capital equipment. He highlighted the integration of digital "shipyard twins," which use high-fidelity digital simulations and historical execution data to optimize work layouts.
"Operational return on investment is clear: having a resilient building or a dry dock that fits the ship," Cochran said. "But the financial return on investment is also massive. Every single day we can shave off an availability via these optimized digital layouts translates to an estimated $800,000 in daily savings for submarine maintenance."
Following Cochran, Cmdr. John Daly, future OICC PSNS executive officer, co-presented on ongoing construction alongside Brown and Capt. Preston Taylor, NAVFAC Northwest commanding officer, detailing the scale of the incoming regional workload. Historically, NAVFAC Northwest has executed between $200 million and $400 million in regional construction annually. In fiscal year 2026, that number spiked to a historic $1 billion — which stemmed largely from the $500 million emergent seismic modernization of Dry Dock 4 at PSNS & IMF.
"We did about a billion this year, and next year it’s going to tick up even further," Daly said. "By 2028, we will be executing around $1.75 billion annually, eventually climbing over the $2 billion-a-year mark. Through fiscal year 2032, we project up to $17 billion invested in this region."
Daly emphasized that the Navy must pull off a complex sequential choreography, which he described as a "clay chart" rather than a flexible sand chart. "We are literally renovating our house while we live in it," Daly said, noting that shipyard maintenance on active carriers cannot slow down.
Daly’s core message to the commercial contractors was clear: "We want to be your partner of choice. We will match your energy and do everything in our power to resolve issues rapidly."
Engineering the Future and the EIS
Dave Gibson, the Multi-Mission Dry Dock senior program manager, detailed the physical specifications of the proposed Multi-Mission Dry Dock. The proposed dry dock will span 1,200 feet in length and 210 feet in width, featuring a massive 40-foot portal crane track that can easily accommodate eight football fields.
The project requires 817,000 cubic yards of concrete — enough to pave a four-lane highway from Seattle to Spokane. To protect the surrounding community from heavy vehicle congestion, the Navy plans to utilize the regional "marine highway," using barges capable of moving 3,000 cubic yards of material at a time.
Gibson also provided an update on the project’s National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) milestones. The Navy is currently resolving comments from last summer's Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and expects to release the Final EIS later this fall, leading to a projected Record of Decision (ROD) in the fall/winter of 2026.
The Q&A Panel
The KEDA-hosted morning session concluded with a Navy panel featuring Brown, Daly, Cochran and Gibson. The panel addressed critical issues raised by industry representatives, including resolution of potential disputes during construction, plans for environmental stewardship, logistical considerations, and projected labor needs.
Afternoon Session: NAVFAC Northwest’s SIOP Industry Day
After a networking lunch, the Navy led the afternoon program, transitioning from strategic project overviews to business execution.
How to Do Business and CMMC Compliance
James Davis of the Washington Apex Accelerators opened the Navy-led track by walking contractors through the practical steps of how to do business with the government. Davis explained the free counseling, SAM.gov registration and capability statement reviews available to local contractors. He highlighted Snohomish County's Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Level 1 virtual cohort training model to prepare regional firms for the military's strict new cybersecurity standards.
Terry Homburg, a Washington APEX Accelerator business advisor and CMMC subject matter expert, followed with a critical brief on cybersecurity requirements. He warned that any contract involving Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), which includes standard construction and facility support services, will eventually require a CMMC Level 2 assessed certification. Homburg advised contractors to start preparing immediately, citing a national shortage of Certified Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) assessors and a current ratio of 811 target companies for every active assessor. He also noted that while CMMC Phase 2 is currently undergoing a 60-day program review by the Department of Defense, the final mandate remains on track for late 2028.
Pre-Proposal Guidelines
Supervisory Contract Specialists Nancy Coffee and Jodus Hortin then took the stage to provide detailed pre-proposal guidelines for the unrestricted Multi-Mission Dry Dock Multiple Award Construction Contract (MACC). The contract will carry a 10-year period of performance, and the Navy requires contractors to submit bids electronically via the PIEE solicitation module.
The Navy will utilize a "best value tradeoff" process, heavily weighing technical approach and past safety records over lowest-price bids. They emphasized that partners must fully sign and clearly present all teaming agreements and joint venture documentation.
Sub/Prime Matchmaking and Networking
The afternoon culminated in a Navy-led matchmaking and networking session. Subcontractors packed the hall to meet face-to-face with major prime contractors to forge the critical local and national coalitions to execute this historic, multi-billion-dollar endeavor.
For questions or concerns, contact the NAVFAC Northwest Public Affairs Office at mailto:navfacnwpao@us.navy.mil.
– USN –
Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command is the naval shore facilities, base operating support, and expeditionary engineering systems command that delivers life-cycle technical and acquisition solutions aligned to the fleet and Marine Corps priorities. Follow us at http://www.facebook.com/navfacnorthwest and http://www.linkedin.com/showcase/navfacnorthwest.
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