Operations Officer, Cmdr. Christopher Fairfield, at Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command
(NAVFAC) Washington, outlined critical operational priorities following the conclusion of the Public Works
Officer (PWO)/Resident Officer in Charge of Construction (ROICC) Symposium. The three-day virtual
event brought together Facilities Engineering Command leaders to address Shore Command and Control
(C2) transition and future infrastructure delivery strategies.
The PWO/ROICC symposium, held January 26-28, focused on aligning NAVFAC operations with the
August 2025 Strategic Plan while exploring innovative approaches to design and construction delivery.
When asked about critical operational adjustments following extensive Shore C2 discussions, Fairfield
emphasized a fundamental shift in project delivery methodology.
“In the near term, NAVFAC Washington is going to need to adjust our design and construction delivery
strategy to focus much more on design-build,” Fairfield stated. “Moving beyond the short term, we must
approach achieving a stable baseline manning profile that we can flex when our supported commanders
have a surge of infrastructure requirements via professional services contracts.”
The symposium featured sessions on Other Transaction Authority, Intergovernmental Support
Agreements, Power BI analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) applications. Fairfield expressed
enthusiasm about technology-driven improvements.
“I’m very enthusiastic about Power BI and AI,” Fairfield said. “The Power BI tool is already allowing us to
infer certain perspectives our traditional ieFACMAN dynamic reporting did not allow. We can capitalize on
that new knowledge by leveraging AI to drive down timelines we see in our data are too long and could be
the root cause of schedule and cost growth in our projects.”
Fairfield highlighted the unwavering commitment of NAVFAC Washington personnel as the organization’s
greatest strength, despite some constraints.
“Our team is motivated and enthusiastic about delivering design and construction for our supported
commands,” Fairfield emphasized. “My key takeaway is despite fiscal and manning challenges; the
people of NAVFAC Washington will implement the August 2025 strategic plan with intellectual vigor and a
dedicated servant leader approach for the Navy and the Nation.”
The symposium included presentations from senior Navy leadership, technical authority briefings,
contractor forums and sessions on innovation and financial management. The final day focused
specifically on ROICCs operating in the post-Shore C2 environment, featuring discussions on Section 233
Authority, contractor accountability and industry best practices.
NAVFAC Washington supports critical National Capital Region installations and commands, delivering
engineering and construction services that enable Navy readiness and mission execution.