Mortenson Awarded $610 Million USDA Screwworm Sterile Insect Facility Contract with Army Corps

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District, has awarded a $610 million firm-fixed-price contract to Mortenson for the construction of the Department of Agriculture's Domestic New World Screwworm Sterile Insect Production Facility at Moore Airbase in Edinburg, Texas. 

Work to be Completed Under USDA Domestic New World Screwworm Sterile Insect Production Facility Contract

For more information, see the justification details and the Justification and Approval document.

This project will deliver a specialized facility dedicated to the mass rearing and sterilization of New World Screwworm (NWS) flies as part of the USDA’s Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) program. The SIT initiative is designed to prevent the spread of NWS into the United States and protect both livestock and wildlife from infestation. The urgency behind this contract stems from recent outbreaks of NWS in Mexico and Central America, which have prompted swift action to avert economic and agricultural devastation.

The contract calls for a phased approach to construction and commissioning. The initial phase aims to achieve a production capacity of 100 million sterile flies per week within 12–18 months. Subsequent phases will expand this capacity up to 300 million flies per week, with full completion anticipated by March 2028—up to 48 months from contract award.

Key requirements for the facility include:

• Design and construction that meet stringent biosecurity and containment standards necessary for effective sterile fly production.
• Installation of specialized equipment for irradiation techniques and diet mixing, potentially requiring expedited delivery and commissioning by directed subcontractors.
• Capability to scale operations in response to evolving threats posed by NWS outbreaks near U.S. borders.

The facility will be constructed at Moore Airfield in Hidalgo County, Texas—strategically located near areas at risk due to recent NWS cases detected just 70 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border. This location supports rapid deployment of sterile flies as part of containment and eradication efforts.

The urgency of this procurement was justified under federal regulations allowing for limited competition due to unusual and compelling urgency. The government limited the initial solicitation phase to five highly qualified contractors to ensure prompt delivery while maintaining competition among capable firms.

Awardee Details: Mortenson

Mortenson, headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is a major construction firm with experience in large-scale design-build projects across multiple sectors, including specialized facilities for government clients. The company was selected following an expedited but competitive process that balanced urgency with technical capability requirements.

This award was disclosed by the DoW in its daily press release. Additional contract details will be available on HigherGov once disclosed by the government in approximately 90 days under W9126G26CA011 after the contract is formally disclosed by the government.

Anna Davis

Staff Writer

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