CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District has terminated its lock chamber contract with Shimmick Construction Company, Inc., at the Chickamauga Lock Replacement Project, effective immediately, in a move officials say is necessary to protect taxpayer dollars and get one of the nation’s most critical infrastructure projects back on schedule.
The termination follows a sustained period during which SCCI failed to prosecute work with diligence, maintain project schedule, progress critical construction tasks, correct quality deficiencies, or adequately manage project controls. The Nashville District had actively collaborated with the contractor in an effort to improve execution and delivery, but those efforts ultimately could not overcome what officials describe as a fundamental loss of confidence in the contractor’s ability to meet its obligations.
“Our team recognized the root causes of this contractor’s delays and took decisive action,” said Col. Daniel Herlihy, Great Lakes and Ohio River Division Commander. “Protecting the taxpayer’s investment requires having the right people overseeing our projects every single day. By terminating this contract, our USACE professionals enforced the high standards of accountability and efficiency the nation expects.”…