The Power of Partnership in Action

The journey from concept to culmination for any major project is complex. When that project fortifies our national security, the significance multiplies. Success demands more than just technical skill; it requires collaboration, a shared mission, and an unbreakable chain of trust. The most efficient and impactful results are born from a partnership where stakeholders are heard, every requirement is validated, and every challenge is met with collective ingenuity. This collaborative spirit is the engine of innovation, turning strategic plans into enduring, cost-effective facilities and infrastructure. 

Exceptional outcomes are the direct result of an exceptional journey. Our project experience demonstrates how deep collaboration, guided by structured methodologies and a shared purpose, transforms challenges into opportunities and delivers lasting value. 

Forging Futures: Collaboration as the Cornerstone

A structured, intensive partnership provides the foundation for navigating mission-critical deadlines and complex stakeholder requirements. Proven tactics like design charettes are powerful tools for accelerating progress while increasing collaboration. Gathering designers, agency representatives, operators, and stakeholders for an intensive, hands-on workshop condenses months of correspondence into days of decisive action. This immersive process allows for validating the project scope, confirming requirements, and building consensus on the path forward, ensuring the journey begins on solid ground. 

This commitment extends beyond initial planning, focusing on building relationships as strong and resilient as the infrastructure being designed. Open communication and a unified dedication to the mission are paramount. This approach, paired with an unwavering commitment to security, offers agency partners a seamless, secure, and truly collaborative experience from start to future. 

A Shared Solution for Mission Readiness

When the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center (CRTC) faced critical pavement failures on its shared-use runway, the situation was urgent. The failing runway compromised fighter aircraft safety and threatened to disrupt Operation Northern Strike, the National Guard Bureau’s largest annual exercise. A quick, effective solution was paramount. 

RS&H spearheaded a deeply collaborative effort, that brought together the County of Alpena, the Michigan Air National Guard, the National Guard Bureau, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). We facilitated a shared solution that leveraged a Military Construction Cooperative Agreement, enabling the county to execute military construction on behalf of the Air National Guard. 

• Accelerated Charrette: We hosted a one-day design workshop that rapidly produced a scope of work, a delivery schedule, and a clear course of action to secure funding. 
• Deconflicting Standards: Our team expertly navigated and deconflicted complex Unified Facilities Criteria and FAA standards, ensuring the final design met the most stringent requirements for both military and civilian use. 
• Phased Delivery: By phasing the design and construction, we enabled work to proceed on an accelerated timeline, completing a typical eight-month design in just four months. This allowed construction to begin swiftly, ensuring the runway was operational for critical training exercises. 

The result was a strengthened airfield that significantly enhanced operational capabilities. An Air National Guard Official shared, “RS&H’s leadership on the Alpena CRTC Runway Repair project proved instrumental in delivering a revitalized and enhanced airfield, significantly boosting the facility’s operational capabilities.”  

The project was recognized by the Asphalt Pavement Association of Michigan for excellence in construction in 2024 and by the Michigan Concrete Association in 2024 and 2025 for both the north and south paving contracts. All in all, it is a testament to how collaborative problem-solving can expedite timelines, optimize funding, and ensure mission continuity. 

Designing for the Future of Airpower

Relocating the nation’s only F-22 Raptor Formal Training Unit to Joint Base Langley-Eustis was another project of immense complexity and national significance. It required the design of three highly specialized facilities —hangars, maintenance shops, and secure training areas —to support the fifth-generation fighter.  

After completing the full designs, the RS&H team was awarded the follow-on contract for construction phase services. When the construction contractor for the Low Observable Composite Repair Facility filed a delay claim, our Project Controls team stepped up to support the USACE Norfolk District’s team. 

The government disputed the contractor’s findings and claims. To properly respond to the claim, USACE Norfolk required assistance with a thorough, timely analysis of the schedule and delay claims. Based on the project specification, RS&H developed a logical argument requiring the contractor to correct its flawed schedules. This was presented to the contractor, and the contractor complied with revised schedules. RS&H continues to support the government during executive meetings with the construction contractor to achieve a mutually agreeable outcome for all parties. 

Continued Reliability and Security

The P103 design-bid-build project exemplifies RS&H’s unwavering dedication to advancing security measures and fostering strong partnerships with federal clients. The P103 Engineering Test Facility will span approximately 132,000 square feet and be situated on a 33.5-acre greenfield site. It is designed to support the modernization and consolidation of testing operations for the D5LE2 strategic weapons system, which is a critical component of the U.S. Navy’s sea-based nuclear deterrence. The facility will feature expansive laboratory and testing areas, high-bay construction for cranes and tall equipment, specialized infrastructure for electrical, communication, and acoustical needs, and a raised flooring and elevated design to mitigate flood and hurricane risks. 

RS&H has achieved the Level 2 Self-Assessment as it relates to the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) and is positioned to continue our work on mission critical facilities like P103. This significant milestone underscores the firm’s dedication to robust cybersecurity practices and its commitment to being a trusted partner.

Resilient Solutions. Collaborative Approach.

The path from a high-level requirement to a fully operational facility is a journey of many steps. At RS&H, we believe that journey should be an exceptional one—driven by a commitment to the mission, guided by a shared purpose, and powered by a team that aspires to work together to remain mission-ready through smarter, faster, and more innovative solutions. 

Our dedication to structured collaboration, our proven ability to unite diverse stakeholders, and our unwavering commitment to security create an environment where innovation thrives. By translating experience into insight and transforming challenges into opportunities, we build relationships as strong as the infrastructure we create together.