The Importance of a Commitment to Partnership

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By Robert Williamson, and Meredith Koons, M.SAME

Overcoming the unexpected challenges that arose during a rehabilitation and modernization project at Naval Support Activity Naples demonstrates how an effective partnering program can transform potential obstacles into opportunities for innovation and success.

Partnership in military construction extends well beyond traditional government-contractor relationships. It represents a proactive approach to project management that aligns common goals among stakeholders through enhanced communication, shared problem-solving, and a mutual commitment to success.

This collaborative philosophy proved invaluable during an ongoing $42 million rehabilitation and modernization project at Naval Support Activity Naples, Italy. From the outset, the team encountered significant challenges while working inside of occupied spaces with active missions.

Naval Support Activity Naples was established in 1951. As with many aging structures, this vital hub for U.S. naval operations along Italy’s western coast required significant facility upgrades. Adding challenges to this renovation was the timing. The initial design phase coincided with the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, severely restricting the design team’s access to facilities to assess as-built conditions. This limitation resulted in numerous significant gaps in the renovation plans that could have severely impacted the overall timeline and budget.

Through intensive partnership between Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Europe-Africa-Central and Conti Federal, along with other partners and stakeholders involved in the project, these potential setbacks were transformed into opportunities for innovative problem-solving.

Innovation Emerges

An especially challenging aspect of the project involved the replacement of chilled water system piping throughout a four-story occupied structure. The scope of work required coordinating with 13 tenant commands, both secure and non-secure spaces, all while maintaining continuous 24-hour operations. However, before this aspect of the job even began, it was discovered there were no isolation valves on the existing system that would allow for replacement of the piping. The entire building would need to be shut down, the system drained, and new valves installed. This would significantly impact critical missions: all computer room air conditioning units would be unavailable to keep the servers from overheating. It was apparent this piece of the puzzle had to be solved before any original work of piping replacement could even begin.

The project team exemplified the power of partnership through their approach to this challenge. Leadership initiated an intensive eight-week planning period, conducting weekly stakeholder meetings that grew to twice-weekly sessions as execution approached. These meetings, averaging 30 to 40 participants, brought together representatives from the 13 tenant commands, Public Works Department, Sixth Fleet, security personnel, and multiple base operating support contractors.

The combined effort yielded innovative solutions. The team conducted comprehensive surveys to address inaccuracies in as-built drawings. Detailed one-line diagrams of the entire building’s chilled water system were created to clearly communicate impacts. A total of 14 strategic locations were identified for installing supply and return isolation valves. This approach not only solved immediate construction challenges, but it also provided long-term benefits through no-cost design changes that would facilitate future maintenance with minimal operational impact.

The team invested approximately two months of meticulous preparation, demonstrating how effective partnership enables comprehensive project planning. This work included carefully coordinating access to secure spaces, establishing protective measures for sensitive equipment, and staging materials and tools strategically throughout the facility.

An emphasis on thorough preparation extended to developing detailed contingency plans for critical systems. For example, temporary cooling solutions were arranged for approximately 20 server rooms. This ensured continuous operation of mission-critical systems and equipment throughout the upgrade process. Intense coordination among multiple stakeholders, including security personnel, information technology specialists, and facility managers, kept the work progressing while maintaining operational continuity.

Delivering Results

Completing the chilled water system renovation/upgrade in Naples demonstrates how effective partnerships translate into tangible results.

The carefully orchestrated execution included draining the entire building’s chilled water system, maintaining continuous monitoring in all spaces requiring temporary cooling for 72-hours, installing and testing all isolation valves, and returning the system to full operation. The project team completed all work safely, on schedule, with no rework required—a testament to the thorough planning and coordination efforts.

• The success extended beyond immediate construction goals. Through collaborative problem-solving, several long-term benefits were achieved.
• Installation of strategically placed isolation valves that enables future maintenance with minimal impact on operational readiness.
• Development of comprehensive one-line diagrams and as-built conditions that provide clear visualization of system impacts for future operations.
• Value-engineered design changes that generate ongoing time and cost savings for the government.
• Creation of a more robust design that reduced the need for future temporary cooling measures.

These improvements show how an effective partnership can deliver value beyond the initial scope of work, with enduring benefits for operations and maintenance.

Supporting Readiness

The successful modernization of Naval Support Activity Naples demonstrates the transformative power of partnership in military construction. Effective partnering can turn complex technical challenges, like a chilled water system upgrade, into opportunities for long-term improvement. By embracing collaborative approaches and maintaining focus on mission requirements, project teams can overcome significant challenges while delivering high-quality facilities that support warfighter readiness.

As military construction continues to evolve and challenges become more acute and complex, the lessons learned from successful projects often underscore the importance of strong partnerships. The approach demonstrated at Naples provides a model for future projects—showing how effective partnering can turn constraints into opportunities and ensure that mission capability remains uncompromised throughout construction execution.

Robert Williamson is Project Manager, and Meredith Koons, M.SAME, is Director of Marketing and Small Business Programs, Conti Federal. They can be reached at 
rwilliamson@contifederal.com; and mkoons@contifederal.com.

Published in the May-June 2025 issue of The Military Engineer