# VA Officers Assess Construction Delay Claims

A VA construction contracting officer is weighing a potential contractor delay claim after the agency accepted a design error and the A/E firm corrected it. The discussion describes limited access to experienced mentors, staffing and workload pressures, unfamiliar systems, and uncertainty around shifting verbal policy—conditions that can slow post-award decisions and increase claim costs. Commenters point to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers construction guidance, project records, and peer consultation as practical resources; one also recommends using only agency-approved AI tools and checking answers against supplied regulations.

- The potential claim concerns a VA construction project; no contract value, claim amount, or decision deadline is provided.
- Procurement staff handling similar matters can consult USACE construction publications, maintain and review project records, and seek peer input before responding to a potential claim.
- Contractors should recognize that delayed answers on potential claims may increase costs, while agency workforce and guidance constraints can affect the pace of post-award administration.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Construction & Infrastructure
**Topics:** Physical Infrastructure
**Published:** October 10, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)

### Key Quotes
> The FAR has pretty minimal construction guidance, especially for dealing with post-award administration. Army Corps of Engineers publications, available on their website, are a good resource.
> — Commenter

> The longer it takes me to give this contractor an answer on what could become a claim, the higher the cost may be. So I can’t just fire off an answer that I’m not sure of.
> — Original poster

> Post-award MILCON KO here. DM me your issue and we can talk it through!
> — Commenter (post-award MILCON contracting officer)

### Sources
- [VA CO feeling insane](https://www.reddit.com/r/1102/comments/1x21l8p/va_co_feeling_insane) - reddit-1102