- Reclamation
- Secretary's Order 3446
Cutting Red Tape and Reducing Consumer Costs at Reclamation Construction Projects
On November 20, 2025, the Secretary of the Interior signed Secretary’s Order 3446, “Cutting Red Tape and Reducing Consumer Costs at Reclamation Construction Projects.” This Order initiates a transformative shift in how federally funded Reclamation projects are delivered across the West.
This partner-led model is designed to:
- Accelerate project delivery
- Reduce administrative burdens
- Lower costs for water and power users
- Maintain federal oversight and accountability
Reclamation is actively implementing the Order and will be working to modify contracts to allow qualified partners to manage portions of the procurement process on some federally-funded projects. This partner-led approach is designed to speed up project delivery and improve efficiency while maintaining federal oversight.
Stakeholders — including tribes, local agencies, and O&M partners — are encouraged to review Secretarial Order 3446, evaluate whether they believe they have relevant projects where procurement can be accelerated and statutory authority exists, and submit proposals. To submit your project or for questions, please contact: SO3446@usbr.gov
Separately, Reclamation is also working to improve other processes identified in Section 5 of the Secretarial Order. To that end, Reclamation is looking for feedback to enhance:
- Reclamation Manual
-
Draft Reclamation Directive and Standard: Contract Compliance Reviews (PDF, 1.6 MB)
Deadline for public comment is February 8, 2026 - Notifications of Specific Reclamation Manual Releases
- Manuals & Guidelines by Reclamation's Technical Service Center
- TSC Workload Initiation Process and Workload Allocation Tools (PDF, 1 MB)
- Draft Review Guidelines for Design Activities Performed by Non-Reclamation Entities (PDF, 600 KB)
- Design Standards
- Guidance Documents for Implementation of SO 3446
- Recorded Webinar Information Sessions
Reclamation continues to develop portions of the process flow for implementing Secretarial Order 3446; as these elements are finalized, updates will be posted on this website and reflected in the FAQs.
Frequently Asked Questions (Winter 2026)
You may complete this form to receive notifications on SO 3446 from the Bureau of Reclamation.
You may contact us at SO3446@usbr.gov if you have any questions.
Information Session, Noon-1 PM MT, January 29, 2026
This webinar will cover updates on Secretary’s Order 3446, which provides policy guidance for enabling qualified non-federal partners to manage procurement activities for Reclamation projects. Topics include screening-in processes, case studies/success stories, and updates on process improvements Reclamation is seeking to make in concert with its water and power stakeholder community.
