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. 

SAMPLE TRANSFERRED WORKS CONTRACT

This sample transferred works contract (PDF, 200KB) is one instrument that Reclamation can use to transfer the procurement function to qualified non-federal entities.

SAMPLE CONTRACT TERM for TRANSFERRING PROCUREMENT

This sample contract term (PDF, 40KB) shows the terminology Reclamation can use to incorporate into new or existing contracts.

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:

ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE
2026 DOI NEPA Procedures & 2026 DOI Handbook
Reclamation 2026 NEPA Guidance Document (PDF 42 KB)
Reclamation NEPA Slide Deck (PDF, 460 KB)
Hydropower Categorical Exclusions, 2026

NATIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION ACT COMPLIANCE
Reclamation Slide Deck (PDF, 2.3 MB)
NHPA Programmatic Agreement examples:
Utah (PDF, 1.6 MB)
Colorado (PDF, 1.5 MB)

COST-SHARE PROGRAMS
Reclamation background on cost-share information (PDF, 107 KB)

ENGINEERING DESIGN REVIEW GUIDELINES
- Draft Review Guidelines for Design Activities Performed by Non-Reclamation Entities (PDF, 1.4 MB)
  Public comments are being solicited and may be submitted for the next 45 days to SO3446@usbr.gov for review by the Technical Service Center.
  Deadline for public comment is June 15, 2026
- Reclamation Design Review Guidelines Slide Deck (PDF, 188 KB)
- Draft: Facilities Instructions Standards and Techniques (FIST) Manual 3-33 Operational Technology Systems - Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition and Electronic Access Control and Surveillance System Systems Operation and Maintenance (PDF, 1.17 MB)
  Deadline for public comment was February 23, 2026
- Manuals & Guidelines by Reclamation's Technical Service Center
- Design Standards

WORKLOAD INITIATION PROCESS AT TECHNICAL SERVICES CENTER
- TSC Workload Initiation Process and Workload Allocation Tools (PDF, 1 MB)

RECLAMATION MANUAL (RM) REVISIONS

A list of RM releases that have currently planned actions (PDF 115 KB, which displays new releases, revisions, deletions, etc.) is available on the Reclamation Manual website. Reclamation accepts comments for releases that do not currently have planned actions.

WTR 11-01 Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse Program Projects, Desalination Construction Projects, and Large-Scale Water Recycling and Desalination Projects Feasibility Study Review Process (PDF, 955 KB; includes comment submittal instructions)
Deadline for public comment is October 29, 2026
- WTR 11-01 Redline Version (PDF, 1.15 MB)

LND 02-03 Implementation of Historic Preservation Responsibilities for Operation, Maintenance and Replacement of Project Works (PDF, 254 KB)
Internal revisions published August 11, 2026
- LND 02-03 Redline Version (PDF, 252 KB)

Temporary Reclamation Manual Release: RCD TRMR 134 Interim Reclamation Manual Release Procedures (PDF, 325 KB)
Temporary process published July 29, 2026, for streamlining reviews of Reclamation Manual releases in lieu of RCD 03-01 (Reclamation Manual Release Procedures)
Supplementary documents will be provided during the revision process for incorporating RCD TRMR 134 process improvements into permanent changes within RCD 03-01.

Draft: CMP 11-01 Title Transfer for Reclamation Project Facilities (PDF, 708 KB)
Revisions posting fall 2026 per public comment that concluded May 9, 2026
- CMP 11-01 Redlined Version (PDF, 2.6 MB)

Draft: LND 09-01 Land Records (PDF, 319 KB)
Revisions posting fall 2026 per public comment that concluded May 1, 2026

Draft: PEC 05-03 Funding and Extended Repayment of Extraordinary Maintenance Cost (PDF, 1.6 MB)
Deadline for public comment was March 15, 2026
This release will be re-posted for additional external review during fall 2026

Draft Reclamation Directive and Standard: Contract Compliance Reviews (PDF, 1.6 MB)
Deletion completed per public comment that concluded February 8, 2026

AVAILABLE CONTRACTING AUTHORITIES INCLUDING IDIQ (PDF, 143 KB)

SO 3446 90-Day Report (PDF, 725KB)

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 (Summer-Fall 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.

Secretary’s Order 3446 –Cutting Red Tape and Reducing Consumer Costs at Reclamation Construction Projects

Reclamation implementation update July 2026

Download Presentation (PDF, 1.1 MB)

Information Session: Reclamation NEPA Webinar, June 30, 2026

Information Session: Overview of Reclamation’s Title Transfer Program & Update to CMP 11-01 Title Transfer for Reclamation Project Facilities April 24, 2026

Secretary of the Interior's Order 3446