On May 2, 2024, the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) formally opened its 120-day window to accept proposals for the annual report to Congress on water resources development. Within the water resources community, the document is simply called the “7001 Report.” All proposals submitted by August 30, 2024, will be considered for inclusion in the 2025 report.
The importance of this report for non-federal sponsors (i.e., local communities, public entities, or tribal governments) seeking to leverage available federal funding to better serve the public good cannot be overstated. Although inclusion of a proposal in the 7001 Report does not provide congressional authorization or appropriation, it is often a first step toward facilitating congressional consideration of the proposal's authorization.
Inclusion in the “7001 Report” is dependent on several factors. Projects must (i) be related to USACE missions and authorities; (ii) require specific congressional authorization, including by an Act of Congress; (iii) have not been congressionally authorized; (iv) have not been included in any previous annual report; and (v) if authorized, could be carried out by USACE.
The annual report will only contain proposals that the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works determines have met all the criteria above. Proposals not meeting the criteria will be placed in the report's appendix. For most proposals listed in the appendix of past reports, an authority already existed to perform the requested activity or the proposal did not fit within USACE missions and authorities (i.e., navigation, flood risk management, or aquatic ecosystem restoration). In some cases, Congress chooses to authorize items even if only listed in the appendix.
Preparation for submitting proposals can be a lengthy process and visionary thinking is an essential contributor to success. If your organization has missed this window, the time to start planning for subsequent “7001 Reports” is now.
For background on this process, click here.
Maj. Gen. Rick Stevens, USA Retired
Senior Vice President
A former Deputy Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rick joined Dawson & Associates in 2018.