RenovationRouteFederal contracting · CA
Federal construction contracts in the El Centro area
Customs and Border Protection, GSA, and the Bureau of Land Management put the most federal construction money into the El Centro metro area. Here is where it went in fiscal 2025, who won it, and the biggest jobs.
El Centro market
Federal construction in the El Centro area, by the numbers
In fiscal 2025, federal agencies obligated $839 million on construction contracts performed in the El Centro metro area (1 county), across 49 contracts. The largest share, 93%, came from Customs and Border Protection. One contractor, Fisher Sand & Gravel Co, received 68% of it.
Source: USAspending.gov, federal contract obligations under NAICS 23 (construction) with the work performed in one of the metro's counties, federal fiscal year 2025 (October 2024 to September 2025). Metro area as defined in OMB Bulletin 23-01 (July 2023).
$839M
obligated on construction contracts in the El Centro area in fiscal 2025
49
construction contracts that received federal money that year
86%
of those contracts went to small businesses
#7
of 387 US metro areas by federal construction dollars
Who pays and who wins
The agencies and contractors in the El Centro area
Dollars obligated in fiscal 2025, by the agency that awarded the contract, the company that won it, and the county where the work was done.
- Customs and Border Protection $782M
- GSA Public Buildings Service $20.5M
- Bureau of Land Management $19.3M
- Department of the Navy $17.8M
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service $114K
- Fisher Sand & Gravel Co $574M
- Barnard Spencer Joint Venture $200M
- Hensel Phelps Construction Co $14.4M
- Cox Construction Co $14.2M
- Nova Group, Inc $9.6M
- Imperial County $839M
Real projects
The largest federal construction jobs in the El Centro area
Contracts that received money in fiscal 2025, with the total awarded to date. Descriptions are shortened from the federal record.
All contractors
$1.2B
Construction Border Barrier El Centro, CA
Customs and Border Protection. Fisher Sand & Gravel Co. Performance start 2025.
Federal record$230M
Construct/Install 60 Miles of System Attributes (Detection, Lighting, Cabling, Etc.)
Customs and Border Protection. Barnard Spencer Joint Venture. Performance start 2025.
Federal record$214M
Design Build Services Modernization and Expansion of the Calexico Land Port of Entry…
GSA Public Buildings Service. Hensel Phelps Construction Co. Performance start 2024.
Federal recordWon by small businesses
$16.1M
DBB WTP Repairs to Basins at NAFEC, CA
Department of the Navy. Spencer Construction LLC. Performance start 2021.
Federal record$14.4M
D-B GAOA Cahuilla Ranger Station Replacement
Bureau of Land Management. Cox Construction Co. Performance start 2025.
Federal record$5.1M
Calexico East Roof Replacement, Calexico East Land Port of Entry (LPOE), Calexico, CA…
GSA Public Buildings Service. OCS Construction Services Inc. Performance start 2024.
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Common questions
Federal construction contracts in the El Centro area: FAQ
Answers to the questions contractors in this metro ask most.
How much does the federal government spend on construction in the El Centro area?
In fiscal 2025, federal agencies obligated $839 million on construction contracts performed in the El Centro metro area (1 county), across 49 contracts. The largest share, 93%, came from Customs and Border Protection. One contractor, Fisher Sand & Gravel Co, received 68% of it. That ranks it #7 of the 387 metro areas in the 50 states and DC by federal construction dollars. Figures are from USAspending.gov, for contracts classified under NAICS 23 (construction) with the work performed in one of the metro's counties.
Which counties are in the El Centro metro area?
We use the federal definition of the El Centro, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area from OMB Bulletin 23-01 (July 2023): Imperial County.
Which federal agencies award the most construction contracts in the El Centro area?
In fiscal 2025: Customs and Border Protection, $782 million; GSA Public Buildings Service, $20.5 million; Bureau of Land Management, $19.3 million; Department of the Navy, $17.8 million. Each posts its construction solicitations on SAM.gov.
Which contractors win the most federal construction money in the El Centro area?
By dollars obligated in fiscal 2025: Fisher Sand & Gravel Co, $574 million; Barnard Spencer Joint Venture, $200 million; Hensel Phelps Construction Co, $14.4 million; Cox Construction Co, $14.2 million.
How much federal construction work in the El Centro area goes to small businesses?
Small businesses won 42 of the 49 federal construction contracts that received money in the El Centro metro area in fiscal 2025, or 86%. That is a count of contracts, not dollars. The largest small business job was "DBB WTP Repairs to Basins at NAFEC, CA" for Department of the Navy, worth $16.1 million to date, awarded to Spencer Construction LLC.
Where do I find open federal construction bids in the El Centro area?
Every federal construction solicitation is posted on SAM.gov. RenovationRoute pulls the construction ones every 12 hours, reads each solicitation and its attachments, and texts or emails you when a job near El Centro matches your trade and radius. The feed is free to browse.
Learn more
Resources for federal construction contractors
Federal construction in California
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Learn how it worksHow to register on SAM.gov
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Read the guideWhy contractors lose federal bids
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