In July, the United States Army Corps of Engineers agreed with what contractor organizations have been saying for over a year: construction is not a commodity.

In its final report on a reverse bid auction pilot program, the USACE stated that a reverse bid auction is an inappropriate means to procure construction services. The report referenced last year's Office of Federal Procurement Policy memo stating that construction repair and alterations should not be considered commodities, as construction services have too many variables.

The report also found no proof that reverse bid auctions "provided a significant or marginal edge over the sealed bid process for construction projects."