At A Glance: Contracting Excellence
- Award: 2025 Army Acquisition Executive’s Contracting Team of the Year
- Impact: $2.7 Billion Hurricane Helene acquisition response
- Workload: 900% increase in contracting volume
- Results: 7M+ cubic yards of debris removed; water restored to 300K+ residents
- Recognition: Pentagon Ceremony, March 4, 2026
WILMINGTON, N.C. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Wilmington District Contracting Division has been named the 2025 Army Acquisition Executive’s Contracting Team of the Year following its historic $2.7 billion acquisition response to Hurricane Helene. The team will be formally recognized during a ceremony at the Pentagon on March 4, 2026.
The Hurricane Helene Contracting Response Team was led by John Mayo, chief of contracting for the Wilmington District, and included Christopher S. Kay, Edward Boddie, Evelyn Haliburton (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, South Atlantic Division), Nicollete Campbell, Jason Smith, Josh Craven, John Hill, Karri Mares, Cortlyn M. Mcelhone, Shaun M. Mckenna and Jenifer Garland.
When Hurricane Helene made catastrophic landfall in September 2024, the storm triggered more than 2,000 landslides and devastated infrastructure across 40 counties in Western North Carolina.
Over the course of the recovery mission, the team enabled the removal of more than 7 million cubic yards of debris across impacted communities. Separately, contracting actions directly supported the restoration of potable water to more than 300,000 residents within the first two weeks of the federal response.
The office absorbed a 900 percent increase in contracting workload while maintaining its regular civil works and military construction mission requirements.
John Mayo attributed the award to the resilience and professionalism of the entire team.
“They handled an unprecedented surge in contracting volume while ensuring our daily mission continued,” Mayo said. “Their performance under such pressure demonstrates the culture of excellence we’ve worked tirelessly to build here in Wilmington.”
Mayo emphasized the personal sacrifices made during the response.
“This team worked late nights and weekends to help the people of Western North Carolina,” Mayo said. “They canceled vacations and missed important family events because they were committed to finishing the mission first. This recognition reflects their selfless service and dedication — not a pursuit of awards, but a commitment to doing what needed to be done.”
Col. Brad Morgan, Wilmington District commander, said the recognition represents acquisition excellence at the highest level.
“The team delivered rapid results under crisis conditions while maintaining full regulatory compliance and fiscal responsibility,” Morgan said. “That balance of speed and stewardship defines Army contracting professionalism. Their performance during Hurricane Helene set a standard for disaster response contracting across the enterprise.”
Frequently Asked Questions: Emergency Contracting
What is the role of USACE in hurricane recovery?
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers provides emergency power, debris removal, and technical assistance under FEMA mission assignments to help communities recover from natural disasters.
How does emergency contracting differ from standard acquisition?
Emergency contracting requires rapid execution to address life-safety concerns while maintaining fiscal responsibility and regulatory compliance under intense time pressure.
What was the scope of debris removal in North Carolina?
Following Hurricane Helene, the team facilitated the removal of over 7 million cubic yards of debris, clearing the way for infrastructure repair and community rebuilding.
