In the fall of 2009, before construction had even begun, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' first design-build hospital project, sited in Fort Benning, Ga., had become a contracting nightmare.
The two losing bidders for the $333-million Martin Army Community Hospital (MACH)—a McCarthy/Hunt joint venture and a team of Harbert Construction and Brasfield & Gorrie—were filing lawsuits relating to the selection of Turner Construction Co. and Ellerbe Becket/RLF Architects. By February 2010, the Corps was ordering Turner Construction Co. and EB/RLF to halt work.