Weekly Briefing: April 24, 2026
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Week of April 20, 2026
White House Invokes Defense Production Act to Accelerate Energy Infrastructure
President Trump has invoked the Defense Production Act to speed the deployment of grid equipment, pipelines, and liquefied natural gas systems, considering them critical to national defense. The determinations authorize the Department of Energy to deploy financial support and procurement tools to expand domestic capacity.
A broader directive covering large-scale energy infrastructure explicitly includes engineering, site acquisition and preparation, permitting, and early-stage risk-mitigation financing — linking the action directly to preconstruction phases that often determine whether projects advance.
The White House actions cite persistent barriers including financing constraints, regulatory delays, long equipment lead times, and supply chain bottlenecks, concluding that market conditions alone are unlikely to deliver sufficient capacity without federal intervention.
The broad scope of the directive could generate significant AEC project activity across grid modernization, pipeline development, and baseload generation. However, the DOE has yet to identify specific projects, funding levels, or timelines for deployment.
Federal Government Opens $166B Tariff Refund Portal After Supreme Court Strikes Down IEEPA Duties
U.S. Customs and Border Protection launched the CAPE portal on April 20 for businesses to begin claiming refunds on approximately $166 billion in IEEPA tariffs the Supreme Court struck down in February, a development with significant implications for AEC firms that have absorbed elevated material and equipment costs over the past year.
Refunds flow only to the importer of record, not to downstream buyers, meaning contractors and project owners that bore pass-through tariff costs on imported goods are unlikely to receive direct recovery unless their purchase agreements or supply contracts include duty adjustment or refund provisions — an uncommon feature in most standard construction procurement.
Many firms passed through IEEPA tariff costs to clients through higher project pricing, and there is growing pressure for businesses to return refund proceeds to those who ultimately shouldered the added costs. For AEC firms with active projects, pending change orders, or unresolved claims tied to IEEPA-driven cost increases, this creates new contractual and financial complexity.
Critically for the construction industry, the ruling does not affect Section 232 tariffs on steel, aluminum, copper, and lumber, nor Section 301 tariffs on Chinese goods — the tariff categories most directly tied to structural, mechanical, and framing work. These duties remain in force, leaving the most significant material cost pressures facing the AEC sector unchanged.
April 20, 2026
LJA Engineering (LJA), a Texas-based full-service, multi-disciplinary engineering and consulting firm, has acquired Sanchez-Salazar & Associates (Sanchez-Salazar), a Texas-based civil engineering firm that specializes in transportation engineering, construction management, and inspection services. This acquisition adds Sanchez-Salazar’s transportation expertise, client relationships, and experienced team to LJA, strengthening its transportation capabilities and presence across South Texas. James Ross, LJA President and CEO, remarked, “Together, we are well positioned to deliver even greater value to our clients while creating new opportunities for our Employee-Owners. With this acquisition, LJA continues to invest in people, expertise, and long-term partnerships that support the delivery of innovative, reliable, and sustainable transportation solutions.”
April 21, 2026
Woolpert, an Ohio-based architecture, engineering, and geospatial services firm, backed by BDT & MSD Partners, has acquired UMC Architects (UMC), a UK-based industrial architecture firm that specializes in distribution and logistics, television and entertainment, transportation, and manufacturing design. The acquisition expands Woolpert’s global reach and positions the firm to meet the rising demand for data center and industrial redevelopment projects across Europe. “We’re excited to welcome UMC’s talented professionals to Woolpert and continue building our team in the U.K.,” said Neil Churman, President and CEO of Woolpert. “This is more than an acquisition — it’s a partnership built on shared values, complementary strengths, and a common focus on delivering exceptional results for our clients as they navigate an increasingly complex built environment. UMC exemplifies our commitment to growth, job creation, and community stewardship across the U.K. and throughout the world.”
April 21, 2026
Kimley-Horn, a North Carolina-based planning and design consulting firm, has acquired Gamble Design Collaborative (GDC), a Tennessee-based land planning and landscape architecture consulting firm. This acquisition adds GDC’s technical expertise to Kimley-Horn’s multidisciplinary services and further strengthens its presence across the Southeast. “The Greater Nashville market and the Southeast United States are experiencing sustained demand for people-focused and high-impact developments, and GDC has been doing that work with distinction,” commented Angela Fannéy, Senior Vice President and South Region Leader at Kimley-Horn. “Their entitlement expertise and extensive market relationships will further increase the value our teams can offer clients.”
April 21, 2026
CannonDesign, a New York-based global designer, has acquired Ennead Architects (Ennead), a New York-based architecture firm. While Ennead will operate as a distinct studio within CannonDesign, it will benefit from CannonDesign’s complementary portfolio and broad offerings, enabling the combined firm to expand its design impact and continue advancing technology in the design space together. Brad Lukanic, CEO of CannonDesign, said, "Our firms share a deep commitment to enriching the public realm, and that common ground is what brought us together. Now we have a profound opportunity to improve civic life at a much greater scale, shaping not just buildings, but the way people experience the world."
April 23, 2026
New Mountain Capital (New Mountain), a New York-based growth-oriented investment firm, has completed the combination of Azuria Water Solutions (Azuria), a Missouri-based provider of technology-enabled solutions for the water industry, and Inframark, a Texas-based provider of water services including operation and maintenance, engineering, and community management. This strategic move brings together two New Mountain-backed firms to create a platform offering comprehensive, technology-enabled solutions across the water market. Joe Delgado and Lars Johansson, Managing Directors at New Mountain, said, “These companies embody our approach to business building, which has included commercial strategy revitalization, talent and career path development, AI-enabled technology investments, and an M&A strategy based upon being the ‘acquiror of choice’. We believe there is meaningful value creation ahead for Azuria as the company executes on its combined vision, and we are excited to continue partnering with the combined Azuria team.”
Verdantas' Somerville, NJ team participated in the Raritan Headwaters Stream Cleanup, an annual Earth Week event organized by the Raritan Headwaters Association. Joining more than 1,000 community volunteers, the team collected trash and recyclables from local streambanks across the Raritan River watershed, supporting cleaner water supplies, improved water quality, and healthier wildlife habitats in surrounding communities. Verdantas has participated in the event on a recurring basis as part of its broader commitment to environmental stewardship.
The EFCG Weekly Briefing summarizes the week’s key news in the AEC industry, including M&A updates, and micro- and macro-trends, aggregated from industry-focused and global news sources.
To send any additional press releases or news from your firm that you would like us to share please email Clay Han at chan@efcg.com.