Disaster recovery can be a lengthy, complex process, especially when it comes to procurement. However, once Julio E. Nazario Ruiz enters, things start happening. Nazario is a transportation engineer program manager for the National Forests in North Carolina. Prior to Hurricane Helene, Nazario initiated a special type of government contract called the Multiple Award Task Order Contract. Regular government contracts are created and awarded to a single vendor for a specific task. The Multiple Award Task Order Contract requires more upfront work and planning; however, it provides more flexibility and streamlines the contracting process by allowing agencies to preselect a pool of contractors who then compete for various projects as needed. Thanks to Nazario’s dedication and foresight prior to the storm, the National Forests in North Carolina were able to roll out repairs at a much faster rate than anticipated.

Nazario’s ingenuity enabled the forest to help community members and visitors by restoring access to homes, beloved trails and recreation areas in a faster timeframe. For his outstanding work before and after Hurricane Helene, Nazario was recently named the 2024 Southern Region Technical Engineer of the Year.  

“Despite challenges, the National Forests in North Carolina will be able to rebuild a more resilient infrastructure to prioritize efficient management of our resources and public safety,” said Nazario.

From assessing storm damage to designing and overseeing complex rebuilding projects, Nazario worked alongside a dedicated team of 15 engineering professionals from the National Forests in North Carolina, all of whom went above and beyond to support recovery efforts.  

“Our engineers have been instrumental in improving public safety and building resiliency across the forest so the communities we serve can return to their public lands,” said James “Barry” Jones, public service staff officer for the National Forests in North Carolina.

Some of their top-notch work includes repairing over 400 miles of roadway and completing reconstruction and rehabilitation on both the Pisgah and Nantahala national forests. Popular recreation areas like Carolina Hemlock Campground and Stackhouse Boat Launch were also successfully restored.

In the coming years, engineering personnel will continue to support the long-term recovery efforts of more than 20 bridges, 350 additional miles of road and many other recreational areas affected by Helene.