Army Seeks Advanced Tech for Child Care Centers

The military explores using 3D printing and modular construction to speed up building new child development facilities.

Updated on Oct. 28, 2026 in Child Care

Army Seeks Advanced Tech for Child Care Centers

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The Army has issued a request for information on using 3D-printing and modular construction techniques to build new child care centers. These projects are proposed for Fort Bragg in North Carolina and Robins Air Force Base in Georgia.

Why it matters

The military is facing a shortage of child care spaces on installations, resulting in long waitlists for families. Utilizing faster construction methods could significantly reduce the time needed to add new facilities.

A previous Army pilot program at Fort Bliss, Texas, successfully used 3D-printing to construct 10 buildings totaling 5,700 square feet in 58 days. The proposed sites for new centers include buildings up to 54,000 square feet.

The players

Army Corps of Engineers

This federal agency provides engineering services and construction support for military installations across the United States.

Fort Bragg

This is a major United States Army installation located in North Carolina that is currently designated as a site for potential new child care buildings.

Robins Air Force Base

This Georgia-based military installation is a primary site being considered for a new 41,000-square-foot child care facility.

The details

The Army is seeking submissions for various methods, including kit-of-parts and hybrid construction. The proposed facility at Robins Air Force Base is set to include 22 activity rooms along with essential support spaces like kitchens and laundry facilities.

The Army posted the request for information on the federal contracting website on October 28, 2026.
Companies must submit their responses to the military by November 20, 2026.
The 3D-printed barracks project at Fort Bliss was completed in July 2026.

Culture Shift

The military's pivot toward 3D-printed modular construction marks a transition away from traditional, labor-intensive site-building processes. This shift mirrors broader trends in sustainable and rapid infrastructure development aimed at addressing acute housing and service shortages.

Military families at Fort Bragg and Robins Air Force Base could eventually see a reduction in wait times for child care as construction timelines shorten. These modular methods offer a practical path toward increasing the capacity of on-base services without traditional multi-year delays.

The takeaway

Using advanced construction techniques like 3D printing may serve as a model for addressing infrastructure gaps across various government sectors. Implementing such technologies can help organizations meet essential service demands more efficiently than conventional methods allow.