Why It Matters

Robotic Construction Technologies Inc. is positioned to influence billions in defense construction spending at a pivotal moment. The company escalated its lobbying strategy by switching from CoAspire LLC to Holland & Knight LLP, a top-tier firm with $100 million-plus in reported fees since 2003.

Congress is actively legislating on the company’s core technologies, including the Future of Defense Manufacturing Act of 2025, which protects domestic additive manufacturing markets. The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction held a March 2025 hearing specifically on 3D printing, automation, and rapid deployment systems.

FY2026 military construction funding increased $1.4 billion over FY2025 levels, with lawmakers pushing projects like Sentinel ICBM program modernization. However, rising cost inflation creates demand for efficiency-enhancing technologies.

Critically, the company hired Michael R. Wakefield, a current Professional Staff Member on the Senate Appropriations Committee, providing direct insider access to federal spending decisions. The company faces virtually no competing lobbying on construction robotics—a rare first-mover advantage in emerging advocacy.

By the Numbers

Robotic Construction spent $100,000 on lobbying fees across 14 disclosure reports while represented by CoAspire from October 2022 through 2024. Holland & Knight has assigned two registered lobbyists:

Michael R. Wakefield brings 8+ years of congressional experience, including current Senate Appropriations Committee staff role. His prior positions include Military Legislative Assistant for Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and counsel roles for Rep. Mike Coffman (R-CO) and Sen. John Warner (R-VA). His lobbying practice focuses on defense tech clients.

Misha E. Lehrer has 5+ years of Senate experience as Legislative Aide for Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT). Her defense clients include Skydio Inc., which generated $1.38 million in fees.

The Agenda

The company lobbies specifically on defense authorization and appropriations matters, consistently focusing on the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and Defense Appropriations Bills since late 2022.

The company previously sought "competitive adds in FY25 Defense Appropriations conference activities," signaling a strategy to secure dedicated funding through congressional appropriations. Its activity aligns with several advancing bills:

Broader Context

Congress appropriated $19.7 billion for FY2026 military construction—a 4.5 percent increase over Pentagon requests. However, military construction expenses are projected to increase 26 percent from 2025 to 2026, creating demand for efficiency technologies.

The Army has operationalized 3D concrete construction, printing 512-square-foot buildings in 24-48 hours. The Air Force’s Expedient Basing Challenge seeks to reduce base setup from weeks to hours for distributed operations.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed the Pentagon onto a "wartime footing," emphasizing speed and accelerated commercial manufacturing adoption. Recent legislation reflects Congressional focus on defense industrial base modernization.

Lobbying records show no competing organizations actively advocating on additive manufacturing or construction robotics for military applications, providing first-mover advantage.

Between The Lines

The March 2025 House Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on innovative construction techniques directly addressed the company’s focus areas. Members like Rep. Dan Newhouse and Rep. John Carter champion increased military construction funding, while Sen. John Hoeven pushes accelerated strategic program construction. Sen. John Boozman raises cost efficiency concerns—creating openings for faster construction methods.

Disclosure records confirm no competing organizations lobby on these specific technologies, suggesting the company enters uncontested advocacy space during active congressional consideration.

The Bottom Line

Robotic Construction’s upgrade to Holland & Knight signals aggressive pursuit of federal defense construction funding. The timing aligns with Congressional momentum: multiple bills promoting domestic additive manufacturing are advancing, and recent hearings focused on 3D printing and automation for defense applications.

Wakefield’s current Senate Appropriations Committee position provides direct access to defense spending decisions, while Lehrer brings Democratic connections. Both specialize in defense technology firms.

Most significantly, lobbying records show no competing advocacy on construction robotics or military additive manufacturing. The company enters an uncontested space during active congressional legislation and funding of these exact technologies.

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