Williams’ Constitution Pipeline is moving again. On October 19, 2026, the U.S. Department of Energy announced up to $42 million in Defense Production Act funding for the project’s permitting and pre-construction work. If your company wants a piece of that work, the paperwork starts well before the first pipe goes in the ground. Williams directs its contractors to Veriforce® for compliance, so your Veriforce account, your written safety programs and, for some crews, operator qualification (OQ) and DOT drug and alcohol testing need to be in order before you can mobilize.
Here’s what the project is, where it stands, and what contractors should have ready.
What is the Constitution Pipeline, and where does it stand?
The Constitution Pipeline is a proposed 30-inch natural gas pipeline running about 125 miles from Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, to Schoharie County, New York. Williams says it would carry up to 650,000 dekatherms per day and connect to the Iroquois and Tennessee interstate systems.
The New York scope runs through Broome, Chenango, Delaware and Schoharie counties and includes two metering and regulating stations, mainline valves and pressure relief components. Williams estimates the project would support about 2,500 direct and indirect jobs and $295 million in direct labor income.
The project has a long history. It received its original FERC certificate in 2014, and Williams abandoned it in 2020 after years of permit fights in New York. Williams revived it in 2025. As of October 2026, Williams’ project page targets reinstatement of the FERC certificate in the fourth quarter of 2026 and an in-service date in the fourth quarter of 2028.
It isn’t a sure thing. New York regulators have continued to oppose the project, and the DOE funding covers permitting and pre-construction work, not construction itself. But contractors who wait for a construction start date to begin their prequalification will be behind the ones who started now.
Does Williams require Veriforce for contractors?
Yes. Williams’ contractor environmental, health and safety requirements page sends contractors to Veriforce for information on how to achieve compliant status as a Williams contractor. Veriforce also runs a Williams-specific landing page for suppliers, including those who attended Williams’ supplier meetings.
That requirement isn’t new or specific to Constitution. Williams operates a large interstate pipeline network, and contractors doing work across that system go through Veriforce. For background on why, see our general guide to Williams® and Veriforce® compliance.
What will contractors need in Veriforce for Williams?
Expect two levels of requirements: one for your company and one for your workers.
At the company level, Veriforce’s process for Williams contractors starts with creating a profile and uploading documents. In practice, that usually means written safety programs, insurance certificates, safety statistics such as your OSHA logs and EMR, and answers to safety questionnaires. Williams sets which of those apply to your company and work type.
Written safety programs are where most contractors get stuck. A program has to address the specific elements the hiring client’s requirements call for, and a generic template downloaded from the internet often doesn’t. See our breakdown of Veriforce® safety program requirements.
At the worker level, Veriforce’s Williams page lists training courses including SafeLand Basic Orientation, Core Compliance Training, H2S Clear for Energy and Basic Pipeline Orientation, along with OQ evaluations and covered task tracking. Which courses your crew needs depends on the work you’re hired to do, so confirm the list for your scope with Williams or Veriforce before you book anyone into a class.
Do Constitution Pipeline workers need operator qualification (OQ)?
It depends on the task, and this is where many contractors get confused.
Federal OQ rules (49 CFR Part 192, Subpart N) require pipeline operators to make sure anyone performing a “covered task” on their pipeline is qualified. A covered task is an operations or maintenance task performed on a pipeline facility that affects its operation or integrity. PHMSA’s own guidance says new construction is not covered under the OQ regulations, but the tie-in of a new pipeline to an existing one is treated as an operations and maintenance task, and so is any work on that new segment after the tie-in.
For a project like Constitution, that means a crew clearing right-of-way or laying new pipe may not be performing OQ covered tasks, while a crew tying the new line into existing infrastructure, or working on Williams’ operating pipelines, likely is.
Two cautions. First, Williams decides what it requires of its contractors, and an operator can require more than the federal minimum. Second, if your company does other work for Williams on its existing system, your workers will need OQ for those covered tasks regardless of Constitution. VeriSource, Veriforce’s operator qualification subscription, is where those qualifications are tracked.
Is DOT drug and alcohol testing required for Williams contractors?
For workers performing covered functions on a regulated pipeline, yes. PHMSA’s drug and alcohol rules (49 CFR Parts 199 and 40) apply to employees who perform operations, maintenance or emergency-response functions on pipelines regulated under Parts 192, 193 or 195, including contractor employees. The operator is responsible for making sure its contractors comply.
As with OQ, PHMSA has said in past interpretations that its drug testing rules do not apply to the construction of new pipelines. Tie-ins and work on existing lines are a different story.
If your workers do fall under Part 199, your company needs a written anti-drug plan and an alcohol misuse prevention plan that meet the regulations, plus testing through qualified service agents (a lab, a medical review officer, and a collection site). Veriforce offers operators a service that reviews contractors’ drug and alcohol plans against DOT/PHMSA requirements, so expect your plan to be read closely rather than simply uploaded.
One more wrinkle: DOT testing has to be kept separate from any non-DOT testing your company does. Contractors who run one combined program for everything often find this out during a review.
What’s the difference between Veriforce Compliance Pro and VeriSource?
They’re separate Veriforce subscriptions that do different jobs. Veriforce Compliance Pro® handles company-level contractor prequalification: your safety programs, insurance and documentation. VeriSource is Veriforce’s U.S. operator qualification subscription and tracks individual worker qualifications. A Williams contractor whose crews perform covered tasks may need both. Our guide to Veriforce vs. VeriSource goes into more detail.
How should contractors prepare for Constitution Pipeline work now?
Start with what takes longest. Written safety programs, a compliant drug and alcohol plan and worker OQ evaluations can’t be pulled together the week before a crew mobilizes.
A practical order of operations:
- Confirm your scope. Know whether you’re bidding new-construction work, tie-in work, station work or ongoing maintenance, because that drives the OQ and drug and alcohol questions.
- Set up or clean up your Veriforce account. If you already have one from other Williams work, check it for open deficiencies, expired insurance and outdated programs.
- Get your written programs right the first time. Rejected programs are one of the most common reasons accounts stall.
- Sort out drug and alcohol testing if your workers will perform covered functions, including a written plan and a consortium or testing provider.
- Schedule training and OQ evaluations for the workers who need them.
In our experience helping contractors manage Veriforce accounts, the trouble is rarely one big obstacle. It’s a dozen small items, each with its own due date, landing on an owner or office manager who is also estimating, running payroll and keeping current jobs moving.
Let Cascade handle your Veriforce account
Cascade QMS manages Veriforce® accounts for contractors so the compliance side doesn’t hold up the work. Our Veriforce® Management Plan covers account setup and cleanup, resolving deficiencies, keeping documents current, and ongoing support as Williams’ requirements change. We also write customized written safety programs, and our written programs are guaranteed to be accepted.
Williams and Veriforce decide your compliance status, not Cascade. What we do is find what’s holding your account back and handle the work of fixing it, so you can focus on the bid.
Get a quote for a Veriforce® Management Plan →
Constitution Pipeline FAQs
When will the Constitution Pipeline be built?
Williams’ project page targets FERC certificate reinstatement in the fourth quarter of 2026 and an in-service date in the fourth quarter of 2028. The project still needs regulatory approvals, and New York has opposed it, so the schedule could change.
What platform does Williams use for contractor compliance?
Williams directs contractors to Veriforce® for compliance. Williams sets the specific requirements for each contractor.
Do all Constitution Pipeline workers need OQ?
Not necessarily. Under PHMSA’s guidance, new construction isn’t covered by the federal OQ rules, but tie-ins to existing pipelines and work on operating lines are. Williams can also require more than the federal minimum, so confirm your scope’s requirements with Williams.
Do I need a DOT drug and alcohol program to work for Williams?
If your employees will perform operations, maintenance or emergency-response functions on Williams’ regulated pipelines, yes. PHMSA has said its drug testing rules don’t apply to new pipeline construction, but Williams may set its own requirements.
Can Cascade QMS help with Williams’ Veriforce requirements?
Yes. Cascade QMS manages Veriforce® accounts through its Veriforce® Management Plan and writes customized safety programs. Williams and Veriforce determine compliance status.