Victor Ray Natera

Running a government contract division on follow-through, where timelines, inspections and compliance decide who keeps building homes for veterans.

Victor Ray Natera is Regional Director of Operations at CLR Builders, an architectural and building company based in El Paso, Texas. He runs the company’s government contract division, which accounts for roughly 90 percent of its work, most of it Department of Veterans Affairs contracts building homes for veterans across Texas, Arizona and New Mexico.

He supervises seven area directors, handles site inspections, operational oversight and training, and manages profit and loss for the division. When he stepped into the role, CLR ranked seventh of fifteen approved builders for government contracts in its region. It moved to number two in his first year on a 32 percent sales increase, took the top spot in his second on a 42 percent increase, and has held that ranking since.

He started working in restaurants at sixteen, where he learned that leadership comes down to showing up, following up and deciding quickly. He credits Curt Wiggins, the president of operations who hired him, with teaching him to think in systems rather than tasks.

Inside CLR Builders and the Government Contract Division

Can you introduce CLR Builders and describe your role as Regional Director?

CLR Builders is an architectural and building company structured as an LLC. We handle design, plans, sketches, and construction for residential and commercial projects. My role is Regional Director of Operations. I run the government contract division, which accounts for about 90% of our work. That includes VA contracts, building homes for veterans.

I supervise seven area directors across different regions. My day-to-day includes site inspections, operational oversight, training, and making sure projects stay on schedule and on budget. I also handle profit and loss for the division.

What is your company’s core business model? Do you use an in-house team, third-party vendors, or a hybrid approach?

We use a hybrid model. We have in-house staff for design, project management, and oversight. For construction, we work with approved subcontractors depending on the scope and location. Government contracts require specific certifications and compliance, so we vet vendors carefully and maintain consistent relationships with the ones who meet standards.

Competing for and Winning VA Contracts

How does your company differentiate itself from competitors in a crowded market?

Consistency and execution. When I started, we were ranked seventh out of fifteen approved builders for government contracts in our region. First year we moved to number two with a 32% sales increase. Second year we hit number one with a 42% increase, and we’ve held that ranking year over year.

We win on follow-through. A lot of companies can build. Not all of them can manage timelines, inspections, compliance, and communication at the level government work demands. We do.

What are the primary sectors you serve, and how has that focus evolved over time?

We serve the public sector, specifically the Department of Veterans Affairs. That focus sharpened when I came into this role. Before that, CLR handled a mix of residential and commercial. I pushed hard into government contracts because the work is steady, the margins are predictable, and the mission matters. We build for people who served. That’s not just a contract. It’s a responsibility.

What are the most in-demand services or solutions that clients approach your company for?

New home construction for veterans through VA contracts. That includes full design, permitting, build-out, and final inspection. We also handle modifications and accessibility upgrades for existing homes when the contract calls for it.

Staying Ahead and Getting Re-Awarded

How do you personally stay ahead of industry shifts when most data is already yesterday’s news?

I stay close to the contract side. I read RFPs, I talk to people at the VA, and I watch what changes in compliance and inspection standards. I also pay attention to what other builders are struggling with. If three companies miss deadlines on the same type of project, that tells me something about the process or the requirements.

I don’t rely on reports. I rely on what’s happening on the ground.

Do you have a significant percentage of repeat clients? If so, what strategies contribute to that loyalty?

Government work doesn’t operate like repeat clients in the traditional sense. You bid on contracts. But we do get re-awarded, and that comes down to performance history. The VA tracks everything: timelines, budget adherence, inspection pass rates, compliance issues. Our track record keeps us in the top tier.

Measuring Quality and Supporting the Build

How do you measure and ensure high customer satisfaction in your operations?

Inspections and compliance are the measure. If we pass VA inspections without rework, if we deliver on time, and if the veteran moves into a home that meets standards, that’s success. I also track complaints and callbacks. Low numbers there mean we did the job right the first time.

What kind of post-project support do you provide to address client queries or ongoing needs?

We handle warranty issues and any compliance follow-up required by the contract. If something needs adjustment after final inspection, we take care of it. The VA has clear guidelines on post-completion responsibility, and we meet them.

Pricing, Bidding and Knowing When to Walk

Describe your pricing and billing structure. Is it fixed cost, pay-per-milestone, or another model?

Government contracts are typically fixed price or cost-plus, depending on the RFP. Most of ours are fixed. We bid based on scope, materials, labor, and timeline. Payment usually follows milestones: design approval, foundation, framing, final inspection.

What is the typical price range for projects you’ve handled in the past year, and how do you balance affordability with value?

I can’t disclose exact figures, but VA home builds range depending on size, location, and specifications. We balance cost by managing labor efficiently, maintaining vendor relationships, and avoiding rework. Affordability isn’t about cutting corners. It’s about not wasting time or materials.

Have you turned down projects based on budget or scope? If so, what are your minimum requirements?

Yes. If a contract doesn’t cover the true cost of compliance and quality, we don’t bid. If the timeline is unrealistic, we walk. I’d rather pass than take on a project we can’t deliver right.

Challenges, Innovation and Culture

What key challenges has your company faced in the last few years, and how did you overcome them?

Labor availability and material delays, especially during COVID. We adjusted timelines, locked in supply agreements earlier, and cross-trained crews so we weren’t dependent on one trade. Communication with the VA also got more frequent. No surprises.

How do you foster innovation and adapt to emerging trends in your industry?

We test new materials and methods when they meet code and improve efficiency. But government work doesn’t reward experimentation for its own sake. Innovation here means faster inspections, better documentation, fewer callbacks.

What role does company culture play in your success, and how do you build and maintain it?

Accountability and clear expectations. My supervisors know what’s expected. I follow up. I train. I give people the tools to do their jobs, and I hold them to results. Culture isn’t about perks. It’s about whether people know what to do and feel equipped to do it.

Where CLR Builders Goes Next

Where do you envision your company in the next five to ten years? What are your boldest long-term goals?

Stay number one in government contracts. Expand into more states if the opportunity makes sense. Keep building for veterans. That’s the mission.

What emerging technologies or market shifts are you most excited about for your company?

Anything that makes inspections faster or documentation cleaner. Digital permitting, remote inspections, better project management software. The less time we spend on paperwork, the more we spend building.

Leadership and Advice

How has your leadership style evolved throughout your career, and what influences it?

I started in restaurants at sixteen. I learned early that leadership is about showing up, following up, and making decisions fast. Curt Wiggins, the president of operations who hired me, taught me to think in systems, not just tasks. That changed how I manage.

What advice would you give to aspiring leaders? Can you share one lesson from your journey that resonates with the business community?

Get educated. Read. Stay focused. And make decisions quickly. Waiting too long costs more than making the wrong call and fixing it. You learn faster when you move.

Key Learnings

• In government construction the differentiator is not the building, it is the follow-through. Timelines, inspections, compliance and communication are where most competitors fall short.
• Past performance is the real currency. The VA tracks timelines, budget adherence, inspection pass rates and compliance issues, and that record decides who gets re-awarded.
• Quality is measured by rework and callbacks. Passing inspection the first time and keeping complaint numbers low is the operational proof that the job was done right.
• Walking away from a bid is a discipline. If the contract does not cover the true cost of compliance and quality, or the timeline is unrealistic, not bidding protects the record that wins the next one.
• Ground-level signals beat published data. Reading RFPs, talking to the contracting side and watching where other builders miss deadlines says more than any industry report.
• Innovation in regulated work is unglamorous. Faster inspections, cleaner documentation and fewer callbacks count; experimentation for its own sake does not.
• Culture is clarity plus follow-up. People need to know what is expected, have the tools to deliver it, and be held to the result.

How VA Home Construction Contracts Work

Building homes for veterans under Department of Veterans Affairs contracts is a different business from private residential construction. Contractors have to be registered and eligible to receive federal awards, they compete through solicitations rather than referrals, and much of the work reaches veterans through VA housing grant programs. The Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) and Special Housing Adaptation (SHA) grants, for example, help veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities build, buy or modify a home so it works for how they live, which is why new builds and accessibility upgrades often sit inside the same contracting relationship.

Two contract types dominate. Under a firm-fixed-price contract, the builder names a price for a defined scope and absorbs any cost overrun, which puts the pressure on accurate bidding, disciplined labor and avoiding rework. Under a cost-reimbursement or cost-plus arrangement, allowable costs are reimbursed with a fee on top, which shifts more risk to the government but comes with heavier accounting requirements. Payment on either type is usually tied to milestones such as design approval, foundation, framing and final inspection.

The part that compounds is past performance. Federal agencies record how contractors performed on completed work, including schedule, cost control, quality and compliance, and those assessments are available to evaluators on future solicitations. A clean record of on-time delivery and first-pass inspections is an asset that follows a builder into every subsequent bid, and a poor one follows just as closely. That is the mechanism behind the ranking Victor Ray Natera describes, and the reason a division built on execution rather than volume can move from seventh to first and stay there.