As a long-time contractor working closely with federal and state governments, I'm skeptical of the near term schedule being bantered about for beginning work on The Wall. No doubt tRump is beating on the contracting agency affiliated with Homeland Security to rush this program, having suggested that Requests for Proposals might be released as soon as March 24 ( they didn't say which year). But government contracting does not function well when rushed. There are rules.
But partisan issues aside, Congress tends to pay close attention when big contracting dollars start to flow. Particularly so, even, when the project looks like a boondoggle to begin with.
Unless my experience has taught me nothing, the projected size of the project, more than $50B, dictates that competitive bidding will be required. Any attempt to award a sole-source contract vehicle in violation of federal contracting law and rules will result in instantaneous lawsuits and court injunctions to allow the universe of federal contractors to participate in the contracting process and the massive construction to follow, which will begin making headlines virtually immediately. And that's even before the overruns start
Typically, the government is leery of huge single awards (I.e., a single prime contractor with a plethora of subcontractors), even if a single award appears to be the most efficient way to accomplish the goal. This is because every member of congress wants to see a significant piece of the massive project find its way to their state or district. tRump may want the project awarded to one of his corrupt cronies, but the profile and magnitude of the effort, plus the potential for continuing bad press and investigations throughout the life of the project suggest that, at least on the surface, the rules will have to be paid more than just lip service. Typically for government projects of multi-billion dollar magnitudes, even low-tech efforts like a wall, just the award of prime contract(s), might easily take one year or more from proposal to award. Throw in some amended RPFs, delays requested by contractors and government, changes to requirements and specifications, resubmissions, Best and Final Offers, cost resubmissions, final negotiations, eminent domain legal tussles, injunctions, lawsuits, protests by losing vendors, general recriminations, and more lawsuits, it could be years before the first bulldozer turns over the first acre of soil near the southern border. And it's likely that piece of heavy equipment would be driven by a person of Hispanic heritage. By that point, midterm elections will have come and gone.
If you're anxious for The Wall, buy a copy of Pink Floyd's excellent concept album of the same name, which ironically ends by tearing down The Wall.