diff --git a/Jenkinsfile b/Jenkinsfile
index d63271b..e554aaf 100644
--- a/Jenkinsfile
+++ b/Jenkinsfile
@@ -7,5 +7,5 @@
 //@Library(value="pipeline-lib@your_branch") _
 
 /* groovylint-disable-next-line CompileStatic */
-packageBuildingPipelineDAOSTest(['distros' : ['el8', 'el9', 'leap15'],
+packageBuildingPipelineDAOSTest(['distros' : ['el9', 'leap15'],
                                  'test-tag': 'mfu'])
diff --git a/mpifileutils.spec b/mpifileutils.spec
index d38b8b4..5b46937 100644
--- a/mpifileutils.spec
+++ b/mpifileutils.spec
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@
 
 Name:		mpifileutils
 Version:	0.12
-Release:	2%{?commit:.g%{shortcommit}}%{?dist}
+Release:	3%{?commit:.g%{shortcommit}}%{?dist}
 Summary:	File utilities designed for scalability and performance
 
 Group:		System Environment/Libraries
diff --git a/packaging/Dockerfile.mockbuild b/packaging/Dockerfile.mockbuild
index d8d86ac..fdcec8d 100644
--- a/packaging/Dockerfile.mockbuild
+++ b/packaging/Dockerfile.mockbuild
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #
 # Copyright 2018-2024 Intel Corporation
-# Copyright 2025 Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP
+# Copyright 2025-2026 Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP
 #
 # 'recipe' for Docker to build an RPM
 #
@@ -12,23 +12,47 @@ FROM fedora:$FVERSION
 ARG FVERSION
 LABEL maintainer="daos@daos.groups.io"
 
+# Accept DAOS_HTTP_PROXY, DAOS_HTTPS_PROXY, and DAOS_NO_PROXY at build time
+ARG DAOS_NO_PROXY
+ARG DAOS_HTTP_PROXY
+ARG DAOS_HTTPS_PROXY
+
+# Propagate into the build environment
+ENV http_proxy=${DAOS_HTTP_PROXY} \
+    HTTP_PROXY=${DAOS_HTTP_PROXY} \
+    https_proxy=${DAOS_HTTPS_PROXY} \
+    HTTPS_PROXY=${DAOS_HTTPS_PROXY} \
+    no_proxy=${DAOS_NO_PROXY} \
+    NO_PROXY=${DAOS_NO_PROXY}
+
+# Persist into /etc/environment for use by shells and services
+RUN set -e; \
+    if [ -n "$DAOS_HTTP_PROXY" ]; then \
+        echo "http_proxy=$DAOS_HTTP_PROXY" >> /etc/environment; \
+        echo "HTTP_PROXY=$DAOS_HTTP_PROXY" >> /etc/environment; \
+    fi; \
+    if [ -n "$DAOS_HTTPS_PROXY" ]; then \
+        echo "https_proxy=$DAOS_HTTPS_PROXY" >> /etc/environment; \
+        echo "HTTPS_PROXY=$DAOS_HTTPS_PROXY" >> /etc/environment; \
+    fi; \
+    if [ -n "$DAOS_NO_PROXY" ]; then \
+        echo "no_proxy=$DAOS_NO_PROXY" >> /etc/environment; \
+        echo "NO_PROXY=$DAOS_NO_PROXY" >> /etc/environment; \
+    fi
+
 # Use local repo server if present
 ARG REPO_FILE_URL
 ARG DAOS_LAB_CA_FILE_URL
 ARG REPOSITORY_NAME
-# script to install OS updates basic tools and daos dependencies
-# COPY ./utils/scripts/install-fedora.sh /tmp/install.sh
-# script to setup local repo if available
-COPY ./packaging/scripts/repo-helper-fedora.sh /tmp/repo-helper.sh
 
-RUN chmod +x /tmp/repo-helper.sh &&                 \
-    /tmp/repo-helper.sh &&                          \
-    rm -f /tmp/repo-helper.sh
+# Script to setup a local repo instead of the distro-provided one.
+# Only takes effect when REPO_FILE_URL is set; otherwise it is a no-op.
+RUN --mount=type=bind,source=packaging/scripts/repo-helper-fedora.sh,target=/tmp/repo-helper-fedora.sh \
+    /tmp/repo-helper-fedora.sh
 
 # Install basic tools
-RUN dnf -y install mock make                                        \
-                   rpm-build createrepo rpmlint redhat-lsb-core git \
-                   python-srpm-macros rpmdevtools &&                \
+RUN dnf -y install mock make rpm-build createrepo rpmlint git \
+        python-srpm-macros rpmdevtools &&                     \
     dnf -y clean all
 
 # use same UID as host and default value of 1000 if not specified
diff --git a/packaging/Dockerfile.ubuntu.20.04 b/packaging/Dockerfile.ubuntu.20.04
index bd5363b..4484c84 100644
--- a/packaging/Dockerfile.ubuntu.20.04
+++ b/packaging/Dockerfile.ubuntu.20.04
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 # Jenkinsfile will be changed to use Dockerfile.ubuntu.
 #
 # Copyright 2019-2021, Intel Corporation
-# Copyright 2025 Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP
+# Copyright 2025-2026 Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP
 #
 # 'recipe' for Docker to build an Debian package
 #
@@ -14,15 +14,41 @@ LABEL org.opencontainers.image.authors="daos@daos.groups.io"
 # Needed for later use of BASE_DISTRO
 ARG BASE_DISTRO
 
+# Accept DAOS_HTTP_PROXY, DAOS_HTTPS_PROXY, and DAOS_NO_PROXY at build time
+ARG DAOS_NO_PROXY
+ARG DAOS_HTTP_PROXY
+ARG DAOS_HTTPS_PROXY
+
+# Propagate into the build environment
+ENV http_proxy=${DAOS_HTTP_PROXY} \
+    HTTP_PROXY=${DAOS_HTTP_PROXY} \
+    https_proxy=${DAOS_HTTPS_PROXY} \
+    HTTPS_PROXY=${DAOS_HTTPS_PROXY} \
+    no_proxy=${DAOS_NO_PROXY} \
+    NO_PROXY=${DAOS_NO_PROXY}
+
+# Persist into /etc/environment for use by shells and services
+RUN set -e; \
+    if [ -n "$DAOS_HTTP_PROXY" ]; then \
+        echo "http_proxy=$DAOS_HTTP_PROXY" >> /etc/environment; \
+        echo "HTTP_PROXY=$DAOS_HTTP_PROXY" >> /etc/environment; \
+    fi; \
+    if [ -n "$DAOS_HTTPS_PROXY" ]; then \
+        echo "https_proxy=$DAOS_HTTPS_PROXY" >> /etc/environment; \
+        echo "HTTPS_PROXY=$DAOS_HTTPS_PROXY" >> /etc/environment; \
+    fi; \
+    if [ -n "$DAOS_NO_PROXY" ]; then \
+        echo "no_proxy=$DAOS_NO_PROXY" >> /etc/environment; \
+        echo "NO_PROXY=$DAOS_NO_PROXY" >> /etc/environment; \
+    fi
+    
 ARG REPO_FILE_URL
 ARG DAOS_LAB_CA_FILE_URL
 ARG REPOSITORY_NAME
-# script to setup local repo if available
-COPY ./packaging/scripts/repo-helper-ubuntu.sh /tmp/repo-helper.sh
-
-RUN chmod +x /tmp/repo-helper.sh &&                 \
-    /tmp/repo-helper.sh &&                          \
-    rm -f /tmp/repo-helper.sh
+# Script to setup a local repo instead of the distro-provided one.
+# Only takes effect when REPO_FILE_URL is set; otherwise it is a no-op.
+RUN --mount=type=bind,source=packaging/scripts/repo-helper-ubuntu.sh,target=/tmp/repo-helper-ubuntu.sh \
+    /tmp/repo-helper-ubuntu.sh
 
 # Install basic tools - rpmdevtools temporary commented out.
 RUN apt-get update && DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get install -y \
diff --git a/packaging/scripts/repo-helper-fedora.sh b/packaging/scripts/repo-helper-fedora.sh
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index baa7026..f7d4a4f
--- a/packaging/scripts/repo-helper-fedora.sh
+++ b/packaging/scripts/repo-helper-fedora.sh
@@ -1,4 +1,9 @@
 #!/bin/bash
+#
+#  Copyright 2025-2026 Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP
+#
+#  SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-2-Clause-Patent
+#
 set -uex
 
 # This script is used by Dockerfiles to optionally use
@@ -44,7 +49,7 @@ install_curl() {
 install_optional_ca() {
     ca_storage="/etc/pki/ca-trust/source/anchors/"
     if [ -n "$DAOS_LAB_CA_FILE_URL" ]; then
-        curl -k --noproxy '*' -sSf -o "${ca_storage}lab_ca_file.crt" \
+        curl -k -sSf -o "${ca_storage}lab_ca_file.crt" \
             "$DAOS_LAB_CA_FILE_URL"
         update-ca-trust
     fi
@@ -60,7 +65,7 @@ if [ -n "$REPO_FILE_URL" ]; then
     install_optional_ca
     mkdir -p /etc/yum.repos.d
     pushd /etc/yum.repos.d/
-    curl -k --noproxy '*' -sSf                                  \
+    curl -k -sSf                                  \
          -o "daos_ci-fedora${archive}-${REPOSITORY_NAME}.repo"  \
          "{$REPO_FILE_URL}daos_ci-fedora${archive}-${REPOSITORY_NAME}.repo"
     disable_repos /etc/yum.repos.d/
diff --git a/packaging/scripts/repo-helper-ubuntu.sh b/packaging/scripts/repo-helper-ubuntu.sh
old mode 100644
new mode 100755