April 26-29, 2010 | The Mayflower Hotel | Washington, DC
 

The 2010 AGC Federal Contractors Conference will be held April 26-29, 2010, at The Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. This meeting is the only national event where contractors and federal agency personnel can meet in a collaborative forum to review federal construction contracting issues and trends from around the United States. These insightful and highly productive exchanges have solidified the need for both federal construction contractors and the federal construction agencies to share information on a wide variety of issues, foster better communication, and create real solutions.

This year, the AGC Federal Contractors Conference will boost its content with a special new conference format. The inclusion of separate concurrent tracks will highlight each of the unique federal and federally-assisted markets. The first track highlights water infrastructure, and includes meetings with agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency, Bureau of Reclamation and the Army Corps of Engineers - Civil Works Directorate. The second track focuses on federal facilities construction, which includes meetings with the General Services Administration and the Military Construction agencies of the Department of Defense. Highway and transportation rounds out the final track, which includes meetings with the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration and the transit and rail agencies.

To learn more about the conference, download the conference brochure and register, visit www.agc.org/fedcon.

Unveiled at the recent Building Contractors Conference, the AGC Lean Construction Forum is an inclusive and collaborative community that is open to anyone with an interest in lean construction processes.  The Forum is focused on facilitating dialogue and information sharing through its Web site (www.agcleanforum.org) and developing a curriculum and learning opportunities on the use of Lean principles in the construction industry.  

Anyone with an interest in Lean Construction can "join" the Forum at www.agcleanforum.org.  AGC members with a Username and Password for www.agc.org can use that same information to log-in to the Forum Web site.  If you do not have that information you can simply create a profile and join the Forum.  This is a brand new Web site and improvements are still being made.  Please share any comments or questions about the Forum and/or the Web site at starkm@agc.org.

The Forum will hold a two hour session at the AGC Annual Convention on March 17, which will provide a brief overview of Lean Construction and highlight AGC of America's current and future efforts related to this exciting topic.  The Forum will also meet at the AGC Building Contractors Conference in Midway, Utah, on June 10, 2010.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently considering whether or not to expand and strengthen requirements of the 2008 Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) rule to cover renovations of both the exteriors and the interiors of all public and commercial buildings.  EPA's anticipated action is required by a legal settlement it reached in August 2009 with environmental and health advocacy groups that had challenged the RRP rule.  The current RRP requirements, which will take full effect on April 22, 2010, require paid contractors and maintenance professionals to be trained and certified on certain mandated lead-safe work practices before renovating or repairing housing and facilities for children built before 1978.

EPA is considering extending the lead RRP requirements to all commercial buildings.  This action results from a legally-binding "agreement" EPA reached with environmental groups to settle a lawsuit that Sierra Club and others filed in the Federal Court of Appeals against the Agency concerning its RRP rule.  Under the settlement agreement, EPA is required to reconsider certain provisions of the RRP regulations and issue a series of rulemakings.  Specifically, EPA has agreed to the following:

• By April 22, 2010, EPA will issue an ANPR (advance notice of proposed rulemaking) discussing its intention to propose work practice requirements for renovations on the EXTERIORS of public and commercial buildings other than child-occupied facilities (schools and child care centers already covered by the final RRP rule); and to evaluate whether renovations in the INTERIORS of these buildings create lead-based paint hazards, and, if so, propose work practice requirements for those renovations.

• By December 15, 2011, EPA will issue a proposed rule to establish work practice requirements for renovations on the EXTERIOR of public and commercial buildings other than child-occupied facilities. EPA must take final action on the EXTERIOR proposal by July 15, 2013.

• By September 30, 2011, EPA will consult with the EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB) on a risk assessment methodology to evaluate the hazards posed by renovations in the INTERIOR of public and commercial buildings not covered by the final RRP rule. Eighteen months after receiving the SAB report, EPA must either issue a proposed rule to establish work practice requirements for INTERIOR renovations in public and commercial buildings or conclude that they do not create lead-based paint hazards. The proposal must include, if necessary, new hazard standards for these buildings. EPA must take final action on the proposed rule within 18 months of publication.

All future EPA rulemakings will be available for public comment.

First Round of Proposed Changes to RRP

Back in October 2009, EPA proposed a first set of revisions to the 2008 Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting rule that would eliminate what EPA refers to as the "opt-out" provision.

That provision allows renovators to opt out, or be exempted from, the training and work requirements of the rule. (Firms can be exempted if they obtained a certification from the owner that no child under 6 and no pregnant woman resided in the residence.)  The Agency also is proposing to increase recordkeeping requirements and changes affecting training.  EPA also would require renovation firms to provide the owner and occupant with records documenting compliance with the rule. 74 Fed. Reg. 55506, Oct. 28, 2009.

In related news, EPA is also currently working with the Department of Housing and Urban Development to modify the definition of lead-based paint in its regulations.

For more information, please contact Leah Pilconis at pilconisl@agc.org or (703) 837-5332.

A February 11 Mississippi Supreme Court ruling found that contractors are covered under their general liability policies for subcontractor work later to be found defective.  AGC's Mike Kennedy says "[The decision] has implications for the rest of the country because policies being written and enforced throughout the U.S. are identical to the policies the Mississippi court has addressed."

For the entire article, please click here (ENR subscription required).

Early Bird Discount Ends May 24

For the fifth consecutive year AGC of America (AGC), Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA), and the Airport Consultants Council (ACC) will be sponsoring the Airport Project Delivery Systems Summit.  This year's Summit will be held June 16-17, 2010 in Indianapolis, Indiana.  The program will build upon the previous series of successful meetings and will cover standardized practices, definitions and terminology in an effort to create a unified understanding of the four steps to successful project delivery, plus the ability to use Project Delivery Systems, definitions, selection and implementation.

For information and to register, please click here.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently released an updated version of its Employment Law Guide, an online publication for workers and employers that describes the major employment laws administered by the department.

According to a press release issued by DOL on November 30, 2009, the Guide is said to be "especially helpful for employers without dedicated legal or human resources staff" and "helps small businesses develop wage, benefit, safety and health, and nondiscrimination policies."

The updated version addresses recent and important changes in employment laws, including:

• the increase in the federal minimum wage;
• expansion of the Family and Medical Leave Act;
• child labor regulations in the agriculture industry; and
• changes to the Defense Base Act, which provides workers' compensation benefits to civilian employees working outside the United States on U.S. military bases or under certain contracts with the U.S.

Designed to be used along with DOL's FirstStep overview advisor, an online system that allows employers to determine which federal employment laws apply to them by answering a few simple questions about relevant variables, each chapter in the Guide "addresses each of the laws in the FirstStep advisor, outlines coverage under the law, its basic requirements, employee rights, recordkeeping, reporting, notice and poster requirements, penalties and sanctions for non-compliance, relation to state, local and other federal laws, and contact information for further assistance."  Both the Employment Law Guide and FirstStep overview advisor are available at www.dol.gov/elaws.

Though $1 billion in construction was recently completed at the Indianapolis International Airport, planners are already beginning to discuss their next steps for the construction of an "aerotropolis," a mini-city that would be composed of businesses, retail, and lodging.  The aerotropolis, which is popular in Asia and Europe, has the potential to attract global headquarters of business and influence communities for 20 miles.

The project would not commence for many years, but planners are already interviewing consultants to discuss future development and use of surrounding airport land, as well as the purchase of more land in the future.

To read the entire article from the Indianapolis Star, click here.

March 17-20, 2010 | Orlando, FL

Join us March 17-20 in Orlando for AGC's 91st Annual Convention and Pavilion. As the construction industry continues to battle tough economic conditions and legislative challenges, AGC's Annual Convention provides the only opportunity for contractors to get all the latest information on economic forecasts, rules and regulations, and best practices, and to hear first-hand from others on what they are doing to survive and thrive in this challenging environment.  For a complete list of Building Division Sessions, please click here.

The AGC 91st Annual Convention and Pavilion will offer  Don't miss the following highlighted Building Market Sessions: "State of the Union: A Forum with the Building Trades," "Economic Outlook Forum Luncheon: Will This Year Be a Perfect '10?," "Introduction to BIM and Integrated Project Delivery," and "BIM 101: An Introduction to Building Information Modeling."  Register today and learn more at http://convention.agc.org.

A recent Reed Construction Data article released data from the RCD/RSMeans Commercial Construction Expansion Index, which indicates that the volume of nonresidential construction is expected to increase in 2010.  This data is based on projects in planning or currently under construction, and examines construction on a local level.  On the interactive Expansion Index, metro areas are defined as either rapidly growing, expanding or shrinking, based on a twelve month projection.

Though volume is projected to increase, Reed also stated that the recession will continue through 2010.  Lower than expected building operating income projections, the inability to obtain financing, and further decline in occupany rates are a few of the reasons the recession is expected to continue.

To read the article on commercial construction volume, please click here.

To view the RCD/RSMeans Commercial Construction Expansion Index, click here.

For the article on the possible continuation of the recession, please click here.

On February 1, Congressmen Paul E. Kanjorski (D-Pa.) and Ken Calvert (R-Calif.), along with 77 other bipartisan House members, sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernake suggesting they take further steps to ensure the health of the commercial real estate (CRE) market.

The letter urges the regulators to help stabilize the CRE market before it further effects the general economic recovery.  The lawmakers outline the following three action steps in their letter: 1. Create a clear method for evaluating the effectiveness of CRE loan modification guidance; 2. Institute a system to differentiate performing vs. non-performing loans, and any other steps needed to provide lending institutions with more confidence in assessing CRE loans; and 3. Make clear public statements encouraging lenders to continue to make credit available for performing assets as a means of restoring confidence and long-term value in the CRE market.

For more information, and to read the entire letter, please click here.