ACEC President's Monthly Update - September 1, 2010
Dear Colleagues – As we now head into the Labor Day weekend, we anticipate Congress’s return in mid-September for a short session before recessing for the fall election season and returning after Election Day. Our lobbying efforts are directed at the unfinished agenda that includes aviation, water and highways bills as well as initiatives to protect contracting out and various tax measures. With Election Day looming, your efforts to raise funds for ACEC/PAC are especially critical to our ability to support pro-business candidates favorable to our agenda. Congratulations to ACEC/South Carolina as the latest state to achieve its ACEC/PAC goal for the year. Many others are coming close and all efforts in this regard are greatly appreciated and vital for our industry. I hope to see you all at our Fall Conference in Puerto Rico for which registrations are running well ahead of last year’s Fall Conference. If you haven’t registered yet, this would be a good time to do so before the “early bird” discount expires September 20. Dave PRESIDENT’S MONTHLY UPDATE
September 1, 2010 General
- Called on President Obama to put a moratorium on government in-sourcing.
- Urged Secretary of Interior to lift the moratorium on offshore oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico which is causing economic hardship.
- Executive Committee implemented a program of regular conference calls with state leaders to enhance national-state communications.
- Conducted briefing on national programs for new state chapter heads in California as part of their orientation training.
- ACEC/South Carolina became the fifth state organization to achieve its 2010 ACEC/PAC fundraising goal, thereby adding critical sums to war chest for the November elections.
Government Affairs
- Secured language in pending legislation clarifying liability relief for structural and other firms that worked at Ground Zero after 9/11.
- Participated in multi-state, multi-organization outreach campaign calling for immediate congressional action on a six-year transportation authorization bill.
- Met with FHWA officials on implementation of revised audit guidelines and forthcoming regulatory changes on consultant services.
- Worked with State MOs to address specific FAR and AASHTO Audit Guide compliance issues in conjunction with FHWA and AASHTO.
- ACEC International Committee members lobbied Congressional committees to increase international business opportunities for U.S. engineering firms in the foreign aid program.
- Government and industry officials in the energy arena discussed the strong market outlook for natural gas and other energy sources at a recent ACEC Environment and Energy Committee meeting.
- Urged the Department of Health and Human Services to adopt greater flexibility in the “grandfather” regulations for group health plans under the health care reform law.
- Hosted in-district fundraising events for Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz (PA) of the House Ways and Means Committee and House Candidate Pat Meehan (PA).
Institute for Business Management
- Continuing growth of the ACEC/NCEES Registered Continuing Education Program (RCEP) includes 5,100 individual members who are having their CE records kept by RCEP.
- Popular business seminars this month: Responding to Requests for Discounts or Unilateral Fee Reductions and How to Develop More Persuasive Proposals.
- New book release – Megaprojects: Challenges and Recommended Practices –offers unique insights into every facet of these challenging projects.
- Collaborated with USGBC in on-line course leading to the LEED professional credential.
- Bookstore hot sellers are all ACEC-published books: The Blue Sourcebook: Business Practices and Risk Management for Engineering Firms; Clientship, 2nd Edition; and Megaprojects.
- Offered 25% discount on the 2010 Design & Construction Industry Trends Survey Report.
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