 |
 |
Volume XXIII, Number 3
January 28, 2002
The Month
In Review
1015 15th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005
202-347-7474
Fax
202-898-0068
www.acec.org
E-mail acec@acec.org
Ellen
Mullally, Editor
Francis George, Production Manager
___________________
ACEC Means
Business
As required by the ACEC Bylaws, all members are being asked to update their company information. We are moving quickly on this, so please return the information in a timely manner. Call Stephanie Colbert at 202-347-7474 if you have any questions.
For more than 40 years, engineering firms have been winning projects with standard contract documents written and revised by the Engineers Joint Contract Documents Committee (EJCDC). Get a complete set of Owner Engineer, Construction, Design Build, and Engineers Sub-Consultants documents for your firm today, available in hard copy or disc or by downloading from www.acec.org/publications. For more information, call Ed Bajer at 202-347-7474 or e-mail him at ebajer@acec.org.
Improve your proposal hit rate and enhance the effectiveness of your proposals by attending Proposal Bootcamp. There are multiple locations and dates to choose from:
¨
Feb. 7-8, Newport Beach, Calif.¨
Feb. 21-22, Las Vegas¨
March 7-8, Chicago¨
March 21-22, Orlando, Fla.¨
April 11-12, Denver¨
April 25-26, Seattle¨
May 2-3, BostonCall Roger Doucette at 202-347-7474 for more information or go to www.psmj.com to register.
Business of Design ConsultingLearn the best practices in the engineering industry, improve your
business operations and advance your professional career at ACEC’s
Business of Design Consulting seminar Feb. 23-27 at the Hyatt Orlando in
Orlando, Fla. This 5-day event examines many topics, including project
management, marketing/business development, leadership, communication
skills, human resources, information technology, financial management and
risk management. Go to http://www.acec.org
/meetmein/bdc02.pdf to learn more about this exciting event.
|
Knowledge Is Power Is everyone in your company staying up to date on national legislative and policy developments, organizational changes, and other industry news by receiving the weekly Last Word via e-mail? If others in your company are not receiving these weekly e-mails, have them contact Francis George today at fgeorge@acec.org. |
|
GA
Report |
|
ACEC Names Leadership
ACEC’s board of directors has officially named its officers for 2002-2004. Eric Flicker, senior vice president-treasurer of Philadelphia-based Pennoni Associates Inc., will serve as chairman-elect in 2002-2003 and as chairman in 2003-2004. Jeffrey Daggett, the CEO of Bothell, Wash.-based W&H Pacific who is currently completing Robert Hickman’s term as treasurer, will continue in that position for 2002-2004. The newly-elected vice chairmen are Ray Flemons, senior vice president, Bucher, Willis & Ratliff Corporation, Dallas; Robert Macomber, president, Atwell-Hicks Inc., Ann Arbor, Mich.; and David Wright, president/chairman of the board, WCG Inc., Maitland, Fla. The officers will begin their terms at the Annual Convention in Las Vegas this May. Blacklisting Rules Rescinded Thanks To ACEC Efforts The Bush administration recently took the final step in repealing the so-called "blacklisting" regulations that were issued in the closing days of the previous administration. The flawed regulations would have effectively barred companies from federal contracts based on a mere allegation of wrongdoing. ACEC and others in the business community succeeded last year in convincing the Bush administration to put a hold on the new regulations, arguing that federal procurement law and the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) already provide ample authority for disqualifying firms that fail to uphold the law. This latest action represents the conclusion of ACEC’s successful campaign to repeal these flawed regulations, ensuring that the business relationship between engineering firms and the federal government remains fair and objective. Market Opportunity: Donors Pledge Billions For Afghan Reconstruction At a Tokyo conference last week, international donors pledged more than $4.5 billion over five years for the rebuilding of Afghanistan. Secretary of State Colin Powell pledged an initial $296 million in F.Y. 2002, beyond the $400 million already devoted to humanitarian assistance. The World Bank announced $500 million in long term interest-free loans plus $60 million in short-term grants. The European Union and Japan also made large pledges. An estimated $15 billion, about three times last week’s pledge, will be needed in Afganistan over a decade, according to the United Nations and the World Bank. Their report, accessible at http://www.undp.org/afghanistan/needsreports/needsreport2.html, outlines immediate infrastructure needs including the rehabilitation of the core highway network, bridge and tunnel repair, repairs to urban piped water systems, power restoration, and improved rural access to clean water. ACEC’s Federal Markets Conference (see announcement on p. 2) will feature up-to-the-minute briefings from World Bank and USAID officials on their Afghan infrastructure projects. Water Infrastructure Issue Could Reach A Full Boil Soon House and Senate lawmakers, with ACEC support, are expected to prepare legislation that would authorize more federal money for state water infrastructure funding and provide states with more flexibility in how they spend money from the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) state revolving loan fund (SRF) program.
One draft proposal being discussed would authorize $3 billion for F.Y. 2003, $4.5 billion for F.Y. 2004, $6 billion in F.Y. 2005, and $7.5 billion in F.Y. 2006 and 2007. That same proposal would allow states to extend special assistance to disadvantaged communities facing significant water infrastructure upgrades. The Water Infrastructure Network (WIN), of which ACEC is a member, is pressing for $57 billion in funding over 5 years. The group took out a half-page ad in the Jan. 22 issue of Roll Call to reinforce its message as members of Congress head back to Washington. Round Two Of Tax Fight May Begin Soon The Bush administration has signaled its intention to keep pushing Congress on an economic security package of targeted tax changes in 2002. Congress and the administration were unable to come to agreement on an economic stimulus package last year that included a number of tax changes of importance to engineering firms. ACEC welcomes the administration’s renewed push, and will continue working with its business allies to secure passage of legislation to lessen the tax burden on member firms. Don’t Miss Out On This Great Opportunity
Learn about homeland security and new markets at the Federal Markets Conference, meet and influence key members of Congress at CCD, and attend the EEA Gala, an elegant black-tie affair honoring engineering’s finest. President Bush has been invited to join us in honoring the EEA winners and to take part in a special tribute to those engineers involved in the rebuilding in New York and Washington, D.C., following the tragedies of Sept. 11. Go to https://www.acec.org/Events/esa.pdf for complete information on this spectacular 3-in-1 event, or call Susan Doyle (CCD), Roger Doucette (FMC), Daisy Nappier (EEA competition), or Susan Courtney (EEA Gala) at 202-347-7474.
The following editions of the Last Word are available online. To retrieve a particular issue, choose the date from the listing below, and click "Submit" |
