ACEC/PAC; ACEC/New York Co-Host Reynolds Fundraiser During GOP Convention Rep. Tom Reynolds (R-NY), a senior member of the House Rules Committee and the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), was the featured guest at a fundraiser in his honor co-hosted by ACEC and ACEC/NY. From Left to Right: Andrew J. Ciancia, ACEC/NY President; Congressman Tom Reynolds; Robert Radley, ACEC/NY Legislative Committee Chair and Edward Parrone, ACEC/PAC Chairman. The fundraiser took place in New York City during the first day of the Republican National Convention. "Tom Reynolds is a rising star in the House of Representatives," said ACEC/PAC Chairman Ed Parrone of Parrone Engineering. "More importantly, he's a major supporter of the industry, and we were pleased to have the opportunity to provide him with needed financial support as we approach the competitive campaign season." Following an introduction by Andrew Ciancia, ACEC/NY president, Reynolds briefed members on critical issues facing Congress, as well as the political lay of the land leading up to the November elections. "Effective political advocacy is what will make the difference for our industry in November," said Ciancia. "Helping to elect Tom Reynolds, and others like him, will give us the votes we need to win the key legislative battles important to our industry." "That's why this kind of political involvement is so important," added Robert Radley, chairman of the ACEC/NY Legislative Committee. The event also featured an appearance by Congressman Joe Wilson (R-SC), a new member of the House Armed Services Committee, whose background in the real estate construction industry has made him a valuable ally for ACEC.

ACEC/NM Exec In Tight Race For New Mexico Senate Seat ACEC/NM Executive Director Diane Snyder Diane Snyder, executive director of ACEC/New Mexico—and a state senator who has been tremendously supportive of our industry—faces a well-funded challenger in this year's race for her seat. ACEC President Dave Raymond encourages members to "support Diane Snyder as generously as possible because of the strong contribution that she continues to make to ACEC's political and educational programs." New Mexico law permits state candidates to accept corporate as well as personal funds. If you are interested in assisting Diane, you may send your donation to: Snyder for Senate, 7006 Elna Court, NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110, phone: 505-830-1669.

New DOT Info Available On ACEC Website An updated matrix on how state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) handle overhead and salary caps is now available on the ACEC website. The matrix was prepared by members of the ACEC Audit Task Force and ACEC's Transportation Committee, and updates information previously prepared in 2000. Among the new items is a column on how the DOTs calculate consultant fees as a percentage of the cost of the project, which was added in response to numerous inquiries from member firms. This matrix is being provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to be the definitive guide to the state rules. For any comments about or changes to this new matrix, contact TJ Schulz at tschulz@acec.org or 202-347-7474. Click here to view the new matrix.

29 Top Educational Sessions Set For Fall Conference Include FLSA Seminar Twenty-nine educational sessions providing in-depth and comprehensive business management training are highlights of the upcoming 2004 Fall Conference, September 29-October 2, in Portland, Maine. Session topics include marketing and business development, project delivery, information technology, human resources, finance, legal/risk management, leadership and business management. A timely session addresses the recently implemented changes to the Fair Labor Standards Act's overtime pay requirements. Jason Schwartz, an attorney with Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, will detail the changes and explain how they will affect ACEC members. Click here for the latest information on ACEC's Fall Conference.

ACEC Launches 2004-2005 National QBS Awards Program ACEC is kicking-off its 2004-2005 National QBS Awards Program this week, and is calling on state organizations to submit nominations. The purpose of the QBS Awards Program is to recognize public and private entities that make exemplary use of the QBS selection process at the state and local levels. "Besides highlighting how well the QBS process works, the awards program provides ACEC with real life examples that help to promote QBS to policymakers at the local, state and national levels," said Paul Haglund, Chairman of ACEC's Management Practices Committee. "Those examples can go a long way in demonstrating to decision makers why QBS is the best way to select design professionals." ACEC has partnered with the National Society of Professional Engineers in administering the program over the last seven years, and the two associations alternate in hosting the annual awards program. ACEC will host the next awards presentation in conjunction with its Annual Convention, in Washington, D.C. in April of 2005. For more information and to obtain the nomination form, please call Roger Jordan at (202) 347-7474 or click here.

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