Let Engineering Inc. Heighten Your Firm's Visibility; 2005 Media Kit Now Available! "Engineering Inc., the preeminent engineering business magazine, should be part of every engineering firm's marketing and advertising strategy," says Alan Crockett, ACEC's director of Communications and Media. Not only is Engineering Inc. read by 22,000 CEOs, presidents and senior management executives of more than 5,500 engineering firms nationwide, it also is read by key agency officials, legislators, and decision-makers at the federal, state, county and municipal levels throughout the nation. "Put Engineering Inc. on your 2005 advertising schedule, and put the industry's leading business magazine to work for your business," says Crockett. Further information on how Engineering Inc. can enhance your advertising campaign is available in the 2005 Engineering Inc. Media Kit. The 2005 Media Kit digital version is available now, with a printed version available shortly. Click here to download a PDF of the 2005 Engineering Inc. Media Kit with circulation information, advertising rates, editorial calendar, and reprint rates for ads and articles. If you would like to receive a printed version of the 2005 Media Kit when it becomes available, along with sample issues of ACEC's Engineering Inc. magazine, please call Don Berry at 908-852-7466 or send an email to dberry@magazineXperts.com.

ACEC Urges EPA To Maintain PE's Role In Spill Prevention Program ACEC Environmental Business Committee Vice Chairman Paul Grosser ACEC is urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to withdraw a proposal that seeks to eliminate existing PE certification requirements for Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plans. The SPCC program, which has been in place for 30 years, ensures that all facilities that store oil on-site use sound storage vessels and equipment, incorporate safe transfer procedures, and have adequate plans in place to deal with spills. The proposal, issued by EPA in a recent Notice of Data Availability, would eliminate the requirement that PEs certify SPCC plans for facilities with oil storage capacities less than 10,000 gallons, and would eliminate SPCC Plans altogether for facilities storing less than 5,000 gallons. "Small facilities are looking for ways to cut their compliance cost burden," said Paul Grosser, ACEC Environmental Business Committee vice chairman, "but we believe that the overall affect of eliminating the PE's role would be to increase environmental risk and liability with very little, if any, associated cost savings." ACEC is objecting to the proposal, arguing that the PE certification process is EPA's confirmation that the SPCC Plan was prepared in accordance with sound engineering principles, and that the plan will have a meaningful and beneficial impact on the protection of the environment, which is the ultimate goal of the program. EPA is expected to evaluate the comments received over the next few months, and consider possible modifications to the rule in 2005.

Senate Confirms ACEC-Endorsed Official As New Federal Acquisition Chief The Senate has confirmed David Safavian, President Bush's nominee to serve as the administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP). He replaces Angela Styles, who resigned last year. Safavian, who was strongly endorsed by ACEC during his nomination process, was previously chief of staff at the General Services Administration (GSA). As the new federal procurement chief, he will oversee rules and regulations that directly impact firms contracting with the federal government. Over the next four years, Safavian will guide federal procurement reforms that are important to ACEC members including ensuring agency adherence to Qualifications-Based Selection (QBS) and combating government competition. While ACEC members can expect Safavian to continue to fight efforts on the part of government employees to restrict the private sector's ability to compete for government contracts, he also has indicated an interest in new acquisition reform measures including share-in savings contracting and increased contracting opportunities for service disabled veterans. Safavian also will move to improve recruitment and retention of the federal acquisition workforce. In a letter to Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), chairman of the Government Affairs Committee that acted favorably on the nominee, ACEC President Dave Raymond wrote, "Mr. Safavian's experience both with the General Services Administration and on Capitol Hill provide him with a detailed knowledge of important procurement issues and an understanding of how to successfully work with lawmakers to pass acquisition reform measures."

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