End Of Year Wins For ACEC On Labor Issues, Outsourcing; Small And Large Firms To Benefit Ken White, chairman of ACEC's Small Firm Council ACEC closed the current session of Congress with significant victories in fighting off amendments that would halt reforms to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and impede the Administration's efforts to promote outsourcing. ACEC worked with the White House and its business community allies to successfully defeat the Senate-passed Harkin Amendment, thereby protecting the FLSA reforms developed earlier in 2003 by the Department of Labor. The Council also prevailed over numerous amendments to prevent the Administration from opening government functions to competition from the private sector. The wins will benefit both small and large firms. Small Firm Council Chairman Kenneth White said, "The gains on FLSA and outsourcing will make a real difference in terms of improving the business environment and business opportunities for small firms." Speaking on behalf of ACEC's larger firms, Jim Suttle, executive vice president of HDR and chairman of the Design Professionals Coalition, applauded ACEC's actions. "Continuing to protect and promote outsourcing is of vital concern and importance to all ACEC firms,” he said.

Reserve The "Grande Dame" Now Rooms at the Broadmoor resort in Colorado Springs have already started filling up for ACEC's Annual Convention, May 9-12, so make your reservations now. ACEC members will receive discounted rates at the five-star property known as the "Grande Dame of the Rockies." Bring your family and take advantage of the wide array of resort activities. For reservations call 719-634-7111 and mention "ACEC" or go to www.broadmoor.com, click on "meeting attendees" and enter group code: 9316. For more information visit www.acec.org.

Lone Star State Comes Up Big For ACEC/PAC ACEC/PAC Texas Trustee Bob Jones Texas has become the latest state to meet its ACEC/PAC fundraising goal for 2003. Texas has raised $14,872 to date, which exceeds its 2003 fundraising goal of $13,975. Texas now joins Alaska, Mississippi, Kansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Wisconsin, and Wyoming in meeting or exceeding their fundraising goals for the year. "Every state needs to step up to the plate and support ACEC/PAC," said ACEC/PAC Texas Trustee Bob Jones. We also need more involvement from politically active ACEC members to support our Major Donor program, which will make a real difference helping to influence key House and Senate leaders on behalf of our industry."

First Major Donor Summit Set For February

The ACEC/PAC Major Donor Program will hold its first 2004 meeting on February 9 and 10 in Washington D.C. Meeting attendees will discuss key 2004 legislative and political priorities for the Council and participate in events for key House and Senate leaders.

The Major Donor Program represents a new effort to recruit more politically active members in support of the Council's advocacy efforts. The Major Donor Program offers these "activists" an enhanced opportunity to support House and Senate members and shape ACEC's legislative and political agenda. For more information, please contact Steve Hall, ACEC's Director of Government Affairs, at 202-347-7474 or shall@acec.org.

NAVFAC's $8 Billion 2004 Program NAVFAC's Jim Wright At ACEC's Market Forecast Series event in Washington, Jim Wright, chief engineer at the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) discussed his agency's $8 billion program for 2004. Wright predicted "robust spending" on NAVFAC programs through the next several years. Nearly $6 billion is slated for operations and maintenance, over $1 billion for military construction, and $300 million for environmental restoration. Wright stressed that NAVFAC will continue to use the private sector to execute its mission. Currently, NAVFAC outsources 90 percent of its engineering work.

New SF330 Form Officially Released The new Standard Form 330 (SF330) has been officially released by the Federal Acquisition Regulation office. It replaces the SF254 and SF255 forms. This essential form for contracting with the federal government has been streamlined and will become effective January 12, 2004 and mandatory by June 8, 2004. A CD-ROM seminar by the two authors of SF330 on how to complete the new form will be available December 23. For more information about the CD-ROM, contact Cortney Coxon at ccoxon@acec.org.