Vol. XXVI, Number 11
March 18, 2005
1015 15th Street, NW
8th Floor
Washington, DC 20005-2605
202-347-7474
Fax 202-898-0068
www.acec.org
E-mail acec@acec.org
Alan D. Crockett, Director, PR
Ann Brandstadter,
Editor/Designer |
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ACEC Means
Business
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ACEC's Newest Publication: Design/Contract-Build
Design/Contract- Build, the second publication in ACEC’s Project Delivery System series is now available. It addresses the hybrid project delivery methodology that has recently become popular in the marketplace.
Design/Contract-Build focuses on:
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Constructability of design |
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Innovation of products, systems, materials or processes |
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Cost effectiveness of design |
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Cost effectiveness of construction methods |
In addition, ACEC's Bookstore will soon announce the availability of the next two books in the Project Delivery Systems series: Design- Build-Operate; and The Project Delivery Systems Owner's Manual.
Members $89/non-members $109
Click here to order. |
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Sustainable Development Guide Now Available
Place your order now for Becoming Part of the Solution: The Engineer's Guide to Sustainable Development by Bill Wallace.
This guide defines sustainable development from an engineering perspective.
Members $65/non-members $90
Click here to order. |
March Madness
Still In Progress
Don't forget to celebrate March Madness with the ACEC Bookstore. All orders over $250 receive free shipping! Visit us online to save today.
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Business Practice Forums At ACEC 2005 Annual Convention
Join us for ACEC's 2005 spring professional forum workshops held in conjunction with ACEC's Annual Convention:
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Finance Forum—Monday April 11, 2005, all day |
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Human Resources, Information Technology, & Professional Sales & Marketing Forums— Wednesday April 13, 2005,
all day |
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Emerging Leaders Forum—Wednesday, April 13, 2005, half-day
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All forums, except for Finance, will be held at the Grand Hyatt in Washington, D.C.
Each forum is structured for networking with peers in an interactive roundtable format, and includes discussions on emerging trends and best practices.
Eight PDH hours are awarded for each full-day forum.
Click here or contact Andrew Fort at afort@acec.org for more information. |
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Senior Executives Institute Alumni Reception At Annual Convention
Help celebrate the 10th Anniversary of ACEC's flagship leadership development program, the Senior Executives Institute (SEI), at the SEI Alumni Reception during the 2005 Annual Convention.
Join alumni and participants from all 10 SEI classes at the reception to be held Tuesday, April 12, from 5:15pm-6:15pm (immediately prior to the Incoming Chair's Reception) at the Grand Hyatt in Washington, D.C.
This reception is open to all SEI program graduates and anyone interested in learning more about the program.
Contact Dee McKenna at dmckenna@acec.org or 202-347-7474 for more information or to RSVP. |
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Upcoming Online Seminars
March 22
There's A Whole Lot of "I" in Team: How YOU Can Transform Your Management Team's Performance
Mick Morrisey, ZweigWhite
March 23
Becoming Part of the Solution: Sustainable Design for Engineers
Bill Wallace, Wallace Futures Group, LLC
March 29
Small Firm Session (part 2): Successful Project Planning in a Small Firm
Gary Bates, Roenker Bates Group
March 30
Project Management As A Business Building Tool
Michelle LaBrosse, PMP, Cheetah Learning
April 6
Succession Planning: Developing Future Leaders
James Cross, Freese & Nichols, Inc.
Click here for more information and to register. |
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Senate Committee Action Signals Further Progress On TEA-21 Reauthorization
Two Senate committees approved legislation to reauthorize federal highway and transit programs this week, adding further momentum towards completing the reauthorization of TEA-21 by the May 31 deadline.
The Environment and Public Works Committee and the Banking Committee approved their respective portions of a TEA-21 reauthorization bill that will provide $284 billion in guaranteed spending for highways and transit over the next six years. The reauthorization bill also carries over the highway and transit policy provisions from last year's bills, including environmental streamlining provisions supported by ACEC.
Two other Senate committees—Commerce and Finance—which have jurisdiction over safety programs as well as the bill's tax provisions, are expected to act on the package in early April before the bill goes to the Senate floor.
The committee action comes on the heels of passage by the House of Representatives last week of a similar bill (H.R. 3). Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) has indicated that the measure may go to the Senate floor in mid-April.
If this schedule holds true, the full Senate will have the bill under consideration around the time of ACEC's Annual Convention, featuring Consulting Congress Day April 10-13, at the Grand Hyatt Washington Hotel.
"Consulting Congress Day occurs at a key time in the reauthorization debate, with the Senate poised to act on this critical legislation in April," said ACEC President Dave Raymond. "Now, more than ever, the engineering industry needs to speak in as loud, and as unified a voice as possible on the importance of getting this bill done." |
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101 Things To Do In Washington During ACEC's April 2005 Annual Convention
Make your visit during the 2005 ACEC Annual Convention a memorable one by participating in the National Cherry Blossom Festival, or in one of more than one hundred other activities in Washington!
Washington has a wealth of places to explore, including more than 50 museums. Just about every attraction can be visited easily by either subway, taxi or tour bus.
To help you with sight-seeing plans, click here for a list of "101 Things to Do in D.C."
There is still time to register for this year's Convention at discounted rates. Visit www.acec.org and receive 5 percent off the full registration fee when you register online. The discounted fees have been extended to March 25.
Call 202-347-7474 or email meetings@acec.org for further information. |
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AHP Legislation Gets Closer to House Passage
Federal legislation that would reduce the administrative burdens placed on ACEC's Association Health Plan—the ACEC Life/Health Trust—took one step closer to enactment as the House Committee on Education and the Workforce passed H.R. 525, the Small Business Health Fairness Act, out of committee this week.
ACEC is one of the few associations that offers an Association Health Plan (AHP) to its members. Conflicting state regulations cause higher administrative costs and prevent many ACEC members from accessing the association's low-cost, quality health care program.
The Small Business Health Fairness Act would remedy this situation by creating uniform regulations for all states and allowing firms of all sizes to be covered.
The measure will go to the House floor for consideration next month, where it is expected to receive strong, bipartisan support. A more difficult fight is expected in the Senate, although a number of newly elected Senators supported by ACEC in the last election cycle have indicated their intention to support this legislation.
"Health care costs affect the bottom line of every engineering firm," said Roger Jacobson of Engineering Associates Inc. in Cody, Wyoming. "This legislation will help to keep those costs down, which is why we need a strong showing next month at Consulting Congress Day to carry this message to Congress."
Passing AHP legislation in 2005 will be one of the key issues that ACEC's "citizen lobbyists" will take to Capitol Hill next month during the Annual Convention in Washington, D.C. |
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GSA's Eakin Details $11 Billion Program At March Market Forecast Series Event
David Eakin, from the General Services Administration (GSA), discusses GSA's Federal Construction Program to Market Forecast Series event attendees on site at ACEC headquarters in Washington, D.C. and online. Eakin outlined plans for 150-200 federal projects in 11 regions, worth more than $11 billion. |
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Copyright © 2005 by the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC). All rights reserved. No part of this newsletter may be reproduced, stored in any form of retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, photographic, or other means without the prior written permission of ACEC.
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