ACEC's "Citizen Lobbyists" Gear Up For Capitol Hill Visits During Convention ACEC members are preparing for a major lobbying effort in Washington next week as part of the 2006 Annual Convention and Legislative Summit, April 30 through May 3. Skyrocketing health care costs and the dire state of funding for water and transportation infrastructure will be key issues for hundreds of ACEC "citizen lobbyists" during visits with lawmakers on Capitol Hill. "There's an old saying that there is strength in numbers," said ACEC Chairman Ed Mulcahy. "We plan to demonstrate a lot of strength when our citizen lobbyists converge on Capitol Hill to advocate issues which are vital to our industry's future." Primary issues include the ACEC-supported Association Health Plan legislation which addresses the problem of rising health insurance costs by making it easier for engineering firms to access affordable insurance through association-sponsored health plans such as the Council's Life/Health Insurance Trust. The House version of this legislation has already passed, while similar legislation may be on the Senate floor during the week of the Convention. In the area of transportation, government projections indicate that current gas tax revenues may not be sufficient to meet future funding levels provided in SAFETEA LU. If projections are correct, decreases in funding allocations to the states would result to make up for the shortfall. ACEC and its industry allies are urging Congress not to wait until the next highway bill to fix the problem—action is needed now. In the area of water infrastructure, the EPA has estimated a $535-billion "gap" over the next 20 years between what is needed for infrastructure and anticipated spending. ACEC members will urge Congress to focus on water infrastructure and passage of a "Water 21" program to significantly boost federal investment in the nation's water and wastewater needs.

Contracting Opportunities Available As Federal Agencies Assess Real Property Diana Schlumpf from GSA's Public Building Service Asset Management Division addresses April Market Forecast Series attendees at ACEC headquarters last week. The General Services Administration (GSA) has begun a program to assess about 3.3 billion square feet of government property, which means opportunities for engineering firms in areas of building renovation and expansion. At the recent April Market Forecast Series event, GSA representatives Diana Schlumpf and Flavio Peres detailed the progress GSA has made in implementing a recent Presidential Executive Order for a government-wide property assessment. The program seeks to categorize all federal property for cost-effectiveness and efficiency, to target those facilities worthy of upgrades and to dispose of unwanted or obsolete property. "The GSA is looking to dispose about $14.5 million dollars of unneeded government real property, by fiscal year 2008," Schlumpf said. Opportunities for engineering firms will arise when property warrants renovation or expansion, including electrical upgrades, HVAC replacement, and building foundation reassessment. To access location of GSA's inventory and to identify expiring leases and other future opportunities, contact the GSA website listing of Inventory of Owned and Leased Properties by clicking here.

Last Chance to Take Part in ACEC's Professional Liability Insurance Survey The deadline to take part in ACEC's online Professional Liability Insurance Survey of member firms for fiscal year 2005, is Friday April 28. The survey collects information on member firms' professional liability insurance, their claims experience, and the impact of the threat of litigation. An email with a link to the survey has been sent to the key contacts of member firms. All respondents will receive a free copy of the complete results on request. A summary of the survey will be published in Last Word, with a more detailed article to follow in the July/August 2006 edition of Engineering Inc.

Register Now For Business Of Design Consulting

Business of Design Consulting

June 14-17, Minneapolis, MN

Register now for ACEC's flagship program for 21st century design firms. For more than a decade, the Business of Design Consulting has helped firm managers become great business managers.

This intensive multi-day course offers engineering leaders in-depth training in eight different management areas, and features interactive workshops, extensive discussion and application exercises.

Fee before May 19: Members $1,395/non-members $1,595

Fee on/after May 19: Members $1,595/non-members $1,795

Click here for more information.

May Market Forecast Series Event—Department Of Homeland Security

Mui Erkun, Chief of Staff, Office of the Chief Procurement Officer, Department of Homeland Security
May 18, 12:30–1:30 pm
ACEC Headquarters in Washington, DC and Online

This informative presentation will look at the structure and priorities of DHS's Procurement office. Erkun will explore recent changes made to DHS's post-Katrina response, with an emphasis on the restructuring of FEMA, as well as how DHS plans to include small businesses as a part of any recovery plan.

Members $109/non-members $129

Click here for online registration information.

Click here for onsite registration information.

Upcoming Online Seminars

May 9:   A Behind the Scenes Look at Insurance and Risk Management: What You Need to Know to Spend Less and Get More
David H. Collings and Gregg Bundschuh, Ames & Gough

Two risk management professionals from Ames & Gough will provide an overview of how to select a service provider and manage risk. In addition, they will take a "behind the scenes" look at the insurance business.

Click here to register.

May 10:   Hot Liability Topics for Engineers
Tom Bongi, XL Design Professional

Understand where the current liability "hot spots" are, how to recognize situations that lead to claims, and receive practical tips on avoiding liability traps altogether.

Topics include risks of alternative project delivery methods; electronic documents and document ownership issues; condominium risks; pitfalls of suing to collect fees; and job site safety issues.

Click here to register.

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