Homeland Security Mission Opens Opportunities For Engineering Firms Mui Erkun, chief of staff, for DHS's Chief Procurement Office addressed ACEC members at last week's Market Forecast Series Event. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is expected to spend billions annually to acquire a broad range of products, technologies and services critical to the department's mission of protecting the nation from terrorism, a DHS official told attendees at ACEC's May Market Forecast Series event. DHS contracting opportunities for A/E firms include border patrol facility construction and renovation; research and analytical services; and training center design and construction. Bill Wolfe, chairman of ACEC's Homeland Security Subcommittee, stated that "the F.Y. 2005 obligations of $17.5 billion dollars are real numbers, and an additional $13 to $14 billion in grants is available. "There are opportunities out there for engineering firms, if the firm is willing to work hard to get it." Click here to find out more about business opportunities at DHS.

Special Two-Day Worskshop To Address Project Management Techniques In today's fast-paced information age, projects are being initiated under tighter budgets and more demanding time constraints than ever before. A special two-day seminar—Project Management for Project Leaders—will encompass the full range of project and construction management trends for project managers. This seminar, sponsored by ACEC and Northwestern University, will be held June 14-15 at Northwestern's Chambers Hall, in Evanston, Ill. Topics to be addressed include: Project Manager's Role (stages of managing a project, scheduling techniques, effective project plans) Client Relations (market your services, increase client retention, client relations tools and techniques, how to differentiate your firm) Building Your Team (build an effective project team, how technology can improve project management, basics of contract documents, essentials of Design-Bid-Build) Project Controls (scheduling, costing, value analysis) Project Risk Issues Click here for registration information.

New Building Information Modeling Seminar Building Information Modeling: An Introduction for Practicing Structural Engineers June 22         Chicago, IL Does your firm have a plan for the transition to Building Information Modeling (BIM)? The Council of American Structural Engineers (CASE) and The Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) will offer a special half-day seminar to provide valuable insights into Building Information Modeling technology. The seminar will focus on how structural engineering firms can benefit from this emerging technology by reviewing the BIM concept, how many firms have adopted the new information processing tool, and latest available software. Hear directly from practitioners using BIMs on real projects as they share what has worked well and what software has not worked as well. Attendees also will gain knowledge of how firms can address client requests for BIM collaboration. "More and more frequently architects are using BIM. Engineers need to start understanding how this will impact their practice and process," says James C. Parker, program organizer and principal with Simpson, Gumpertz & Heger. Registration price is $149. Click here for more information, or contact Kerri Carpenter at kcarpenter@acec.org or 202-347-7474.

Value Redesigned: Transforming Engineering Firm Business Models June 26-27         ACEC HQ, Washington, DC In the next decade, consulting engineering and design firms will adopt new models of practice aligned to the dynamics of an emerging knowledge-based economy. Kyle V. Davy will present a day-and-a-half learning experience that explores these models and offers practice leaders a path for beginning their own transformational efforts. Davy will draw from concepts presented in Value Redesigned: New Models For Professional Practice, a book he co-authored with Susan L. Harris. Registration (until June 2): Members $575/non-members $775 Late Registration (on or after June 3): Members $675/non-members $875 Click here for more information.

Online Seminars May 31: The Faces of Leadership, Scott W. Braley, Braley Consulting & Training Click here for more information and to register. June 6: Hiring Top Performers, Pat Dolen, Dolen Tydeman Click here for more information and to register. June 7: Negotiating Better Engineering Contracts: A Win-Win Situation, Gary Bates, Roenker Bates Group Click here for more information and to register.

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