2006 QBS Grants Awarded; New QBS "Redbook" Now Available Tom Leslie, Executive Director, ACEC/Georgia An ACEC-led coalition has awarded over $16,000 to help three organizations promote Qualifications-Based Selection (QBS) in their states. The recipients, QBS Georgia, West Virginia QBS Council, and AIA Missouri were selected based on their outstanding grant applications that detailed their plans for advancing the use of QBS. State QBS programs are a primary vehicle used to educate state agencies and state legislatures about the benefits of QBS. The grants help to pay for meeting and conference costs, QBS publications, and grassroots efforts. "It's a great incentive to bring the various A/E organizations together on a key issue for our industry" said Tom Leslie, executive director of ACEC/Georgia. "Coordinating our efforts goes a long way towards getting the QBS message across to public owners and local legislators that may not be familiar with the pitfalls of low-bidding A/E contracts." Since 1990, ACEC has partnered with APWA, AIA, ASCE, and NSPE to allocate over $420,000 to states through the grants program. In related news, APWA has recently released an updated version of its APWA Redbook on Qualifications-Based Selection. Originally published in 1991, the book provides an owners perspective of the benefits of QBS and confirms that qualifications—not price—should drive their most important decisions. The publication also outlines for owners how to conduct the interviews, evaluate candidates, and how to formulate and manage the contract. The Redbook can be ordered through the ACEC Bookstore by clicking here.

ACEC/NM Hosts Fundraiser For Rep. Wilson ACEC/New Mexico Executive Director Diane Snyder ACEC/New Mexico and ACEC/PAC hosted a fundraising event this week to support the re-election of Rep. Heather Wilson (R-NM). Wilson, a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, is facing a tough re-election fight in November. The New Mexico lawmaker has been a strong supporter of the engineering industry over the years, taking a leadership role in fighting against numerous efforts in Congress to limit the ability of federal agencies to contract out work to the private sector. "Heather Wilson is one of the fighters in Congress working for better government," said ACEC/New Mexico Executive Director Diane Snyder. "It's because of her leadership and other like-minded individuals in Congress that we've prevailed so many times against union-backed efforts to shut down federal contracts to engineering firms and others in the private sector." Wilson's race is among a number of contests around the country that are expected to determine which party controls the House of Representatives in 2007. ACEC and its Member Organizations have hosted nearly 30 such fundraisers so far this year for key House and Senate members in both parties that support the industry's agenda. This effort, along with an ongoing program to grow ACEC/PAC to $1 million by 2010, is viewed as critical to advancing key industry legislative priorities in Congress.

ACEC’s Stewart Testifies Before House Water and Power Subcommittee David R. Stewart, (second from left) of Stewart Environmental Consultants, Inc. in Fort Collins, Colorado was in Washington recently to testify before the House Water and Power Subcommittee in support of H.R. 5110, a bill that enables the reuse of water produced during the extraction of oil or natural gas. The House Water and Power Subcommittee, chaired by Congressman George Radanovich (R-CA), is reviewing various ways to maximize the nation's water resources and water supplies.

50 Legal Concepts That Every Engineer Should Know Debuts In Washington, D.C. November 9-10, Washington, D.C. Conducted by Michael Loulakis, 50 Legal Concepts That Every Engineer Should Know is a new day-and-a-half course that will explore the most critical legal issues, developments and relationships in the A/E arena, covering a wealth of information that A/E professionals must know to capitalize on business opportunities and conduct effective risk management. Areas covered at ACEC's newest learning event: Contracting for design services Professional liability Intellectual property Professional registration and contractor licensing Construction disputes and termination Click here for additional information and to register.

Still Time To Join Us For Business Of Design Consulting October 25-28, Las Vegas Conducted by leading practitioners who specialize in the A/E/C environment, Business Design of Consulting is an intensive four-day program that offers engineering firm professionals in-depth training in eight essential management areas such as: leadership and HR, finance and business management, legal/risk management, IT and marketing. Members $1,595/Non-members $1,795 Click here to register.

Upcoming Online Seminars October 17 Cost Effective Fleet Cycling, Eric Reeves, Enterprise Fleet Services Click here to register. October 18 Make Your Contacts Count—Building Partnerships, Alliances and Referral Sources, Lynne Waymon, Contacts Count Click here to register.

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