ACEC/Utah Lobbying Efforts Earn New Good Samaritan Law For State Engineers Michael Smith, ACEC/Utah Executive Director ACEC/Utah scored an important legislative victory with the recent passage of a Good Samaritan Law for the state of Utah. Aggressive advocacy by the Council's lobbying team, as well as several Member Firms, helped push the bill through the state legislature. The Good Samaritan law provides liability protection for professional engineers acting on a voluntary basis during emergency situations. "This is a huge achievement for our Council and the engineering community in Utah," said ACEC/Utah Executive Director Michael Smith. "In an emergency, our industry would have gone out no matter what, but we could have been on the line," said Smith. "This law provides the necessary protection for the industry when we do volunteer work." ACEC/Utah teamed with the bill's sponsor, state Senate President Michael Waddoups to rally support during the legislature's annual 45-day session. "Last year we had good support for the bill, but we ran out of time. This year we started early and kept the pressure on," Smith said. ACEC National has for years urged federal and state governments to enact laws that provide liability protection for professional engineers acting on a voluntary basis during emergency situations. At the federal level, the ACEC-supported "Good Samaritan Protection for Construction, Architectural, and Engineering Volunteers Act (H.R. 2067)" was introduced in the House in 2007, but never reached the floor for discussion. The Council will continue working with lawmakers to have the bill reintroduced in the new Congress.

Annual Convention—April 26-29—Will Focus On Stimulus Opportunities The ACEC 2009 Annual Convention will double as "Stimulus Central" for attendees by offering stimulus-focused education sessions including: new contracting prospects with federal agencies, future stimulus-based project opportunities, and lobbying Capitol Hill for increased funding for industry priorities. The Convention will be held April 26-29 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Washington, D.C., and feature procurement officers from seven federal agencies outlining how stimulus funds will be dispersed at their agencies. Scheduled presenters include those from: General Services Administration, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, NASA, Department of State, Veterans Administration, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Department of Commerce. ACEC anticipates that the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Energy and the Air Force Center for Engineering and the Environment will also be represented. Details of the additional sessions will announced shortly. The Convention also includes the industry's largest legislative event where hundreds of members will converge on Capitol Hill to promote important industry initiatives such as funding for surface transportation, water infrastructure, aviation, and defeat of the 3 percent withholding mandate. Make your hotel reservations well in advance while rooms are available. Contact the Grand Hyatt directly at 1-888-421-1442 and reference "ACEC Annual Convention" to secure your hotel room at a special discounted rate. ACEC's discounted room rates expire on April 3. Click here to view Convention registration information.

Environment & Energy Committee Meeting Addresses Key Legislation, Stimulus Bruce Ware, of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Engineering and Construction Team addresses members of the ACEC Environment and Energy Committee at Council headquarters this week. Congressional staff experts and high-ranking federal agency officials met with ACEC's Environment and Energy Committee this week to discuss implementation of various stimulus programs and additional Council legislative priorities. Ryan Seiger, staff director of the House Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, and Jason Albritton, professional staff member on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, both emphasized the importance of water infrastructure legislation that will reauthorize the State Revolving Funds (SRFs) for clean water and drinking water, and the intention of the committees to move a bill quickly this year. (see related story above) James Hanlon, director of the Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Wastewater Management, outlined how EPA intends to allocate money from the recently-enacted stimulus package to the states for distribution to local governments. Bruce Ware of the Engineering and Construction Team at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, presented the Corps’ plans for prioritizing projects funded with stimulus money. The process is still being developed, Ware told the committee, but projects are expected to be announced in just a few weeks. The committee also received an extensive briefing on upcoming energy and climate change legislation, and discussed ACEC's advocacy approach to ensure that business interests are addressed. "We learned some important lessons in focusing our federal advocacy on specific issues that are likely to result in significant business opportunities for our firms," said Environment and Energy Committee Chairman Mike Cline, with Hannum, Wagle & Cline. For more information on this meeting, or to join the Environment and Energy Committee, contact Diane Shea, director of environmental & energy program advocacy at 202-347-7474 or dshea@acec.org.

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Prepare Your Firm For The Future With New Practical Strategic Planning Course Rod Hoffman Gerry Salontai Practical Strategic and Business Planning for Engineering Firms April 29-30, Washington, D.C. ACEC presents an invaluable course in strategic development for key members of your firm responsible for strategic thinking and business planning. Practical Strategic and Business Planning for Engineering Firms debuts April 29-30, Washington, D.C., and is presented by well-known industry experts Rod Hoffman, co-founder of S&H Consulting, and Gerry Salontai, former CEO of Kleinfelder. This timely course offers a practical hands-on exploration of today’s best strategies for staying on course by adapting to unexpected change, in addition to effective implementation techniques and proven planning approaches for long-term firm sustainability. The one-and-a-half-day course will provide new knowledge to increase planning process effectiveness, successful industry case studies, and models for making better business choices. Attendees will earn 11 PDHs for 2009. For details and to register, click here. BDC Is '09 Version Of Basics For Managing In Uncertain Economy The Business of Design Consulting: Managing to Succeed in a Challenging Economic Environment March 25-28, Orlando, FL A few openings remain for the March 25-28, Orlando, FL presentation of ACEC's Business of Design Consulting: Managing to Succeed in a Challenging Economic Environment. The four-day course provides an intensive examination of the successful A/E business in an uncertain and challenging business environment. Content covers the eight key areas of business management, finance, marketing, risk management, contracts, leadership, human resources, and information technology in a real-world A/E context. For owners, principals, executives, managers and up-and-coming leaders of A/E firms, this up-to-date look at the building blocks of your operation is a cost-effective investment for surviving the current business climate and succeeding in a more competitive-than-ever future. Attendees earn 28 PDHs. For details and to register, click here. Understand 'Red Flags' Of Industry Model Contracts With March "Pitfalls" Course Recognizing the Snares and Pitfalls in A/E/C Industry Contracts May 28-29, Philadelphia This special course is designed to prepare attendees to recognize and understand two dozen key provisions in model contracts necessary to protect your business. The one-and-a-half-day course equips your firm's engineers, architects, project managers, contracting officers, specifiers and others with information necessary to avoid risk and maintain your firm's professional standards. Attendees earn 11 PDHs. For details and to register, click here. Upcoming Online Topics: '08 Litigation, Risk/Profits, Win Strategies How Firm Culture Can Reduce Risk (And Improve Profits) March 17, 1:30-3 p.m. Structural engineers carry a heavy expense burden when it comes to the cost of risk. But some firms manage risk more effectively than others, with fewer problems and higher profits. Gregg Bundschuh and Dave Collings, Ames & Gough, review the bottom-line implications of a well-executed risk management plan supported by the right firm culture. Click here to register. Developing and Implementing Winning Strategies for Engineers, Architects and Construction Companies March 18, 1:30-3 p.m. There's no better time than a period of economic uncertainty to look at your big picture in new and different ways. Clare G. Ross, The Clare Ross Organization, offers new insights and time-tested ideas and principles you can use now to improve growth and profitability. Click here to register. Design Professional Litigation Year in Review: 2008 March 19, 1:30-3 p.m. Get a one-of-a-kind rundown of the major court cases and decisions in 2008 through early 2009 affecting engineering and construction law. This seminar by J. Kent Holland, Construction Risk Counsel PLLC, and Lauren P. McLaughlin, Briglia McLaughlin, PLLC, reviews decisions affecting every design professional, from A (Arbitration issue) to W (Warranties). Click here to register. Sales & Marketing Forum Sets May 14-15 Meeting ACEC's Sales & Marketing Forum is joining other ACEC special interest Forums to schedule its first free-standing meeting, May 14-15 in Orlando. The group originally met regularly under the umbrella of ACEC conferences and conventions. An idea exchange event for firms' sales, marketing and business development staff, the Forum is also a unique opportunity to network and address industry challenges. Discussion topics announced for the upcoming meeting include marketing and sales in a declining economy, go and no-go decisions and discussions, lead tracking software, proposal debrief workshop, plus topics of mutual interest that arise. The Forum is open to ACEC members and non-members. For details and to register, click here. Expert Witness Course Sold Out Applying Expertise as an Engineering Expert Witness Course, March 19-20 in Kansas City, is sold out. To request VIP advance notice of the summer 2009 course encore, e-mail education@acec.org, and note the course title and your preferred e-mail address. The American Council of Engineering Companies 1015 15th St., NW, 8th Floor, Washington, DC 20005-2605 Phone: 202-347-7474 - Fax: 202-898-0068 www.acec.org - E-mail:acec@acec.org Alan D. Crockett, Director, PR • Ann Brandstadter, Editor/Designer