Unable to reach agreement on spending bills in the lame duck session, Congress approved legislation Wednesday to keep federal programs operating—including federal highway and transit programs under SAFETEA-LU—at current levels through March 4, 2011.

Congress also approved an extension of FAA programs and funding through March 31, 2011.

The newly elected House and Senate still must finalize appropriations for the 2011 fiscal year, which runs through September 30.

Congress passed on Wednesday ACEC-supported liability protections for structural engineering firms that participated in the 9/11 recovery effort. The protections are included in a bill that will provide health care for individuals suffering health problems due to the 9/11 response effort.

More than 95 percent of first responders who sued New York City and Ground Zero contractors approved a settlement providing compensation for their illnesses. Included in the settlement was a requirement to drop their lawsuits. The current legislation will resolve the remaining lawsuits.

With many state agencies requesting—even demanding—fee reductions for engineering services as a way to save money in the tight economy, how can engineering firms respond effectively and maintain key client relationships?

In ACEC’s online seminar, Responding to Requests for Discounts or Unilateral Fee Reductions, January 20, 1:30 to 3:00 p.m., attorney P. Douglas Folk, Folk & Associates, P.C., outlines various ways to deal with clients on this issue.

Key concepts include:

• Legal challenges and liability risks agencies face in reducing compensation without corresponding reduction in scope of services.
• Impact of the Brooks Act on reductions in fees without a new selection and negotiation process.
• Restrictions imposed by federal funding agencies on reductions in fees, including the application of Federal Acquisition Regulations.
• Strategies for responding to discount requests or unilateral reductions.

ACEC/Illinois PAC Co-Champion Phil Houser

ACEC/Illinois PAC Co-Champion Darcie Gabrisko

ACEC/Nebraska PAC Champion Mike McMeekin

No state in the country raised more money for ACEC/PAC this year than Illinois. The state effort, led by PAC Champions Darcie Gabrisko of Strand Associates in Joliet and Phil Houser of the Farnsworth Group in Bloomington, was straightforward: “We explained we’re not giving to charity here,” said Houser. “We’re investing in our industry and our own future.”

ACEC/Nebraska has reached its PAC fundraising goal for seven years in a row. “There is no mystery to our record of making goal,” said PAC Champion Mike McMeekin of Lamp, Rynearson & Associates in Omaha. “When you educate your colleagues on the risk for their firm and our business, the need to support this political program is obvious.”

ACEC/Arkansas Champions Jerry Martin of Engineering Services in Springdale and Carl Yates of McGoodwin, Williams & Yates in Fayetteville, guided the state to its fourth consecutive year at goal. “There’s too much at stake right now,” said Yates. “If you make the ask, engineers will respond with support.”

This was also the fourth year in a row that ACEC/Idaho achieved its PAC goal. The primary reasons for that success, said PAC Champion Mike Merhar of Terracon Consultants in Boise, is “awareness by ACEC members in the state about federal issues that directly affect their bottom lines, and strong support by the state’s leadership.”

Click here to learn more about ACEC/PAC.

ACEC will highlight four Member Firms and their mega projects in the March/April 2011 issue of Engineering Inc.

On-going or recently completed projects that are uniquely expansive in size, complexity and cost would be of interest to Engineering Inc. readers. They should be submitted with the following information to Andrea Keeney, staff editor, at akeeney@acec.org by Monday, January 10, 2011:

• Project name and location (Submit only one project)
• One-page project overview, including any unique aspects
• Name, title and phone number of the Member Firm executive who will be interviewed regarding the original project goals, challenges and solutions.

If you have a professional service provider that provides exceptional service in the accounting/financial, marketing/communications, IT, or business management service areas, recommend them to other ACEC members by submitting them to the new Peer-to-Peer Resource Guides.

The Guides will be published in special 2011 issues of Engineering Inc. magazine.

Click here to access the Peer-to-Peer Resource Guide Nomination Form. You may recommend more than one provider in any of the four categories.

For more information, contact Andrea Keeney at akeeney@acec.org.

February 1-4, 2011, San Antonio

Green Infrastructure and Sustainable Communities: Opportunities in Expanding Markets, Feb. 1-4, San Antonio, will provide the latest insider insights on prospects in the rapidly growing sustainability market.

Topics include profit opportunities in sustainable development; the latest on sustainable legislation, regulations and standards; sustainable infrastructure rating systems including the new ACEC/APWA/ASCE system coming in 2011; BIM utilization in sustainable projects; identifying future projects through sustainability audits; and applying life-cycle costing and analysis to proposed projects and programs. The four-day certificate course program also includes a field trip looking at the engineering of the San Antonio Riverwalk.

Click here for details and to register.