The legislation would waive the state volume cap on private activity bonds for water and wastewater projects, significantly expanding the availability of low cost financing for local communities. This reform is critical, as most states allocate only a small fraction of their private activity bonding capacity to water infrastructure projects.

Wall Street experts and the EPA have projected that the changes could make available as much as $50 billion over ten years in private capital for water infrastructure.

ACEC found that the new approach could strengthen the role and importance of engineers in the design-build process. At the same time, the Council suggested that DOD weight the TOC more substantially against other selection criteria, factor in design-impacted manpower costs, and reconsider the aggressive rollout schedule for the pilot program.

DOD will officially introduce the new program on June 2. For additional information contact Mark Steiner at msteiner@acec.org.

ACEC/Georgia will use the award to support state public referenda for a new sales tax exclusively devoted to transportation projects. The Georgia referenda reflect a nationwide trend of funding necessary infrastructure improvements through ballot initiatives.

ACEC/Nebraska will help to fund a study and craft legislation to fight government competition in the state, an issue that is heating up across the country.

ACEC/Nevada was given funding to cover the cost of an amicus brief in a case defending the state’s Economic Loss Doctrine.

For more information on The Minuteman Fund, click here.

Member Firms that complete the survey will receive a free copy of the complete results upon request. The survey results will also be available for sale through the ACEC Bookstore and a summary will be published in the July/August 2011 issue of Engineering Inc.

An email with a link to the survey has been sent to the primary contacts of the Member Firms. You can also click here to access the survey.

In the online seminar Strategies for Implementing Successful Public-Private Partnership Projects, April 28, 1:30-3 p.m., Frank M. Rapoport, senior partner and Chair of the Global Infrastructure and Public-Private Partnerships practice at McKenna Long & Aldridge, will highlight emerging markets and explain how firms can effectively join P3 project teams to grow their business.

For more information and to register, click here.

Member Organizations nominate award candidates, who must have at least five years experience as a principal or manager in an ACEC Member Firm.

Click here to access the Community Service Award program criteria and nomination form. MOs must submit all completed nomination forms to the Committee of Fellows by June 3, 2011. For more information, contact Daisy Nappier at dnappier@acec.org.

MedjetAssist is the premier medical

For a list of all ACEC member discount programs, click here.

The Business of Design Consulting (BDC) program addresses the challenging realities of the current business environment, providing the strategic insights and management skills that design professionals need to succeed.

This intensive four-day course is taught by leading practitioners. The curriculum focuses on business management, finance, marketing, risk management, contracts, leadership, human resources, and information technology.

Click here for details and to register.

Get a solid framework of information to help you address legal and contracting issues, recognize and mitigate potential risks and protect your firm’s bottom line.

Ten Top Legal Issues Facing Engineers, May 12-13, Philadelphia, offers valuable and practical details on a range of critical legal issues facing Member Firms, including contract provisions, insurance of all types, human resources issues, litigation disclosure and privacy issues, non-standard contracts, public/private partnerships, professional ethics and licensure issues, LEED and green liability, doing business overseas, BIM and electronic documents, and more.

Serving as faculty are legal counsels and long-time advocates of major ACEC firms: Bernard Sacks, The Louis Berger Group, Inc.; Peter J. Coote, Pennoni Associates; and Gerard P. Cavaluzzi, Malcolm Pirnie, Inc.

Click here for details and to register.

Have you been an expert witness? Is there a possibility you might serve as an expert witness—for your own firm or a client? Are people in your firm qualified as expert witnesses?

Applying Expertise as an Engineering Expert Witness, June 23-24, San Diego, provides the inside knowledge and the courtroom know-how you need to confidently serve in this unique and demanding role. Gain recognition as an expert and take the first step in earning the EXW (SM) designation offered by ACEC.

Click here for information and to register.

Social media has become part of the workplace, but many company leaders are unaware of the damage that misuse can cause to a firm’s finances, brand, and staff morale.

Scott Freedman, a partner of Morris Polich & Purdy, and an authority on employment law, conducts this important online seminar, Social Media: What Every Employer Needs to Know, to explain the critical do’s and don’ts of social media technology.

This webinar is a must for any employer seeking to establish a policy on social media that will provide strong legal protection. For details and to register, click here.

Numerous fundamental legal decisions that affect how every engineering firm operates were handed down in 2010. In a fast-paced online seminar, 2010 Legal Year in Review: The Court Decisions You Need to Know, Kent Holland of ConstructionRisk, LLC, focuses on the key decisions and details the impact of litigation involving contractors and project owners against design professionals.

Issues Holland will discuss include standard of care, statute of repose, worker’s comp, limitation of liability, duty to defend, and the economic loss doctrine.

For details and to register, click here.

The recently enacted Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will dramatically change engineering firms’ responsibilities regarding their employees’ health care. Firms could face substantial financial penalties if they don’t provide employee health care or if they fail to provide coverage that meets certain benefit and cost requirements.

In The New Health Care Law: What Your Firm Needs to Know Now, Nancy Campbell of Snell & Wilmar will provide an overview of the law and describe the specific steps firms need to take right now to prepare.

Campbell will also discuss how the new health care law has brought about significant changes to the tax code that every firm should know about.

Click here to register.

Next available is Class 17, which begins in September 2011. Click here for a complete SEI description and to register. For more information, contact Deirdre McKenna at 202-682-4328 or dmckenna@acec.org.