Commercial construction increased 1.8 percent for the month, public non-residential construction inched up 0.1 percent, and private residential construction registered a 2.6 percent jump.

Among the non-residential categories, health care construction climbed 2.4 percent; power 1.8 percent; educational 0.9 percent; highways and streets 0.6 percent; and transportation facilities 0.2 percent.

John Woods of Woods Peacock Engineering Consultants in Alexandria, Va., will testify on behalf of the Council. He will describe to House members the varied nature of engineering services, licensure requirements, and the dynamics of teams involving firms of various sizes in servicing federal clients. “All of these factors are relevant in guiding policymakers to determine the appropriate size standard for the industry,” said Woods.

ACEC has assembled a working group of small, medium and large firms to develop a consensus on the size standard proposal. For more information, contact Mark Steiner at msteiner@acec.org.

Click here to see a copy of the ACEC testimony.

The House hearing will be streamed live on the Internet on Thursday at 10:00 am (Eastern). To access the stream, click here. The link will not go live until the hearing begins.

In The New Health Care Law: What Your Firm Needs to Know Now, May 24, 1:30-3 p.m., 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.

Pieces of the law already in place include a small business tax credit, a higher penalty for Health Savings Account withdrawals, and a number of mandated benefits, including coverage of adult children up to age 26. Coming soon are W-2 reporting of the cost of employer-sponsored health coverage (2012), capping of Health FSA contributions at $2,500 (2013), large employer "pay or play" rules (2014), and a ban on pre-existing condition exclusions (2014).

Click here to register.

Member Firms that complete the survey will receive a free copy of the complete results upon request. 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.

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.

Through ACEC’s Member Discount Program, you can save 20 percent on flowers and gifts at FTD.com. For more information and to order, click here.

On FTD.com, you can also save on products from Harry & David, Godiva, Ghirardelli, Mrs. Fields, Starbucks and more. Same day delivery options are available.

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.

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 Green Globes® building rating system is fast becoming an alternative to USGBC’s LEED system. Since gaining status as an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard, Green Globes has been adopted for use by Veterans Affairs, State Department and other federal agencies.

In the online seminar Why the Green Globes Rating System is an ANSI Standard, Erin Shaffer, Vice President, Federal Outreach, and Kevin Stover, Commercial Program Consultant, Green Building Initiative, will describe the program’s environmental assessment protocol, software tools for online assessment, best-practices guidance for green construction and operations, and the rating/certification system.

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.