Includes 13 Percent Increase in Federal Construction Accounts
On Feb. 9, President Obama released his $4.1 trillion budget for fiscal year 2017, which proposes $1.215 trillion in discretionary defense and non-defense spending in FY 2017 and $2.565 trillion in mandatory spending. The budget, which stays within the discretionary spending limits set last November in the Bipartisan Budget Act, has been declared dead on arrival by Republican Congressional leaders. For the first time in 41 years, the House and Senate budget committees will not hold hearings with the president’s budget director.
Addresses Change Orders, Industry Standards and Standard Designs
The House of Representatives this week unanimously passed ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½-supported legislation that would help improve the VA construction program’s interactions with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and accountability to taxpayers and Congress. Introduced by the House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Jeff Miller (R-Fla.), the Construction Reform Act of 2016 (H.R. 3106) would:
Bill Addresses One-Step Design-Build and Reverse Auctions
The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs this week unanimously passed ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½-supported legislation that would (1) require civilian federal agencies—non-Department of Defense agencies—to utilize the two-step design-build selection process for design-build projects greater than $750,000, thereby limiting one-step design-build procurements; and (2) prohibit reverse auctions for construction services. The bipartisan legislation introduced by Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), the Consensus Procurement Improvement Act of 2015, S. 1526, may now move to the Senate floor for consideration and passage. An ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ co-chaired coalition of 15 national construction organizations sent a letter in support of this measure and has long worked to advance it through the legislative process. ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ is working with members of the House to introduce the same bill there.
ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ Pushes for Redevelopment of Excess Federal Real Property
Members of the House and Senate have recently introduced and advanced legislation that could encourage federal agencies to dispose of, consolidate, or redevelop billions of dollars of excess or underutilized civilian federal real property. This could translate into significant private and federal construction work throughout the nation. As such, advancing these bills are a significant legislative priority for ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½.
Includes Duplicative Debarment for Late Taxes and Crimes
ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ filed comments this week on a Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Council proposed rule that would prohibit federal agencies from entering into a contract with any corporation that has a delinquent federal tax liability or a felony conviction under any federal law, unless (1) the agency has considered suspension and debarment of the corporation and (2) has made a determination that such action is unnecessary.
ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½â€™s 97th Annual Convention will be held March 9-11, 2016 in San Antonio, Texas. Please visit meetings.agc.org/convention for registration information. Below is a preview of the Utility Infrastructure, Federal & Heavy Construction, and Highway & Transportation Division meetings.
Save $75 on Registration Fee; Held May 9-11 in DC
Register on or before February 12 for the 2016 ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ Federal Contractors Conference (FEDCON) and save $75 off the registration fee. FEDCON—held May 10-11 at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C.—is the premier conference for federal construction contractors to discuss the latest projects, policies and contracting issues facing the industry with federal agencies, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Naval Facility Engineering Command, Air Force Civil Engineer Center, General Services Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of State, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Bureau of Reclamation.
Rules Impact Direct-Federal Contractors
Snow can close the federal government, but it does not stop the federal regulatory machine. The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Council and U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) recently issued final and proposed rules, respectively, that impact direct-federal construction contractors.
Recently, ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ sent letters opposing the possible use of a project labor agreement (PLA) mandate posted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District. The letters address the possible use of mandatory PLAs involving the construction work on the Chickamauga Lock in Chattanooga, Tennessee and Kentucky Lock Addition near Paducah, Kentucky.
Save $75 on Registration Fee; Held May 10-11 in DC
Register before January 31 for the 2016 ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ Federal Contractors Conference (FEDCON) and save $75 off the registration fee. FEDCON—held May 10-11 at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C.—is the premier conference for federal construction contractors to discuss the latest projects, policies and contracting issues facing the industry with federal agencies, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Naval Facility Engineering Command, Air Force Civil Engineer Center, General Services Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of State, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Bureau of Reclamation.