Contractors apparently now have more direct access to manufacturers, who are approaching them and going around the traditional middlemen. The practice is said to be more common with makers of lighting. One information technology consultant and three electrical contractors relate their experiences. TED Magazine

Employers reporting a workplace death or injury to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration should be cautious about submitting such information online, which could put them at risk of admitting fault, some lawyers say. "I don't know a single employer who completes an effective and thoughtful incident investigation in eight hours or 24 hours, so I think it's premature to commit in writing to some version of the incident," lawyer Eric Conn says. Business Insurance (tiered subscription model)

Encourage Redevelopment of $8 Billion of Federal Real Property This week, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee unanimously approved two AGC-supported bills that would encourage federal agencies to dispose of, consolidate, or redevelop at least $8 billion of excess or underutilized civilian federal real property. The Public Buildings Reform and Savings Act, H.R. 4487, and the Federal Assets Sale and Transfer Act, H.R. 4465, would:

AGC Calls for Change Order Oversight & Funding to Implement VA Reforms This week, AGC called on the House Appropriations Subcommittee for Military Construction and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to conduct oversight into DOD construction agencies’ delay in executing and paying change orders on construction projects and need for adequate VA construction program funding to implement a host of recent reforms.

AGC Federal Contractors Conference; May 9-11 in DC The difference between AGC’s Federal Contractors Conference (FEDCON) and other federal construction meetings is that, at FEDCON, construction contractor attendees drive the agenda. As such, for this year’s conference—held May 9-11 in at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C.—AGC is currently seeking your questions for consideration during its meeting with headquarters leaders of the Naval Facility Engineering Command. To see our draft agenda for these session, please click here. To register, please click here.

Water Resources Development Act Consideration Underway As part of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently submitted an annual report to Congress that identifies about $13 billion worth of potential Civil Works Program projects for study, modification or construction. The report identifies 12 potential projects valued at about $3.663 billion with signed Chief of Engineers (COE) reports, 10 potential projects valued at about $2.980 billion with pending COE reports and 26 potential projects valued at $6.445 billion that state and local entities requested. Potential projects with signed COE reports have been fully vetted within USACE and are ready to enter the planning phase of construction. Projects recommended by state and local entities require further USACE study if authorized.

AGC Federal Contractors Conference; May 9-11 in Washington, D.C. The difference between AGC’s Federal Contractors Conference (FedCon) and other federal construction meetings is that, at FedCon, construction contractor attendees drive the agenda. As such, for this year’s conference—held May 9-11 at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C.—AGC is currently seeking your questions for consideration in meetings with headquarters leaders of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Military Construction Program, Civil Works Program, Contracting, Safety and Small Business offices. To see our draft agendas for these various sessions, please click here. To register, click here.

AGC’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 some of the Convention sessions.

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 AGC-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: