Be sure to check out the AGC Project Delivery Website at www.agc.org/projectdelivery.  Resources include general project delivery, Design-Bid-Build, CM At-Risk, Design-Build, Integrated Project Delivery and other information.

The federal government has agreed to even further delay implementation of the E-Verify rule for federal contractors.  Contracts and solicitations issued prior to June 30, 2009, will not contain the mandate.  An official announcement is expected to be published in today's Federal Register.The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Council issued the final rule on November 14, 2008, requiring contracting officers to mandate contractor use of E-Verify in solicitations issued and contracts awarded after January 15, 2009.  In response to a legal challenge to the rule, the government agreed to suspend the rule until February 20 and again until May 21.  The plaintiffs in the lawsuit requested the extension after President Obama's Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel issued a memorandum directing federal agencies to consider extending by 60 days the effective dates of all regulations already issued but not yet in effect, in order to allow the new Administration a chance to review any "questions of law and policy raised."Click here for a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) for Federal Contractors & E-Verify.  Visit the AGC Web site for critical components of the final rule.  For more information, contact Marco Giamberardino at (703) 837-5325 or giamberm@agc.org.

Make the Switch to ConsensusDOCS!After May 31, the 1997 A-series documents (including the AIA A-201-1997) will no longer be available, and users of AIA's contract documents software will not be able to generate licensed final versions of those documents.  When AIA released its 2007 suite of A-series contract documents in November 2007 (AGC unanimously decided not to endorse the AIA A-201 2007), it granted users of its 1997 documents an 18-month period to "transition from retired to new documents."  Contractors that want to avoid violating AIA's licensing agreement should not offer the A401-1997 or other 1997 A-series AIA documents after that date, and should be aware that clients offering the documents after that date could be breaching AIA's licensing agreement.Switch to ConsensusDOCS today and use the only standard construction contract documents endorsed by 22 industry associations, including AGC!  AGC members receive a 20% discount on all ConsensusDOCS products when purchased through the AGC Bookstore (www.agc.org/bookstore).  Subscribe today!If the AIA A201 is mandated please refer to the AGC members-only Commentary found at www.agc.org/contracts.

On April 10, 2009, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published in the Federal Register a proposed rule that would require reporting of annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from a wide range of sources, including all facilities that produce cement and manufacture lime.  The agency is seeking public comment on the proposed threshold for reporting and whether to include monitoring and reporting requirements for in-use fleets, as well as other provisions in the proposed rule.  Comments are due June 9, 2009.  Click here to read the entire article.

John Tocci, Sr., CEO of Woburn, MA-based Tocci Construction has been named AGC of America Committee Chair of the Year.  Tocci was recognized for his accomplishments as the chair of the AGC BIMForum, a coalition of contractors, designers, engineers and owners dedicated to using building information modeling (BIM) technology to improve design and construction.  To read the AGC press release, click here.

On April 6, 2009, AGC of America launched its newest educational resource, BIM 101: An Introduction to Building Information Modeling, the first part of AGC's BIM Education Program. BIM 101 is a full-day course designed specifically for construction professionals eager to learn the essential concepts of BIM and will provide participants with a comprehensive overview to prepare them for future BIM Education Program courses.This high-quality, content-rich program gives construction professionals, building developers, owners, designers, construction product manufacturers and others in the AEC building community a compelling new resource to position themselves to proactively move forward with BIM adoption.The BIM Education Program brochure outlines the course details. BIM 101 is offered at many of AGC's 95 chapters, in addition to a range of construction firms and educational institutions. Course offerings are scheduled frequently. May 2009 dates include:AGC of America BIMForum, Dallas, TX - May 27AGC of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT - May 6San Antonio Chapter, San Antonio, TX - May 7AGC of Connecticut, Wethersfield, CT - May 15 and 16Contact Amy Fields, Senior Director, Curriculum and Program Development, for additional information on BIM 101 at (703) 837-5360 or curriculum@agc.org.

GSA has unveiled a $5.5 billion project list that highlights the unprecedented role the agency will play in assisting in the nation's economic recovery and putting American citizens back to work. Projects are funded across the country, providing benefit for local and state economies, and every state should see at least one GSA project related to the Recovery Act.A breakdown of GSA's recovery funding reveals:$4.5 billion: Federal building conversion to high-performance green spaces$750 million: Federal building and courthouse renovations$300 million: Fuel-efficient vehicles$300 million: Land ports of entry renovation and constructionGSA will also help other agencies best utilize their Recovery Act dollars, and manage Recovery.gov, which provides transparency and accountability to the American public.AGC will continue working with GSA and our other agency partners as implementation of the Recovery act continues.  For additional about GSA's Recovery plans, visit: www.gsa.gov/recovery.  For more information, contact Marco Giamberardino at (703) 837-5325 or giamberm@agc.org.

Join top building construction professionals, owners, specialty contractors, and service & supply companies at the AGC Building Contractors Conference to be held June 10-13, 2009 at The Homestead in Hot Springs, VA.  These industry leaders will discuss the current market, the challenges-and opportunities-it presents, and creative solutions and tactics that top-performing firms are implementing.  This is truly a conference you do not want to miss.In guiding your firm through these tough economic times, the AGC Building Contractors Conference plans to highlight:How owners plan to address their construction needs in this market,Innovative service offerings that customers need in a tight economy,How to take advantage of hidden opportunities,The best ways to "right size" your staff,Best practices and important topics such as BIM, Green Construction, and Integrated Project Delivery, andNetworking opportunities including a luncheon, evening receptions, and a golf tournament.For more information and to register, visit www.agc.org/homestead.  Interested in sponsoring the AGC Building Contractors Conference and showcasing your firm before owners and leaders of this market?  Click here for available sponsorship opportunities!

AGC of America is a proud cosponsor of the 4th Annual Airport Project Delivery Systems Summit on June 3-4, 2009 in Savannah, Georgia.  If you are involved in airport construction, you won't want to miss this important event, presented by AGC of America, Airports Council International-NA, and the Airport Consultants Council.  For more information about the Summit and to register, please click here.  Hotel reservations must be made by May 11.

On March 10, the "so-called" Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) was introduced in both the House and the Senate.  EFCA would take away a worker's right to a federally supervised private ballot election when deciding whether or not to select union representation. AGC supports the status quo, which allows both card-check recognition and secret-ballot elections to establish union representation and remains the most fair and reliable way to determine the desire of employees to be represented by a union. Take action!  Click here to contact your Representative and Senators regarding this important issue!EFCA imposes unrealistically short deadlines for labor-management negotiations over a first contract before mandating third-party interference.  It allows a third party to dictate wages, hours, and terms and conditions of employment.  For more about EFCA, visit AGC's EFCA webpage.