At the end of June, the U.S. House passed H.R. 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act, by a vote of 219 to 212 (8 Republicans supported the bill, and 44 Democrats voted against it).  While elements of the legislation could create jobs by inducing demand for energy efficiency improvements to buildings and alternative energy generation, no one is certain of the true impact on the economy.  AGC believes that the bill goes too far too fast and that Congress has not adequately mitigated the impacts.Policymakers have acknowledged that the "cap and trade" program in the bill would increase electricity costs with varying regional effects.  A climate change cap and trade bill would significantly increase the cost of energy used in producing construction materials and powering construction equipment.  The bill also includes provisions giving free rein to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to regulate small stationary emitters and to implement standards for a variety of mobile sources used in construction, including new heavy duty trucks and off-road equipment.  The increased costs and new regulations would ultimately decrease demand for construction at a time when the U.S. economy can least afford it, especially when one in every five unemployed workers is a construction worker. AGC appreciates the response by individuals in the construction industry that answered the call to action and sent over 2,000 messages to Congress in opposition to the bill.  The legislative debate will move to the Senate where a vote could occur as early as September. The Senate will likely refer to, or use, the House bill in drafting their legislation.  Meanwhile, the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources approved the American Clean Energy Leadership Act (ACELA) on June 17, 2009.  Some of the ACELA provisions are similar to the House bill, but it does not yet address cap and trade of greenhouse gases, which the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee may consider as early as this month.  The resulting legislation from the Senate will need to secure passing votes in both houses of Congress before a final bill is sent to President Obama to sign.AGC urges all members and Chapters to weigh in with their Senators and urge them to oppose the House bill as written.  For more information and to send a letter to your Senators, please use AGC's Legislative Action Center.  For more information, contact Karen Lapsevic at (202) 547-4733 or lapsevick@agc.org.

On June 26, 2009, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), a division of the Department of Homeland Security, announced that the current Form I-9 will continue to be valid for use beyond its expiration date of June 30, 2009.Although the current form has the expiration date printed in its upper, left-hand corner, USCIS is in the process of seeking approval for continued use of the form.   Until then, employers may continue to use the expired form in its current format.  After approval and once a new form has been created with a new expiration date, employers will have the option to use either form, as long as it displays the revision date of February 2, 2009, which is printed in the bottom, right-hand corner of the form.As of April 3, 2009, all U.S. employers must use the February-revised Form I-9 to verify the employment eligibility of newly hired employees and employees with expiring employment authorizations.  This mandate was originally scheduled for implementation on February 2, 2009, but was delayed in response to a request from the new Administration to allow time for further review.Additional information and a copy of the Form I-9 can be found on the USCIS website.

June 24, 2009 from 1:00 - 2:30 pm ESTBuilding Information Modeling (BIM) is a powerful tool that is transforming the design and construction industry.  Owners, Architects and Contractors are tapping into BIM as a competitive advantage to increase project efficiency and improve overall results.  The biggest obstacle for many, however, is navigating the legal issues involved with BIM.Join us June 24, 2009 to hear firsthand from an Owner, Architect and Contractor on how they have dealt with the legal ramifications of moving into a 3-D world of design and construction and how the ConsensusDOCS 301 BIM Addendum addresses these risk allocation and administration issues as the first standard BIM contract document.Key Topics:BIM: What is it and how you can take advantage of it?What are the legal risks involved with BIM and how you can address them?The Top Ten Myths associated with BIMSpeakers:E. Davis Chauviere, AIA - HKS, Inc.Jan Reinhardt - ADEPT Project DeliveryCharles G. Hardy - United States General Services Administration (US GSA)Moderator:  Brian Perlberg, Esq. AGC of America and ConsensusDOCSPlease visit www.agc.org/BIMweb for registration information.

Specialty Contractor Working Group to MeetJoin other specialty contractors, general contractors, architects, engineers, attorneys, and owners May 28-29 for the Spring 2009 AGC BIMForum in Dallas, TX.  The Spring AGC BIMForum will be an assembly of some of the nation's leading construction professionals for a two-day program focused on BIM and the bottom line.Topics to be covered include: The economy of BIM - What is the current state? What savings already exist? How can you increase efficiency?Measuring and optimizing first cost, cost to complete and life-cycle costs.Owner's perspective on BIM and how to achieve goals through scenario-based planning design and budgeting. Click here for more information and to register for the Spring AGC BIMForum.  To get involved with the AGC BIMForum, please visit www.bimforum.org.

June 10-13, 2009 in Hot Springs, VAHow are owners and contractors addressing their needs in today's economy?  How can your firm maintain competitiveness in this market?  The AGC Building Contractors Conference to be held June 10-13, 2009 at The Homestead in Hot Springs, VA will bring together members of the AGC building construction community to hear presentations and discuss how best to guide their firms through these challenging economic times. This Conference will address many important topics, including contingency planning, taking advantage of hidden market opportunities, the stimulus, federal labor law changes, and strategies on how to come out on top.  Discussions on industry trends such as BIM, green construction, and IPD, as well as multiple networking opportunities make this a Conference you don't want to miss.Who should attend: building construction professionals, owners, specialty contractors, service and supply firms, and anyone who wishes to contribute to the industry and benefit from valuable guidance and best practices.  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? See "Sponsors" tab here for available sponsorship opportunities!

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.  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.

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BIM 101 Scheduled at AGC Chapters Across the CountryOn 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 AGC 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.

Your Voice Could Make a DifferenceIn 2012 a new law will require federal, state, and local governments to withhold three percent from all payments for goods and services as a guard against possible business tax evasion.  Withholding applies to the total contract, not to the net revenue generated from a project, and will affect specialty contractors immensely.  Contact your U.S. Representative and Senators today and strongly urge them to pass a full permanent repeal of the three percent withholding tax.  Click here for more information and to quickly and easily send a letter to your elected leaders regarding this important issue.  To view the letter AGC of America recently sent to members of Congress to encourage permanent repeal of three percent withholding on government contracts, please click here.

AGC of America SCC Seeks to Facilitate Chapter SCC DevelopmentThe AGC of America SCC has recently produced resources for AGC Chapter Specialty Contractors Councils.  In addition to facilitating development of new Chapter SCCs, these documents may also increase the effectiveness of existing Chapter SCCs.  To complement "A Guide: Simple Steps and Best Practices for Forming an AGC Chapter Specialty Contractors Council," the Council has compiled information from existing Chapter SCC structures, goals, and programs to offer ideas to developing Chapter SCCs.  This document, "Sample Mission Statements, Objectives, and Programs for AGC Chapter Specialty Contractors Councils," can be found at www.agc.org/SCC_Chapters along with the updated Guide.  The website, linked off www.agc.org/SCC, also offers additional information about Chapter SCCs, including a list of existing Chapter SCCs along with their websites.  To contribute to these resources, please contact Cassia Griffin at griffinc@agc.org.