Register today for the 2021 AGC Federal Contractors Conference taking place November 8-9, 2021 in-person in Washington, D.C. The Federal Contractors Conference 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, General Services Administration, and Small Business Administration.

In addition to substantive discussions and presentations with federal agencies, attendees will hear from experts about the latest federal regulations that will impact their businesses and may have the opportunity to continue a dialogue with federal agencies after the conference. And, when the conference concludes, AGC member attendees will have the opportunity to participate in ongoing dialogue and meetings with agency headquarters later in the year.

 

Register today for the Federal Agencies’ Project Forecast for 2021 and 2022. This WebEd series begins June 15, and will bring the eight major federal agencies that procure construction services to present their Fiscal Year 2021 and 2022 project forecasts. This important information for your business is typically presented at AGC’s Annual Federal Contractors Conference. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic AGC is bringing you this information before the conference.

 

On June 1, President Biden called for an “all-of-government effort to expand contracting opportunities for underserved small businesses across the country.” Among other initiatives, the goal is to increase the share of contracts going to small, disadvantaged businesses (SDB) by 50 percent by 2026, which the administration calculates as an additional $100 billion to SDBs over the five-year period. SDBs include 8(a) participants and other small businesses that are at least 51% owned and controlled by socially or economically disadvantaged individuals or groups. The Administration is silent about the other small business subcategories such as Women-Owned Small Businesses, HUBZone Small Businesses, and Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses. According to a recent Congressional Research Service report that analyzed federal contracts in FY2019, SBD contractors received 8.69% of all federal contracts and 10.13% of all small business eligible federal contracts.

 

For more information, contact jordan.howard@agc.org or (703) 837-5368.

 

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) posted updated and expanded technical assistance related to the COVID-19 pandemic, addressing questions arising under the federal equal employment opportunity (EEO) laws. The EEOC also posted a new resource for job applicants and employees, explaining how federal employment discrimination laws protect workers during the pandemic. These publications are provided to help employees and employers understand their rights and responsibilities at work during the pandemic.

 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed an update to its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Construction General Permit (CGP) covering stormwater discharges from construction activities. EPA has also released a proposed 2022 CGP Fact Sheet(link is external), which includes a summary table of some of the changes. Forty-seven states use EPA’s permit as a model for their own permits, so its impact extends beyond the three states (New Hampshire, New Mexico, and Massachusetts), territories and other areas that use it exclusively.

 

The AGC Annual Convention provides contractors of all sizes the opportunity to gain business-critical insights into the issues most affecting their operations. From risk management to safety on the jobsite to the latest in project management solutions, AGC brings together experts from across the industry to share their knowledge and help prepare contractors to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow. Register by June 16 and save $150.00 off admission. 

Sixty percent of highway contractors report that motor vehicles had crashed into their construction work zones during the past year, putting motorists and workers at risk, according to the results of a new highway work zone study conducted by AGC of America and HCSS. In response, officials urged drivers to slow down and remain alert while passing through work zones during the summer driving season.