New Federal Project Labor Agreement Rule Will Prevent Most Firms From Bidding on Federal Construction Projects and Hurt Minority Firms

New Federal Project Labor Agreement Rule Will Prevent Most Firms From Bidding on Federal Construction Projects and Hurt Minority Firms

The chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America, Stephen E. Sandherr, released the following statement in response to the release of new federal rules that will soon require procurement officials to impose project labor agreements for federal construction projects valued at $35 million or more: “Today’s proposed rules requiring procurement officials to…

Construction Employment in July Trails Pre-Pandemic Levels in 15 States as Lack of Qualified Workers Leaves Many Jobs Unfilled

Construction Employment in July Trails Pre-Pandemic Levels in 15 States as Lack of Qualified Workers Leaves Many Jobs Unfilled

Construction employment in July continued to trail pre-pandemic levels in 15 states as contractors struggled to find qualified workers to fill openings, according to a new analysis of federal employment data recently released by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials called on government officials to allow employers to sponsor more foreign-born workers and…

API Announces New Initiative to Encourage Veterans to Enter Natural Gas and Oil Industry

API Announces New Initiative to Encourage Veterans to Enter Natural Gas and Oil Industry

The American Petroleum Institute (API) is proud to announce a new initiative, Energy for Veterans, designed to attract more veterans and transitioning service members into meaningful and well-paying careers in the natural gas and oil industry.  “Service members and veterans have a distinguished record of serving our country, both at home and abroad. Through their…

4 Phases of Permitting To Ensure Construction Job Site Safety

4 Phases of Permitting To Ensure Construction Job Site Safety

By Helen Callier, Contributing Writer    It still happens where building permits are missed, and when this happens the ultimate construction safety sin has occurred.  Some Contractors forget.  Others skirt around jurisdiction requirements.  Some Contractors do the right thing and believe they pulled the correct permits and are surprised to learn otherwise when City Inspectors show…

No One Will Tell You About the Permitting “Have You Thought About” Questions Relayed During the Subcontractors’ USA 2022 Industry Awards Luncheon

No One Will Tell You About the Permitting “Have You Thought About” Questions Relayed During the Subcontractors’ USA 2022 Industry Awards Luncheon

By Helen Callier, Contributing Writer   “What does attending the recent Subcontractors’ USA Top 25 Subcontractors Awards Luncheon have to do with building permitting?” Aside from the fact that there was a super networking environment, tasty food, and a great jazz musician adding to the ambiance, there were anchor institutions like Dallas Independent School District (DISD…

When It Comes to New Construction, Texas Is One of the Fastest-growing States, Home to Four of the Top 10 US Equipment Rental Markets

When It Comes to New Construction, Texas Is One of the Fastest-growing States, Home to Four of the Top 10 US Equipment Rental Markets

Quipli, a leading equipment rental software company that caters to independent rental companies throughout the US, recently conducted a research study to find out where the hottest locations are in the US for equipment rentals. Using keyword search data, Quipli pinpointed the regions with the most local Google searches looking to rent construction equipment –…

Construction Input Costs Jump 1.1 Percent From May to June, Adding to Pressure on Contractors Despite Recent Decline in Some Materials Prices

Construction Input Costs Jump 1.1 Percent From May to June, Adding to Pressure on Contractors Despite Recent Decline in Some Materials Prices

The price of materials and services used in nonresidential construction jumped 1.1 percent last month, outpacing the rise in contractors’ bid prices, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government data released recently. Association officials warned that rising materials prices were having an adverse impact on a growing number of…

Construction Employment in June Continues To Lag Pre-Pandemic Level in 18 States as Lack of Qualified Workers Holds Down Hiring

Construction Employment in June Continues To Lag Pre-Pandemic Level in 18 States as Lack of Qualified Workers Holds Down Hiring

Construction employment in June continued to trail pre-pandemic levels in more than one-third of the states despite record job openings, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released by the Associated General Contractors of America recently. Association officials called on government officials to allow employers to sponsor more foreign-born workers and support more…

Forty-Three States & D.C. Add Construction Jobs During the Past Year, but Only 22 States Added Construction Jobs Between April & May Amid Labor and Supply Shortages

Forty-Three States & D.C. Add Construction Jobs During the Past Year, but Only 22 States Added Construction Jobs Between April & May Amid Labor and Supply Shortages

Forty-three states and the District of Columbia added construction jobs during the past twelve months, but momentum slowed in May with only 22 states adding jobs, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released by the Associated General Contractors of America today. Association officials said the monthly employment gains lagged in May as…

Contractors’ Bid Prices Finally Match Runup in Materials Prices, but Continuing Cost Increases Will Maintain Pressure on Profit Margins

Contractors’ Bid Prices Finally Match Runup in Materials Prices, but Continuing Cost Increases Will Maintain Pressure on Profit Margins

Contractors’ bid prices for constructing new nonresidential buildings finally caught up with soaring costs for the materials and services they buy in May, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government data released today. Association officials cautioned that contractors will have a hard time keeping pace with additional price spikes…

Permit Stuck in Concrete? 5 Tips to Crack the Permitting Code

Permit Stuck in Concrete? 5 Tips to Crack the Permitting Code

Let’s say that you have a big customer that you have been waiting to work with for a long time.  You finally sold this customer and landed your first project.  You meet with your customer to go over their plans, timeline, budget constraints, etc. and you see that all the documents appear to be acceptable…

Construction Employment Exceeds Pre-Pandemic Peak in 32 States in April, but Record High Job Openings Threaten Further Job Gains

Construction Employment Exceeds Pre-Pandemic Peak in 32 States in April, but Record High Job Openings Threaten Further Job Gains

Construction employment exceeded pre-pandemic levels in 32 states in April, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials cautioned however that record-high job opening levels in the construction sector indicate that many firms are having a hard time finding workers to hire, putting future…

New Report Explores Architect, Contractor Relationship

New Report Explores Architect, Contractor Relationship

A study published recently by the American Institute of Architects (AIA), in partnership with the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), sheds new light on the relationship between architects and contractors and the needs of both professions. The fifth edition of The Architect’s Journey to Specification focuses on improving the working relationship between architects and…

5 Key Steps To Keep a Sharp Eye on Your Plans During Permitting

5 Key Steps To Keep a Sharp Eye on Your Plans During Permitting

By Helen Callier, Contributing Writer   It can be challenging for some Contractors to keep their focus on what’s happening with their plans while in Permitting. Getting distracted with day-to-day tasks is one factor. When I was waiting for my favorite tacos to go at a local restaurant, I started watching one of the large screen…

Three Out of Four Metro Areas Add Construction Jobs From March 2021 To March 2022, Even as Labor Shortages Hold Back Further Gains

Three Out of Four Metro Areas Add Construction Jobs From March 2021 To March 2022, Even as Labor Shortages Hold Back Further Gains

Construction employment increased in three-fourths of U.S. metro areas between March 2021 and March 2022, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of new government employment data. Association officials noted that labor shortages likely kept many firms from adding even more workers during the past year. “It is heartening to see…

El Paso, Texas’s Veliz Construction Wins Diverse Business of the Year Award From National Construction Association

El Paso, Texas’s Veliz Construction Wins Diverse Business of the Year Award From National Construction Association

El Paso’s Veliz Construction was named the 2022 Diverse Business of the Year award winner by the Associated General Contractors of America, association officials announced recently.  The association also awarded Diversity and Inclusion Excellence Awards, which are sponsored by WTW, to Austin Commercial, Hensel Phelps, Millstone Weber, LLC, and Central Builders. “These awards recognize firms…

AGC & Procore Meet Initial Goal of Raising $500,000 to Launch a New Scholarship for Minority Students Studying Construction at HBCUs

AGC & Procore Meet Initial Goal of Raising $500,000 to Launch a New Scholarship for Minority Students Studying Construction at HBCUs

The Associated General Contractors of America and Procore Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: PCOR), a leading global provider of construction management software, announced recently they have met their initial fundraising goal of $500,000 for a new scholarship to support minority students studying construction at the nation’s Historically Black Colleges & Universities, or HBCUs for short. Students will…

UMASS Amherst Has One of the Nation’s Most Outstanding Student Construction Chapters of 2021, According to the National Trade Association

UMASS Amherst Has One of the Nation’s Most Outstanding Student Construction Chapters of 2021, According to the National Trade Association

The University of Massachusetts Amherst, as well as Kansas State University and Boise State University were named the nation’s most outstanding student construction chapters of 2021, the Associated General Contractors of America announced today. The student chapters were each honored for one of three categories: Emerging Student Chapter Award, Community Service Award, and Construction Management…

MAC Safety Consultants’ Research Finds Vita Inclinata’s Vita Load Navigator Reduces Construction Fatalities by 75% and Overall Accidents by 63%

MAC Safety Consultants’ Research Finds Vita Inclinata’s Vita Load Navigator Reduces Construction Fatalities by 75% and Overall Accidents by 63%

Vita Inclinata (Vita), developer and producer of helicopter and crane load stabilization and precision hardware, today revealed the results of Mac Safety Consultants’ analysis on how the Vita Load Navigator (VLN) system can decrease construction site accidents and fatalities associated with lifting and spinning loads hoisted by cranes. The dramatic survey results quantified the VLN’s…