METRO & the Interagency Mentor Protégé Program Partners Continue Their Collaboration to Advance, Strengthen & Drive the Small Business Community

METRO & the Interagency Mentor Protégé Program Partners Continue Their Collaboration to Advance, Strengthen & Drive the Small Business Community

By Subcontractors USA News Provider In keeping with METRO’s commitment to providing contracting opportunities to all businesses, on September 22, 2022, METRO’s Board of Directors adopted a Veteran-Owned Business Enterprise (VOBE) Program and a Disability-Owned Business Enterprise (DOBE) Program. These new programs are in addition to the existing and successful Small Business Enterprise (SBE) and…

The Houston Minority Supplier Development Council Continues to Bridge the Gap Between Buying Entities and MBEs 

The Houston Minority Supplier Development Council Continues to Bridge the Gap Between Buying Entities and MBEs 

The 2022 EXPO Provides MBEs With Opportunities for EXPOnential Growth By Subcontractors USA News Provider Under the leadership of President Ingrid M. Robinson, the Houston Minority Supplier Development Council (HMSDC) continues to combat the challenges MBEs face with a commitment to seeing these businesses succeed.Since its founding in 1973, this nonprofit organization has remained a…

5 Permitting Tips for Public Works Contractors

5 Permitting Tips for Public Works Contractors

By Helen Callier, Contributing Writer   It is always a great feeling to sign a new contract.  Be it for a commercial or public project, the sound of hearing the words, “You have been awarded XYZ job” is sweet music.  This was apparent when I was recently picking up a package at the post office. A…

OSHA Reveals Top 10 Safety Violations for Fiscal Year 2022 at NSC Safety Congress & Expo 

OSHA Reveals Top 10 Safety Violations for Fiscal Year 2022 at NSC Safety Congress & Expo 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced recently its preliminary Top 10 most frequently cited workplace safety standards for fiscal year 2022. NSC Safety+Health Associate Editor Kevin Druley introduced Patrick Kapust, acting director of OSHA’s Directorate of Enforcement Programs, who presented the list during the 2022 NSC Safety Congress & Expo, the world’s largest annual…

COS Announces Winners of the 2022 Safety Leadership Awards

COS Announces Winners of the 2022 Safety Leadership Awards

The Center for Offshore Safety (COS) has announced the winners of the 2022 Safety Leadership Awards during its Annual Safety Forum. The awards recognize companies for their outstanding leadership in developing safety management and performance practices and projects that advance the offshore industry’s culture of safety. “This year’s winners leveraged research and experience to develop…

DART Welcomes Charles Cato as New DART Chief of Police

DART Welcomes Charles Cato as New DART Chief of Police

After an extensive national search, Charles Cato has been selected as the new chief of police at Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART). A public safety executive with almost 33 years of law enforcement and leadership experience, Cato will direct and oversee the DART Police Department including sworn officers, emergency preparedness, security services, and related functions…

Port Houston Moves Forward on Sustainability Action Plan

Port Houston Moves Forward on Sustainability Action Plan

In its latest sustainability move, Port Houston announced an agreement with Shell to explore opportunities to work together to meet the Port’s strategic goals in the areas of sustainability, resilience, and carbon reduction.  Port Houston and Shell signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that outlines a shared intention to explore key energy, mobility, and decarbonization…

Program Helps Progress 2030 Diversity Challenge 

Program Helps Progress 2030 Diversity Challenge 

The National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) completed its fourth class of 20 architecture students as the 2022 summer cohort of the NOMA Foundation Fellowship (NFF). The NFF is a two-month summer fellowship hosted at leading architecture firms across the country where fellows engage in design research and benefit from firm mentorship. NFF provides professional…

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…

Doing Business With CPS Energy

Doing Business With CPS Energy

CPS Energy is committed to providing contracting opportunities to all businesses including local and small, minority, women, and veteran-owned businesses (SMWV).  CPS Energy has a long history of awarding contracts to Certified SMWV Businesses and recommends that vendors register with the South Central Texas Regional Certification Agency (SCTRCA) at sctrca.org.  Once registered, businesses are connected…

MidCentral Energy Adds North Texas Manufacturing Facility

MidCentral Energy Adds North Texas Manufacturing Facility

MidCentral Energy Partners, LLC, an asset performance management company serving the energy sector, is expanding its footprint with a 50,000-square-foot lease in Fort Worth. The expansion will bring MidCentral’s operating infrastructure to over 140,000 square feet and will support the company’s manufacturing/remanufacturing and site services product lines Oklahoma City-based MidCentral, has been expanding its client…

How the Future of Drone Technology Is Already Here

How the Future of Drone Technology Is Already Here

Since their first use in the mid-1800s in the form of hot air balloons, unmanned aerial vehicles have been used for security, photography, safety, and many other applications. Today, drones have a significant impact on the way we do business — from warfare reconnaissance and real estate marketing to filmmaking and inventory tracking. For example,…

Does Your Organization Still Use POTS?

Does Your Organization Still Use POTS?

By Paul Stoessel, MCA Communications  ​Beginning in the late 1800s and for more than a hundred years thereafter, the Plain Ordinary Telephone System (POTS) revolutionized communication for business and personal use everywhere. But since the advent of new technology starting in the 1980s where the voice could be transmitted through digital protocols, the old “twisted…

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…