Journals

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment Statistics Construction Laborers

By Subcontractors USA News Provider Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation: Industry Employment Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Other Specialty Trade Contractors 143,960 23.25 $17.69 $36,790 Residential Building Construction 108,340 15.92 $16.02 $33,320 Nonresidential Building Construction 107,470 14.84 $18.85 $39,210 Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior…

Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture News: University of Texas at San Antonio

By Subcontractors USA News Provider Armando Araiza, Lecturer, led his undergraduate students in the design, fabrication, and mounting of a public art installation mounted on the façade of the Houston Street Parking Garage in downtown San Antonio, TX. The installation was composed of 128 individual aluminum modules clustered to create 16 unique tiles. The tiles were…

Industry Insiders Say Minorities Should Pursue Oil Jobs

Stacy M. Brown, NNPA There are great opportunities for African Americans and Latinos in the oil, natural gas, and petrochemical industries, according to industry insiders, who are calling on minorities to “get in the game.” “IHS Markit projects that there will be nearly 1.9 million job opportunities over the next 20 years in our…

Top Management Degrees Publishes Ranking of Top 25 MBA Programs in Texas 2017

By Subcontractors USA News Provider Online business education and career guide Top Management Degrees (www.topmanagementdegrees.com) has published a ranking of the Top 25 MBA Programs in Texas (www.topmanagementdegrees.com/rankings/best-mba-texas). For this ranking, Top Management Degrees collected data on over 75 Master’s of Business Administration degree programs within the state of Texas. The programs were vetted on the most recent…

Students and Legislators Show Their Support for the Texas Bullet Train

Texas Central News A group of Texas A&M University and Blinn College students traveled to the House Transportation Committee hearing in Austin recently to express support of the construction of a high-speed rail. Since early 2015, the Texas Central Railway has been working toward developing the United States’ first high-speed rail which would connect North…

METRO Gets an “A” for Financial Transparency

Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County News A national consumer advocacy organization and its state affiliate have given the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) an “A” for showing taxpayers how their money is spent. U.S. Public Interest Research Group (USPIRG) and TexPIRG compared METRO’s financial disclosures against dozens of other districts across the country. Each year, the group…

Thirty-Nine States Add Construction Jobs Between April 2016 & 2017 but 27 States Lost Jobs Between March and April Amid Worker Shortages

By Subcontractors USA News Provider Thirty-nine states added construction jobs between April 2016 and April 2017 amid growing demand for construction services, yet more than half the states lost construction jobs between March and April amid tight labor market conditions, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data…

Houston, We Have a Problem! Do You or Do You Not Need a Building Permit?

Contributing Writer, Helen Callier While presenting at a workshop in Houston recently, a commercial project owner asked, “Do I need a city permit for minor interior work that involves shelving?” Typically, if performing cosmetic work, no city building permit is required. If construction work appears to be more than minor interior refresh and includes…

Public Investment Around DART Rail Moving North Texas

By Subcontractors USA News Provider A new study looking at the economic impact of publicly funded projects near Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) light rail stations shows major economic impacts to North Texas. Researchers at the University of North Texas looked at 11 public projects between 1999 and 2015 and found those types of projects…

A Message From Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian: States Will Lead the Next Energy Revolution

Texas Railroad Commission News Texas is on the verge of a new energy revolution. The potential for job creation, economic prosperity and investment in our energy sector is almost limitless. Key to ensuring it stays that way is reducing or removing regulatory roadblocks to energy exploration and production, without compromising public or environmental safety. I…

Issue 14

May 2017

Excellence Through Diversity: Quadrant Consultants Inc.

Your Engineering, Planning, Environmental and Aviation Experts By Dawn Paul, Associate Editor Serving clients in Texas and nationwide since 1979, Quadrant Consultants Inc. (Quadrant) is a leader in the construction industry, providing expertise in the areas of engineering, planning, environmental, and aviation services for transportation, utility infrastructure, and land planning. Being a standout consulting firm, Quadrant’s experienced staff of engineers, planners, and environmental scientists understand…

Eagle Barricade, LLC

Eagle Barricade is comprised of two certified WBE/DBE companies, Foster & Foster Construction, LLC and GTL Supply Solutions, LLC. Together we bring over 30 years of construction knowledge and material handling experience to our customers. We offer high quality products as well as a qualified traffic control staff. One-Stop-Shop | Safety & Traffic Control Eagle…

Is the GPS Right for Your Business?

Lea Bogle, Contributing Writer Capacity. It’s the word that everyone is talking about, from prime contractors, to government agencies and small business owners. So the question is, how can a small business increase its capacity, so it can grow and meet the demands of its clients in the most cost-effective manner? Implementing the right mobile…

ALEC: “Let the Free Market Operate in Texas Infrastructure”

Texas Central News A new report from a leading Conservative nonprofit argues against the discriminatory legislation being discussed in the Texas Legislature that singles out and targets the Texas Bullet Train by imposing arbitrary and unnecessary limits on the project and the emerging high-tech industry. “The whole notion of government opining, much less acting, in such a situation is…

Dallas News! TxDOT Partners to Open Doors for Minority Contractors and Suppliers

Projects Adding Value by Expanding Diversity Transportation Summit By Subcontractors USA News Provider The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), headquartered in Austin, TX, is organized by administration, districts and divisions. TxDOT’s workforce is made up of engineers, administrators, financial experts, designers, architects, sign makers, accountants, purchasers, maintenance workers, travel counselors and many other professions. People…

Five Reasons Why Obtaining Building Permits Can Give Contractors The Blues

Helen Callier, Contributing Writer Talk with most contractors about building permits and the topic will soon shift to a nightmare story or two about the problems experienced in obtaining city building permits. You will hear about how they had to make several trips to speak with different plan reviewers and waited weeks for a final…

Dallas Spotlight on DLB Consultants

Helping Subcontractors to Connect and Build By Subcontractors USA News Provider Demetria Bivens is founder, president, and owner of DLB Consultants (DLB). Bivens founded the company to help subcontractors win! Having extensive experience in the industry, Bivens understands and implements strategies to connect subcontractors, helping them build their business and gain lucrative opportunities in this…

The Data Dilemma for Subcontractors: How to Choose a Monthly Plan

By Subcontractors USA News Provider How much data do you really need on your monthly cellular plan? Buy too much and you’re simply wasting money. Buy too little and you could end up socked with overage fees, or find your data speeds slowed significantly. Though you need wireless service to conduct business, you also must…

Rice & Gardner Consultants, Inc.

At Rice & Gardner Consultants, Inc. (RGCI), we proudly serve the built environment with expert program management, building commissioning, MEP engineering, construction support, and many other services. We have experience with a wide range of clients, including municipalities, K-12, higher education, commercial buildings, medical facilities, recreational facilities, religious facilities, and more. Our goal is to…