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Our annual Twin Cities Golf Tournament had a couple of staffers and me out on the Oak Glen course yesterday instead of behind our desks, and we certainly had a blast. I'm rolling into this week's issue of the Weekly Bulletin a little behind par and keeping things on the shorter side while recovering from a full day in the rain, wind, and sun (but mostly sun!). Below, I've covered the important industry highlights you need to know, including the very exciting launch of our newly improved and modern website; check it out.
Rest assured, I made a few VERY important contributions to yesterday's tournament. Lots of networking, smack talk, moral support, and A LOT of steps on my FitBit ⛳ 😄 A full event recap is teed up for next week's issue, including photos. It really was a fun day out on the greens, and we're already looking forward to MBEX Golf North (August 19 in Duluth, in case you were wondering 😉)
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Five Quick Things To Know & Do This Week:
1.) Plan Room Demo - Our next Online Plan Room Demo is tomorrow (Thursday, June 18) at 9:00am. Sign up by 2:30pm today to join us for a free one-hour session covering the platform's basics, from navigating the Deskpad to setting up project search filters to bidder lists.
2.) 8(a) Changes - On June 11, the SBA issued a proposed rule overhauling how individually-owned firms demonstrate social disadvantage when applying for 8(a) certification, now requiring applicants to show documented financial harm resulting from discrimination or bias by a government entity, university, or corporation, a significantly higher bar than before. If you have a pending or future individually owned 8(a) application, please pay attention; comments are due on July 13, 2026.
3.) Best Places to Work - Congratulations to the following member companies who were recently recognized in Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal's 2026 Best Places to Work:
• Extra Small (10-24 Employees) Category: Fendler Patterson Construction
• Small (25-49) Employees Category: Loeffler Construction & Consulting; and Terra Construction
• Large (100-149 Employees) Category: Gardner Builders
4.) Backlog Indicator - Per ABC, the Construction Backlog Indicator rose to 9.1-months in May, up 0.3-months from April and 0.7-months in May. Backlog for the month increased in every region except for the South, but it still remains the region with the longest backlog.
5.) Chuckle Break - The job site wishlist is growing. Forwarding to R&D now 😅 🧰
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Inside Issue No. 24:
• Register Now: Sporting Clays Scholarship Fundraiser on August 6
• DBE Changes: Breaking down the recent changes and current status of Minnesota's Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program
• New Website: In case you haven't already noticed, our new website launched earlier this week and had a complete makeover
• Industry Momentum: Two decisions to help define your business's next five years
• Upcoming Events: Closed for the Fourth of July (7/3); Lake Superior Harbor Cruise (7/15); July's Online Plan Room Demo (7/16); and Reading Construction Documents online course with UChapter2 (8/5 & 8/6)
• Project Download: Updated project information for the week of June 10-16
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Registration Now Open
MBEX Sporting Clays Scholarship Fundraiser
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The MBEX Sporting Clays Scholarship Fundraiser is taking place on Wednesday, August 6, and of course, we want as many of our members there as we can.
Yes, it's a great networking event. Yes, you already know that. We're not going to lead with that. Here are five better reasons to clear your calendar for August 6.
But first, the essential event details:
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Date: Thursday, August 6
Schedule:
11:00am - Registration & Lunch
12:15pm - Mandatory Safety Talk
12:30pm - Shoot Begins
4:00pm - Social & Dinner
6:00pm - Short Program, Awards & Prizes
Location: Game Unlimited Hunting Club (871 County Road East, Hudson, Wisc., 54016)
Cost: $200 per shooter (min. of 4 / max. of 6)
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Reason #1 - Your entry fee builds someone's career.
This isn't just a fun day out; it's a scholarship fundraiser! Every registration, every sponsorship, every raffle ticket sold all go toward the MBEX / TBG Construction Scholarship, which puts real money in the hands of students pursuing careers in the commercial construction trades. The next generation of trade contractors, project managers, estimators, and field supervisors is out there right now, and this event helps get them there.
Reason #2 - It's an easy yes for clients and prospects.
"Want to join us for a sporting clays event?" is one of the more interesting invitations someone can receive. It's different, it's memorable, and it gives you a built-in shared experience that a lunch meeting simply can't replicate.
Reason #3 - It's a legitimate reason to be out of the office in August.
August in the Upper Midwest is too good to spend behind a desk. The clay shoot offers a fully justifiable, professionally sanctioned reason to be outside on a Wednesday. Tell your calendar it's a business commitment (because it is).
Reason #4 - The construction industry takes care of its own; This is how.
MBEX has been part of the Upper Midwest commercial construction community for nearly 138 years. Events like this are how that community stays strong, by investing in its future, showing up for each other, and finding ways to do good work while having a good time.
Reason #5 - Bragging rights are included at no extra charge.
It's friendly competition at its finest; enough of a scoreboard to make things interesting, not so much that anyone takes it personally. It's the best kind of rivalry.
| | | Shooter packages include a grilled lunch, 100 clays across 20 stations, 1 two-person golf cart, a post-shoot social, a steak dinner, individual and team awards, and door prizes. Guns and ammunition are not included. Attendees must bring their own firearms, and ammunition can be purchased through Game Unlimited on the day of, if needed. | | |
What Contractors Need to Know About MnDOT's DBE Program
Changes to know about
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If you work on federally funded transportation projects in Minnesota, the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program looks different than it did a year ago, and it's still evolving.
Here's a straightforward breakdown of where things stand and what to watch for:
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What Happened & Why
The changes trace back to an interim final rule published by the U.S. Department of Transportation on October 3, 2025, which triggered a significant overhaul of the federal DBE program nationwide.
MnDOT and its partners in the Minnesota Unified Certification Program (MUCP) have spent the past eight months working to comply with the new federal requirements while continuing to support Minnesota's small business community.
The Reevaluation Process: Still In Progress
The MNUCP launched its reevaluation process on November 3, 2025, giving previously certified DBE firms a priority window to submit their personal narrative and personal net worth statement. About 300 firms submitted during that window, and the MNUCP has now issued decisions on roughly 70% of those applications.
If your firm submitted and is still waiting on a decision, the most important thing you can do right now is respond quickly to any requests for information from your certifying agency. Delays on your end can hold up the process. And if your firm didn't submit during the priority window, you're still eligible to complete your evaluation. Don't assume you've missed your chance!
What "DBE Neutral" Means on Current Projects
You may be seeing new language in project special provisions. Where projects previously indicated race/gender-neutral goals, they now carry a "DBE neutral" designation, meaning there is no DBE contractor goal on that project. This is a direct result of the interim final rule and applies to projects going forward.
For projects that had numerical DBE goals established before October 3, 2025, MnDOT is maintaining its existing monitoring and close-out procedures. That means that MnDOT's Office of Civil Rights still needs to review any requests for DBE terminations, substitutions, or reductions, and the final clearance process (including documentation of payments, explanations for any DBE shortfalls, and submission of the Total Payment Affidavit) remains unchanged.
A Few Other Things Worth Knowing
The MNUCP has paused the collection of the Annual Declaration of Eligibility for certified firms while the reevaluation process is underway. When that resumes, certifying agencies will reach out to firms directly, so no action is needed on that front right now.
New DBE applications are also on hold for the moment, as the MNUCP is prioritizing reevaluations of previously certified firms, and USDOT is still updating the standard DBE application. Once the reevaluation process wraps up, new applications will be accepted through a new MNUCP certification portal that is currently in development.
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MnDOT is working toward several next steps, including completing the reevaluation process, submitting an updated DBE program plan, revising its three-year DBE program goal, and developing a new Small Business Enterprise program that will include technical assistance for small businesses.
More details on all of the above will come as the process moves forward.
For more current information, visit www.mndot.gov/civilrights or reach out directly to the MnDOT Office of Civil Rights.
| | | The MNUCP partners are offering DBE personal narrative workshops, along with one-to-one support, to help Minnesota-based business owners develop their personal narrative required under the DBE Interim Final Rule. The next personal narrative workshop is being offered on June 23, 2026. | | |
Welcome to MBEX's Newly Updated & Modern Website
Check out the new and improved mbex.org
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Introducing the next chapter of MBEX's online presence.
MBEX, the Midwest Builders Exchange, not only has a new name and a new look, but we now also have a new website to match, better reflecting who we are and the value we bring to the Upper Midwest commercial construction industry.
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For more than a century, MBEX has helped commercial construction professionals move their business forward through trusted project information and meaningful industry relationships. Because we understand the real work of construction doesn't happen in isolation; it happens between people.
That belief continues to shape everything we do.
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While our look has evolved, our mission remains the same:
• Accurate and accessible project information
• A user-friendly Plan Room experience
• Strong industry relations
• A community built on collaboration and trust
MBEX has always been more than a Plan Room; it's where estimators, subcontractors, suppliers, and partners come together to exchange information, knowledge, and opportunity.
Our new website was built to better reflect that, with a cleaner, more modern experience for members and non-members alike.
Head over and explore the new site and experience the refreshed MBEX for yourself!
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Two Decisions That Could Define Your Next Five Years
Where Momentum Actually Lives Right Now
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If you've been making business decisions based on construction's top-line numbers, it's time to dig deeper.
Per ConstructConnect, the overall market outlook for 2026 looks reasonable on paper, but strip out the data center boom, and the nonresidential building forecast flips from 1.5% growth to nearly a 9% contraction. The market is being propped up by one dominant sector, and that has real implications for everyone operating outside of it. The two decisions that will matter most through 2030? Which subcategories you compete in, and which geographies you pursue.
The data center surge is genuinely historic. Data centers now account for 92% of all office-category construction dollars and 22% of total nonresidential building starts (up from under 2% as recently as 2023). Beyond data centers, hotels are up 150% year-to-date, and hospitals are up more than 115%. The data center wave is projected to continue building toward a peak around 2029 or 2030 before it begins to slow. On the other side of the spectrum, airports and sports and convention centers are down sharply year-to-date, though those declines largely reflect corrections off unusually strong 2025 results rather than signals of deteriorating long-term demand. The point: the same top-line number can mean very different things depending on what's underneath it.
On the cost side, the squeeze isn't letting up. Construction materials inflation is already near 6% and could climb higher as oil-driven energy costs continue feeding through the supply chain. Labor productivity in the U.S. is running roughly 10% below 2019 levels, a "structural headwind" layered directly on top of rising materials and energy costs. There is one modest bright spot: a recent White House revision on tariff policy reduced duties on some aluminum, copper, and steel products, which could provide some relief on imported equipment and building systems. But the margin environment remains challenging across the board, and the firms best positioned for the next five years will be the ones thinking carefully about how to deploy labor more efficiently and where technology investments can pick up the slack.
The full ConstructConnect article includes a breakdown of the top 20 construction subcategories by year-to-date starts, a useful guide on where momentum actually lives currently. It's worth a look as plans are being made for business and development strategy through the back half of 2026 and beyond.
| | | Information shared in this feature was presented by Michael Guckes, ConstructConnect's Chief Economist, at the ConstructConnect Spring 2026 Construction Economy Outlook. | | | |
A valuable benefit of an MBEX membership is invitations to our social and educational events; by being an employee of a member company, you, too, can take advantage and attend all MBEX-sponsored events.
** indicates a newly added or updated event
June 18 - Online Plan Room Demo - Register by 2:30pm today (June 17)
From navigating the Deskpad, setting up filters, understanding project information, and adding your company to a project's bidders list, this free one-hour session is a great introduction to our Online Plan Room. Register
July 3 - Fourth of July Holiday - MBEX Closed
MBEX will be closed for the July 4th holiday, returning to regular business hours on Monday, July 6.
July 15 - Lake Superior Harbor Cruise
See the Duluth-Superior Harbor, Aerial Lift Bridge, and the city skyline as you may not have before, aboard fellow MBEX member Jeff Foster's retired Coast Guard vessel. Register
July 16 - Online Plan Room Demo
From navigating the Deskpad, setting up filters, understanding project information, and adding your company to a project's bidders list, this free one-hour session is a great introduction to our Online Plan Room. Not yet open for registration
August 5 & 6 - Reading Construction Documents [Online Course]
Designed to quickly build confidence and skillset, this course, offered through our partnership with UChapter2, covers the fundamentals of how to read and understand construction documents. From identifying title block information to reviewing floor plans, elevations, and combing through specification sections, participants will learn how to navigate a full set of drawings and interpret material and construction requirements with clarity. Sign Up
August 6 - Sporting Clays Scholarship Fundraiser
Aim, pull, and shoot to raise funds for the MBEX Scholarship Fund at this annual outdoor event at Game Unlimited Hunting Club. Register
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• Total Projects Received at MBEX from 6/8/2026 - 6/12/2026: 103
• Total Project Leads Reported on at MBEX from 6/8/2026 - 6/12/2026: 32
• Total Active Projects Received / Reported on at MBEX as of 6/16/2026: 342
• Total 2026 Projects posted to the Online Plan Room as of 6/16/2026: 3,185
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Click the button above to view the most recent project data from 6/10/2026 - 6/16/2026.
For information about the Bulletin's content, technical issues, or to place an ad (such as a Minority
Notice, Job Posting, or Event Notice), contact Ashlee, Membership + Communications Manager.
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UPCOMING MBEX EVENTS
• June 18 - Online Plan Room Demo
• July 3 - 4th of July - MBEX Closed
• July 15 - Lake Superior Harbor Cruise
• July 16 - Online Plan Room Demo
• August 4 - Construction Estimating Principles & Application [Online Course]
• August 5 & 6 - Reading Construction Documents [Online Course]
• August 6 - Sporting Clays Scholarship Fundraiser
• August 19 - Golf North
• September 9 - Sporting Clays North
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Information within the MBEX Weekly Bulletin are obtained from sources deemed reliable. The Midwest Builders Exchange (MBEX) does not assume responsibility for its completeness or accuracy. You are urged to check your own sources in addition to the information contained in this publication. This issue contains plans and other bidding information received prior to and including the date noted above. The project data within this newsletter is intended for member company's and their employees use only.
2026 BOARD OFFICERS: President - Brian Kalla, St. Cloud Acoustics; Vice President - Sean Ochis, Northern Industrial Insulation; Treasurer - Allie Brady, Veit USA; Past President - Heidi Sedlacek, Associated General Contractors of Minnesota
2026 DIRECTORS: Kevin Bohrer, Donlar Construction; Ben Bowman, Adolfson & Peterson; David Brandt, Schadegg Mechanical; Matt Lennartson, RJM Construction; Chris Niemand, Frattalone Companies; Jason Rentmeester, Kraus-Anderson Construction; Harry Rothstein, Weidner's Mechanical Contractors; Jim Rothstein, Erickson Electric; and Alanna Soukkala, Holden Insurance Agency.
MBEX STAFF: David Siegel - Executive Director; Julie Miller - Executive Assistant / Project Coordinator / Accounting; Ashlee Hartwig - Membership & Communications Director; Melanie Hendrickson - Events & Membership Coordinator; Jeff Boelter - Project Acquisition & Plan Room Support; Shauna Baska - Project Reporter & Bidders Lists; Ka Yang - Addenda & Apparent Lows; Peggy Esboldt, Madison Gentil & Michelle Siegel - Project Reporters; Don O'Connor - Independent Event Planning Contractor
You are receiving this email because you are employed by a current member company in good standing or have indicated you wanted to receive MBEX's Weekly Bulletin. Unsubscribe from the Weekly Bulletin
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