ACECL January 2021 ENewsletter

THANK YOU TO OUR

2021 PLATINUM ANNUAL SPONSORS!

January, 2021

Enjoy membership in ACECL? Get a benefit from your investment? Join us in sharing information about this important organization to new members. To make recruitment easy, ACECL has launched a new electronic recruitment tool that can be easily shared as a link with potential new members. Your personal authentication of ACECL is the best tool for keeping this trade association strong and influential! Click below to access the electronic brochure.

ACECL BOARD OF GOVERNORS MEETING

The next meeting will be held February 5, 2021

ADVOCACY UPDATE

City of New Orleans - review and draft questions underway in response to recently issued RFQ for Citywide Roster. Development of suggested changes to resident inspection process.

DOTD - discussions ongoing with DOTD relative to engineer selection process, compensation, traffic, fee negotiation process, Secretary/Chief Roundtable, SelectServer phase out.

Lafayette Parish School System - finalizing comments to LPSS relative to new A/E selection process.

State Division of Administration - advocated for changes to how engineering services are procured for purposes of HUD funds in adherence to state Hammett Act and federal procurement rules.

Legislation - drafts underway to strengthen Hammett Act to clarify 'design services' are A/E services. Not everybody gets that.

In July 2020, ACECL launched its state PAC. Many thanks to the firms who contributed to this important advocacy tool. The PAC committee looks forward to participating in the 2024 election cycle.

2020 State PAC Contributors

Thank you to our federal PAC contributors and sponsors! We raised $21,500 in 2020! Your contributions will enable us to support our congressional delegation and influential members of Congress. We reset now for 2021. Please consider a donation this year so that we can meet our annual goal!

2020 Federal PAC Contributors/Sponsors

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Click here for a summary of the Omnibus Stimulus bill that was signed into law by President Trump on December 27, 2020. It includes links to PPP regulations released in early January by SBA.

2021: A Year of Building for MOVEBR. Baton Rouge Sharon Broome issues a 2021 outlook in the Q4 MOVEBR Report: Click here to view full report.

ACEC just published a new interview on their podcast with Eddie Sotto, the owner of SottoStudio/LA and the former Senior Vice President of Concept Design at Walt Disney Imagineering. The focus of the discussion was inspiration and how designers and creatives can work hand in hand with engineers to produce great user experiences. https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-gc7ub-f8e669

In Memoriam

Our hearts go out to everyone who has suffered or experienced loss associated with COVID19. It is a virus that does not discriminate by age, race, or gender. This month we remember two special people who left us too soon from from complications caused by COVID19. Their contributions, although very different, to our industry and our state changed us for the better.

In their memory and those you have lost, stay safe, social distance and wear a mask.

John Graves, PE

1941-2021

Owner of Evans-Graves Engineers known for his knowledge, skills, volunteerism, philanthropy and mentorship of young engineers in training. Click here for John's obituary.

Steve Carter

1944-2021

State Representative who authored and fought to increase infrastructure funds for Louisiana and improve the our state's education system.

Click here for an editorial about Steve.

Doctors save lives one at a time...engineers save lives by the thousands. Engineering a response to the coronavirus...https://www.nationalacademies.org/news/2020/09/engineering-a-response-to-the-covid-19-pandemic

EEA 2020 AWARDS CEREMONY SAVE THE DATE!

Which project will win the coveted Grand Conceptor Award?

Join us March 25th to find out!

TRANSPORTATION NEWS

ACEC's Senior VP for Advocacy Steve Hall and VP for Infrastructure Matt Reiffer joined the ACECL Transportation Committee January 14 to discuss certain regulatory decisions related to the FAR credits clause and overhead rates for firms with forgiven PPP loans as well as anticipated increased federal infrastructure investment.

Click here to view the virtual meeting.

ACECL has been working with Steve Hall and Matt Reiffer with ACEC advocating to congressional delegation for a fix to a FAR credits clause issue that will adversely impact firms who do business with federal agencies and received forgiven PPP loans. With the help of our Transportation Committee advocacy, ACECL held meetings with Congressman Garret Graves and Congressman Steve Scalise's office to discuss options for a congressional fix. See below links for overviews of the issue. ACECL will keep you posted as this issue moves forward.

Click here for fact sheet

Click here for an overview of issue and status report.

City of New Orleans held their Small Business Industry Day Teleconference Jan. 19. Click here for handout.

Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development announced plans to move forward with soliciting a developer for the I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge Public-Private Partnership (P3) Project in Lake Charles. Click here for more information.

Got Grit? - The GRIT ACT (Government Reform in Transportation Act) is close to being finalized. Bill author Rep. Jack McFarland has traveled the state explaining the bill to colleagues and generating support. LCFOR has secured a strategic policy, lobbying and communications team to push this across the finish line. The coalition includes over 100 organizations and businesses who are putting their resources and energy behind this effort. From Family Forum to LABI, this is an unprecedented effort. To join the effort, click here to join and contribute to LCFOR.

ACEC's Linda Darr recently sent a letter to President Biden's transition team that expresses ACEC's support for a robust infrastructure-based recovery agenda in 2021. According to Linda, "the new Administration will need to navigate an evenly divided Congress on all of these initiatives, but much of this agenda – particularly infrastructure – has a history of bipartisanship that gives us optimism for success." Click here for letter.

THANK YOU EVENT SPONSORS!

AECOM

CSRS, Inc.

Forte And Tablada, Inc.

HNTB Corporation

Meyer Engineers, Ltd.

Neel-Schaffer, Inc.

N-Y Associates, Inc.

Terracon Consultants, Inc.

Quality Engineering & Surveying, LLC

WSP USA

Brought to you by the following Associations:

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

February 5, 2021 - Board of Governors Meeting
February 11, 2021 - New Orleans Chapter Meeting
February 19, 2021 - ACECL HR Council Meeting
March 3 - 4, 2021 - Critical Issues Summit (VIRTUAL)
March 8, 2021 - Baton Rouge Chapter Meeting
March 11, 2021 - Transportation Committee Meeting

AFFILIATE SPOTLIGHT!

The mission of ACEC Life/Health Insurance Trust is to provide health care benefit solutions and services to support the business objectives of member firms and the health and wellbeing of the firms’ employees and families. Our vision is to establish consulting engineering as the healthiest industry in the U.S. To achieve this, we partner with top leaders in the health insurance and health benefits industry to deliver unmatched value to member firms.

For more information or a no-obligation quote, visit www.aceclifehealthtrust.com or call (844) 259-0325.

Galloway, Johnson, Tompkins, Burr and Smith represents a broad spectrum of clients including clients in the construction industry ranging from architects and engineers to general contractors and subs to land surveyors and vendors. The Galloway Law Firm prides itself in the knowledge of the intricate legal needs of construction clients and understanding the larger business interests of those who compete in the greater Louisiana construction industry.