ECA Industry Update

2024 WIN+FL Leadership Conference - Atlanta, GA

February 5 - 7, 2024

The Women in NECA and Future Leaders (WIN+FL) Leadership Conference is a one-of-a-kind event with three full days of education, breakout sessions, and networking opportunities. With featured speakers, group discussions, and a focus on the most relevant issues in the industry, this conference promises to be an unforgettable experience.

Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to grow as a professional and be part of this community!

Save the Date

2024 National Legislative Conference - Washington, DC

May 6 - 8, 2024

Salamander Hotel:

Prominently placed along the Capital’s revitalized Southwest Waterfront, Salamander Washington, D.C. (formerly the Mandarin Oriental) offers five-star luxury, refreshed guestrooms, and extensive facilities in a serene picturesque setting. Just a short walk from the Nation’s most cherished monuments, the hotel is also close to a number of exciting restaurants and attractions in the new District Wharf neighborhood.

CLICK HERE for Additional Information.

Click Here for the NECAPAC Personal and

Operational Fund Forms

NECA National Virtual Classroom

Advanced Estimating Strategies Virtual Classroom:

Monday, December 18 - Friday, December 21, 2023 | 10:00 AM -1:00 PM ET

Registration Fee: $550.00

In this program, participants will discuss all the phases of the estimating process. This course covers the various aspects of preparing and submitting a competitive bid. Key topics include identifying desirable bid opportunities, analyzing the company's capabilities to ensure profitable results, the estimator’s role at various stages of the project, writing an effective scope letter, and identifying often hidden costs in the bid documents.

Class Schedule

Monday, December 18, 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM ET - Session 1: Introductions, Course Overview, and Identifying desirable opportunities.
Tuesday, December 19, 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM ET - Session 2: Considerations when bidding on projects, cost components of the estimate, and labor productivity
Wednesday, December 20, 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM ET- Session 3: Pre-bid meetings, scope letters, and costs summary
Thursday, December 21, 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM ET Session 4: Overhead vs. profit, markup vs. margin, and post-bid responsibilities

NII 2024 Recruiting

The NECA Innovation Institute is actively building its 2024 – 2025 cohorts. Please refer to the attached information, program highlights, and interest form. We’re launching two cohorts in 2024 and would love to include your rising leaders in the mix.

Each cohort includes 10 innovative pioneers and is populated through a rolling admissions process. Our focus remains firmly on constructing diverse cohorts encompassing many backgrounds, leadership levels, industry experience, regions, company size, and services provided. All participants proudly represent NECA contractors and are devoted champions of our community.

The program's annual cost is $6,000, with every dollar channeled directly into delivering top-notch resources and experiences for each Institute candidate. This encompasses course materials, access to expert instructors, and full registration for two NECA Conventions.

Please reach out to innovation@necanet.org with any questions. The 2024 cohorts are filling up swiftly, and we’d love to have your organization represented in the Innovation Institute family.

NII Nomination Form and Brochure

Midwest Regional Conference

March 11 - 14, 2024

Mark your calendars for next year’s Regional Conference in the Bahamas! Midwest Region NECA is planning an exciting event and hope to see everyone there for great education, networking, and fun activities.

Passports are required, so make sure yours is up to date!

Please Note:

Midwest Region NECA invites Council Members and their spouses to attend the Vice President's reception on March 10, a day before the conference begins. Council members, please take this into consideration when making travel plans.

At the end of the registration process, you can link directly to the hotel’s website to reserve your hotel room at the Atlantis Resort.

Room rates are as follows:

The Royal Tower Run of House - $399 (Single & Double Rate)
The Royal Tower Run of House - $449 (Triple Rate)
The Royal Tower Run of House - $499 (Quad Rate)

The last day to book housing is February 9, 2024.

CEAEF Scholarship Applications Will be Accepted Through January 8, 2024.

The Chicagoland Electric Association Education Foundation is pleased to share the application period for the following seven academic scholarships:

· Electric Association Scholarship ($2500)
· The Kinander Family Scholarship ($2500)
· The Steiner Kerman Education Foundation Scholarship ($2500)
· The Joseph J. Archibald Jr. Memorial Scholarship ($2500)
· The Rosenstein Family Scholarship ($2500)
· The Anixter Family Scholarships (2 @ $2500)

Download the criteria and application to submit by January 8, 2024.

Electric Association members and their lineal descendants are eligible to apply. Please carefully review the scholarship criteria for complete details, deadlines, and a checklist of items to be included in each application.

If you have any questions regarding the scholarship program, please email: anovinger@eachicago.org.

Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention

It is an unfortunate fact that construction has the highest rate of suicide of any industry in America. We lose about 53 out of every 100,000 members of our industry EVERY YEAR to suicide. We are four times the average of other industries. We have a crisis in construction and we need to do something about it. You can visit the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention website and learn more. We urge all to take the pledge to STAND UP for suicide prevention and address it as a health and safety priority.

CLICK HERE FOR A "Stand Up for Suicide Prevention" Information Sheet.

NECA Emerge 2024: April 15-17, 2024

Las Vegas, NV

This groundbreaking conference consolidates specialized contractor areas and key business trends, streamlining efficiency and travel for NECA contractors and stakeholders. NECA EMERGE 2024 unites several industry-favorite meetings -- including Service & Maintenance and, Business Development, and low voltage and systems integration disciplines from the NECA-BICSI Summit -- merging them into one power-packed three-day conference.

Attendees can customize their experience, choosing from diverse tracks that include Service & Maintenance, Green Energy Initiatives, Low Voltage & Systems Integration, Business Development, Emerging Opportunities, and more! Get ready for a NECA event like no other and emerge prepared to take on new opportunities!

Click on the video below to learn more!

Now Available: 2023 Financial Benchmarker Report

The highly anticipated 2023 Financial Benchmarker Report is now available! This is a detailed publication providing a comprehensible analysis of key financial data within the electrical construction industry. The Report allows contractors and financial professionals to evaluate their company’s performance and report on how it compares with the industry in regard to key ratios and interpretive commentary on liquidity, profitability, leverage, and efficiency.

Additional benefits include:

Ability to see if your company outperforms, performs in line with, or falls short of industry financial averages
Aid you in taking a deeper look into your operations to identify under-performing segments
Guide you through audits, claims, change order negotiations and more
Help you determine cause of changes in ratios overtime
Ability to compare benchmarks as an indication of industry competition

Purchase Now

Please contact education@necanet.org with any questions!

2024 MEP Innovation Conference (Jan. 29 - 31, 2024)

Registration is Open!

Once again, NECA, MCAA, and SMACNA have partnered together to host the 2024 MEP Innovation Conference. Immerse yourself in educational sessions, collaborative roundtable discussions, and hands-on exhibitor demonstrations that spotlight cutting-edge technologies that can improve NECA contractor productivity and profitability. Register now to network with peers from multiple trades across the country and to learn about industry advancements and the future of the MEP trades, January 29-31 in Orlando, Florida.

CLICK HERE FOR REGISTRATION INFORMATION

CLICK HERE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Document Crunch

Contractors who sign up for the service will have exclusive access to an ELECTRI-specific solution through Document Crunch’s innovative platform.

Watch Demo Video

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Satyam Verma at sverma@documentcrunch.com.

Click for NECA Alert (7/19/23)

Click for NECA This Week (12/12/23)

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NECA Education / NECA Labor Relations Offer New Program,

"Union Relations for Project Managers."

NECA Education / NECA Labor Relations are excited to announce a new course in the NECA Learning Center: Union Relations for Project Managers.

The two teams worked in collaboration to produce a 30 minute on-demand class which helps:

Explain the importance of understanding the local Collective Bargaining Agreement
Identify Category I language to determine what provisions will vary between locals
Describe the important provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement
Summarize the PMs role and interactions with the union
Describe your company's policies and practices
Explain the importance of the superintendent and foreman in the union relationship
Identify the impact union relations will have on a job

This course is designed to provide foundational knowledge for new Project Managers and/or members of your company who will interact with union represented employees or union officials. To register for this course, click the link below.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

NECA Government Affairs

Update (12/4/23) --

Please click the link for a recent update from NECA Government Affairs.

If you have any questions regarding the update, please reach out to NECA Government Affairs to: Hadlea Bender, Specialist at: (713) 870-8619 / Jared Karbowsky, Director, Government Affairs, National Electrical Contractors Association at: 443-975-2932

Federal Government Open Grants/Funding Announcements

Compiled by NECA Government Affairs:

Please click the link for the latest funding announcements and regulations the Federal Government has posted.

Click Here for Update - 11/27/23

ELECTRI Updates

GET READY…GET SET – ELECTRI’s 2024 Competition for NECA Student Chapters is here. For the new Electrical Contracting Innovation Challenge, each student team and faculty advisor will deliver a proposal containing various BIM tasks for the Trimble Phase 2 project. Each team and faculty advisor will work with their local NECA chapter and contractors to deliver a proposal containing various building information modeling (BIM) tasks related to layout and coordination of various electrical systems. They will use the same computer software that industry leaders use and will tackle various challenges that BIM engineers face when completing a project. The 2024 ECIC Registration opens January 1 and interested NECA Student Chapters must confirm their intent by February 13, 2024. Proposals are due May 3^rd. An ELECTRI jury will select the finalists in July/August and the top teams will make oral presentations on September 28^th at the NECA Convention in San Diego. Click here to learn about the ECIC and to download the full ECIC Rules and Regulations.

CAN WE TALK? - ELECTRI is asking you to help our researcher, Anthony Sparkling, advance the Workforce Research Study, “Addressing a Changing Trade Workforce: Strategies for Electrical Contractors. A statement explaining the nature of your conversation with Anthony can be found here – IRB#2023-1634. Once you review the information, please consider booking a conversation with him using the following link Workforce Study – Interview Booking Link. ELECTRI relies upon your involvement and expertise in order to gain valuable insights on our changing workforce. Your participation is greatly appreciated.

THEY CAME FROM ACROSS MARYLAND – ELECTRI, the Maryland Chapter NECA, and IBEW Local 24 hosted Industry Connect in Baltimore, MD. The event brought together more than 50 high school students from throughout the state, educators, contractors, and local government officials. In celebration of National Apprenticeship Week, this Industry Connect was held on November 17. Students participated in multiple stations, gaining hands-on experience with Trimble X7 Scanners, the XR10 Hololens, and Robotic Total Stations. They also experienced virtual reality training with Siemens and participated in the “Ask an Apprentice” station. Special thanks to BuildingPoint Northeast, Siemens, and Trimble for leading the interactive stations.

During the networking connection, U.S. Representative David Trone from Maryland’s 6^th District spoke with students about the importance of career exploration and planning. Jason Perkins-Cohen, from the Maryland Department of Labor, awarded the Maryland Chapter NECA and IBEW Local 24 a Proclamation from Maryland Governor Larry Hogan in recognition of their dedication to providing apprenticeship opportunities across the state’s construction industry.

Registration for ELECTRI’s January Meeting will open on November 1! The meeting will take place January 16-18 in Amelia Island, Florida and will feature a tour of Miller Electric in Jacksonville, along with lots of education sessions and networking. Mark your calendar for the other 2024 ELECTRI meetings:

· Summer Council Meeting: July 15 – 17, 2024 – Boston, MA

NECA Convention- September 28 – October 1, 2024 – San Diego, CA (ELECTRI Council meeting details TBD)

WHAT WE ALL LEARNED – Last week’s Council Room highlighted driving productivity and motivating the workforce. There were many excellent ideas and comments and you can watch it here and share it with your team.

THINKING AHEAD – ELECTRI has several key meetings each year. Here’s an advance notice for the places and dates for our 2024 Council meetings.

January 16 – 18, 2024 – Amelia Island, Florida

July 15 – 17, 2024 – Boston

September 28 – October 1, 2024 – NECA Convention, San Diego (ELECTRI Council meeting details TBD)

GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES - ELECTRI International has released its Future Infrastructure Growth assessment of the state-of-the-practice on emerging opportunities for the electric industry related to the ten-year $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). For ECs, the strongest opportunities within the IIJA are broadband, electric vehicles (EVs), and clean energy and power sectors. This ELECTRI report provides the EC community with an overview of the IIJA Act and areas closely related to their businesses, a survey, and structured interviews of electrical contractors. Researchers Anthony E. Sparkling, Ph.D., LEED AP BD+C and Kyubyung (Kyu) Kang, Ph.D. focused on understanding ECs’ perceptions of the IIJA, as well as identifying emerging business opportunities and threats to the industry. Download the full report (at no charge) at www.electri.org

NEVER TOO EARLY – Mark your calendar for the next ELECTRI Council meeting – January 16 – 18, 2024 on Amelia Island, Florida. The closest major airport is JAX – Jacksonville, FL, approximately 30 miles from Amelia Island. Registration for the Council meeting, activities, and hotel accommodations will open November 1^st. Watch for the link next week. For more information about Amelia Island, check out this official website.

OUR SINCERE THANKS – Research projects often require a significant number of survey responses in order to reach meaningful findings and conclusions. The response to ELECTRI’s requests for EC industry participation in the research survey process has been outstanding this year. We appreciate your interest in helping the industry by sharing your experiences and data.

All ELECTRI Council members: Help steer the future of Electrical Contracting (EC) research by joining one of our task forces. Each of our research projects is assigned a task force of industry experts to work with the researcher. Your expertise will shape valuable outcomes for the industry. Let's advance the EC landscape together!

Fair Outcomes for Electrical Contractors for Schedule Compression and Out of Sequence Work- Timothy Becker, ASU
Managing Rework with an Early Warning System, Proactive Remedies, and Proper Documentation - Hala Nassereddine, NCM Consulting
MEP Contractors and GCs: What is the Cost of Inexperience? - Amelia Celoza, University of Colorado Boulder

If you want to participate in one of these new projects, please contact Amanda Harbison at Amanda@electri.org .

The Council Room panel reviewed the updated Change Order Guidelines and their importance. Attendees shared their process for pricing change orders more effectively and ways to communicate the update to many more contractors across the country. Click here to watch the Council Room session. Click here to download the full Updated Change Order Guidelines report.

The official signing ceremony for ELECTRI’s Project Management Apprenticeship took place on November 14 at NECA’s HQ. The electrical construction industry now has a NECA/ELECTRI Project Management Apprenticeship program with standards approved by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) in July 2023. The new program was recognized in a signing ceremony in celebration of National Apprenticeship Week. Representation at the ceremony included NECA CEO David Long, Kellie Holland, Chair of the ELECTRI International Council, Megan Baird, Deputy Administrator, Office of Apprenticeship, Employment & Training Administration (ETA), U.S. Department of Labor, and Joelle Salerno with the Western PA NECA Chapter.

The DOL-approved guidelines can be used as a roadmap for NECA chapters to create their own Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) in their state. The structure of the program provides each PM apprentice with real-world experiences over a full year, requiring 2,000 on-the-job training hours and 180-300 related instruction hours online. NECA chapters are encouraged to learn more about the program by visiting ELECTRI.org. If you have questions about this program, please contact Anna.Jochim@electri.org.

This month’s ITea & Coffee session focused on Cyber Security Revisited. Participants, led by Matt Lamb, took a look at Simulated Phishing Campaigns and software on the market to facilitate cyber security. Click here to watch the recording.

ELECTRI’s Think Like a Leader conversation with Graybar’s Mike Carroll is available. Mike Carroll, Graybar’s Director of Business Development, is a strong advocate for the electrical construction industry. He recognizes that the two most important actions contributing to his success, and the success of his customers, is communications and being engaged every step of the way. Join us here for Mike’s Think Like a Leader conversation.

ELECTRI International Quick Links

ELECTRI Meetings ELECTRI Research Council Room Sessions Prefab 101 Videos ConTech & Coffee/ITea & Coffee Think Like A Leader