ECA Industry Update
A VDVNA Review of the 2021 Revisions --
Wednesday, May 19, 2021
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
The Chicago & Cook County Chapter, NECA and the Northeastern Illinois Chapter, NECA are proud to present a seminar called, “A VDVNA Review of the 2021 Revisions” on Wednesday, May 19, 2021. The program will be be held at the Drake Oak Brook Hotel. The VDVNA Review is intended to be a summary of items an employer should know when securing a project and utilizing the VDVNA. Please click on the link for details regarding this complimentary program for all NECA members. Please visit the ECA website at: www.ecachicago.com to register. Use COMP Code: NECA MEMBER when registering.
NECA Virtual Basic Estimating Classes Available -
NECA Education has opened up two more virtual Basic Estimating classes! Classes will run June 16th to July 1st with morning and afternoon sessions.
Registration for all sessions are available here:


REMINDER

National Disease Emergency Response Agreement (NDERA)
Suspended Effective June 1, 2021
The National Disease Emergency Response Agreement (NDERA) was implemented on March 16, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

NECA CEO David Long and IBEW International President Lonnie Stephenson, issued a letter regarding the "Suspension" of the NDERA - the suspension is effective June 1, 2021.

If you have employees that have been laid-off with the "recall" provision and wish to have them back with your company please put in "calls" for them as soon as possible, but certainly prior to June 1. If the individual is not "recalled" by June 1 they will remain on the out of work list in their sequential spot.
NECA Chicago Student Chapter at IIT Submits Project for
Electrical Contracting Innovation Challenge!

The NECA Student Chapter at IIT submitted their final video and written
proposal for the Electri' International Student Challenge (or)
Electrical Contracting Innovation Challenge



The students will be notified by June 30th if they have made it to the final round, which takes place at the NECA Convention in Nashville this October.
NECA IIT Student Chapter wins IIT IPRO Competition!
The NECA IIT Student Chapter IPRO has won top finalist for the Illinois Institute of Technology "Innovation IPRO Day" for the Spring 2021 semester! The Top 5 IPRO groups out of 53 IPRO competing groups were selected. The judging criteria included problem identification and viable solution, feasibility, clarity, creativity, and quality of the project. 
The final Innovation Day will be virtual and held this Friday, May 14, 2021 where teams receive their awards and recognize the companies who contributed to their project, which included: Gurtz Electric Co., Jamerson and Bauwens Electrical Contractors, Inc., Continental Electrical Construction Company, and the ECA.  

Please click on the link for the two-minute video by the IPRO proposal team leader, which is to be shown to the University Community recognizing the NECA / ECA contractors and companies who helped the NECA IIT Student Chapter. The team’s submission is virtually the same video and proposal that was submitted to the 2021 NECA National / ELECTRI International Electrical Contracting Innovation Challenge (ECIC). Congratulations to the NECA IIT Student Chapter and Dr. Dan Tomal, Chapter advisor / IIT Facilitator. 

We also wish the NECA IIT Student Chapter the best of luck in the upcoming judging phase of the 2021 ECIC!
NECA Seeks Input on NECA 2021 Financial Benchmarker Report
NECA and the Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA) are teaming up again to develop the Financial Benchmarker report. The report provides an in-depth analysis of key financial data and provides an industry standard that can be used for change order negotiations, audits, claims, and more. Due to the pandemic, 2020 data is extremely important in determining the financial impact coronavirus had on the electrical contracting industry. NECA is asking members to complete a survey to provide valuable input in the development of the report. Linked below, the survey is confidential and should take less than 30 minutes to complete. Feedback is due no later than May 28.
In Case You Missed It: Jamerson & Bauwens Electrical Contractors featured on Built to Last TV
Built to Last is an Emmy Award winning TV Series on ABC Channel 7.
Season 7 airs every Sunday at Noon. Check it out for more episodes featuring Powering Chicago Contractors in the month of May!
Follow ECA Chicago on Social Media!
LinkedIn Public Page
NECA 2021 Project Excellence Awards: Submit Now!
NECA is accepting entries for the Project Excellence Awards (PEA) program. The submission deadline is May 30, 2021. For a timeline of the application process, program FAQs, 2020 submissions and award winners archive, and a gallery of all project submissions visit ProjectExcellenceAwards.com
ELECTRI Value Proposition Survey - Assistance Requested
In January 2021, the ELECTRI Council voted to fund research to help identify ELECTRI’s path going forward.  ELECTRI’s stated mission is to fund, coordinate, and monitor the EC industry’s most critical research. ELECTRI needs to know how they are doing on fulfilling their mission. In every area of our lives, we are in the midst of rapid change. Trillions of dollars will be spent over the coming decades transitioning energy, transportation, building, and industrial systems to a more sustainable, more resilient and more distributed configuration. Electrical contractors must be prepared to meet this demand -- or others will. This is our time and our turn to get it right. With so much on the line, we should be prepared to answer some tough questions. Your strong level of participation in this survey and your responses will ensure ELECTRI’s researchers can learn from as many of our EC member companies as possible.

Please click on the link for ELECTRI’s Value Proposition Survey.
In Case you Missed It...
Woman Working From Home Having Group Videoconference On Laptop
Webinar recordings available online for ECA Members!
If you missed a meeting or webinar by ECA, you can now log-in to the website and view the program you missed. Many recordings are now available, and more will be added daily from webinars held over the past year. Go to www.ecachicago.com and under the "Industry Resources" pull down menu, select "Member Education and Webinar Recordings". You will be prompted to log-in, and then you are free to browse webinar recordings you may have missed. Please contact ECA with questions (708)531-0022.
NECA Safety Professionals Conference - Now, VIRTUAL!
-May 25 - 26, 2021
The NECA NOW Conference registration is now open! Please click on the link below for more information / registration.

STIPEND AVAILABLE
As a reminder, The ECA Executive Committee approved the educational stipends of the Registration fees for up to two representatives of participating ECA member firms for the NECA Safety Professionals Conference on May 25 - 26, 2021. All stipends / reimbursements are made after each conference with registration confirmation(s) forwarded to ECA.
NECA Capitol Hill Update: WHAT NEW COVID-19 BILL MEANS FOR NECA CONTRACTORS
On Wednesday, the House passed the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1319 – the America Rescue Plan Act of 2021. This bill was passed through the budget reconciliation process and is the fifth COVID-19 relief bill passed by Congress since the start of the pandemic, last year. The bill authorizes $1.9 trillion on PRO Act. As a reminder, NECA remains neutral on the PRO Act. Read about the full provisions here and an update from NECA's Capitol Hill team.
COVID-19 RESOURCES FOR ECA MEMBERS:
Stay up to date on the latest changes for our Industry including news releases, legislation and Government mandates, workplace safety and preparation guidelines, OSHA alerts, and more that affect electrical contractors in Chicago and Cook County.
 
SAVE THE DATES


May 19, 2021
Union League Club of Chicago

May 27, 2021
Drake Oak Brook Hotel

June 9 - 10, 2021
The American Club - Kohler, WI

ECA Summer Social Event
August 13, 2021
Theater on the Lake, Chicago

ECA Golf Outing - NECA PAC Fundraiser
August 23, 2021
Olympia Fields Country Club