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I have very exciting news to tease, MBEXers.
We're just about ready to unveil a cleaner, more modern website experience that better reflects who we are today and how we serve the commercial construction industry across the Upper Midwest. (Don't worry; the Online Plan Room isn't changing or going anywhere 😉) For more than 100 years, MBEX has helped members exchange information, knowledge, and opportunity through trusted project information and meaningful industry relationships. Because we've always believed the real work of construction happens between people.
Watch for the official launch next week!
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Five Quick Things To Know & Do This Week:
1.) Twin Cities Golf Tournament - LAST CALL. If you'd like to claim an open sponsorship, please do so by 2:00pm **today** (Wednesday, June 10). Or, if you'd like to join us for lunch and/or dinner, register by noon on Friday (June 12).
2.) DBE Program - Over the past eight months, there have been several changes to the federal Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program as a result of an interim final rule published by USDOT on October 3, 2025. MnDOT has an update on actions being taken related to the federal DBE program in Minnesota.
3.) Healthy Job Gains - Nonresidential construction employment increased by 15,700 jobs in May, per an ABC press release shared on June 5. Nonresidential specialty trades added the most jobs (11,400), followed by heavy and civil engineering (2,600), and nonresidential building (1,700).
4.) Software Update - If you're running Bluebeam Revu 20 or older, mark July 31, 2026, on your calendar. This is the software's end-of-support date, meaning after that date, Bluebeam will stop testing Revu 20 against new Windows updates, and technical support will go away entirely. Whether that means upgrading before the deadline or pausing automatic Windows updates as a short-term workaround, the time to sort it out is now, not mid-project in August.
5.) #ContractorLife - The progress contractors see vs. what the client sees 👀😄
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Inside Issue No. 23:
• Come Sail Away: Lake Superior Harbor Cruise on July 15
• Key Findings: Contractors across the Ninth District share their current experiences in the Minneapolis Fed's Spring 2026 construction survey
• New Members: See who joined MBEX in May
• Labor & Employment: Seven essential items to review this month
• Upcoming Events: Online Plan Room Demo (6/18); 4th of July holiday (7/3 - MBEX closed); Reading Construction Documents online course (8/5 & 8/6); & Sporting Clays Scholarship Fundraiser (8/6)
• Five Headlines: Commercial and institutional planning both grew in May; Minnesota's current landscape and pending legislation for artificial intelligence in the workplace; How the BUILD America 250 Act will shape roadbuilding; World's first tower crane 3D printer in action; & DBIA releases expanded team agreement guidance
• Project of the Week: Proposals sought for $50M renovation of former Bell Museum in Minneapolis
• Industry Event: Federal Transportation Reauthorization Workshop - Monday, June 22 - In Person at Northern Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters (St. Paul) - Presented by The Minnesota Transportation Alliance
• Project Download: Updated project information for the week of June 3-9
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Come for the Views, Stay for the Connections
Join us in July for our Lake Superior Harbor Cruise
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Ahoy, MBEXers! On July 15, we're hosting our annual summer Lake Superior Harbor Cruise in Duluth, and all members are welcome to come aboard fellow member Jeff Foster's vessel.
It's important to know that registration is limited to the first 150 people who sign up, so don't miss the boat. Literally and figuratively 😎
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Date: Wednesday, July 15
Time: Boarding begins at 5:00pm | Depart at 5:45pm | Return to dock no later than 9:00pm
Location: For Parking and Boarding - Pier B Resort (800 West Railroad Street, Duluth, Minn., 55802)
Cost: Free for members!
Sponsor: Help support the event by making a 'Member of the Exchange' donation during registration
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If you're a commercial contractor in the Duluth area and surrounding regions, this is a prime event for you to attend. Building relationships and making connections before you need them at events like this is a critical skill every contractor needs, no matter what stage of their career.
Or, perhaps you've been meaning to get more involved with MBEX. This event is the easiest on-ramp you'll find.
Not only does registration permit you to come aboard, but it also includes dinner and drinks.
No agendas, no presentations. Just great people, great views, hopefully nice weather (Duluth's weather can be quite temperamental), and a genuine opportunity to connect.
While an exclusive event, members are welcome to bring families and coworkers along as guests. (However, as much as we love our families, this event is not suitable for children ages 11 and under.)
See you out on the water!
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What the Fed is Hearing from Ninth District Contractors
Key findings from the Minneapolis Fed's Spring Construction Survey
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Last Friday, the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis held a webinar presenting the results of its Spring 2026 construction survey.
Here's what Ninth District contractors are saying about current conditions in the commercial construction sector, and what it means for your business.
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↕️ The Headline: Activity is Down, But Not Evenly
The survey, which drew 204 responses primarily from commercial and residential builders with $2-million or more in annual revenue, paints a picture of a market under real pressure.
Across the Ninth District, 54% of firms reported decreased activity over the November 2025 - April 2026 period, compared to just 23% reporting increases. That gap widened year-over-year; companies reporting declines rose two percentage points while those reporting increases fell four. If that matches what you've been feeling on the ground, you're not imagining it.
That said, the picture isn't uniform. Residential and commercial construction are bearing the brunt of the slowdown, while industrial and infrastructure sectors are holding up comparatively well. North Dakota is the one clear bright spot geographically, driven by statewide infrastructure investment and AI data center activity. Every other Ninth District state, including Minnesota, showed year-over-year declines.
🌟 Size Matters More Than Usual Right Now
One of the more striking findings: firm size is increasingly determining who's winning. Smaller and mid-sized companies (those under $10-million in annual revenue) are experiencing the sharpest pressure.
Meanwhile, companies over $50-million are actually reporting significant increases in activity. Part of what's driving that gap is larger contractors moving downstream and competing for projects that have traditionally belonged to smaller firms. That dynamic is worth watching closely if you're in that mid-market space.
🥊 The Top Challenges Sound Familiar
Survey respondents ranked their most pressing challenges, and the results won't surprise most MBEX members.
Competition for available projects came in at number one. Clients are delaying or abandoning investments, and the projects that do exist are drawing more competition. Number two was labor availability, which remains a persistent regional struggle and actually held relatively flat compared to the Fall 2025 survey (meaning it hasn't gotten worse, but it hasn't gotten better either).
Rounding out the top challenges were state and local regulatory pressures (paid family leave in Minnesota was specifically called out as complicating scheduling) and rising input costs driven by tariffs and geopolitical uncertainty, including oil price volatility affecting fuel, PVC, and plastic-based materials.
One phrase that came up: contractors described a "stop-and-go attitude" from clients' projects starting and then pausing as uncertainty causes owners to rethink their investments. That hesitation is showing up in backlogs, RFP volume, and revenue across the board.
📏 The Margin Squeeze is Real
Input costs are rising faster than final prices, meaning many contractors are absorbing cost increases rather than passing them through to clients. Non-labor input prices increased 1% - 10% for most respondents, while final prices showed a mixed picture. A small share of companies even lowered their final prices to stay competitive.
With backlog pressure continuing and non-labor input costs expected to keep outpacing final prices, margin compression isn't going away anytime soon.
⚠️ Cautious Optimism for the Second Half
The outlook for May - October 2026 is modestly better than current conditions, but the bar is low, and net pessimism actually increased from the Fall 2025 survey. Many firms in the "remain similar" camp are companies that are already experiencing declines, so that stabilization isn't quite as reassuring as it sounds on paper.
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This data reflects what many are already living. Competition is fierce, clients are hesitant, costs are up, and the projects that are moving tend to favor larger firms and infrastructure-heavy work. The bright spots (industrial, infrastructure, data centers) are real, but they're not evenly distributed.
If you're looking for ways to get ahead of the curve, MBEX has tools you can put to work right now:
• Check the Online Plan Room: When project volume tightens, being first to the table on new opportunities matters. Our Online Plan Room is updated regularly with commercial construction projects across the five-state region; it's one of the fastest ways to keep your pipeline from going dry. Log in at www.mbex.org and see what's out in your market.
• Show Up to a Networking Event: The survey data makes clear that larger contractors are moving into territory traditionally held by smaller firms. One of the best counters to that pressure is relationships with GCs, owners, subcontractors, and peers who can send work your way or bring you onto a team. With the Twin Cities Golf Tournament next week and the Lake Superior Harbor Cruise on July 15, these are easy opportunities to get in front of the right people.
• Tap Into Your Fellow Members: The MBEX membership directory is a resource that doesn't get used nearly enough. Whether you're looking for a reliable sub in a trade you don't self-perform, a supplier relationship, or just a peer who's been through what you're navigating right now, the answers are often already inside this network. Log in to the Plan Room and get started by visiting the 'Research' tab (then click 'Buyers Guide'). You can also access the membership directory here.
| | | The Minneapolis Fed will be sharing a recording of this webinar, as well as presentation slides from their June 5th presentation, in the near future. We will be sure to offer this resource to MBEX members when it becomes available. | | |
Meet MBEX's Newest Members
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May brought us 10 new member companies, and in a market where the right connections can make all the difference, every new face in the network counts.
Whether they're here to find new project leads, build out their subcontractor relationships, or simply get more plugged into the Midwest construction community, these members are joining at a moment when the MBEX network has never been more valuable.
Help us give a warm MBEX welcome to the latest companies to join:
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Seven Essential Workplace Items to Review This Month
The Latest Labor & Employment Law Updates
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Here at MBEX, we aim to help our members stay ahead of the changes shaping our industry, including the labor and employment rule updates released by the current administration.
With rules changing quickly (and sometimes without much warning), staying compliant takes a bit of planning and a good heads-up on what actually matters.
Below is a quick rundown of key developments that took place in May and are rolling into June, as well as resources to learn more.
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1.) Catch Up on the DOL's Overtime Rule Rescission
The Department of Labor (DOL) has formally wiped the Biden-era overtime rule from its regulations, cementing the $35K salary threshold put in place in 2019.
Here's what you need to know about the May 14 amendment and what it means for your business.
2.) Keep an Eye on Proposed Changes to First Union Contract Timelines
A bipartisan bill that would impose strict federal timelines and mandatory binding arbitration on first union contract negotiations is now on a fast track to becoming law.
Here's what you need to know about the Faster Labor Contracts Act and what it could mean for your labor relations strategy. (Tuesday night, the House of Representatives approved the FLCA, and it now heads to the Senate.)
3.) Managing an Aging Workforce & Key Compliance Considerations
Workers 55 and older are now the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. labor force, which raises important legal questions about accommodations, benefits, and age discrimination.
Here's a practical look at four key compliance considerations to have on your radar.
4.) Prepare for Potentially Big Changes from the EEOC
As employers wait for the EEO-1 reporting portal to open this year, the current administration sent a proposal to the White House on May 14, aiming to end the requirement altogether. Here's what is known so far, as well as five steps you should take while the process plays out.
Additionally, on May 27, the agency took initial steps to end a safe harbor for employers with voluntary affirmative action plans.
5.) Reduce Your Website Privacy Liability Risk & Prepare for Upcoming Google Changes
Seven recent court decisions in California offer a clearer picture of liability risks for businesses. Here's a roundup of what these decisions mean for your website's privacy liability, plus what your business needs to do to protect itself.
You should also be aware of significant changes Google is making to Analytics and Ads on June 15 that may require you to update your configurations, privacy notice, and cookie management platform. Here's what your business should do before June 15.
6.) Stay Current on Evolving Immigration Developments
Several significant changes from federal immigration officials could have a huge impact on employers and their foreign national employees using temporary work visas.
USCIS released a policy memo on May 22 stating that foreign nationals who are in the U.S. temporarily and want to pursue a Green Card will need to return to their home country to apply, except in "extraordinary circumstances."
Here's a breakdown of seven key impacts and a five-step action plan.
7.) A Resource for Combating AI Use in Pro Se Litigation
Pro se litigants (individuals who represent themselves in court without a lawyer) are increasingly using GenAI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini, or CoPilot to file and maintain lawsuits against their employers, and corporate counsel and defense attorneys need new tools to fight back.
Here's a collection of rulings from the past few months where courts have given relief to defendants against these ChatGPT plaintiffs, laying out a blueprint that can be used.
| | | The information provided here is intended for general informational purposes only. It should not be considered as legal advice. MBEX strongly recommends consulting with an attorney or legal advisor before taking any actions based on its content. | | | |
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 16 - Twin Cities Golf Tournament
Teams are sold out, but a variety of sponsorship opportunities are still available in case you missed booking a tee time. Members can also join in on the day's activities by joining us for lunch and/or dinner. Register
June 18 - 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. Register
July 3 - 4th 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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Five construction-related headlines you need to read over the next coffee break.
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PROJECT PULSE
🏢 Dodge Momentum Index Grows 6% in May
Over the month, commercial planning expanded 6.9%, and institutional planning momentum grew 3.1%. Planning activity for traditional office buildings, data centers, and retail stores improved, while warehouse, hotel, and parking garage planning slowed down. On the institutional side, healthcare planning continued to accelerate in May, alongside government and religious building activity. Meanwhile, educational and recreational building momentum slowed down. (Dodge Construction Network)
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE | MINNESOTA
⚖️ Artificial Intelligence in the Minnesota Workplace: Current Landscape, Present Realities & Pending Legislation
Artificial intelligence has moved well beyond hypothetical theory and into the operational fabric of Minnesota's business community. According to data published by the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, approximately 20% of Minnesota businesses reported integrating artificial intelligence into at least one business function in the early months of 2026. The employment implications of the AI adoption wave remain, at least for the moment, relatively modest. How AI adoption progresses is a question Minnesota's legislature has begun to address with deliberate urgency. (The Work Week with Bassford Remele)
ASPHALT | POLICY MATTERS
🛣️ How the BUILD America 250 Act Shapes Roadbuilding
It is the end of one era, and the beginning of a new one. The time of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) is now officially over, as the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (T&I) finally released the text of its new surface transportation bill, currently referred to as BUILD America 250, celebrating the two-hundred-fiftieth anniversary of America's founding. IIJA's wind-down is set to take place on September 30, 2026, and, with Congressional mid-term campaigns kicking into high gear soon, the industry is anxious-but-hopeful for a new bipartisan deal. (For Construction Pros)
3D PRINTING | CONTECH
🏗️ World's First Tower Crane 3D Printer Can Build Concrete High-Rises
The world's first tower crane 3D construction printer has been unveiled, and it can engineer buildings up to 328-feet-tall. The Ascend tower crane 3D construction printer was developed by Luyten, an Australian robotics and 3D printers company. It aims to support faster and more efficient construction of high-rise structures, multi-story buildings, infrastructure, and advanced automation. It tackles several challenges, such as labor shortages, rising housing demand, productivity pressures, and material waste, and it integrates tower crane architecture with robotic concrete printing, AI, and digital construction workflows. (Interesting Engineering)
CODES & STANDARDS | DESIGN-BUILD
🚨 DBIA Bolsters Building Team Agreement Guidance with Updated Document
The Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) recently released "Design-Build Teaming Agreements: A Design-Build Done Right Deeper Dive," an expanded resource that builds on DBIA's existing team agreement guidance. Including updated recommendations, practical tools, and real-world considerations for increasingly complex design-build pursuits, this publication is for design-builders, designers, trade partners, and owners. Checklists and alignment tools help teams structure stronger, more effective teaming relationships. (Building Design + Construction)
| | U of M Plans $50M Renovation of Former Bell Museum | | |
Read more on Finance & Commerce
The University of Minnesota is seeking design proposals for a $50-million renovation of the former Bell Museum building located at 10 Church Street.
Designed by Clarence H. Johnston Jr., the Church Street building currently hosts some student groups, offices, and graduate work. But despite its Art Deco charm and high-profile location along University Avenue, the structure has been "mostly unused" since the new Bell Museum opened in Falcon Heights in 2018.
That could change soon, as the U of M pushes ahead with plans for what it calls a "vital reimagination" of the 86,000-square-foot building. University officials are seeking design proposals for the project, which includes extensive interior, exterior, and infrastructure improvements.
The project will touch all levels of the building. Work scopes include "full renovation of mechanical and electrical systems, elevator replacements and/or modifications, building system controls, and fire protection modifications," according to the RFP.
Also planned are "window and entry replacements, masonry restoration/cleaning, roofing replacement with review of solar-readiness, accessibility upgrades, exploration of additional daylight in old diorama museum spaces, hazardous materials abatement, new finishes, lighting, full renovation and addition of restrooms, review of the building envelope, accessibility upgrades, and full demolition of built spaces yet salvaging some of the original interior elements as determined through design."
The RFP reveals that the project will be designed to follow the Minnesota B3 Guidelines for sustainable design. Energy modeling will be included at each design phase, and the design team will also perform a net-zero analysis.
Proposals for design services are due June 18. The plan is to complete the project by the Spring 2030 semester, though it could wrap up as soon as Fall 2029.
Track this Project in the Online Plan Room:
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Project ID: 2026-0BD1
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Title: 10 Church Street Repurposing (Former Bell Museum) University of Minnesota
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Phase: Prebid - No A/E
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Category: Educational
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Type: Improvements
| | ABOVE PHOTO: The former Bell Museum building at 10 Church Street in Minneapolis. | |
Federal Transportation Reauthorization Workshop
Presented by The Minnesota Transportation Alliance
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DATE: Monday, June 22
TIME: 9:00am - 5:00pm
LOCATION:
• Carpenters Union Hall - South Hall
• 710 Olive Street, St. Paul, Minn., 55130
COST: $70 - member registration | $80 non-member pricing
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The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) is set to expire at the end of September. What comes next will have a major impact on Minnesota's transportation system.
Join the MTA for an important discussion with members of Minnesota's Congressional Delegation and transportation experts as we learn more about what is happening in Washington D.C., and mobilize for a push this fall for Congress to enact a new five-year surface transportation authorization act that works for Minnesota.
SCHEDULE
• 8:30am - Registration
• 9:00am - Overview of IIJA / Minnesota Impact (overall funding impact on transportation system & discretionary grants for Minnesota)
• 9:30am - House BUILD America 250 Act Reauthorization (funding & permitting reform)
• 10:30am - View from Washington D.C. (congressional members & staff)
• 12:00pm - Lunch
• 12:30pm - Advocacy: Why It Matters / What You Can do (2026 Minnesota ASCE Report Card update)
• 1:00pm - Water Infrastructure Funding
• 2:00pm - Concluding Remarks
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• Total Projects Received at MBEX from 6/1/2026 - 6/5/2026: 96
• Total Project Leads Reported on at MBEX from 6/1/2026 - 6/5/2026: 12
• Total Active Projects Received / Reported on at MBEX as of 6/9/2026: 375
• Total 2026 Projects posted to the Online Plan Room as of 6/9/2026: 3,089
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Click the button above to view the most recent project data from 6/3/2026 - 6/9/2026.
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 16 - Twin Cities Golf Tournament
• 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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