Engineering Inc. - March/April 2005 - (Page 9)

This proposal also retained a cap of $7 million in annual gross receives based on its contributions to the highway trust fund , which receipts. ACEC objected to the proposed standard, arguing that two would increase from the current 90.5 percent to 92 percent. separate size tests employees and gross receipts were not necessary While the chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works and would be burdensome for engineering firms. Committee, Senator Jim Inhofe R-Okla. , has not, at press time, The Council also cited flaws in SBA's proposed employee count, introduced his own reauthorization measure, he continues to advo- which would consider full- and part-time employees and interns cate a higher funding level for the next transportation program. In a equally. In light of these concerns, SBA withdrew the proposed stan- letter to the president prior to his budget submission, Inhofe was dard and committed to work with the Council in formulating a new joined by 23 Republican members of the committee supporting a proposal. funding level of $318 billion over six years. Since then, he has pub- SBA plans to hold a series of stakeholder meetings prior to licly said that the final package likely will be closer to $299 billion deciding its next course of action, and has invited comments by with $284 billion in guaranteed spending , adding: I am going to April 3. do what I can to get more [funding]. ACEC has established a task force of small, medium and large ACEC Responds to USDOT Inspector firm principals to address the size standard issue. The task force will General Audits respond to SBA's notice and continue to assist SBA as it moves toward a new proposed rule. ACEC has convened special task forces to review two pending U.S. Department of Transportation DOT Inspector General audits on ACEC Urges Quick Action on AHP Legislation errors/omissions policies and cost recovery procedures in selected states and executive compensation. ACEC and coalition allies are pushing House leaders to move legisla- The purpose of the audit on cost recovery procedures is to 1 tion early in the new session to make it easier for engineering firms review state DOT and Federal Highway Administration FHWA and other businesses to access affordable procedures for handling and recovering costs from errors and omis- h e a l t h insurance through Association sions; 2 determine how much funding has been recovered by state Health Plans AHPs . DOTs from errors and omissions; and 3 determine how much fed- In a letter from the Association Health eral funding has been returned to FHWA. The Inspector General's Plan Coalition, of which ACEC is a mem- office will make recommendations to FHWA on improving cost ber, House members who supported the recovery practices. Association Health Plan legislation in the The Inspector General also is conducting an audit on the accuracy last Congress are being urged to continue of overhead rates of design firms, with a particular focus on whether their support as the legislation is reintro- Rep. Nydia Velazquez the reasonableness of executive compensation conforms to the Fed- duced in 2005. Rep. John Boehner R-Ohio , chairman D-N.Y. eral Acquisition Regulations FAR . Special task forces have been created by ACEC to examine the IG of the House Education and Workforce findings and guide the association in responding to the audits. If Committee, Rep. Sam Johnson R-Texas necessary, these task forces also will work with FHWA on possible and Rep. Nydia Velazquez D-N.Y. intro- regulatory or policy changes. duced an AHP bill, H.R. 525, the Small ACEC also is briefing select congressional and agency officials to Business Health Fairness Act. Republican provide the industry's perspective on the audit process. leaders in the House have indicated plans to move the measure early in the session, Small Business Administration Revisiting Size w h e r e it is expected to receive strong, Standards; ACEC Task Force Assists bipartisan support. Senator Olympia Snowe R-Maine has On December 3, 2004, the Small Business Administration SBA introduced companion legislation in the announced its intention to revisit the issue of establishing new size Se n a t e S. 406 . While a more intense Rep. John Boehner standards for small businesses. The agency initially launched this fight is anticipated in the Senate, prospects R-Ohio effort in March 2004, but its proposed new standard ran into strong for passage have improved since last year opposition from ACEC and other organizations and was withdrawn. with the election of five new senators who have expressed their sup- Federal agencies use SBA standards to determine the eligibility of port for AHPs. firms for small business programs and federal set-aside contracts. Passage of this legislation will S B A's announcement launches the latest round of potential FOR MORE NEWS make it easier to offer low-cost changes to simplify the definition of small businesses within several h e a l t h insurance products to industries. For weekly legislative news, A C E C members, said Derrell Earlier this year, SBA published a proposed rule that would have visit ACEC's Last Word online Jo h n s o n , president of ACEC's converted the current engineering firm size standard of $4 million in at www.acec.org. Life/Health Trust. gross receipts or less to a new standard of 50 employees or fewer. 9 M a r c h l April 2005 ENGINEERING INC. http://www.acec.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Engineering Inc. - March/April 2005

Table of Contents
From ACEC To You
Ask Members
News & Notes
Market Watch
Legislative Action
COVER STORY: A Perfect Legal Storm
Interview With F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr.
Is There an Engineer in the House
The ABCs Of ESOPS
ACEC/PAC Donations Break All-Time Record
ACEC Roundtable
Members In the News
One on One

Engineering Inc. - March/April 2005