Engineering Inc. - July/August 2003 - (Page 8)

L E G I S L AT I V E AC T I O N ACEC FIGHTS ANTI-OUTSOURCING BILL; SCORES MAJOR QBS, FLSA, AHP VICTORIES Highway Robbery Legislation Introduced this year, with reauthorization proposals moving in both the House ACEC is continuing to fight a bill introduced by Congresswoman and Senate. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick D-Mich. that will make it more diffi- T h e House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee cult for state DOTs to outsource engineering services. H.R. 1980 approved a four-year, $59 billion bill to reauthorize AIR-21. Titled forces state transportation agencies to conduct a cost-benefit analysis Flight 100 Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act H.R. 2115 , and comply with other flawed mandates before outsourcing engi- this bill would increase airport infrastructure funding from $3.4 bil- neering services for any federal-aid project exceeding $100,000. lion to $4.0 billion, and includes comprehensive environmental This legislation is lousy public policy and a clear attempt to stop streamlining provisions to speed aviation projects. outsourcing, says ACEC Transportation Committee Chairman The Senate approved a three-year, $43.5 billion measure called the Jerry Stump. He added that the bill is completely at odds with the Aviation Investment and Revitalization Vision Act AIR-V . Under current trend in government to maximize the use of private sector the bill S. 824 , funding for airports would grow from $3.4 billion expertise and innovation. to $3.6 billion. The bill also includes some streamlining compo- H.R.1980 was referred to the House Transportation and Infra- nents, particularly for projects at major airports. structure Committee, as well as the House Government Reform ACEC Scores Major QBS Victory Committee; however, Congresswoman Kilpatrick does not serve on The revisions to OMB's Circular A-76 regulations represent a signif- either committee. icant victory for ACEC, which has long argued that the old A-76 ACEC has been working very closely over the past year with the process awarded contracts on the basis of low price. members and staff of the Transportation and Infrastructure Com- As the Bush Administration pushes federal agencies to open func- mittee, and its Senate counterpart to educate them on the problems tions that are commercial in nature to competition from the private associated with this legislation. It is expected that a version of the sector, ACEC members can expect to see streamlined A-76 competi- Kilpatrick bill will be offered as an amendment when legislation to tions for engineering services listed in FedBizOpps. reauthorize TEA-21 comes up later in the year. The revised A-76 process provides the mechanism under which ACEC Efforts Help Derail Challenge to those competitions would take place. It advises federal agencies to FLSA Reform use QBS when undergoing an A-76 competition, and it directs them ACEC and its industry allies have defeated an amendment on the to consult with the Office of Federal Procurement Policy OFPP for floor of the House of Representatives that could have derailed the guidance. Council's efforts to reform and update the Fair Labor Standards Act Addressing ACEC concerns that agencies would continue to FLSA . ISSUE ON THE MOVE WHAT'S NEXT After an intensive lobbying on Capitol Hill by ACEC staff and a grassroots letter-writing campaign by ACEC members, the House Decision on reauthorization TEA-21 Reauthorization rejected 213-210 the anti-reform amendment offered by Rep. timing due July George Miller D-Calif. to the F.Y. '04 Labor Appropriations bill. ACEC has long advocated changes to the FLSA that would allow House bill passed; Senate AIR-21 Reauthorization member firms to more easily identify exempt and non-exempt action expected before August employees and in other ways to simplify compliance with the statute. In March, the Labor Department released proposed comprehen- Amendment fight Union Anti-Outsourcing Bill sive new FLSA regulations that include many ACEC-advocated expected during TEA-21 con- reforms. ACEC submitted comments on the regulations, both prais- sideration ing the changes and suggesting additional improvements. ACEC also is pursuing a FLSA reform bill in the Senate introduced by Sen. Regs survive House; Senate FLSA Reform Lindsey Graham R-S.C. . challenge looms AIR-21 Reauthorization Bills Moving; 2003 Passage Expected Ensure agency compliance QBS in A-76 with new guidelines Prospects remain bright for passage of legislation to reauthorize the Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century AIR-21 l August 2003 8 E N G I N E E R I N G INC. J u l y

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Engineering Inc. - July/August 2003

FROM ACEC TO YOU
MEMBERS ASK
NEWS & NOTES
LEGISLATIVE ACTION
INTERVIEW WITH JOHN BOEHNER (R-OHIO)
WHAT IS WHITE COLLAR?
ADDED BENEFITS
APWA AND ACEC SHARE MANY COMMON CONCERNS 21
MEMBERS ?DIG? BOSTON
UP NEXT: PHOENIX, ARIZONA
MEMBERS IN THE NEWS
ONE ON ONE

Engineering Inc. - July/August 2003