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Top Leads
| Green Building Initiatives Gain Ground in Next Round of Jobs Proposals |
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| Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) introduced the Building STAR Energy Efficiency Rebate Act of 2010, which would provide Treasury Department rebates to multifamily and commercial building owners that invest in substantial energy retrofits. The Rebuilding America Coalition's Building STAR program is being pressed for inclusion in several of the jobs bills that are moving forward. Also on the table are the Water Efficiency and Conservation Investment Act, which would provide tax incentives for installation of WaterSense approved plumbing fixtures, and the Fire Sprinkler Incentive Act, which would provide an accelerated and/or bonus depreciation for fire sprinkler retrofits in multifamily and commercial buildings. |
| MCAA Presses Congress for More Job Stimulus |
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| As the first session of the 111th Congress winds down, the debate rages on over what to do with the unspent or paid-back TARP funds. The construction industry, with unemployment over 19%, is solidly behind bringing another round of job stimulus to the beleaguered employment ranks and markets. MCAA and the Rebuilding America Coalition are working with the Commercial Building Tax Deduction Coalition to raise the 2005 Energy Policy Act tax deduction for energy efficient commercial building retrofits and new construction to $3.00 per square foot, up from $1.80, to spur energy efficiency, building inventory performance and high-tech job creation. Residential incentives are in that proposal too (H.R. 4226, Expanding Building Efficiency Incentives Act of 2009; S. 1637 in the Senate). Green school construction and energy retrofits are back on the table, a reprise of efforts to include this important sector of the nation's public infrastructure in the jobs measure, adding energy security and student achievements to the jobs gain. We also continue to press for repeal of the 3% withholding tax looming for public contracts in 2012. The administrative savings gained in repeal can be better invested in projects that lead to private sector construction jobs. Information Request: As we gear up to lobby for the second stimulus bill, MCAA and our Rebuilding America Coalition partners are preparing a survey of economic stimulus projects that have spurred activity in our markets. MCAA members or local affiliates, please send a brief digest of any examples of stimulus-funded projects that have brought substantial work in your area to jmcnerney@mcaa.org. |
| VA Program Benefits Veteran-Owned Businesses |
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| Labor Department Issues Notice of Green Jobs Training Grants Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act |
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On June 24th, the Labor Department issued notices of grant funding opportunities under the stimulus funding bill in the Federal Register 74 Fed. Reg. 30152 (24 June 2009). The notice explained the grant procedures, targeted populations and procedure and applications necessary to qualify. A Webinar for prospective applicants was held on July 13. A recording of this webinar is available on www.workforce3one.org. For additional information, go to: www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/a090624c.html and MCAA's Stimulus Action Center at www.mcaa.org/stimulus. MCAA has participated in a task force at the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans to produce a one-day seminar on the grant application process for Joint Apprenticeship Training Centers (JATC) that are interested in qualifying for the grants. The program is scheduled for August 5, 2009, at the Wyndham O'Hare Hotel in Rosemont, IL. MCAA has participated in a task force at the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans to produce a one-day seminar on the grant application process for Joint Apprenticeship Training Centers (JATC) that are interested in qualifying for the grants. The program took place August 5, 2009, at the Wyndham O'Hare Hotel in Rosemont, IL. For more information on the grants, go to: www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/a090624c.html
Information is also available at www.doleta.gov, www.doleta.gov/grants and www.doleta.gov/recovery (DoL, Training and Employment Notice, No. 44-08, May 15, 2009). |
| GSA Outlines Plans for Stimulus Spending |
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| A presentation by the U.S. General Services Administration outlining its plans for facility construction and renovations with funding provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009-the stimulus spending package-was released recently. The purpose of this program is to "create and save jobs, increase domestic renewable energy capacity, invest in infrastructure with long-term economic benefits, stabilize state and local government budgets and assist those most impacted by the recession." GSA proposes four types of projects: new construction, full and partial building modernizations; limited scope projects; and small projects. Plans call for the transformation of federal buildings into high-performance green buildings at a cost of $4.3 billion. Full and partial building modernizations are expected to use $3.2 billion in federal stimulus funds, limited scope projects (i.e., installation of photovoltaic and wind energy systems, green roofs, energy-efficient lighting, advanced metering) will get $807 million in funds and small projects will use $299 million. Download GSA Slide Presentation in Microsoft PowerPoint format. Also see www.recovery.gov for more information. |
| Federal Projects of Interest to Mechanical Contractors |
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For ready-to-go Recovery and Reinvestment Act Opportunities, go to FedBizOpps.Gov and click the red "Search Recovery Opportunities" bar on the right side of the page. The database offers the chance to search by keyword to find recovery projects in your company's areas of expertise. |
| GSA Releases List of Recovery Act Building Projects |
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GSA has detailed how it will spend the $5.55 billion authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act ("Recovery Act"), including measures necessary to convert Federal buildings into high-performance green buildings, renovate and construct Federal buildings and courthouses, and renovate and construct land ports of entry (LPOE). GSA plans to award $1 billion dollars in the first 120 days and they hope that all contracts will be awarded within the next two years. This is only the beginning of a long-term and ambitious effort by the GSA to make federal facilities carbon neutral by the year 2030. $4.5 billion of these projects constitute a first step in the effort to convert all federal buildings and facilities to high-performance green spaces. Download from the GSA website. MCAA has participated in ongoing efforts to shape the future of federal facilities as they move toward meeting their energy efficiency goals. For background, read the recent report Producing High Performance Federal Buildings from the High-Performance Building Congressional Caucus Coalition. |
| Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program |
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The Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program - Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants are being funded for the first time under the Recovery Act, so this is new money and new programs for states, local governments, and tribal authorities. Of special interest to our industry is $3.2 billion in state and local grant funding from the U.S Department of Energy for energy efficiency and conservation projects. This funding will support:
Each state, city or county must detail a strategy for the intended use of their funds. NOTE: As of May 11, 2009, the program application deadline for ALL applicants, including local, tribal, and state governments, was extended to June 25, 2009, 8:00:00 PM, Eastern Time. Contractors and local associations may want to reach out to state and local governments to make sure they are aware of these opportunities and their potential to support local programs that reduce energy use. For example, New York City and Seattle are developing plans to provide financing vehicles for energy improvements in existing buildings with seed money from the EECBG program. See what these cities are doing in this article from the New York Times. |
| Department of Defense | |
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| The Department of Defense has released plans for $2.3 billion of military construction and family housing construction projects. Additionally, DOD has released a project list of over 3,300 Facilities Sustainment, Restoration and Modernization (FSRM) projects with a total estimated cost of $3.4 billion. This represents about 80 percent of their proposed final funding, with additional projects to follow at a later date. | |
| Department of Veterans Affairs | |
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Department of Veterans Affairs has identified 956 projects totalling more than $1 billion including $400 million in energy-related projects. Highlights for MCAA members include:
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| National Park Service | |
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| The National Park Service has listed projects at parks throughout the United States. | |
Additional Information
- Financial Disclosure Requirements - Under interim federal regulations, all Federal stimulus-funded construction projects require prime contractor and first-tier subcontractors to comply with new financial disclosure rules. The contractor must report total compensation for the five most highly compensated officers of the company if the company received 1) 80% or more of its annual revenue in Federal awards; and 2) earned $25 million or more in annual gross revenue from Federal awards. The requirement in section 1512 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, was enacted originally in the Government Funding Transparency Act of 2008 included in the Defense Department appropriation bill in 2008. Quarterly reports are required on all stimulus-funded projects beginning with invoices submitted before June 30, 2009 with reports due no later than July 10, 2009, and quarterly thereafter. The reports must be submitted online over the Recovery.gov website, and will be open for public disclosure. The full Federal Acquisition Regulation (effective 3/31/09) can be found here. Comments on these interim regulations can be made prior to June 1, 2009.
- Buy America Requirements - On April 23 regulations were issued spelling out the Buy America requirements for public work funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Generally, iron, steel and manufactured goods to be used on a project must be American-made. The rules set out procedures for applying for an exception if compliance would increase overall project cost by more than 25%. For equipment, there is no requirement that a component part be made in the USA, only that the final manufacturing or assembly occur here. Further, construction tools and equipment not installed in the project are generally not required to be American sourced. To be sure that you are in compliance, check out the full text of the regulations here.
- Sustainability of Federal Facilities Past Performance and New Opportunities - Matt Gray, Federal Energy Management Program Federal Facilities Council - March 9, 2009
- The Sustainability of Federal Facilities: Past Performance and New Opportunities - Chris Tremper Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) U.S. Department of Energy March 9, 2009