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June 2020 | Advertising for Certified Women, Veteran & Minority-Owned Subcontractors | 51st Edition

Diversity & Development Debut:

DFW Airport Unveils the New MWBE Program Tamela Lee, Vice President of Business Diversity and Development

16-17

INSIDE

26

Layle McKelvey joins Manhattan’s Houston office as Director of Industry Relations

30

12

Social distancing and site monitoring tech rapidly rolling out to US construction sites

Port Houston Achieves Security Management System ISO 28000 Recertification Continuing Long Commitment to Security

2 | June 2020

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PUBLISHER’S MESSAGE

Keith J. Davis, Sr. CERTIFIED:

HMSDC

The Subcontractors USA Texas Journal highlights opportunities and news relevant to the construction, energy, architecture, manufacturing, education, engineering, oil and gas, transportation and IT industries we serve. We hope you find this issue not only informative, but inspiring and educational as well.

This month’s issue highlights the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport’s new Minority/Women Business Enterprise Program. On July 1, DFW International Airport is debuting their newly revised MWBE Program, which transitioned from an SBE Program for Construction under $1 million and Goods and Services to all local pro-

Port of Houston

Metro

BEHIND THE JOURNAL

grams M/WBE. Businesses interested in doing business with the airport through the MWBE Program must be certified as a women or minority-owned business through the North Central Texas Regional Certification Agency, Women’s Business Council or DFW Minority Supplier Development Council. There is no personal net worth or size standard requirement.

As always, thank you for your continued support of Subcontractors USA Texas Journal. When you support us, you are supporting more than just our company; you are supporting the communities in which we live and work. Working together, we can succeed in making positive things happen.

“Diversity: the art of thinking independently together.”

—Malcolm Forbes

City of Houston

HISD

HUB

VBE

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CONTENTS

OUR SERVICES

PUBLISHER & CEO Keith J. Davis, Sr.

04 ARCHITECTURE 04 New leadership program for ethnically diverse women aims to open new doors 06 Will you be ready for construction-ready projects to begin?

ADVERTISING | MARKETING MEDIA | COMMUNICATION

COO & MANAGING EDITOR Kimberly Floyd

08 CONSTRUCTION 08 Construction Association Launches New Nationwide Program To Expand The Diversity Of The Industry By Making Job Sites More Inclusive 10 Contractors challenged by lack of labor, jobsite tension and delays 10 The City is Estimated to See a $9.3 Million Reduction in its Annual Electricity Bill and an Estimated Total Savings of $65 Million Over Seven Years

ACCOUNTING MANAGER Eugenie Doualla STAFF WRITER Carly Hammack ART DIRECTOR Angel Rosa PHOTOGRAPHY Grady Carter L.C. Poullard DISTRIBUTION Rockie Hayden CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Helen Callier Subcontractors USA News Provider

12 IT & TECHNOLOGY 12 Social distancing and site monitoring tech rapidly rolling out to US construction sites 12 Plus One Robotics Continues To Innovate At Port 14 LEGAL 14 Alternative Funding Options for Houston's Small Businesses 14 Office of Business Opportunity Collaborates with Law Firms to Provide Free Legal Advice to Small Businesses 16-17 COVER STORY 16-17 18 OIL AND GAS 18 ConocoPhillips focuses on its core job and values during COVID-19 18 Employment in Texas’ Upstream Oil and Natural Gas Activities Impacted

by Pandemic 20 Railroad Commission Launches Drone Program to Enhance Emergency Response 22 PERMITS 22 11 Tips To Prepare To Pull A Building Permit During Hurricane Season 24 SAFETY 24 Greater Houston Partnership: Cautions on Reopening of Office Spaces 24 Ten Steps All Workplaces Can Take to Reduce Risk of Exposure to Coronavirus

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26 SPOTLIGHT 26 Layle McKelvey joins Manhattan’s Houston office as Director of Industry Relations 30 TRANSPORTATION 30 George Bush Intercontinental Airport Ranks as Best U.S. Airport, Second-Best in North America at World Airport Awards 30 Port Houston Achieves Security Management System ISO 28000 Recertification Continuing Long Commitment to Security

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ARCHITECTURE

New leadership program for ethnically diverse women aims to open new doors

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

A

t AIA Conference 2018, eight resolutions were passed by the members in attendance. Among them was Resolution 18-3: Diversity Pipeline and National Representation, which emphasized the need to prepare more leaders among ethnically diverse women. It was adopted by an incredibly wide margin, but the question remained: what would such a pipeline look like? In early 2019, a task force of seven members came together to figure that out.

The task force was chaired by Gabrielle Bullock, FAIA, and co-chaired by Luke McCary, AIA. Their goal was simple and complex at the same time: develop recommendations for a leadership program aimed at supporting ethnically diverse women in their pursuit of local, state, or national leadership positions.

“What I wanted from the group was really to provide their own personal and professional insight on what a program for diverse women would look like,” Bullock said.

Currently, black and African American women make up 0.4% of the architects in the United States. Women in total only make up one-third of the profession. Bullock and her task force focused on data points like these to remind themselves that helping ethnically diverse women reach leadership roles could inspire students and emerging professionals to press forward, become architects themselves and strive for the same heights.

While developing their recommendations, all seven task force members adopted personas that mirrored women who might apply for this program in order to ensure that it is equitable for all. Those personas included a midlevel Latina

architect from Chicago who might not have the money to attend, along with the owner of a recently opened small firm who is looking to branch out into a more prominent leadership role. Unsurprisingly, all seven threw themselves into the exercise with vigor.

“Even though I knew we had chosen the right people,” Bullock said, “I was thoroughly amazed and pleased with how engaged they all were. Everyone did the heavy lifting.”

That heavy lifting led to a series of recommendations submitted to AIA leadership. They unanimously endorsed a one-year leadership preparation program for ethnically diverse women with at least five years of experience. Each cohort would be selected by a diverse jury panel, and participants would attend targeted national conferences, undergo assessments to identify their leadership strengths, and be asked to commit to a leadership residency of some sort – local, state, regional, or national – upon completion of the program.

Shannon Gathings, Assoc. AIA, was another member of the task force. As a member of AIA’s Strategic Council, she provided valuable insight into how an African American woman could pursue opportunities for leadership.

“I was asked,” she said. “My principal at Duvall Decker [Anne Marie Duvall Decker, FAIA] was pursuing leadership at AIA Mississippi. They had an opening for an associate director, and she asked if I would be interested.”

Gathings said yes, and eventually became president of AIA Mississippi herself. She credits Decker for making her feel safe and valued while also recognizing that many women won’t have a female firm leader who makes that sort of path so clear.

“There can be a lot of risk,” she said. “Will this take me away from my job? Will this add additional stress? Anne Marie encouraged me to communicate about what I needed to fit this into my work life, and we tried to embed that

into this program.”

The task force was realistic across the board, recognizing not only the challenges that many women face but the need for a smart, efficient program that would stand up to scrutiny by Institute leadership and membership.

“We paid careful attention to the budget,” Gathings said. “We didn’t want anything that could die on the vine.

We want this to be something that is sustainable and has visual, lasting impact.”

Gathings added that, once the program is implemented and proven to be successful, she’d love to see it replicated for another group that is not widely represented in firm and AIA leadership circles: ethnically diverse males.

“The lack of opportunity is a very complicated problem, because it’s at the intersection of race and gender, but it’s not the only problem,” she said.

Next up, AIA leadership and staff will begin the implementation process. Bullock is very confident that, once the recommendations are enacted, it will forever change the idea of “leadership” within AIA and beyond.

“I think, once this gets started, it’ll be a train that will be hard to stop,” she said. “This program will be unique, and hopefully one to be mirrored by other organizations and firms. I think it will provide a new look at what leadership is and who our leaders can be.”

The AIA is committed to celebrating the many cultures and heritages that represent the architecture profession.

Embracing Our Differences, Changing the World is a series aimed to celebrate members that break the mold, shatter glass ceilings, and overcome preconceived implicit biases.

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Source: AIA

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ARCHITECTURE

Will you be ready for construction-ready projects to begin?

A brief FAQ for firms

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

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ontinuing design work now to have construction-ready projects as we all emerge from this uncertain time will benefit your clients, even if their budgets have been slashed and their business cycles have been disrupted. You might not have qualified as an essential worker in the parlance of this pandemic, but the work you are doing (and will do) is inarguably essential.

What does “construction-ready” (or “shovel-ready”) really mean?

These are the projects that will be first in line for completion (and, ostensibly, occupancy and/or leasing) owing to their maturity in the development and permitting process, provided that funding is secured.

Why are these projects important?

These projects will likely save owners and clients money, given possible material or labor shortages, by being ahead of more nascent projects as metropolitan areas and communities emerge from this public health and economic crisis in different ways. But, in a larger sense, the re-commencement of these projects signifies the first steps in an economic recovery, whether they are deemed immediately essential or not.

These projects are also important because they might present a seasonal opportunity to complete work. A good example is schools, which will have zero occupancy this summer and, in light of this pandemic, might need serious work in short order to welcome students back in September.

How can you plan for contingencies?

Be flexible in the materials or equipment you source by specifying multiple options, allowing proposed substitutions, and welcoming what can only be called “the unexpected.” Keep in contact with suppliers for updates on those products and materials, and find creative ways to compromise. They might not have all of what you need for one aspect of a project, but by some fluke of the supply chain, they might have a surfeit of another kind of material that they could sell you at a reduced price.

Speaking of the supply chain, double down on locally manufactured products and materials. It’s a shorter physical distance to you and your site, it’s a vital show of support for your community, and it’s better for the environment.

Are there new health and safety considerations for projects?

In short, yes, but those protocols vary slightly for projects slated to restart (or that have restarted already) depending on the jurisdiction. Familiarize yourself with state-, county-, and even city-issued guidelines. They will be coordinated and similar in tone and content to a large degree, but they might have subtle differences that you and your client will need to observe.

For example, in re-commenced construction projects in Washington, one of earliest and hardest-hit states for COVID-19, workers must remain six feet apart; contractors must develop and post their own control, mitigation, and recovery plans; and workers must don employee-provided personal protective equipment. Santa Clara County, which encompasses San Jose and Silicon Valley in California, also requires contractors to develop and implement site-specific safety plans as well as a daily “tailgate session” with workers to review protocols, among other directives. Responsible RestartOhio further recommends staggering work shifts, breaks, and lunch hours at all construction sites.

What about code compliance?

Code officials have been working through this crisis as you have, remotely and with an eye toward the day projects start up again. But their review process has been hampered by the unevenness of code digitization. Nearly one-third (27 percent) of jurisdictions use only hard copies, which proved difficult to circulate in March, April, and May. When you consider that 40 percent of jurisdictions cannot offer electronic plan reviews, 30 percent cannot offer electronic permitting, and 61 percent cannot offer electronic or remote permitting, you can anticipate a backlog when projects come back online. Bear this in mind, and plan for it with your clients.

Source: AIA

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CONSTRUCTION

Construction Association Launches New Nationwide

Program To Expand The Diversity Of The Industry By Making Job Sites More Inclusive

Associated General Contractors of America’s New “Culture of CARE” Program is Designed to Help Firms Create More Welcoming Workplace Environments

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

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he Associated General Contractors of America is launching a new, nationwide program designed to help expand the diversity of the industry by making job sites more inclusive. The new program, called Culture of CARE (commit, attract, retain and empower), is designed to help firms create more welcoming workplace environments for staff, particularly those from diverse demographi c b a c kgrounds.

“We are asking compa nies to ta ke bold and visible steps toward creating a more d iverse, safe, welcoming and inclusive construction industry,” said Stephen E. Sandherr, the association’s chief executive officer. This new program will help firms attract the kind of diverse staff that research shows help construction firms become more innovative, safe, effective and profitable.

The new Culture of CARE program calls on construction firms to sign a pledge to create more welcoming and inclusive workplace cultures. After firms sign the pledge, the association will work with them to provide training and suggested human resources practices designed to help them put action behind their pledge and establish more inclusive workplaces. There are also broader educational materials available from the

Culture of CARE program, including sample HR policies, toolbox talks, job site posters and hardhat stickers.

Sandherr noted that the national Culture of CARE program is based on a program first launched by the association’s AGC of Washington chapter in the Pacific Northwest. The national association’s Diversity & Inclusion Council evaluated the Washington state program and determined that it was a powerful tool to support the industry’s efforts to become more diverse and inclusive.

The association unveiled the new Culture of C A R E program in Ma rch during its annual convention in Las Vegas.

Association officials added that it was part of a broader strategy to make the construction industry more diverse and inclusive. In addition to the new program, the association has already released its Business Case for Diversity & Inclusion in the Construction Industry, which provides the economic, safety and productivity rationale for expanding construction diversity.

“Culture of CARE has the potential to support a broad expansion of the diversity of the construction industry,” said Rita Brown, the chair of the association’s Diversity & Inclusion Council.

“We want to provide the tools firms need to recruit, retain and support people of all backgrounds.”

Source: Associated General Contractor

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CONSTRUCTION

Contractors challenged by lack of labor, jobsite tension and delays

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

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force and the main reason is that they’re all afraid.”

The No. 1 thing construction firms can do to employ a steady flow of workers and subs is to communicate their safety precautions and take immediate action when a COVID-19 case — or just a rumor of a case — occurs, he said.

“Once you get rumors flying around the jobsite that creates a real sense of fear, and two days later your plumbers aren’t showing up anymore,” he said. “You’ve got to tamp down rumors that someone has COVID and be transparent about how you’re handling suspected cases.”

While impacts like these are hard to quantify, his rule of thumb is to add 10 to 25 days to any job that has been shut down. To determine how the pandemic has affected a site, compare productivity levels from earlier this year to current levels, he said.

“I can almost guarantee there will be a drop in those numbers,” he added.

ven though the U.S. unemployment rate is at a level not seen since the Great Depression, the construction industry's labor woes aren't close to ending, according to panelists at a recent Associated General Contractors of America webinar.

Tensions arise In most jurisdictions, projects On some jobs, conflict is brewing are coming back on line, and conwith owners, said panelist Bryan Kelstruction managers are struggling ley, vice president-legal at Howard S. to fill jobs. There are several factors Wright, a Balfour Beatty company, suppressing skilled labor across the who said legal issues will soon follow. country, according to panelist Bob “People are starting to get into Majerus, vice their camps bepresident and cause there’s a general counlimited amount sel for Hensel of money” to Phelps. finish jobs amid First of all, the delays and shutenhanced unemdowns, Kelley ployment benefit said. provided by the For the most federal CARES part, projects Act is keeping that were in promany workers gress before the on the sidelines. outbreak hit are The legislation, being completed passed in March, but new work in supplement s many parts of state coverage the country is with an addibeing delayed, tional $600 a he added. week, more than “If you get the order to go back to Going forward, gendouble the weekly maxeral contractors should work right now and even if you imum unemployment be cautious about the benefits in most states. have the manpower and material projects they consider This extra money, into do that you are not going to and work to ensure that tended to keep workers the financial backing is afloat until businesses start at 100% on day one — there in place before joining reopen, has provided a will be a ramp up,” he said. “Plus, any project, said Kelley. significant disincentive “Try to identify highfor construction workthere are new safety regulations, new risk clients,” the panelist ers to return to work, PPE and new safety orientations so said. “It might be desaid Majerus. conditions will be different.” pendent on the type of “We’re hearing from industry they’re in such some workers ‘When as retail or the commermy unemployment cial office sector dependmoney runs out I’ll be ing on who the tenant is.” happy to come back to work, but New realities Construction managers are also not until then,'” he said. “They’re In addition to labor issues, con- dealing with enhanced OSHA getting extra money every month struction leaders need to realize that compliance complaints and an upso they prefer to stay at home.” jobs will take much longer than tick in internal human resources A $3 trillion federal coronavirus before the pandemic, Majerus said. disputes, something Majerus ataid package recently approved by the For instance, a project that lost three tributed to the fact that “there is House of Representatives expands weeks due to government shutdowns tension everywhere these days, in the unemployment supplement will require much more than three our workforce, with our crafts and through the end of January. In a weeks to catch up. with our subcontractors.” recent letter to Congress, the AGC “If you get the order to go back “There are a lot of unknowns told elected leaders that this will make it challenging to rehire work- to work right now and even if you right now about whether our ers as demand for work rebounds. have the manpower and material to economy will recover and family The second factor keeping workers do that you are not going to start concerns about loved ones going away from jobsites is fear of con- at 100% on day one — there will to work as well as concerns over tracting the virus, Majerus said. be a ramp up,” he said. “Plus, there whether people will have a job to “We’re seeing it mostly with our are new safety regulations, new PPE go back to,” he said. trade partners,” he said. “Our subs and new safety orientations so conSource: Construction Dive are telling us they can’t keep a work- ditions will be different.”

ENERGY

The City is Estimated to See a $9.3 Million Reduction in its Annual Electricity Bill and an Estimated Total Savings of $65 Million Over Seven Years

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

M

ayor Sylvester Turner announced today that the City of Houston has committed to purchasing 100% renewable energy through a renewed partnership with NRG Energy as the City’s retail electric provider.

As part of the contract renewal, the City will power all municipal operations with renewable energy and realize $65 million in savings over the seven-year contract.

Through the NRG Renewable Select plan, the City will receive 1,034,399 MWh of renewable electricity annually from a new, third-party utility-scale solar facility in Texas that is dedicated to City operations.

“This announcement is a shining example of how the Houston Climate Action Plan is already in motion.

Expanding our renewable energy investment through our partnership with NRG helps us build a more sustainable city and save over $9 million per year on our electric bill. Together, we are leading by example and showing how to reduce emissions in the Energy Capital of the World,” said Mayor Sylvester Turner.

Today’s announcement is the City’s first step to implement the recently-released Houston Climate Action Plan, a science-based, community-driven strategy for Houston to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and lead the global energy transition.

The plan identified growing Houston’s investment in renewable energy as a central goal of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and called for the City to power municipal operations with 100% renewable energy by 2025. Houston is already the top municipal user of renewable energy in the country, according to the US EPA, and has a 50MW power purchase agreement for a solar facility in Alpine, TX. “We are proud to support the City of Houston with renewable power. Our sustainable and more resilient future depends on collaborative action and partnerships like this, and the city is making a meaningful impact.

Houstonians can take pride in the city’s transition to more efficient sources of energy and we look forward to offering our support, now and into the future.” said Mauricio Gutierrez, President & CEO, NRG Energy.

As part of the City’s renewed partnership with NRG, the City will begin purchasing 100% renewable energy starting July 1, 2020, through a five-year contract with two one-year renewal options.

NRG will also support the Houston Climate Action Plan implementation through sustainability consulting support, energy efficiency funding, and an affinity program to help City employees purchase discounted renewable energy.

For more information visit www.greenhoustontx.gov or www.nrg.com.

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Source: City of Houston

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IT & TECHNOLOGY

IT & TECHNOLOGY

Social distancing

Plus One Robotics

Continues To Innovate At Port

New Technology Allows Humans To Supervise And Remotely Assist Robots Anywhere In The World

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

and site monitoring tech rapidly rolling out to US construction sites

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

T

he coronavirus pandemic has shocked U.S. construction into needing to adopt new technologies to maintain social distancing and monitor jobsites remotely. Those adaptations, some construction leaders say, should have been adopted in the first place, before the pandemic forced contractors to implement them.

The outbreak has also forced more connection between the site and office, as most office workers have been relegated to working from home. Shared data and digital connectivity is becoming the norm, said Scott Crozier, general manager of civil engineering and construction for software company Trimble, as engineers, architects, site supervisors and other stakeholders need up-to-date information no matter the construction environment.

Not only has tech within companies been lacking, as often one worker with a single USB is in charge of distributing data on some sites, Crozier said, but government inspections requiring in-person, scheduled visits may mean project delays.

Crozier noted that inspectors are beginning to allow the use of technology for virtual inspections. In Europe, he said, often a contractor doing a specific job, such as laying pipe, will fully document the work and have it reviewed by remote inspectors, which speeds up the process immensely, because no one needs to physically visit the site.

A main reason why the U.S. construction industry is behind in tech adoption, Crozier said, is lower costs of labor. Cheaper labor, despite there being a lack of skilled workers, means less demand for tech. In Europe and Australia, he said, the higher cost of labor means contractors need to innovate, and rapidly. That combination often attracts young Americans with construction and tech backgrounds to those countries as well, as opposed to keeping these innovators in the U.S.

Recentimplementations implementations Recent As construction was deemed essential and allowed to continue in nearly all 50 states, contractors were required to follow CDC guidelines to protect workers from the spread of COVID-19. In response, tech firms and safety app developers introduced or expanded a variety of applications that some construction leaders say will become the norm.

Some applications use image data or wearables to track workers, ensure they maintain social distancing, or at the very least, reduce social density on jobsites. Other

apps provide questionnaires for workers prior to allowing them onsite to ensure they were as low risk as possible for having and spreading COVID-19. Plus, others allow for virtual walkthroughs so stakeholders in their homes can have up-to-date imagery of work in progress.

“That’s what COVID and social distancing brought us, but that’s actually the right practice,” said Jon Fingland, general manager of collaborative solutions at Trimble.

Likewise, internet of things-based devices that track workers’ locations and allow the scheduling of specified work on certain days for more accurate measuring of productivity will be tomorrow’s “right lean practice,” Fingland told Construction Dive, meaning the best route to minimizing waste of materials, time and effort to maximize productivity and value.

Reducing the number of workers in a space can help protect them and reduce the spread of COVID-19, but, he said, that practice is essentially the same as scheduling workers for one section of a job at a time. For example, ensuring there are only 10 drywall workers on one day then five painters the following day allows for better monitoring of productivity.

Nomore morestatus statusquo quo No New technologies being introduced are moving down from top management. During a webinar from the Society for Construction Solutions New York Chapter, Anita Woolley Nelson, chief strategy officer of Skanska USA Building, said several executives at the company are taking base training for tech practices to prepare for the future.

“While I believe contractors will continue to use scheduling technology in the future, the landscape will be different,” said Matt Abeles, vice president of construction technology and innovation for Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). ”Using site monitoring technology will become more prevalent, so stakeholders not physically on the jobsite can have a transparent view on progress.”

Having stakeholders working remotely will aid in speeding up projects, Abeles said.

Perhaps the most basic integrations are the most unexpected, Abeles said. “One of the biggest surprises of all of this is the necessary adoption of collaborative technologies such as videoconferencing, which contractors are embracing more than ever in response to COVID-19,” he told Construction Dive.

Nelson also didn’t seem to think that things would return to the status quo when the pandemic ends.

“People always say you can’t take a jobsite home with you, [but] maybe you can,” she said.

P

lus One Robotics, a leader in developing artificial intelligence (AI) and sensor technology that allows industrial robots to learn and adapt in fast-paced dynamic environments, has helped change the world since first establishing its operations on the Port campus in 2018.

Plus One is now undertaking a new initiative that will further streamline operations for its clients: the Yonder Project, which enables robots to be human-assisted from anywhere in the world via cameras and the cloud.

"We make the eyes for the robots to be able to work in those environments," said Plus One Robotics Founder and CEO Erik Nieves. "They do the same thing over and over again, and that works when you're going to build cars. It doesn't work when you have to move packages or fulfill orders."

Robots are able to call for assistance from locally-based crew chiefs if adjustments are necessary.

Demand for Plus One's technology has accelerated significantly to satisfy the increase of online purchasing during the COVID-19 crisis.

"These robots don't need to do social distancing and don't need to wear the masks," says Plus One Robotics Developer Zachary Keeton. "San Antonio is ushering in a new era of remote labor."

Source: Construction Dive

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Source: Port San Antonio

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LEGAL

ALTERNATIVE FUNDING OPTIONS for Houston's Small Businesses

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

S

ince the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses of all sizes in nearly every sector are facing financial hardship brought on by the crisis.

As the economy gradually reopens, local and state orders with restrictions on business operations have presented challenges for business continuity, especially for small to medium sized-enterprises. While legislators have made record emergency funds available through federally-backed programs, including the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Loans and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) established by the CARES Act, access to that funding goes quickly and has proven difficult for many small businesses to attain.

To address the growing concern of securing small business funding, three Houston financial experts joined a virtual Partnership Small Biz Matters Business Resource Group meeting to explain the programs and resources available to small businesses and nonprofits seeking capital to maintain business operations.

LiftFund Since COVID-19 struck, LiftFund has supported small businesses across more than a dozen states. The community development organization has provided more than 800 relief loans totaling $23 million in funding and nearly 200 small business grants totaling over $1.6 million.

Richard Gianni, Senior Executive Vice President of Micro-lending for LiftFund, explained its mission is to support small businesses who have limited access to traditional resources and provide financial support through funding partnerships with municipalities and community partners.

LiftFund is an SBA-approved PPP lender and has provided more than $4 million in PPP loans to Houston entrepreneurs. In addition to offering PPP loans, LiftFund has established additional COVID-19 relief funding, offering loans up to $50,000 with a favorable interest rate and a 120-day deferment period.

Gianni stressed that while capital and liquidity is imperative

to business continuity, business acumen is equally important during a crisis. LiftFunds offers a variety of business support services, including virtual learning opportunities, individualized business support and an on-demand learning platform that offers tutorials around money, management and marketing. Gianni said that LiftFund’s business support programs help small businesses leverage capital and make strategic decisions that are critical to navigating turbulent times.

to make data-based decisions based on what communities need most. The Nonprofit Needs Data Dashboard is an interactive platform that summarizes the services, needs and populations served of nearly 80 local nonprofits to help guide how money is allocated. The GHCF also provides a COVID-19 Nonprofit Inquiry Form for nonprofits to help other organizations understand the needs of households affected by COVID-19. These tools help other organizations and funders garner support for those disproportionately affected by the crisis.

More at greaterhoustonrecovery.org

NextSeed

More at liftfund.com Greater Houston Community Foundation In late March, the Greater Houston Community Foundation (GHCF), in partnership with the United Way of Greater Houston, established the Greater Houston COVID-19 Recovery Fund to support the region’s most vulnerable communities impacted by the pandemic.

Jennifer Touchet, Vice President of Personal & Family Philanthropy at GHCF, said the fund has raised $14 million dollars to provide nearly 30 grants to nonprofit organizations providing food assistance, rental assistance and counseling for disproportionately impacted communities in Harris, Fort Bed, Montgomery and Waller Counties. To date, $2.2 million has been granted. Additional nonprofit organization grants are expected to be released in late May. Touchet said in addition to directing philanthropic funds to organizations providing much-needed services for those affected by the crisis, the GHCF also provides critical dashboards that enable nonprofits providing these services

NextSeed aims to build prosperous communities by making meaningful investments accessible to everyone and empowering everyday investors to invest directly in local businesses through crowdfunding. In response to the COVID-19 crisis, NextSeed launched The NextSeed Community Bridge Note, which offers flexible crowdfunded working capital financing for small businesses who are negatively impacted by the pandemic.

NextSeed’s Co-Head of Investment Banking, Jovan Vojvodic, said the SEC announced that it was providing temporary relief to expedite crowdfunding offerings earlier this Month, which typically calls for long campaign times and CPA-reviewed financial statements. Under these temporary changes to regulated crowdfunding offerings, campaigns only need to remain open for 48 hours and businesses are no longer required to provide third-party CPA-reviewed financials up to $250,000. The previous threshold was $107,000. These changes are in effect for offerings launched before August 31, 2020.

Vojvodic said that by leveraging the SEC’s temporary relief, NextSeed is able to provide small businesses with an alternative to raise flexible, lower cost, lower fee financing to meet their working capital needs during and in the immediate aftermath of COVID-19. Vojvodic added that by investing in these notes, investors can participate in the recovery and the eventual return to growth of businesses they care about.

Source: Greater Houston Partnership

LEGAL

Office of Business Opportunity Collaborates with Law Firms to Provide Free Legal Advice to Small Businesses

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

S

mall businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic now have a resource for free legal advice, thanks to the Houston Small Business Legal Consultations (HSBLC) Program in collaboration with the City of Houston’s Office of Business Opportunity (OBO), Vinson & Elkins (V&E) and several private law firms.

Through a network of volunteer attorneys, HSBLC will provide participants free legal consultations, by telephone, about how to navigate loan and grant relief programs, taxes, commercial leases, contracts, em-

ployment, intellectual property and other general business issues. In addition to V&E, who with OBO, led coordination of this program, participating firms include Akin Gump, Arnold & Porter, Blank Rome, DLA Piper, Fish & Richardson, Greenberg Traurig, Hunton Andrews Kurth, Kilpatrick Townsend, Kirkland & Ellis, Latham & Watkins, Mayer Brown, Morgan Lewis, Norton Rose Fulbright, Orrick, Perkins Coie, Sidley Austin, Simpson Thacher, Weil, Gotshal & Manges, and Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP. To be eligible for the program, you must be self-employed, or be an owner or representative of a small business or non-profit organization. Information about how the business has been affected by the pandemic

must be provided. After a screening process, the business will be matched with a volunteer attorney from one of the participating law firms, who will try to offer guidance.

All consultations are confidential to the full extent permitted by law.

“We are thrilled to be collaborating with the City of Houston and so many national firms to help Houston’s small business community," said Ellyn Haikin Josef, pro bono counsel at V&E. "In these uncertain and scary times, we want to make sure these businesses have access to as many answers as we can give them.”

HSBLC is an extension of Virtual Legal Lab, a program previously created by OBO and V&E that allowed small business owners to visit OBO onsite to participate in one-

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on-one virtual consultations with a licensed attorney. With social distancing measures in place, HSBLC allows the no-contact continuation of these legal consultations.

“What started as Virtual Legal Lab with two entities now includes a larger network of law firms who are committed to assisting the small business community in these challenging times,” said Marsha Murray, Office of Business Opportunity director.

“With small businesses facing existential threats during this pandemic, we encourage those who need this service to reach out.”

Click here to fill out an application form, or call 832-393-0652 to learn more about the HSBLC program.

Source: City of Houston

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Dismantling Discrimination:

A Look at DFW Airpor Revised MWBE Progr for women in construction,” Lee said. “It indicated that they had been over utilized.

Prior to this, we had an SBE program for construction under a million and all of our goods and services out of procurement, and we had a MBE program for just construction and MWBE for professional services and construction related services. Now, it is just one MWBE program for everything, which includes: general goods and services, construction related professional services, construction services, legal, treasury, third

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O

n July 1, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport is debuting their newly revised Minority/Women Business Enterprise Program, which Transitioned from an SBE Program for Construction under $1 million and Goods and Services to all local programs M/WBE “Anyone that wants to run an MWBE program needs a legal justification to have the program,” Tamela Lee, Vice President of Business Diversity and Development at DFW, said. “So we commissioned a disparity study, and after the study was complete and the findings were released, it was recommended that we do an MWBE program.

The Board adopted the revised version of the -Tamela Lee, program on January 9 Vice President of Business Diversity and it will go into effect and Development on July 1.”

“It is important that we bring diversity among our supplier and construction group to employ opportunities to MWBEs who we know will do a great job.”

There are three basic changes differing the new MWBE Program from the former: 1. DFW transitioned from an SBE Program for construction under a million dollars to all of the programs now being MWBEs. There is no longer an SBE program.

2. All MWBE annual goals were amended to fit the findings of the disparity study.

3. The relevant area market was reduced from 12 to four counties: Collin, Dallas, Denton and Tarrant.

“The last study we had didn’t really allow

party commercial development and third party concession tenant finish outs. That excludes our federal programs that we still have to run for Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program and our Disadvantaged Business Enterprise for federal programs.”

Another change that has been implemented is to the contracts. Many of them start off under $50,000, and the MWBE program only ap-

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rt’s Newly ram

plies to contracts over $50,000. So, in line with being more inclusive, the under $50,000 contracts that increase in value are reevaluated and can apply to MWBEs when they reach the over $50,000 mark. This helps ensure that minority and women-owned businesses in North Texas are getting hired for these jobs.

Businesses interested in doing business with the airport through the MWBE Program must be certified as a women or minority-owned business through the North Central Texas Regional Certification Agency, Women’s Business Council or DFW Minority Supplier Development Council. There is no personal net worth or size standard requirement.

“The most important thing the disparity study showed us was that there are still discriminatory practices in the marketplace that prevent MWBEs from getting business opportunities,” Lee said. “If we were to list a solicitation with no goals to meet, I can guarantee there would be no minority or womenowned businesses used on the job. So, it is important that we bring diversity among our supplier and construction group to employ opportunities to MWBEs who we know will do a great job.”

As an airport, DFW values diversity, and they can ensure they do everything possible to carry the MWBE program all the way through. They look at important points like bringing a diverse team but also if these teams are being paid properly and timely. There can be unfortunate actions for those that do not meet their commitment to the airport such as no longer being able to bid with the airport. The commitment is to growing the MWBE Program and doing more than just saying “Yes, we do have an MWBE Program.”

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, DFW has continued to be

avid in their outreach to the MW BE communit y.

Virtually, they have continued to work with Minority and Women Chambers and contractor associations in the area as well as hold concession forums, forums with Prime contractors and M/WBEs..

In their Capacity Building series, they have seen attendance grow from an average of 40-50 attendees to over 150 attendees since going virtual.

Lee says that for this MWBE Program to be a success, it must achieve four things: 1. The set goals are exceeded.

2. There are new entrees into the program as a result of the program.

Those who have never had an opportunity to work with the airport now have that opportunity.

3. Building capacity. DFW wants this program to grow, which is the intent of the Capacity Building series, a series that helps people know how to actually do business with the airport.

4. Once some MWBEs grow in capacity and are able to compete as Primes instead of subcontractors, they are continuing to reach out and do business with other MWBEs.

“At the end of the day, it would be nice if these programs did not even have to exist because that would mean there was no discrimination in the marketplace,” Lee said. “But until then, we certainly want to encourage MWBEs to get into the business and grow their capacity so they can get larger and have more opportunity.”

For more information, visit: www.dfwairport.com/bdd/

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OIL AND GAS

OIL AND GAS

ConocoPhillips

focuses on its core job and values during COVID-19

By Subcontractors USA

• 6,500 respirator masks donated to local area hospitals and first responders in Houston, Texas; Casper, Wyoming; and Riverton, Wyoming.

News Provider

C

onocoPhillips is taking steps to support and sustain its global workforce, communities and • 6,000 pairs of medical exam gloves donated to medical centers and first responders in Odessa, Texas; Andrews, health care professionals during the corona- Texas; and Casper, Wyoming. virus pandemic. With thousands of its people working from home and thousands more practicing social • 100 pairs of safety and reading glasses donated to distancing in the field, the company is focused on its first responders in Casper, Wyoming. core job: to safely find and deliver energy to the world.

“Throughout our global operations everything we’re • Dozens of lunches delivered to the staff at Stavanger doing comes from our core values: protect our peo- University Hospital in Norway. ple, stop the spread of • Gloves, visors and the virus and safely protective masks dorun the business. Our nated to the staff at workforce has stepped James Cook University up. People are aligned Hospital in Middlesactivating plans and brough, U.K. communicating. Our people are getting the • $25,000 donated to job done while protectCamp Fire Alaska for emergency program ing themselves and services benefiting others,” said Conocolocal children of acPhillips Chairman and tive duty and deployed CEO Ryan Lance. military personnel and “Throughout our $10,000 to the Chilglobal operations evedren’s Lunchbox for rything we’re doing meals to youth in low comes from our core income neighborhoods. values: protect our people, stop the spread • 500 personal hand of the virus and safely sanitizers for area first responders Karnes and run the business.”

DeWitt, Texas — Ryan Lance, Conocophillips Chair— Ryan Lance, • ConocoPhillips Chiman And Ceo Conocophillips Chairman And Ceo nese American emAt production faciliployees purchased a ties around the world, secure shipment from operations continue China and delivered under stringent clean4,500 masks and 200 ing and social distancing measures. protective gowns to several Houston hospitals and Office employees in all locations including its Hou- first responders. ston headquarters are working from home.

As a result, ConocoPhillips continues to deliver the • Employee volunteer Connie Carter donated her time oil and natural gas that is essential to keep society to make 300 cloth masks for local businesses and first responders in Watford City, ND. Hear Connie in a podcast running through the ongoing crisis.

Meanwhile, ConocoPhillips’ business units and cor- on Faces of ConocoPhillips porate groups are donating much-needed relief aid, food and medical supplies to area hospitals and first • Donated personal protective equipment, including masks and gloves valued at $10,000 USD, to local hospiresponders to help in the fight against the coronavirus. tals and clinics in Jakarta and the local regency (MUBA) While the situation continues to unfold, here’s a in Indonesia. summary of the company’s community support activities as of April 10, 2020: In the days ahead, spiritnow will continue to publish • $300,000 USD donated to procure life-saving medical news and information on ConocoPhillips’ response to supplies and support front-line medical personnel in the coronavirus pandemic.

Wuhan, China.

Throughout our global operations everything we’re doing comes from our core values: protect our people, stop the spread of the virus and safely run the business.”

• More than 3,000 lbs. of food delivered to food banks and missions in Houston, Texas and Bartlesville, Oklahoma.

Source: ConocoPhillips

Employment in Texas’ Upstream Oil and Natural Gas Activities Impacted by Pandemic

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

D

ata from the Workforce Commission indicates that employment in Texas’ upstream oil and natural gas activities fell significantly in April.

Compared to March 2020 levels, April upstream employment was down by 25,800 jobs. Compared to the same month in 2019, April 2020 jobs were down 47,200, or 20%. At a total of 192,600 jobs, this was the first time for upstream jobs to number fewer than 200,000 since January 2017. The April 2020 upstream job count now essentially matches the low point of September 2016, which was 192,400 jobs. These jobs pay among the highest wages in Texas.

Todd Staples, president of the Texas Oil & Gas Association, said, “This current crisis is impacting every sector of the oil and natural gas industry, and unfortunately, many companies are required to make difficult decisions as they adjust to the market circumstances. The Texas oil and natural gas industry has positioned itself to manage through the world-wide disruption by immediately announcing rig reductions, curtailing planned capital expenditures for 2020 by over $60 billion and counting, shutting in actual production and by pursuing innovative storage expansion. While many of these necessary reductions have negatively impacted workforce levels, the industry is poised to rebound as the world economy gets back on track and supply/demand levels normalize.

We look forward to expanding the employment levels as market conditions allow.”

Oil and natural gas extraction is upstream activity, meaning that it excludes other sectors in the industry such as refining, petrochemicals, fuels wholesaling, oilfield equipment manufacturing, pipelines, and gas utilities. The employment shown also includes “Support Activities for Mining,” which is mostly oil and natural gas-related but includes some small amount of other types of mining, also.

Of the year-over-year loss of 47,200 jobs, the lion’s share was in the “Support Activities of Mining” sector, mostly service companies. April 2020 employment by these companies was down 26% compared to the same month, prior year. For “Oil and Gas Extraction,” which is mostly operators, the year-over-year decline was just 6%.

The “Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing,” a subsection of the downstream sector, lost 1,400 jobs (6%) in April 2020 compared to March, an unusual job swing for this sector.

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OIL AND GAS

Railroad Commission Launches

Drone Program to Enhance Emergency Response

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

T

aking advantage of 21st century technology, the Railroad Commission of Texas launched a statewide drone inspection team last month. Drones will help inspectors to quickly respond and inspect sites that are unsafe or inaccessible during emergencies such as fires, flooding and other natural disasters. Drones can also assist in situations, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, where they provide an alternative to in-person inspections.

The RRC’s first drone emergency response was April 28 following reports of an incident in Reeves County west of Midland. The affected area could not be physically inspected because the road to the site was under water.

A licensed RRC pilot launched a drone and determined a possible source of release using aerial and thermal images. The operator was contacted to immediately remediate the site. Several drone images from the response are below.

“Our very first flight mission in Reeves County is a great example of how drones will enable inspectors to do their jobs quickly and safely in emergencies, which ultimately helps further protect residents and the environment,” said RRC’s Executive Director Wei Wang.

“Whether it’s through information technology or other new tools, the Commission has always been looking at ways to enhance our operational efficiency. With

drones, our inspectors can now immediately monitor well blowouts, oil spills, and other emergency incidents, and quickly cover large

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areas of ground in responding to those situations where time is of the essence.”

Nineteen inspectors in the agency’s Oil and Gas Division and Surface Mining and Reclamation Division (SMRD) have received remote pilot certification from the Federal Aviation Administration.

Beginning this summer, SMRD will use drones for emergency responses and inspections. Drones can document the progression of mining in active operations which can change drastically from month to month. Aerial images will also help in the oversight of reclamation activities in previously mined areas.

The RRC’s drone program will operate in compliance with the Code of Federal Regulations as well as state laws established to ensure safety and the protection of individual and property owners’ privacy.

The RRC is also a member of the State Emergency Operations Center. The agency’s drone fleet can be a critical resource in helping state emergency response by providing aerial views of inaccessible areas.

A list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) and answers is also on the RRC’s Drone Program page at https://rrc.texas.gov/about-us/ organization-activities/drones/.

Source: Texas Railroad Commission

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11 TIPS

PERMITS

To Prepare To Pull A Building Permit During Hurricane Season

By Helen Callier

2

Call, meet with, or conference with jurisdiction’s Plan Reviewers in advance to discuss any areas of concern with project design meeting code

3

Punt assuming and review 100% plan set for compliance to building codes before submitting

Contributing Writer

urricane season officially kicked off along the Texas Gulf Coast area on June 1, 2020 and runs through November 2020. And while this region has experienced many thunderstorms, major floods and hurricanes over the years that wreaked havoc, Hurricane Harvey, and its aftermath in 2017, was a wake-up call still fresh in our memory that created many challenges in obtaining building permits.

After the Hurricane Harvey natural disaster, many Architects, Contractors and Project Owners were impacted by delays in permitting for various reasons. Delays from reduced staffing at Permit Centers to adjusted hours of operations at jurisdiction to unanswered emails from Plan Reviewers to dealing with stressed Permitting staff managing increased workloads are some of the cited factors.

We have heard the stories of frustrations plus have assisted Architects and Contractors to overcome hurdles to obtain their permits as quickly as possible. We know that delays cost time and money; and to help you mitigate risks in experiencing delays in Permitting before and after a hurricane, consider using the following 11 tips.

H

1

Visit jurisdiction’s web site to review checklists and building codes related to your type of project

If not familiar with online permit application and package submission, watch training video, read instructions or call Permitting Center for assistance.

4

5

If you have long lead items associated with project, plan deferred submittals in advance

6

Assess impact of review times from TXDOT and private utilities; and then plan accordingly

Review project phasing such as obtaining one building permit or separate construction project into several phases to permit as a possible approach to better meet your project timeline and budget

7

Follow up with Plan Reviewers, Project Owners, and others associated with obtaining your permit.

8

9

Respond to jurisdiction departmental review rejection comments in a timely manner

10

Seek expert help, if needed

11

Say “thank you” – people work with people in this industry and saying “thank you” makes a difference.

In Conclusion Developing a permit plan for hurricane season is important to minimize delays and be positioned to start construction on time. This is particularly critical in 2020 with added factors associated with global pandemic and other community crises causing disruptions in staff concentration, impact on hours of operations, and changed access to Permitting Centers.

The PermitUsNow team has served commercial, industrial, and residential clients along the Gulf Coast and across Texas before and post natural disasters. If you need help creating a permitting plan with estimated costs of building permits and a general timeline, call us at 1.844.PERMIT.4 We have a proven model that works; and we are grateful to share key tips to assist your organization in obtaining permits during the 2020 hurricane season. #BuildSafe

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SAFETY

SAFETY

Ten Steps All Workplaces Can Take to Reduce Risk of Exposure to Coronavirus

Greater Houston Partnership

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

All workplaces can take the following infection prevention measures to protect workers: 1

Cautions on Reopening of Office Spaces

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

T

he Greater Houston Partnership today released a statement on behalf of its president and CEO, Bob Harvey regarding confusion surrounding Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s Texas Executive Order GA-18 and whether it calls for the return of office workers to the workplace.

“We are suggesting to Houston companies that they delay the return of office workers to the workplace for the time being. Many office-based employees have been able to carry out their tasks remotely for some time now, and as we enter this gradual process of reopening, there is no need to add ‘fuel to the fire’ when it comes to COVID-19 transmission.

“Governor Abbott is clear in his executive order that we all should minimize contact with people outside our household unless we are providing or obtaining essential or reopened services, and specifically says employees ‘should work from home if possible.’ To me, unless you are an essential worker at one of these companies and you need to be physically present to do your job, commonsense would say you should continue teleworking.”

GA-18Details Details GA-18 On Monday, April 27, Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued Texas Executive Order GA-18 to begin the process of reopening the Texas economy.

According to GA-18, “…every person in Texas shall, except where necessary to provide or obtain essential services or reopened services, minimize social gatherings and minimize in-person contact with people who are not in the same household.”

The order continues, “In providing or obtaining essential services or reopened services, people and businesses

should follow the minimum standard health protocols recommended by DSHS, found at www.dshs.texas.gov/ coronavirus and should implement social distancing, work from home if possible, and practice good hygiene, environmental cleanliness, and sanitation.”

Defining Essential Services and Employees To aid businesses in their efforts to determine if they are an “essential service or reopened service,” the Texas Department of Emergency Management established a webpage to guide that determination.

“Essential services” as defined by the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) have been permitted to operate on an emergency basis since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abbott’s order adds a list of “reopened” services as including restaurants, retail, movie theaters, malls, museums and libraries.

CISA’s COVID-19 guidance regarding the workers working for essential companies states, “Workers should be encouraged to work remotely when possible and focus on core business activities. In-person, non-mandatory activities should be delayed until the resumption of normal operations.”

ClarificationRegarding RegardingPersons PersonsWorking in Clarification Working in an Office an Office

Encourage workers to stay home if sick.

2 Encourage respiratory etiquette, including covering coughs and sneezes.

3 Provide a place to wash hands or alcohol-based hand rubs containing at least 60% alcohol.

4 Limit worksite access to only essential workers, if possible.

5 Establish flexible worksites (e.g., telecommuting) and flexible work hours (e.g., staggered shifts), if feasible.

6 Discourage workers from using other workers’ phones, desks, or other work tools and equipment.

7 Regularly clean and disinfect surfaces, equipment, and other elements of the work environment.

8 Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-approved cleaning chemicals with label claims against the coronavirus.

9 Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use of all cleaning and disinfection products.

10 Encourage workers to report any safety and health concerns.

In his list of reopened services designated in GA18, Governor Abbott states, “Services provided by an individual working alone in an office.” During his announcement on Monday, the Governor stated that “sole practitioners” would be able to reopen. There was no reference to individual offices in a larger office environment.

Source: Greater Houston Partnership

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For more information, visit www.osha.gov/coronavirus or call 1-800-321-OSHA (6742).

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MORE THAN BRICKS AND MORTAR

As one of the nation’s largest commercial builders, Turner is dedicated to providing avenues of opportunity for Minority- and Woman-Owned Businesses in Houston to achieve entrepreneurial success.

Our commitment to social responsibility and fair play is not just on paper; it is ingrained in our corporate culture. We are devoted to making sure the contributions that strengthen the local economy reflect the demographics of the community at large.

w w w. t u r n e rc o n s t r u c t i o n . c o m

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SPOTLIGHT

LAYLE MCKELVEY joins Manhattan’s Houston office as Director of Industry Relations

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

M

anhattan Construction Company, a top nationally-ranked construction firm, has appointed Layle McKelvey as director of community relations and inclusion in Houston. McKelvey will foster key relationships within city, county, and state government, lead Manhattan’s diversity and inclusion efforts, and drive engagement with local partners to enrich Manhattan’s overall benefit to our clients and community. While based in Houston, McKelvey will be engaged in serving all of Manhattan’s market areas nationally.

“Layle’s strong ties to the Houston community and commitment to supplier diversity is a great asset to Manhattan and our trade partners across all of our markets,” said Jason Fuller, Manhattan Construction Company vice president, and Houston regional manager.

McKelvey has managed sourcing and supplier diversity at airport facilities in Houston, Cleveland, Denver, Los Angeles, Newark, and Washington, D.C. With her previous firm, she worked closely on diversity programming with Manhattan Construction project teams on the Houston IAH New Terminal C North and United

Technical Operations Center (UTOC) projects.

McKelvey graduated from Texas Southern University with a Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs and Communications. She is a sought-after thought leader, speaker, and presenter on supplier diversity, business development, and supply chain logistics.

by Houston Woman Magazine, Top 25 Professionals in Supplier Diversity, and Advocate of the Year by many minority and women organizations. She is one of 50 women to serve as “conversationalists” by the University of Houston’s Friends of Women’s Studies for their coveted 2020 Table Talk Luncheon in March 2020.

About Manhattan Construction Company:

Layle has worked tirelessly with many organizations serving on boards and other positions of leadership. She serves as a faculty consultant for the Houston-Galveston Women’s Business Center and has received numerous awards, including Top 50 Women

Founded in 1896, Manhattan Construction Company is a fifth-generation family-owned company that provides preconstruction, construction management, program management, general building, and design-build services throughout the United States, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. Manhattan’s award-winning portfolio of work includes sports, healthcare, government, education, laboratory, aviation, transportation, convention, casino and hospitality facilities. Manhattan is a 15-time Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Accredited Quality Contractor (AQC), an ABC 2019 Top Performing Contractor, a nine-time STEP Diamond Safety Award Winner, and a 2019 National Safety Excellence Award winner and 2017 Pinnacle Safety Award winner − ABC’s top national safety honor. www. manhattanconstruction.com

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Source: manhattanconstruction.com

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TRANSPORTATION

TRANSPORTATION

George Bush Intercontinental Airport

Ranks as Best U.S. Airport, Second-Best in North America at World Airport Awards William P. Hobby ranks third-best North American regional airport; Houston remains the only city in the Western Hemisphere with two four-star rated airports.

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

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ouston’s Airports shined once again at the 2020 Skytrax World Airport Awards by earning a long list of honors in various categories including World’s Top 100 Airports, Best Airport Dining, Best Airport Staff, and World’s Best Website and Digital Services. Houston remains the only city in the Western Hemisphere to have two four-star Skytrax rated airports.

The top honors went to George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), which received the highest ranking among U.S. airports in the World’s Top 100 Airports category and placed as secondbest airport in North America. IAH climbed seven spots in rank to No. 31 among the top world airports, up from No. 38 in 2019. IAH also ranked fourth in the World’s Best Airport Dining Experience category and finished sixth in the rankings for Best Airport Staff in North America.

William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) received noteworthy accolades as well, finishing at third among Best Regional Airports in North America. HOU ranked sixth for best airports with 10-20 million passengers. Globally, HOU finished at No. 67, up from No. 85 in 2019.

Houston Airports’ website, Fly2houston.com, and digital services were named World’s Best – for the second year in a row.

“We are deeply honored by these achievements,” Houston Airports Director Mario Diaz said.

“We don’t just talk about our commitment to providing a world-class customer experience, we act on it every single day. This year especially, I want to dedicate our awards to the men and women who work tirelessly every day to keep our airports functional during this COVID-19 pandemic.

I am so proud of Houston Airports’ staff for maintaining such high standards.”

This was the fifth year in a row that HOU received a four-star rating and the third straight year IAH received the same distinction from Skytrax, a leading global air transport rating organization.

“George Bush Intercontinental Airport is known globally for providing superb customer experience, and William P. Hobby Airport is a first-class operation,” Mayor Sylvester Turner said. “Our Houston Airports employees always put passengers first, and that philosophy reaps tremendous benefits for Houston and the surrounding region. I am immensely proud of what our airports accomplish year-round and especially during this challenging time.”

Port Houston Achieves Security Management System ISO 28000 Recertification Continuing Long Commitment to Security

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

P

The Skytrax awards were announced as challenges mount at airports across the world because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Beyond the present crisis, these 4-star ratings are indicative of the consistency and sustained excellence that each Houston Airports employee is committed to.” Diaz said. “Despite this crisis, we will use this time to continue to make improvements that will help us reach our vision of establishing Houston Airports as a five-star global air service gateway where the magic of flight is celebrated.”

ort Houston, the largest port on the U.S. Gulf Coast, recently obtained its ISO 28000 recertification for its Security Management System (SMS) for the fifth time. This exceptional achievement was accomplished without any non-conformances. Port Houston in 2008 became the first port authority in the world to receive this international security designation, which outlines stringent requirements for a security management system that incorporates all aspects of business management.

To achieve the security standard, key elements of Port Houston’s security process were evaluated, such as vertical integration of security protocols, senior management involvement, operational controls, training, handling of SSI (Security Sensitive Information) and emergency communications. The recertification audit is an exhaustive five-day audit, performed by the American Bureau of Shipping.

All Port Houston-operated terminals were recertified to the standard, including the Turning Basin, Manchester and Woodhouse Terminals, along with the Barbours Cut Container Terminal and Bayport Container Terminal.

This recertification also aligns with the port’s strategic plan goal of stewardship, preparing for disruptive events and mitigating their impacts.

“This voluntary recertification shows Port Houston’s above-and-beyond commitment to supply chain security for both the port and its many stakeholders,” said Marcus Woodring, chief port security and emergency operations officer. “With over 25 entry points to Port Houston facilities, as well as thousands of stakeholders who daily cross our perimeters, it is imperative that we have strong and consistent security protocols in place to maintain compliance with federal regulations.”

Source: IAH

Source: Port Houston

IN THE SCORECARD FOR BUSH AIRPORT, IMPROVEMENTS FROM 2019 INCLUDE: An increased cumulative score of 4.20 for transportation 4.02 for information counters 4.08 for leisure facilities 4.67 for the free WiFi available at the airport 4.60 for vehicle parking 4.11 for food and beverage options and pricing

IN THE SCORECARD FOR HOBBY AIRPORT, IMPROVEMENTS FROM 2019 INCLUDE: An increased cumulative score of 4.87 for vehicle parking 4.75 for ease of check-in facilities 4.57 for signage aiding and processing of international travelers 4.36 for terminal cleanliness 4.00 for prayer rooms 4.50 for transit

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