Subcontractor USA 79

SUBCONTRACTORS

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TEXAS JOURNAL

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Architecture | Construction | Education | Energy | Engineering | Legal | Technology | Manufacturing | Oil and Gas | Safety | Transportation

October 2022 | Advertising for Certified Women, Veteran & Minority-Owned Subcontractors | 79th Edition

METRO & INTERAGENCY MENTOR PROTÉGÉ PROGRAM Partners Continues their Partnership to Advance, Strengthen & Drive the Small Business Community.

Aravind Marella STAR Geoenvironmental, LLC

Isidro X. Garza Gratia Geomatics LLC

Moylam Wong M&R Wong LLLC dba Youve Got Maids of Central Houston

Bryant Price Key HTX

Christian Frisch Portfolio Builders, Inc.

Priti Singh Associated Testing Laboratories, Inc.

Sangita ‘Beni’ Patel Tessellations Inc.

Rafael S. Perez, Jr. Prime Facility Services Group

Juan Pablo Osorio Alpha Co. Marketing & Media

Johnny Vu Builders Depot Direct DBA Builders Direct Depot

Greg Williams H.C.G. Management, LLC/dba Honesty Construction Group

Shauna Bowman Bowman Engineering & Consulting, Inc.

Raya Guruswamy Maxari Energy LLC. dba "Maxari"

Rupendra Radia Radia Enterprises Inc DBA Career Uniforms

Juanita Torres The J Team Tree Service

Sakara Ross SNR Construction & Consulting LLC

Stanley Holland A1 Mobil Fleet Wash & Detail Service Inc.

Nicole Salha LABORNOW LLC

Michael Higgins Vetcore Technology & Electrical Services

Babar Khan VISUAL AV LLC

15-18

INSIDE

12

Optimize Costs With MCA Managed Services

28 Collins Aerospace Opens New Facility at the Houston Spaceport To Support Future Space Exploration

26

DART Welcomes Charles Cato as New DART Chief of Police

2 | October 2022

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PUBLISHER’S MESSAGE Subcontractors USA 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 METRO’s Interagency Mentor Protégé Program (IMPP). Through IMPP, METRO continues this partnership with the City of Houston, HISD, Port Houston, Houston Community College, and Houston First Corporation, for small and disadvantaged businesses to advance and thrive.

METRO’s Office of Economic Business Opportunity continues to provide results-

driven programs strategically designed to address the needs and challenges small businesses encounter.

METRO's Office of Economic Business Opportunity has a commitment to providing various business enterprise programs that ensure equal opportunity, inclusion, and nondiscrimination in all procurement and contracting affairs.

As always, thank you for your continued support of Subcontractors USA. 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.

“Transit today is really about building an environment where people feel comfortable and safe.

It’s about creating walkable, livable communities, and connecting people to opportunities.”

— METRO President & Chief Executive Officer Tom Lambert

Keith "MR. D-MARS" Davis, Sr. CERTIFIED:

HMSDC

Port of Houston

Metro

BEHIND THE JOURNAL

16-17

16-17 COVER STORY 16-17 METRO & Interagency Mentor Protégé Program Partners Continues their Partnership to Advance, Strengthen & Drive the Small Business Community.

ACCOUNTING MANAGER Eugenie Doualla

04 ARCHITECTURE 04 Architecture Firm Billings Grow at a Slower Pace

ART DIRECTOR Angel Rosa

06 CONSTRUCTION 06 Construction Input Costs Decrease 1.1 Percent Amid Falling Fuel Prices, but Other Goods and Some Services Continue Upward Price Trend 08 Best Recruitment Strategies for Construction Companies

DIGITAL MARKETING MANAGER Erick Fontejon SENIOR PROJECT COORDINATOR Bria Casteel SENIOR PROJECT COORDINATOR Lindsey Ford ASSISTANT SALES REPRESENTATIVE Tiffany Brown PHOTOGRAPHY Grady Carter L.C. Poullard DISTRIBUTION Mike Jones CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Tracey Kohler Paul Stoessel Helen Callier Subcontractors USA

HISD

09 ENERGY 09 October Celebrates Public Power Week 12 IT & TECHNOLOGY 12 Optimize Costs With MCA Managed Services 13 Associated Builders and Contractors Announces 2022-2023 Tech Alliance Members 20 PERMITS 20 5 Permitting Tips for Public Works Contractors 24 SAFETY 24 US Department of Labor Awards More Than $11.7 M in Grants To Educate Workers, Employers on Workplace Safety, Health 24 OSHA Reveals Top 10 Safety Violations for Fiscal Year 2022 at NSC Safety Congress & Expo 24 Personal Protective Equipment Market worth $64.2 billion by 2027 Exclusive Report by MarketsandMarkets™ 26 TRANSPORTATION 26 DART Welcomes Charles Cato as New DART Chief of Police 28 Collins Aerospace Opens New Facility at the Houston Spaceport To Support Future Space Exploration 28 Port Houston Moves Forward on Sustainability Action Plan Working with Shell on decarbonization opportunities

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OUR SERVICES

CONTENTS

PUBLISHER & CEO Keith J. Davis, Sr. CHIEF OF STAFF & MANAGING EDITOR Kimberly Floyd

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Architecture Firm Billings Grow at a Slower Pace ARCHITECTURE

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

W

hile architecture firm billings grew for the 18th consecutive month in July, the pace of growth continued to slow. The Architecture Billings Index (ABI) score of 51.0 for the month is the lowest since January and marks the fourth straight month with a lower score than the previous month.

With a variety of economic storm clouds continuing to gather, we are likely looking at a period of slower growth going forward. In addition, inquiries into new projects also continued to slow this month, although the value of new design contracts rose slightly from June to July. While both of these indicators remain below their mid-2021 peaks, they show that there remains interest in new projects going forward.

However, business conditions softened for the second consecutive month at firms located in the Northeast in July, and billings have now declined at firms in that region for a total of nine out of the last 12 months.

Billings continued to grow at a modest pace at firms in other regions, and growth actually picked up at firms located in the South. By firm specialization, business conditions remained positive at firms with multifamily residential and commercial/industrial specializations, while firms with an institutional specialization saw a very small decline in billings. Firms with an institutional specialization have generally seen slower growth than firms of other specializations during this recovery period, and that looks to continue.

Gas Gasprices pricesdecrease, decrease,but inflation remains but inflation remains critical critical In the broader US economy, inflation remained a critical issue in July, although it did not grow further from June to July. Declining gas prices were a key contributing factor in July, and they are expected to continue to decline through August. Travel prices (including airfare, lodging, and rental cars) also declined in July. On the other hand, food prices continued to increase, and despite some overall moderation in inflation, the expectation is that when the Federal Reserve Board of Governors meets again in late September, they will raise interest rates by another 0.5%.

In addition, the July jobs report was particularly strong,

with 528,000 nonfarm payroll jobs added. Total national employment levels have now finally surpassed their prepandemic highs. Construction employment added an additional 32,000 new jobs in July, and the industry is now 82,000 positions above its pre-pandemic peak.

Architecture services employment saw strong growth in June as well (the most recent data available), adding 2,300 new positions after declining in both April and May. Total industry employment is now back above pre-pandemic levels once again.

Loomingthreat threatofofstalled stalledprojects projectsimpacts impacts Looming architectsdifferently differentlybased basedon onregion region architects Amid concerns about a potential economic slowdown or recession, there has been increased talk of projects stalling or being delayed or canceled. So far, this issue does not seem to be a serious concern to most architecture firms. Overall, 58% of responding firms this month indicated that on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being not very serious and 5 being very serious, they rate the issue of stalled/delayed/canceled projects as a 1 or 2. However, more than one-quarter of firms (28%) indicated that they consider it to be a somewhat serious issue (rating of a 3), while 14% rated it as a 4 or 5, meaning a more serious issue. Small firms and firms located in the Midwest and West regions were more likely to consider this to be a more serious issue; 21% of small firms with annual revenue of less than $250,000, 19% of firms located in the West, and 17% of firms located in the Midwest rated it as a 4 or 5.

Of those firms that rated the issue of stalled/delayed/ canceled projects as at least a somewhat serious issue, they reported that so far, an average of 60% of their recent

projects are proceeding as normal. However, nearly onequarter of their projects (23%) were reported as being significantly delayed, 12% as indefinitely stalled, and 6% as being canceled outright. Small firms with annual billings of less than $250,000 reported the largest share of projects as being canceled (12%), while firms located in the Northeast, and those with commercial/industrial and multifamily residential specializations, reported the largest shares of projects that have been significantly delayed (28%, 28%, and 26%, respectively).

These firms reported that a variety of factors have contributed to projects at their firms being stalled/delayed/canceled recently, with 66% citing rising material prices, 64% citing contractor bids coming in too high or schedules too long, 61% citing construction budgets insufficient for projects as currently conceived, 55% citing changing market conditions making clients nervous about proceeding, and 50% citing supply chain issues/ materials availability. When asked to select which one of these factors was the most significant contribution to projects at their firms being delayed/ stalled/canceled, the top two choices were related to issues with project construction (construction budgets insufficient for projects as currently conceived, 24%, and contractor bids coming in too high or schedules too long, 22%), followed by 20% selecting changing market conditions making clients nervous about proceeding. Despite concern about recent interest rate increases, just 1% selected that as the most significant factor for delayed/stalled/canceled projects, while 5% selected financing problems.

For more information, please visit aia.org.

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Source: The American Institute of Architects

October 2022 | 5

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CONSTRUCTION

Construction Input Costs Decrease 1.1 Percent Amid Falling Fuel Prices, but Other Goods and Some Services Continue Upward Price Trend

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

T

he price of materials and services used in nonresidential construction declined by 1.1 percent from July to August as a steep drop in fuel prices masked increases in the cost of other construction inputs, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government data released recently. Association officials cautioned that limited price declines cannot undo the harm of clogged supply lines and labor shortages.

“Today’s price report highlights the mixed conditions contractors are experiencing, with many costs still rising sharply while others take a breather,”

said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “Meanwhile, an industry survey we recently released found that supply-chain issues and labor availability are delaying many construction projects.”

The survey, which the association conducted with Autodesk and released on August 31, asked construction firms about the impact of shortages and delivery delays on project completion times, among other topics.

Eighty-two percent of firms reported projects had been delayed due to longer lead times or shortages of materials, while 66 percent reported delays due to shortages of employees or subcontractors.

The producer price index for inputs to nonresidential construction—the prices charged by goods producers and service providers such as distributors and transportation firms—decreased 1.1 percent from July to August but nevertheless rose 13.0 percent since August 2021. The index for energy used in nonresidential construction plunged 13.1 percent for the month. In contrast, the index for goods other than energy and food rose 0.3 percent after declining for two months. The index for services was similarly mixed, with an overall dip of 0.4 percent but with a 1.2 percent increase in the index for services other than trade, transportation, and warehousing.

Prices of several widely used goods rose in August, partially offsetting declines in fuel, lumber,

and some metal products prices. The price index for gypsum building materials such as wallboard jumped 3.3 percent for the month. Indexes rose for construction machinery and equipment (2.6 percent), flat glass (2.4 percent), copper and brass mill shapes (2.0 percent), readymixed concrete (1.6 percent), and asphalt paving mixtures and blocks (1.0 percent). Among services, the price index for equipment rental and leasing climbed 3.7 percent.

These increases were more than offset by one-month decreases in August in the index for diesel fuel, -13.4 percent; steel mill products, -5.7 percent; aluminum mill shapes, -3.9 percent; and lumber and plywood, -2.9 percent. The fuel price drop contributed to a 1.9 percent fall in the index for truck transportation of freight.

Association officials said supply-chain disruptions like a potential rail strike, along with a shortage of qualified construction workers, threaten to delay and increase the cost of much-needed infrastructure and manufacturing construction. They urged public officials to help keep freight moving and invest in workforce development.

“Declines in materials costs mean little if neither goods nor workers are available,” said Stephen E. Sandherr, the association’s chief executive officer. “Federal officials need to do all they can to remove supply bottlenecks and invest in construction education and training programs.”

For more information, please visit agc.org.

Source: Associated General Contractors of America

Introducing: Opportunity Our Business Equity Division provides resources to small, minority- and woman-owned businesses seeking to participate in Port Houston procurements.

Learn more about how we can help support your business at www.porthouston.com/businessequity

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CONSTRUCTION

Best Recruitment Strategies for Construction Companies

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

T

he top recruitment strategies for construction recruiting include but are not limited to building a great company brand that candidates are attracted to, sourcing great talent in new ways, interviewing appropriately, and continuing to train your new hires.

Construction companies’ recruitment strategies have never been more critical. In fact, Brent Darnell International, a company that teaches emotional intelligence in construction, has even said that there’s a “war for talent” now in the construction market.

In addition, the Home Builders Institute suggests that 740,000 new construction workers are needed annually for three years to account for attrition.

The construction industry needs more than 61,000 new hires every month to keep up with both industry growth and the loss of workers either through retirement or simply leaving the sector for good,” said Home Builders Institute CEO Ed Brady. “From 2022 through 2024, this total represents a need for an additional 2.2 million new hires for construction, and that’s a staggering number.

Build BuildYour YourBrand Brand for for Better Communication Communication Believe it or not, building a brand to attract employees when construction recruiting is as important as building one to attract customers. Think about it; you’re not the only one hiring; you must provide a reason for employees to choose you over others.

EstablishPriorities Priorities to Show That Establish Show That You Care You Care Safety is one of the major concerns in the construction industry and one key priority to highlight and provide focus on.

Showcasing how you handle your safety measures is a thoughtful gesture and a great way to promote how you care for your employees.

Through your communication channels, talk about your long-term safety record, how you deal with workplace hazards, and how you plan to improve in the future.

Your communication will show that you value your employees’ health and wellbeing.

EmbraceaaWorker-First Worker-First Mindset Embrace Before the 2000s, working for long hours in the harshest environments meant having a construction job.

Employees back then didn’t have options, so they were forced to accept. Today, many employers have taken the initiative to improve their workers’ mental health.

Take Shawmut, for example. In 2016,

they implemented a flexible work program that yielded many positive results. They offered shift sharing, part-time hours, compressed workweeks, and even telecommuting.

Shawmut Design and Construction has announced the creation and implementation of Shawmut Flex, a program that allows employees the option to flex their time, condense the work week, and telecommute. Recognizing that its people are its greatest asset, Shawmut Flex was designed to improve work-life integration, retain top talent, and recruit the best in the industry.

ImplementTechnology Technology to Reach Implement LargerAudience Audience aaLarger It’s inevitable that your company will have to hire millennials in the next few years, and Deloitte expects millennials to comprise about 75% of the global workforce by 2025. That said, you need to leverage technology to hire construction workers if you aren’t already. That means marketing on social media, leveraging LinkedIn to its fullest, and using an ATS system to review a high volume of resumes.

Brad Humphry, the founder of Pinnacle Development Group, a consulting firm that has built a reputation as a developer of leaders, a facilitator of strategic growth, and a tailored provider of professional resources, mentioned this about millennials.

I don’t think Millennials look at construction naturally because they are very computer literate and feel more comfortable working with all sorts of electronics.

Further, the Associated General Contractors of America showed that nearly one-fourth of firms report using cuttingedge solutions like robots, drones, 3D printers, and GPS-guided machinery. If you don’t catch up, you’ll soon risk a significant worker shortage.

BuildCareer Career Paths Paths to Attract Build AmbitiousEmployees Employees Ambitious As you learn how to hire construction employees, you may need to remind yourself how much the industry has changed over the last several years. It’s essential to change this idea that all construction workers wear hard hats and that you can’t make much money. If you make it clear that your company provides room for growth, you will attract employees who are ready to be devoted and loyal.

Featuring career paths is especially important for the construction industry regarding student vacancies. Make sure to outline the career goals you offer, then illustrate the training or education needed to reach those goals.

Tyson Conrad, the CEO of Goliath Construction Consulting, suggests the following.

For so long, it was assumed that if you worked with a hard hat, you didn’t make

a lot of money, and you were a dummy.

This said, consider going the extra mile by actually supporting your current construction employees with a clear growth path, providing tuition reimbursement, and developing mentoring opportunities for future leaders.

EmbraceYour Your Current Current Workforce Embrace toAvoid AvoidLosing Losing Them Them to It’s obvious that your construction company should retain its employees rather than have a high turnover. It’s more economical since you won’t need to allocate an additional budget for hiring campaigns. It also decreases the likelihood of surprising worker shortages.

If you have unhappy employees, something is wrong with your environment, your compensation, philosophy, etc. Even the best construction hiring strategies can’t fix a broken culture or work environment.

In fact, we can tell you how to recruit, but we can’t tell you how to please your current employees. You’d have to analyze your shortcomings to be able to improve them.

What is the best way to find what upsets your workers? Ask them!

A study made in 2017 reinforced this and showed that only 39% of construction companies measure their employee engagement, and even more surprising is that only 21% of the workers are motivated by their bosses!

AllocateSigning Signing Bonuses Bonuses to Allocate EncourageMore More Applicants Applicants Encourage If your budget allows it, allocate signing bonuses to encourage more people to consider your company. However, making them conditional on a minimum employment term is essential; otherwise, people may leave their jobs as soon as they get their bonuses.

Here are a couple of reasons to allocate a signing bonus when putting together your construction recruiting strategy: • To stay competitive: A signing bonus is more likely when a construction company competes with other employers for the same worker. It’s also a clear sign that a construction employer is really interested in a candidate.

• To maintain internal salary equity: Sometimes, especially at large construction companies, a candidate will ask for a higher salary only to be told it’s outside the company’s salary range for their level.

There might be much less flexibility in terms of salary, and in that case, the company might make up the difference—for the first year—with a signing bonus.

• To make up for benefits left behind: If a construction employer recruits an experienced worker who will lose out on a bonus or other benefits by leaving their job, the employer may use a signing bonus to make up the difference.

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Spice SpiceUp Upyour your Offers Offers with Benefits BenefitsPackages Packages If you’re low on budget and can’t afford raises or bonuses as part of your construction industry recruitment strategy, you might consider arranging a benefits package.

A workforce report made in 2016 found that 60% of employees consider a benefits package offering crucial for their job satisfaction. In a basic benefits plan, construction employees look for, and employers typically provide health insurance, employermatching retirement plans, and additional insurance (life and disability) coverages.

Buildan anEffective Effective Company Build CareersPage Page Careers Imagine that you’ve done an impressive digital campaign to ratchet up your construction recruitment to the next level.

You’ve prepared ads, sent emails, and even encouraged your employees to share vacancies on their social media. Traffic to your job posting at picking up!

Now all that’s left is to capture prospects’ interest with an effective careers page on your company website. Here’s how to take your construction company career page to the next level:

WriteaaCompelling Compelling Mission Write Statement Statement Let’s face it. Nobody likes a mission statement that sounds bland, and don’t flood it with jargon to make your company look professional.

Instead, write about your culture, what you want in an employee, and why working with your construction company is unique and worth it.

Oh, and don’t call it “mission statement.”

Find a title that goes along with your values and mission.

AddTestimonials Testimonials to to Show Add Credibility Credibility Please don’t claim that you have the best work environment; let your employees say it on your behalf. Including testimonials on your careers page will make your construction company sincere and credible.

Say SayNo Noto to Stock Stock Photos A picture is worth a thousand words.

Well, stock photos are worth nothing!

Add photos of your offices, employees in action, worksites, etc. Include your branded shirts, banners, and logo in these photos.

These steps will guide you on how to hire construction workers by providing a strategy that’ll work now and in the future.

For more information, please visit matchbuilt.com.

Source: MatchBuild

October 2022 | 9

SUBCONTRACTORS USA

ENERGY

October Celebrates Public Power Week

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

P

ublic power utilities across the U.S. celebrate Public Power Week the first full week of October every year to help customers and stakeholders understand how they can better engage with their communityowned utility and benefit from all its offerings.

Public power utilities are communityowned, not-for-profit electric utilities that safely provide reliable, low-cost electricity to more than 49 million Americans, while protecting the environment.

Homes and businesses in 2,000 communities across the U.S. — large cities like Austin, Nashville, Los Angeles, and Seattle, as well as small towns and the Navajo nation — get electricity from a public power utility. Collectively, these utilities serve 1 in 7 electricity customers across the U.S. and operate in 49 states — all except Hawaii — and the territories of American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Public power utilities are one of three primary types of electric utilities in the U.S. Public power is distinguished by a few of the key traits below.

LocallyControlled Controlled Locally Like public schools and libraries, public power utilities are owned by the community and run as a division of local government. These utilities are governed by a local city council or an elected or appointed board. Community citizens have a direct voice in utility decisions, including the rates it charges and its sources of electricity.

Affordable Affordable Public power utilities are not-forprofit entities that provide electricity to customers at the lowest rates. Homes powered by public power utilities pay less than homes powered by private utilities. Businesses that get electricity from public power utilities also pay less than businesses that get electricity from private utilities.

Reliable Reliable Customers of public power utilities lose power less often. Customers of a public power utility are without power for an average of 62 minutes a year, compared to customers of private utilities, who lose power for an average of 150 minutes a year — provided there are no major adverse events.

Investedininthe theCommunity Community Invested Public power utilities are embedded into the fabric of their communities and support a range of community programs Experience Our World of Advertising, Marketing, Media and Communication

including charitable, educational, and beautification programs. Public power employs 96,000 people in hometown jobs. On average, public power utilities pay 6.1% of electric operating revenues to the community — through taxes, fees, and special services. Public power gives 20% more to the community than private utilities.

Public power infrastructure projects are often funded through the issue of tax-exempt municipal bonds. Funding through municipal bonds means community members invest in their electricity infrastructures — such as new generation equipment, transmission lines, and distribution system upgrades — and receive interest as public power utilities pay back the loan.

Environmentally EnvironmentallyResponsible Responsible Public power generates 10% of all electricity in the U.S. and distributes — or sells at the retail level — 15% of all power flowing to homes and businesses. Public power utilities care for the environment while they buy or generate electricity from diverse sources including natural gas, coal, and nuclear, as well as renewable energy sources such as solar, water, and wind. In several regions, public power utilities can buy wholesale hydropower generated from federal dams at cost and pass the savings on to customers.

In 2019, about 40% of the power generated by public power came from non-carbon-emitting sources.

PublicPower PowerisisaaChoice Choice Public Citizen-owned public power utilities have been around since the beginning of customers getting electric service more than 100 years ago. Communities continue to have the choice to create electric utilities to provide light and power to their citizens through community ownership and local control of their power supply. Citizens also have a say in whether their community-owned utility can be sold to a private entity.

Learn more about the process of forming a public power utility, also called municipalization.

Association members can learn more about sellout evaluations by downloading the guidebook, Positioning Your Community to Succeed in Sellout Evaluation.

For more information, please visit publicpower.org.

Source: American Public Power Association

10 | October 2022

SUBCONTRACTORS USA

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Final HEB Diversity Red ads.qxp

4/7/08

11:24 AM

Page 1

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At H-E-B, we value our partnerships with women and minority suppliers.

Through their contributions, we better understand the needs of our customers and add to the growth of our company and the communities we serve.

®

For more information on becoming a supplier with H-E-B, visit

www.heb.com

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IT & TECHNOLOGY

IAH Parking Count Guidance System

Optimize Costs With

MCA Managed Services

By Paul Stoessel MCA Communications

I

t always costs more to react to a problem than to proactively prevent one. Yet, business managers tend to resist investing in a Proactive Service Agreement to ensure their systems are well maintained. Through the illusion of saving money, organizations end up assuming all the liability for the moment their network goes down or they suffer a security breach.

When a disaster event happens and they realize it is beyond their scope to respond properly, business managers call for help.

It is not a question of whether something will happen to cause disruption in your business, but when.

The average cost of IT downtime is $5,600 per minute (July 2021; the20. com). While that number will either be higher or lower, depending on the size and operational structure of your business, it is a staggering number, to say the least. This does not include the cost of lost revenue potential or your organization’s reputation and trust with your staff and clients.

Even the best-maintained businesses can face downtime due to circumstances beyond their control. Disney, among other gigantic service providers, was down for nearly twelve hours in 2021 when Amazon’s Web Service (AWS) went offline. There are many small and medium-sized businesses that also utilize AWS that also had operations suspended. Disney might be able to weather an outage like that, but most SMBs - and many enterprise clients would struggle greatly to recover from that kind of loss.

WhatisisaaManaged ManagedServices Services What Provider(MSP)?

(MSP)?

Provider Enterprise and medium-sized businesses typically have an in-house IT department. Most small businesses do not have room in their payroll for fulltime staff. Regardless of the business size, all organizations have gaps in their ability to maintain their technology needs. This bleeds right into physical security, cybersecurity, special projects, and disaster recovery. What happens when these gaps are left alone can be catastrophic. But the more common “silent killer” is the loss of efficiency as the workforce finds their own shortcuts/ workarounds because they lack access to qualified and timely technical help.

A Managed Services Provider will identify the gaps in a company’s technology and security needs as well as proactively maintain the existing infrastructure, all while providing subject

matter experts in those respective areas of opportunity.

MCA’s Managed Services will proactively ensure your network has appropriate redundancies in place to reduce downtime on your most critical assets.

Our experts become your business partners. We learn your operational model and provide solutions to overcome risk.

We educate your workforce and trading partners. Our help desk does not just wait for calls to come in from your team but reaches out and monitors for safe behavior. Should there be a breach or outage, MCA’s team is your team.

market sectors

services

• • • • • • • • • • • •

• • • • • •

aviation CIVIL commercial corrections education entertainment healthcare historic renovations hospitality/casinos military municipal transportation

pre-construction construCtion management program management design-build general contracting SPECIALTY CONTRACTING

IAH MLIT

We can start by managing your security software, workstations, and firewall while providing a comprehensive, easyto-read report with action items that can be carried out at low-to-no cost. Over time, MCA’s Managed Services team will propose newer and more secure technologies to refresh or replace various components that are reaching the end of their lifecycle.

After your team works with MCA, you will see how we have earned the trust of our clients for more than forty years. Our technicians are certified in major manufacturer products and follow industry best practices to provide friendly and efficient support.

With MCA Managed Services, our team becomes your team. The costbenefit to your business in proactively addressing technology needs will pay for itself with a productive workforce, a safe environment, and your client’s satisfaction.

www.azteca-omega.com | Houston MBE - HIRE HOUSTON FIRST 3340-C Greens Road, Suite 900 | Houston TX 77032 | 281-205-0919

For more information, visit MCACom.com or email Paul.Stoessel@MCACom.com to schedule a consultation.

Serving as MCA’s Director of Managed Services, Paul Stoessel holds more than 20 years of experience in Information Technology and Managed Services. His primary focus is partnering with clients as an expert consultant in managed services and working with them to design and implement customized solutions. He is responsible for the growth and development of MCA’s Managed Services Division and ensuring it meets and exceeds customer needs.

He works closely with MCA’s Project Managers, Account Managers, and their clients.

Source: MCA Communications

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IT & TECHNOLOGY

Associated Builders and Contractors Announces

2022-2023 Tech Alliance Members

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

A

ssociated Builders and Contractors (ABC) recently announced the members of its third annual Tech Alliance—a consortium of firms that create construction technology and innovative solutions for ABC contractor members, the majority of which primarily perform work in the industrial and commercial sectors.

“These technology and innovation allies of ABC are leaders in the construction innovation space and align with our strategic plan of ensuring our members become safer, more profitable, and equipped to win more work,” said Matt Abeles, ABC vice president of construction technology and innovation. “The world-class products, education, and dialogue the Tech Alliance companies deliver to ABC members will help transform the design, build, and delivery process.”

Consisting of 14 companies, the Tech Alliance leverages technology resources to help ABC members develop people, win work and deliver work safely, ethically, and profitably for the betterment of the communities in which they work.

The Tech Alliance introduces small and mid-sized contractors and subcontractors to construction technology solutions for bidding, billing, building information modeling, compliance, total equipment management, customer relationship management, field collaboration, job costing, job site monitoring, preconstruction, project management, safety analytics, security, service software, subcontractor management, and time tracking, among others. Tech Alliance companies will also collaborate on

resources for ABC members, including beta testing, free technology programs, and educational webinars, and provide ABC’s 68 chapters with access to technology products used in the field by ABC contractor members.

The 2022-2023 Tech Alliance members are Arcoro, Autodesk Inc., BuildOps, Field Control Analytics, KPA, OpenSpace, Procore, Safesite, Safety Evolution, Sage, Smartapp.com, SmartBuild, SubHQ, and Tenna.

In addition to the Tech Alliance, ABC’s Tech Marketplace is continuing to grow its offering for ABC members.

The Tech Marketplace is comprised of companies that provide construction technology and innovative digital solutions for ABC contractor members at a discount to advance and grow their technology strategies, offerings, and abilities.

ABC’s Construction Technology and Innovation Committee helps guide future Tech Alliance and Tech Marketplace partnerships, collaborating with the overall technology community and assisting ABC contractors by meeting the needs of a 21st workforce, business model, and overall construction industry.

To learn more, visit abc.org/TechAlliance and abc. org/TechMarketplace.

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Source: Associated Builders and Contractors

14 | October 2022

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METRO & INTERAGENCY SUBCONTRACTORS USA

MENTOR PROTÉGÉ PROGRAM

Partners Continues their Partnership to Advance, Strengthen & Drive the Small Business Community.

2022 WORKSHOP SESSIONS & EVENTS

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

I

n keeping with METRO’s commitment to providing contracting opportunities to all businesses, on September 22, 2022, METRO’s Board of Directors adopted a Veteran-Owned Business Enterprise (VOBE) Program and a Disability-Owned Business Enterprise (DOBE) Program. These new programs are in addition to the existing and successful Small Business Enterprise (SBE) and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) programs.

To properly reflect METRO’s policy to promote equal opportunity, inclusion, and nondiscrimination in all its procurement matters, effective October 1, 2022, the Office of Small Business was renamed the Office of Economic Business Opportunity. The Office of Economic Business Opportunity oversees the Small, Disadvantaged, Veteran-owned, and Disability-owned Business Enterprise Programs.

Through their Interagency Mentor Protégé Program (IMPP), METRO continues its partnership with the City of Houston, HISD, Port Houston, Houston Community College, and Houston First Corporation to advance, strengthen, and drive the small business community.

METRO’s Office of Economic Business Opportunity continues to provide results-driven programs strategically designed to address the needs and challenges small businesses encounter. Under Deputy Procurement Officer Karen Hudson, Director Otis Johnson, Manager, Small Business Outreach Shurronda Murray, and Business Development Officer Alex Sandoval, this award-winning and widely recognized program provides the tools and resources for small businesses to reach their goals, equipping and preparing them to do business with METRO.

The METRO Office of Economic Business Opportunity remains a trendsetter when it comes to answering the call of SBEs and DBEs, having been the first to: • Have 35% contract goals • Require primes to commit to goal with identified SBEs/DBEs prior to contract award • Graduate 7 SBEs/DBEs from the IMPP • Offer multi-trades contracting • Offer full calendar year of SBU training • Offer one-on-one business assessments • Offer 100% secure on-line certification application “The IMPP is a collaborative effort between like-minded agencies to ensure we are all achieving some of the same goals as it relates to fostering and strengthening long-term and effective working relationships between established companies and emerging small businesses,” says Murray.

• • • • • • • • •

“Doing Business with Government Entities” “Back Office – HR/Compliance/PO’s/Invoices, etc.”

“Learning To “Market” Your Company” “How To Price Your Product/Project” “Financial Management” “Mock Request for Proposal” “Mock Request for Proposal 2” RFP Presentation and Evaluations 2022 Graduation

2022 APPLICANTS & PROTEGES • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

A1 Mobil Fleet Wash & Detail Service Inc. Alpha Co. Marketing & Media Associated Testing Laboratories, Inc. Bowman Engineering & Consulting, Inc. Builders Depot Direct dba Builders Direct Depot Gratia Geomatics LLC H.C.G. Management, LLC dba Honesty Construction Group Key HTX LABORNOW LLC M&R Wong LLC dba You've Got Maids of Central Houston Maxari Portfolio Builders, Inc. Prime Facility Services Group Radia Enterprises Inc DBA Career Uniforms SNR Construction & Consulting LLC STAR Geoenvironmental, LLC Tessellations Inc. The J Team Tree Service Vetcore Technology and Electrical Services Visual AV LLC

2022 INDUSTRIES & FIRMS Industries Construction General Services Professional Services Supplies & Equipment

No. of Firms 5 3 9 3

2022 MENTORS • • • • • • • • • • • •

Atser Binkley & Barfield Canteen Charlesworth Consulting CK Productions Gilbreath Communications HDR HNTB Corporation Hospitality Cleaning Solutions Jacobs LAN Level3 Corporation

• • • •

Rice & Gardner S&B Infrastructure, LTD SpawGlass Turner Construction Company

2022 WORKSHOP PRESENTERS • • • •

Joi Beasley, Gogo Business Communications Latoshia Norwood, L’Renee & Associates, LLC Ervin Hughes, Level 3 Business Consulting Julie Irvin & Susan Repka, B2G Victory

SOME 2022 IMPP SUCCESSES • Received (107) applications • Accepted (22) Protégés into the program • Graduated (20) Protégés from the program “Since the inception of IMPP, we have seen SBEs and DBEs achieve impressive business growth as a result of the mentorship, support, and workshops that provide invaluable tools and resources. Some of the Protégés are still teaming up for joint ventures, submitting bids with their former classmates all due to the relationships and trust that was built during the class.” Murray says. “We are so grateful to all of our mentors. IMPP wouldn’t be a success without their participation, taking SBEs and DBEs under their wing to aid them with their business plans, financials, etc.”

METRO and its IMPP partners are serious about supporting small and disadvantaged businesses, being devoted to the program's purpose to aid these businesses.

Each year IMPP has prime contractors who are doing business with one of the partnering agencies to assist them with mentoring these firms. The primes are not compensated but are volunteers which says a lot about the devotion of the past and present Mentors. METRO’s Office of Economic Business Opportunity only works with Mentors who take action, just as they do to help small businesses thrive.

Murray expresses, “METRO’s Office of Economic Business Opportunity doesn’t just talk, but puts our words into action. Though participating in the IMPP doesn’t guarantee contracts, we are sincere in our efforts to do whatever we can to position our small business owners to win and soar. We have seen winning in different forms, whether landing a contract, forming relationships, or receiving knowledge.”

METRO's Office of Economic Business Opportunity has a commitment to providing various business enterprise programs that ensure equal opportunity, inclusion, and nondiscrimination in all procurement and contracting affairs.

For more information about METRO's Office of Economic Business Opportunity, the Interagency Mentor Protégé Program, and all of their programs, please visit www.ridemetro.org/pages/ SmallBusiness.aspx.

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Aravind Marella STAR Geoenvironmental, LLC

Isidro X. Garza Gratia Geomatics LLC

Moylam Wong M&R Wong LLLC dba Youve Got Maids of Central Houston

Juan Pablo Osorio Alpha Co. Marketing & Media

Greg Williams H.C.G. Management, LLC/dba Honesty Construction Group

Raya Guruswamy Maxari Energy LLC. dba "Maxari"

Rupendra Radia Radia Enterprises Inc DBA Career Uniforms

Juanita Torres The J Team Tree Service

Sakara Ross SNR Construction & Consulting LLC

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Sangita ‘Beni’ Patel Tessellations Inc.

October 2022 | 17

SUBCONTRACTORS USA

Bryant Price Key HTX

Christian Frisch Portfolio Builders, Inc.

“While METRO’s Office of Economic Business Opportunity remains committed to seeing our small and disadvantaged businesses succeed, I like to think we are more than just a department that provides programs and workshops. We are strong advocates for these businesses. Through METRO’s IMPP and other efforts, this office not only meets but continuously exceeds the agency’s contract goals with DBEs and SBEs because of our capability, passion, and allegiance.”

—Shurronda Murray, Manager, Small Business Outreach

Stanley Holland A1 Mobil Fleet Wash & Detail Service Inc.

Nicole Salha LABORNOW LLC

Priti Singh Associated Testing Laboratories, Inc.

Rafael S. Perez, Jr. Prime Facility Services Group

Johnny Vu Builders Depot Direct DBA Builders Direct Depot

Shauna Bowman Bowman Engineering & Consulting, Inc.

Michael Higgins Vetcore Technology & Electrical Services

Babar Khan VISUAL AV LLC

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SUBCONTRACTORS USA

Justina Mann

Liliana Rambo

Marsha Murray

Rhonda Arnold

Director, Terminal Development

Chief Terminal Management Officer

Director, Office of Business Opportunity

Chief Community Relations Officer

Houston Airports Supplier Diversity Awards

2022

Building the Future

University of Houston – The Hub

MD Anderson – Biosciences Research Facility

MD Anderson – South Campus Education Building

More than Bricks & Mortar As one of the nation’s largest 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’s ingrained in our company culture. We are devoted to making contributions that not only strengthen the local economy, but also reflect the demographics of the community at large.

Turner is proud to celebrate our 33rd year of The Turner School of Construction Management in partnership with The City of Houston, Office of Business Opportunity.

We remain steadfast in our commitment to grow capacity in Small, Minority and Women owned enterprises in the communities where we work.

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5 Permitting Tips for Public Works Contractors

By Helen Callier Contributing Writer

I

t is always a great feeling to sign a new contract.

Be it for a commercial or public project, the sound of hearing the words, “You have been awarded XYZ job” is sweet music. This was apparent when I was recently picking up a package at the post office. A Contractor saw the PermitUsNow wrapped fleet truck and came over to ask the following question.

Contractor: “Do you pull permits for city road projects?”

PermitUsNow: “Yes, we do. How can I help you?”

Contractor: “We are doing some intersection saw cuts, installing new driveways and culverts; and the City gave us a violation notice the other day for not having the proper permits and mentioned something about trees.”

PermitUsNow: “What is your full project scope?

Where is the project located? Do you have a copy of the violation?”

The above kind of scenario occurs often and the Permi-

PERMITS

tUsNow team members are passionate about answering questions and providing insights to Contractors, Architects, and Project Owners even when we are in the field.

Below are 5 permitting tips shared with the Public Works Contractor to assist him in getting back on track with construction. · Review the contract to see if the City Engineer or contracted Civil Engineering firm has the responsibility to pull permits. · Double check with City Public Works PM and let them know about violations plus steps to resolve. · If the Contractor is responsible to pull permits including for impact to trees and ROW infrastructure like light poles, make sure to register with the jurisdiction which will require your Certificate of Insurance and bond information. · Confirm the number of driveways, culverts, intersections, etc. based on the scope shown in the contract. · Review project schedule to assess

the phasing of permits and how long it will require street closure and sidewalk permits.

Municipal roadway projects are often challenging, especially when work involves high traffic and busy city streets with complex utilities. Contractors are advised to review the above 5 tips to minimize project delays and to avoid negatively impacting public travel. With so much infrastructure work going on in many cities and upcoming bond work in the U.S, Contractors can call PermitUsNow at 1.844.PERMIT.4 for permitting assistance.

At PermitUsNow, we are committed to pulling permits for our Architect, Contractor, and Project Owner clients without delay, eliminating their frustrations with the permitting process. Plus, we make it easy for you to work with us. Simply: 1) Email us your plans, 2) Follow up on our feedback for any missing items, and 3) Let us get your permitting done for you. So, send us your plans today, and we’ll free you up to focus on doing what you love - building your customers’ dreams.

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Visit us on the web at permitusnow.com. #BuildCustomersDreams #BuildSafe

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SAFETY

US Department of Labor

Awards More Than $11.7 M in Grants To Educate Workers, Employers on Workplace Safety, Health

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

T

he U.S. Department of Labor recently announced the award of $11,746,992 in grants to support worker and employer education to make workplaces around the nation safer and healthier.

Administered by the department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Susan Harwood Training Grant Program is making grants to 90 nonprofit organizations in fiscal year 2022 for education and training on hazard recognition and injury prevention, workers' rights, and employers' legal responsibilities to provide safe and healthful workplaces.

Named for late Susan Harwood, former director of OSHA's Office of Risk Assessment, the grants are awarded in the Targeted Topic Training, Training and Educational Materials Development, and Capacity Building categories.

During her 17 years with OSHA, Dr. Harwood helped develop fed-

eral standards to protect workers from bloodborne pathogens, cotton dust, benzene, formaldehyde, asbestos, and lead in construction.

OSHA grants are awarded to non-profit organizations, including community and faith-based groups, employer associations, labor unions, joint labor-management associations, Native American tribes, and local and state-sponsored colleges and universities. Target trainees include small-business employers and underserved vulnerable workers in high-hazard industries.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to help ensure these conditions for America's workers by setting and enforcing standards and providing training, education, and assistance.

For more information, please visit osha.gov.

Source: OSHA

SAFETY

Personal Protective Equipment Market worth $64.2 billion by 2027 - Exclusive Report by MarketsandMarkets™

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

M

ersonal Protective Equipment Market size is projected to be at USD 64.2 billion by 2027, at a CAGR of -1.3% from USD 68.5 billion in 2022, according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets™. This growth is primarily triggered by the rising awareness about workplace safety, stringent regulations in developed countries, and the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. According to OSHA, workplace injuries have witnessed an increase each year in the US. OSHA reported that workplace eye injury costs an estimated USD 300 million a year in medical treatment, lost productivity, and worker compensation.

Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) also supports the fact, stating that a majority of the injured workers were not wearing PPE at the time of the accident. A number of losses, both direct and hidden costs, occur when a workplace accident occurs.

Direct costs are realized at the time of accidents whereas hidden costs are realized post-accidents. As a result of increasing accidents and injuries at the workplace, the importance of work safety is rising.

Hand & Arm is estimated to be the largest type of personal protective equipment market in 2021.

Hand & arm protection includes three subcategories, namely, disposable gloves, reusable gloves, and others (wrist cuffs & armlets, elbow protectors, mitts, and barrier creams). Hand & arm protection is not only used to protect an individual from hazards or injuries at the workplace but also to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The disposable gloves subsegment led the hand & arm protection equipment market in 2020 due to the increased demand from the healthcare industry. Disposable gloves are for single use and need to be disposed of immediately, this ensures hygiene and prevention of contamination. The increasing number

of hand cuts, abrasions, thermal burns, bruises, punctures, and arm injuries in daily activities is expected to fuel the market for hand & arm protection equipment during the forecast period.

Healthcare is estimated to be the largest end-use industry of personal protective equipment market in 2021 The rising prevalence of COVID-19 was a key contributor to the increase in the use of personal protective equipment globally. Factors such as the increasing demand for hospital beds and ICUs in countries with increasing incidences of COVID-19 and an increasing number of temporary hospitals are driving the demand for personal protective equipment in hospitals while treating patients. The infrastructural expansion was evident on a global scale as governments made efforts to combat the virus and care for an increasing number of patients. All these factors increased the demand for personal protective equipment in 2020 and 2021 from the healthcare industry. However, demand is expected to decrease in the coming years, as the spread of COVID-19 is decreasing in most countries and governments too have lifted the mandates for the use of face masks in public places.

The Asia Pacific is projected to be the fastest-growing market for personal protective equipment during the forecast period.

The Asia Pacific offers the highest opportunities for personal protective equipment as it is one of the highest affected regions due to COVID-19. Growing awareness of personnel and workplace safety is also fueling the market demand in this region. The rising industrial developments, economic growth, and favorable business practices in the Asia Pacific are driving the demand for personal protective equipment.

SAFETY

OSHA Reveals Top 10 Safety Violations for Fiscal Year 2022 at NSC Safety Congress & Expo

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

T

he Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced recently its preliminary Top 10 most frequently cited workplace safety standards for fiscal year 2022. NSC Safety+Health Associate Editor Kevin Druley introduced Patrick Kapust, acting director of OSHA's Directorate of Enforcement Programs, who presented the list during the 2022 NSC Safety Congress & Expo, the world's largest annual gathering of safety professionals.

Fall Protection – General Requirements remains at the top of the list for the 12th year in a row, followed

by Hazard Communication and Respiratory Protection.

OSHA's fiscal year ends Sept. 30.

"OSHA's annual Top 10 list helps define trends so safety professionals can find the appropriate solutions," said Lorraine Martin, NSC president and CEO. "Despite advancements in workplace safety, we continue to see the same types of violations each year. It's more important than ever employers seek education and resources to keep their workers safe."

TheTop Top1010most mostfrequently frequentlycited citedworkplace workplace The safetystandards standardsfor forFY FY2022 2022are: are: safety 1. Fall Protection – General Requirements (1926.501): 5,260 violations 2. Hazard Communication (1910.1200): 2,424 3. Respiratory Protection (1910.134): 2,185 4. Ladders (1926.1053): 2,143 5. Scaffolding (1926.451): 2,058 6. Lockout/Tagout (1910.147): 1,977 7. Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178): 1,749 8. Fall Protection – Training Requirements (1926.503): 1,556 9. Personal Protective and Lifesaving Equipment – Eye and Face Protection (1926.102): 1,401 10. Machine Guarding (1910.212): 1,370 A more in-depth analysis of the Top 10 violations for 2022 will be published in the December edition of Safety+Health magazine, a National Safety Council publication.

For more information, please visit marketsandmarkets.com.

Source: MarketsandMarkets

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Source: National Safety Council

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DART A Welcomes Charles Cato as New DART Chief of Police

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

TRANSPORTATION

fter an extensive national search, Charles Cato Department provides throughout our service area."

Cato joins DART from the City of Mesquite, where has been selected as the new chief of police at Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART). A public he served as the chief of police, and was responsible for safety executive with almost 33 years of law enforcement leading, planning, and directing a staff of 331 employees, and leadership experience, Cato will direct and oversee including 243 sworn and 88 non-sworn personnel. Prior the DART Police Department including sworn officers, to his role in Mesquite, he served as the first assistant chief emergency preparedness, security services, and related of police at the Dallas Police Department. As second in functions to carry out DART's safety, security and command of the police department, he was responsible emergency preparedness initiatives. for planning, implementing, and directing the day-to-day opera"We are very excited to welcome a compassionate leader and true public tions of 3500 sworn and 500 nonservant like Chief Cato to the DART sworn personnel. team," said Nadine S. Lee, DART "I am honored to be entrusted president & CEO. "His exemplary with the opportunity to lead the background in law enforcement, as dedicated women and men of the well as his experience in developing DART Police Department," said and expanding cross-agency collaboCato. "I look forward to continrations, provides our police departuing the DART Police Department and the entire agency fresh ment's community-oriented poperspectives for enhancing security licing efforts so that we can build in the transit system as we continue and expand on the strong bonds to serve the residents of the North we have developed with both our Texas region." service area cities, as well as the As the DART chief of police, Cato citizens we serve. Together we will will lead a team of over 250 licensed protect the communities we serve and the DART passengers that rely peace officers, as well as 110 fare enforcement officers and 67 support on our services every day." staff.

Cato holds a Bachelor of Arts, Photo Source: Dallas Area Rapid Transit Cato has been selected as the new chief Criminology and Criminal Jus"Charles is a proven and dedicated Photo Caption: Charles of police at Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART). tice degree from the University of law enforcement leader who has always had the safety and security of both the citizens and Texas at Arlington, and a Master of Science, Criminal police officers under his command at the forefront of Justice degree from the University of North Texas at his priorities," said Matt Walling, DART interim chief Dallas. He assumed his new role on September 6, 2022. of police. "I'm looking forward to working with him to Source: Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) continue to build on the culture of proactive community policing and exceptional service that the DART Police

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TRANSPORTATION

Collins Aerospace Opens New Facility at the Houston Spaceport To Support Future Space Exploration

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

C

ollins Aerospace recently opened a new 120,000-square-foot facility located at the Houston Spaceport. An anchor tenant at the Houston Airport System’s newly-created space hub, Collins will transition its current local operations to the new site, further advancing its space exploration programs.

With more than 40 years in the Houston area and the current site filled to capacity, Collins’ new facility in the spaceport represents a $30 million investment.

The increased footprint allows for expanded operations, manufacturing, and testing, and is also expected to add an additional 300 jobs to Houston in the coming years.

“Collins’ long history of innovating, developing, and delivering the critical systems that have played an integral role in humankind’s exploration of space takes yet another step forward with the opening of this stateof-the-art

facility at the Houston Spaceport,” said Phil Jasper, president of Collins Aerospace’s Mission Systems business. “This strategic location and our strong local partnerships are driving the next-generation technologies that will enable humankind to live, work and play in space.”

Along with Collins’ existing space facilities in California, Connecticut, and Illinois, the new Houston Spaceport location at Ellington Airport will support the development and testing of several key space systems, including the next-generation spacesuit – which astronauts could wear to work outside the International Space Station and on the moon – as well as Collins’ Universal Waste Management System and trash compactor.

“The expansion of Collins Aerospace at the Houston Spaceport is a crucial next step in the city’s journey to be the country’s premier next-generation aerospace and technical hub,” said Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner.

“The innovative technologies created at this facility will also serve as the critical systems to support humankind’s future space exploration and habitation. We look forward to fueling the future of aerospace right here in Houston.”

Some 10,000 square feet of the facility will be dedicated to Houston’s first-ever spaceflight incubator, where

startups, universities, and industry professionals will collaborate using robotics, medicine, additive manufacturing, and more to solve complex space technology challenges.

The inauguration of the new facility included a ceremonial ribbon cutting with remarks from Collins executives, U.S. Senator – and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations, and Innovation – Ted Cruz, as well as U.S. Representative – and Ranking Member of the House Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee – Brian Babin.

For more, please visit fly2houston.com.

Source: Houston Airport System

TRANSPORTATION

Port Houston Moves Forward on Sustainability Action Plan Working with Shell on decarbonization opportunities

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

n its latest sustainability move, Port Houston announced an agreement with Shell to explore opportunities to work together to meet the Port’s strategic goals in the areas of sustainability, resilience, and carbon reduction.

Port Houston and Shell signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that outlines a shared intention to explore key energy, mobility, and decarbonization projects that could be implemented at Port terminals. This agreement will help identify new technology and infrastructure opportunities at Port terminals that have the potential to ultimately lead to significant emissions reductions.

Earlier this year Port Houston announced its goal to be carbon neutral by 2050 and plans to achieve this by

I

upgrading technology, improving infrastructure and equipment, and utilizing alternative fuels and clean energy sources.

The Port Houston Sustainability Action Plan identifies 27 initiatives on which to lead, partner, or support. The agreement with Shell is one of several Port Houston recently finalized to move forward on those initiatives.

“We have big goals at Port Houston, but we cannot do it alone,” said Roger Guenther, Port Houston Executive Director. “The Port Houston team has arranged strategic relationships with several key companies that can help drive us toward our sustainability

ior Vice President, Renewables & Energy Solutions, Americas. “Building upon our relationship as Port Houston’s renewable energy supplier, we are excited to help Port Houston reach its goal to be carbon neutral by 2050.”

goals. We will achieve more by working together, and our relationship with Shell is an exciting step forward on our path to carbon neutrality.”

“As the world works toward a more sustainable energy future, this collaboration between Shell and Port Houston will contribute to achieving decarbonization objectives,” said Glenn Wright, Shell Sen-

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The first project planned under the MOU will be a study to understand the decarbonization potential at Port Houston’s two container terminals, Barbours Cut Container Terminal and Bayport Container Terminal.

Port Houston reduced its carbon footprint by 55% from 2016 to 2021 through initiatives like the implementation of 100% asset-backed renewable electricity.

For more information, please visit porthouston.com.

Source: Port Houston

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A COMPANY FOR ALL!

Tellepsen's Commitment Tellepsen is committed to building a company that truly represents the diverse community we have served for 113 years. Texas Southern University and Tellepsen are working together to positively impact the success of students who are focused on career pathways in the construction industry. Through this partnership, we endeavor to provide pathways for the next generation to thrive and succeed as we work together to build for Houston’s future.

281.447.8100

www.tellepsen.com

777 Benmar Drive, Suite 400, Houston, TX 77060

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