Subcontractor USA 79

PROTÉGÉ

Shauna

Babar

Michael

Nicole

Greg

Subcontractors USA highlights opportu nities and news relevant to the construc tion, energy, architecture, manufacturing, education, engineering, oil and gas, trans portation, and IT industries we serve. We hope you find this issue not only informa tive but inspiring and educational as well.

This month's issue highlights MET RO’s Interagency Mentor Protégé Pro gram (IMPP). Through IMPP, METRO continues this partnership with the City of Houston, HISD, Port Houston, Hou ston Community College, and Houston First Corporation, for small and disadvan taged 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 provid ing 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 mak ing positive things happen.

BEHIND THE JOURNAL CONTENTS OUR SERVICES

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Floyd

Doualla

Angel Rosa

Erick Fontejon

Casteel

Ford

CERTIFIED: HMSDC Port of Houston Metro City of Houston HISD HUB VBE DBE

“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

J. Davis, Sr.

Architecture Firm Billings Grow at a Slower Pace

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

While 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.

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.

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).

Looming threat of stalled projects impacts architects differently based on region

Looming threat of stalled projects impacts architects differently based on region

Gas prices decrease,

Gas prices decrease, but inflation remains 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 fac tor 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,

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/de layed/canceled projects as a 1 or 2 . However, more than one-quarter of firms (28%) indicat ed 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

These firms reported that a variety of factors have contributed to projects at their firms being stalled/de layed/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% cit ing 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 sig nificant contribution to projects at their firms being delayed/ stalled/canceled, the top two choices were related to issues with project construction (con struction budgets insufficient for projects as currently conceived, 24%, and contractor bids com ing 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.

Construction Input Costs Decrease 1.1

Percent Amid Falling Fuel Prices, but Other Goods and Some Services Continue Upward Price Trend

By Subcontractors USA

he price of materials and services used in non residential construction declined by 1.1 percent from July to August as a steep drop in fuel prices masked increases in the cost of other construc tion 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 construc tion 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 materi als, 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 Au gust, 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.

Best Recruitment Strategies for Construction Companies

T By Subcontractors USA News Provider

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 com pany 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 retire ment 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 Your Brand for Better Communication

Believe it or not, building a brand to attract employees when construction re cruiting 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.

Establish Priorities to Show That 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.

Embrace a Worker-First Mindset

Before the 2000s, working for long hours in the harshest environments meant having a construction job.

Employees back then didn’t have op tions, 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 telecom muting.

Shawmut Design and Construction has announced the creation and imple mentation 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.

Implement Technology to Reach a Larger Audience

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 re sources, mentioned this about millennials.

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

Further, the Associated General Con tractors 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 sig nificant worker shortage.

Build Career Paths to Attract Ambitious Employees

As you learn how to hire construction employees, you may need to remind your self 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 con struction employees with a clear growth path, providing tuition reimbursement, and developing mentoring opportunities for future leaders.

Embrace Your Current Workforce to Avoid Losing Them

Embrace Your Current Workforce

Them

It’s obvious that your construction com pany should retain its employees rather than have a high turnover. It’s more eco nomical 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, some thing 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 construc tion companies measure their employee engagement, and even more surprising is that only 21% of the workers are motivated by their bosses!

Allocate Signing Bonuses to Encourage More Applicants

If your budget allows it, allocate sign ing bonuses to encourage more people to consider your company. However, making them conditional on a minimum employ ment 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 in terested in a candidate.

• To maintain internal salary equi ty: Sometimes, especially at large construc tion 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 com pany might make up the difference—for the first year—with a signing bonus.

• To make up for benefits left be hind: 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.

Spice Up your Offers with Benefits Packages

Spice Up your Offers with Benefits 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 satisfac tion. In a basic benefits plan, construction employees look for, and employers typi cally provide health insurance, employermatching retirement plans, and additional insurance (life and disability) coverages.

Build an Effective Company Careers Page

Build an Effective Company Careers Page

Imagine that you’ve done an impres sive 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 vacan cies 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:

Write a Compelling Mission Statement

Write a Compelling Mission 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 work ing 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.

Add Testimonials to Show Credibility

Add Testimonials to Show 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 con struction company sincere and credible.

Say No to Stock Photos

Say No to Stock Photos

A picture is worth a thousand words. Well, stock photos are worth nothing!

Add photos of your offices, employ ees 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.

October Celebrates Public Power Week

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

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

P

Public power utilities are communityowned, not-for-profit electric utilities that safely provide reliable, low-cost elec tricity to more than 49 million Ameri cans, while protecting the environment. Homes and businesses in 2,000 com munities 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 custom ers 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.

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. Fund ing 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 Responsible

Environmentally Responsible

Locally Controlled

Locally Controlled

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.

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 busi nesses. Public power utilities care for the environment while they buy or generate electricity from diverse sources includ ing natural gas, coal, and nuclear, as well as renewable energy sources such as solar, water, and wind. In several re gions, 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.

Public Power is a Choice

Public Power is a Choice

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

Affordable 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 utili ties, who lose power for an average of 150 minutes a year — provided there are no major adverse events.

Citizen-owned public power utilities have been around since the beginning of customers getting electric service more than 100 years ago. Communities con tinue to have the choice to create elec tric 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 form ing a public power utility, also called municipalization.

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

For more information, please visit publicpower.org.

Invested in the Community

Invested in the Community

Public power utilities are embedded into the fabric of their communities and support a range of community programs

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.

Optimize Costs With MCA Managed Services

matter experts in those respective areas of opportunity.

By Paul Stoessel MCA Communications

t always costs more to react to a problem than to proactively prevent one. Yet, business man agers tend to resist investing in a Proac tive Service Agreement to ensure their systems are well maintained. Through the illusion of saving money, organiza tions 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 some thing 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 circumstanc es 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 clientswould struggle greatly to recover from that kind of loss.

What is a Managed Services Provider (MSP)?

Enterprise and medium-sized busi nesses 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 tech nology and security needs as well as proactively maintain the existing in frastructure, all while providing subject

MCA’s Managed Services will proac tively ensure your network has appro priate redundancies in place to reduce downtime on your most critical assets. Our experts become your business part ners. We learn your operational model and provide solutions to overcome risk. We educate your workforce and trad ing 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.

We can start by managing your secu rity 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 vari ous 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 fol low 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.

For more information, visit MCACom.com or email Paul.Stoes sel@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.

Associated Builders and Contractors Announces 2022-2023 Tech Alliance Members

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

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.

A

ssociated Builders and Contractors (ABC) re cently announced the members of its third annual Tech Alliance—a consortium of firms that create construction technology and innovative so lutions 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 lever ages 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 technol ogy 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

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 Market place 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.

METRO & INTERAGENCY MENTOR PROTÉGÉ PROGRAM

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

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

n keeping with METRO’s commitment to providing contracting opportunities to all busi nesses, 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 pro grams 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 Eco nomic Business Opportunity. The Office of Economic Business Opportunity oversees the Small, Disadvan taged, 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 busi nesses 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, equip ping 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.

2022 WORKSHOP SESSIONS & EVENTS

• “Doing Business with Government Entities”

• “Back Office – HR/Compliance/PO’s/Invoices, etc.”

• “Learning To “Market” Your Company”

• “How To Price Your

2022 APPLICANTS & PROTEGES

INDUSTRIES & FIRMS

2022 WORKSHOP PRESENTERS

Joi Beasley, Gogo

Latoshia Norwood, L’Renee & Associates,

Ervin Hughes, Level 3 Business

Julie Irvin & Susan Repka, B2G

SOME 2022 IMPP SUCCESSES

Received (107)

Accepted (22) Protégés

Graduated (20) Protégés

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.

MENTORS

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 ef forts to do whatever we can to position our small busi ness 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 Opportu nity 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.

Aravind Marella

Sangita ‘Beni’ Patel Tessellations

Garza

Juan Pablo Osorio Alpha Co. Marketing & Media

Juanita Torres

Moylam Wong

Wong

dba Youve

of Central Houston

Raya Guruswamy Maxari Energy

dba "Maxari"

Rupendra

Sakara Ross

Greg Williams H.C.G. Management,

Honesty Construction Group

“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.

Bryant Price Key HTX Christian Frisch Portfolio Builders, Inc.

Johnny Vu Builders Depot Direct DBA Builders Direct Depot

Priti Singh Associated Testing Laboratories, Inc.

Rafael S. Perez, Jr. Prime Facility Services Group

Shauna Bowman Bowman Engineering & Consulting, Inc.

Babar Khan VISUAL AV LLC

Michael Higgins Vetcore Technology & Electrical Services

Nicole Salha LABORNOW LLC

More than Bricks & Mortar

5 Permitting Tips for Public Works Contractors

tUsNow team members are passionate about answering questions and providing insights to Contractors, Archi tects, 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.

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

By Helen Callier Contributing Writer

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.

I

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

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

· 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

At PermitUsNow, we are committed to pulling permits for our Architect, Contrac tor, and Project Owner clients without delay, eliminating their frustrations with the per mitting 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.

Visit us on the web at permitusnow.com.

#BuildCustomersDreams

#BuildSafe

US Department of Labor

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

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

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

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

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

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

TT

Administered by the department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Susan Har wood 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 Educa tional Materials Development, and Capacity Building categories.

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

OSHA grants are awarded to non-profit organiza tions, including community and faith-based groups, employer associations, labor unions, joint labor-man agement associations, Native American tribes, and local and state-sponsored colleges and universities. Target trainees include small-business employers and under served 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.

Personal Protective Equipment Market worth $64.2 billion

Report by MarketsandMarkets™

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

Mersonal 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 Market sandMarkets™. 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, work place 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 indus try. 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, punc tures, 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 in dustry of personal protective equipment market in 2021

The rising prevalence of COVID-19 was a key con tributor to the increase in the use of personal protec tive 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.

he Occupational Safety and Health Administra tion announced recently its preliminary Top 10 most frequently cited workplace safety stand ards for fiscal year 2022. NSC Safety+Health Associate Editor Kevin Druley introduced Patrick Kapust, acting director of OSHA's Di rectorate 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."

The Top 10 most frequently cited workplace safety standards for FY 2022 are:

The Top 10 most frequently cited workplace safety standards for FY 2022 are:

Fall Protection – General Requirements (1926.501): 5,260 violations

Hazard Communication (1910.1200): 2,424

Respiratory Protection (1910.134): 2,185

Ladders (1926.1053): 2,143

Scaffolding (1926.451): 2,058

Lockout/Tagout (1910.147): 1,977

Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178): 1,749

Fall Protection – Training Requirements (1926.503): 1,556

Personal Protective and Lifesaving Equipment

Eye and Face Protection (1926.102): 1,401

Machine Guarding (1910.212): 1,370

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.

Council

DART Welcomes Charles Cato as New DART Chief of Police

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

A

fter an extensive national search, Charles Cato has been selected as the new chief of police at Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART). A public safety executive with almost 33 years of law enforcement and leadership experience, Cato will direct and oversee the DART Police Department including sworn officers, emergency preparedness, security services, and related functions to carry out DART's safety, security and emergency preparedness initiatives.

"We are very excited to welcome a compassionate leader and true public servant like Chief Cato to the DART team," said Nadine S. Lee, DART president & CEO. "His exemplary background in law enforcement, as well as his experience in developing and expanding cross-agency collabo rations, provides our police depart ment and the entire agency fresh perspectives for enhancing security in the transit system as we continue to serve the residents of the North Texas region."

As the DART chief of police, Cato will lead a team of over 250 licensed peace officers, as well as 110 fare en forcement officers and 67 support staff.

"Charles is a proven and dedicated law enforcement leader who has al ways had the safety and security of both the citizens and police officers under his command at the forefront of his priorities," said Matt Walling, DART interim chief of police. "I'm looking forward to working with him to continue to build on the culture of proactive community policing and exceptional service that the DART Police

Department provides throughout our service area."

Cato joins DART from the City of Mesquite, where he served as the chief of police, and was responsible for leading, planning, and directing a staff of 331 employees, including 243 sworn and 88 non-sworn personnel. Prior to his role in Mesquite, he served as the first assistant chief of police at the Dallas Police Department. As second in command of the police department, he was responsible for planning, implementing, and directing the day-to-day opera tions of 3500 sworn and 500 nonsworn personnel.

"I am honored to be entrusted with the opportunity to lead the dedicated women and men of the DART Police Department," said Cato. "I look forward to contin uing the DART Police Depart ment's community-oriented po licing efforts so that we can build and expand on the strong bonds we have developed with both our service area cities, as well as the citizens we serve. Together we will protect the communities we serve and the DART passengers that rely on our services every day."

Cato holds a Bachelor of Arts, Criminology and Criminal Jus tice degree from the University of Texas at Arlington, and a Master of Science, Criminal Justice degree from the University of North Texas at Dallas. He assumed his new role on September 6, 2022.

Source: Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART)

Photo Source: Dallas Area Rapid Transit

Photo Caption: Charles Cato has been selected as the new chief of police at Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART).

Collins Aerospace

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

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

Collins 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, Col lins 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 Cali fornia, 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 astro nauts 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 dedi cated to Houston’s first-ever spaceflight incubator, where

The inauguration of the new facility included a cer emonial 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. Representa tive – and Ranking Member of the House Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee – Brian Babin.

For more, please visit fly2houston.com.

Houston

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 sustain ability, resilience, and carbon reduction.

Port Houston and Shell signed a Memo randum 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 infrastruc ture opportunities at Port terminals that have the potential to ultimately lead to significant emissions reductions.

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

upgrading technology, improving infra structure 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.

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 collabora tion between Shell and Port Houston will contribute to achieving decarbonization objectives,” said Glenn Wright, Shell Sen

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.”

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

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

For more information, please visit porthouston.com.

“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

A COMPANY FOR ALL!

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