Now is the time to become an AGC Annual Partner for 2022!
or contact Jennifer to create partnership customized to your needs.
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2021 Recognition Evening
Thank you to our sponsors and everyone who participated in the 2021 Recognition Evening! We honored our CHASE contractors, the three recipients of the Jeff Jensen Memorial Construction Safety Excellence Award, and presented the Skill-Responsibility-Integrity Award to Doug Swenson and the Lifetime Achievement Award to Raymond "Butch" Ames.
A full album of photos will be forthcoming when available,
but click below for a sample!
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The Resource: AGC of Minnesota's Podcast
"AGC Safety Services, with Matt Semerad"
AGC CEO Tim Worke and Director of Safety Services Matt Semerad discuss the CHASE partnership with MNOSHA, the history and future of safety within the industry and the association, and Matt's background as he takes on his new role at AGC.
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CM-Lean: Take the Full Series or
Individual Units at a Relaxed Pace!
Entire series (Units 1-7) spread out over 5 months (November 2021 - March 2022). All classes are virtual via Zoom.
Everyone related to the construction process has an incentive to get the project done faster and at a lower cost. Lean Construction is based on the holistic pursuit of continuous improvements aimed at minimizing costs and maximizing value on a construction project.
The AGC Certificate of Management-Lean Construction (CM-Lean) Program consists of seven units that have been designed to develop deep knowledge of both the theory and application of Lean Construction.
There will be 13 sessions from November 11 to March 15 from 11am - 2pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
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Next Friday: COVID Mandates Event
AGC returns the tag team of Mark Becker (Fabyanske Westra Hart & Thomson) and Kurt Erickson (Littler Mendelson P.C.) to discuss the COVID vaccine and testing mandates.
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Next Friday:
Prefab/Modular Construction Debate
Prefab/Modular construction is growing and challenging our understandings of construction contracting. There is a growing debate how to buy prefab and modular: whether the common law or UCC applies, or which should.
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2021 AGC Holiday Reception
Join us at the 2021 AGC Holiday Reception at the Metropolitan Ballroom and Clubroom! This annual event is our chance to celebrate another wonderful year with our peers in the commercial construction industry.
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MN Legislators Meet in Construction Work Zone to Discuss Safety
In the last week, a dozen lawmakers toured the I-94 work zone between Maple Grove and Rogers to discuss worker and public safety. Speeding by the traveling public in construction work zones remains a prominent concern and safety issue. Excessive speeding and variability are main factors contributing to work zone crashes in Minnesota and across the country. Legislators discussed numerous aspects of worker safety from speeding and mental health, and also received updates from Tom McCrossan and Jim Helgestad of C.S. McCrossan and MnDOT officials about the project. The group also discussed potential strategies to change driver behavior, such as programs utilizing automated speed enforcement.
AGC of MN thanks Representatives Connie Bernardy, Steve Elkins, John Heinrich, Ann Johnson Stewart, Erin Koegel, John Koznick, Kristin Robbins, Sandy Masin, Mike Nelson and Senators Jim Carlson, Scott Dibble, and Jeff Howe for taking the time to tour the site and learn more about work zone safety.
Our partners at Citizens for Safe Work Zones, Minnesota Asphalt Pavement Association, Safety Signs and MnDOT coordinated to make the tours possible.
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AGC presented a COVID-19 Mandate event with Associated Women Contractors on Wednesday, providing an overview of the different mandates and insights how to manage. One great point that is under-emphasized is the need to make a reservation of right or get a change order for any contract imposed mandate, including reservations for changes in federal guidance. A copy of these slides is available here.
OSHA Mandate
OSHA sent a draft of its COVID mandate guidance to the White House for review on Tuesday. Although this clears the major hurdle for its imminent release, the White House may conduct further review or have other reasons to delay its release. Watch AGC-MN and AGC America alerts.
Federal Contracting
AGC America held a free webinar on the federal contractor mandate for members. If you missed it, you can get a recording from Sharon Williams. The General Services Administration also held its own webinar on October 13, the slides from which can be found here and a recording will be made available by the agency soon. For more information on how other federal agencies are addressing this mandate, click here.
Meet with Federal Construction Agencies
AGC is maintaining ongoing dialogue with many of the major federal construction agencies and will meet with them at the association’s Federal Contractors Conference November 8-9 in Washington, D.C. General Services Administration and Small Business Administration will be in attendance along with many representatives from leading construction contractors throughout the country. Learn more here.
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Union Negotiations in October
The COVID-19 mandates may require signatory contractors to negotiate with the unions. These negotiations may hinge in part on whether the mandate was imposed by the employer, or whether the mandate was imposed on the employer a government rule or owner. If you want more information or want to participate in these negotiations, contact Mike.
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DIVERSITY, EQUITY, & INCLUSION NEWS |
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AGC Diversity and Inclusion Awards
Applications are currently being accepted for AGC’s Diversity and Inclusion Awards (sponsored by Willis Towers Watson). The deadline has been extended. Apply by November 1, 2021 to be considered.
AGC will present a total of six awards in the following categories:
The AGC awards programs recognize the nation's most pioneering projects as well as talented and community-minded contractors, innovative and successful AGC chapters, student chapter achievements, and contractors implementing outstanding safety programs. More specifically, the D&I awards seek to raise awareness of the value that a diverse workforce and inclusive environment brings to a company.
AGC member companies in good standing who meet the requirements are encouraged to apply online for some much-deserved recognition. Apply by November 1, 2021 to be considered. Click on the award link(s) above for details and to access the application.
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Please Share Your Experience in the 2021 Industry Assessment Survey
- How did the pandemic impact your firm in the past year?
- What is your policy on professional staff working remotely?
- Which barriers prevent your firm from doing more business with minority/women/veteran-owned firms?
- Which factors impact your firm's use of JATC training programs or hiring of apprentices?
- How are material lead times affecting your ability to bid work?
Your answers to these and other questions help create a comprehensive assessment of the entire construction industry.
The survey link was sent to our primary contact at all AGC member firms, and is open to any contractor, architecture or engineering firm, or service provider/supplier to the commercial construction industry.
The survey will close on October 29, 2021. One response per firm, please.
If you are a contractor, industry service or supplies provider, architect, or engineer and would like the link to the survey for your firm, please contact Renee Horsman.
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Design-Build Meeting/Training for the 494/35W Project
All contractors and consultants interested in the I494 Airport to Hwy 169 Project are invited to a virtual “Design-Build process informational event” The meeting will be held virtually using Microsoft Teams on Wednesday, October 27 (9:00-11:00 a.m.).
The roughly $300 million 494 project (which includes the 35W interchange) is currently scheduled to be let in April 2023, although it is MnDOT’s intention to advance the letting to late 2022 if possible. In either case, the RFQ release (and RFQ kickoff) will not occur until at least next spring. This meeting, therefore, is NOT one of the typically scheduled project meetings that occur on Design-Build projects. The purpose of this meeting is:
- To give a small amount of project information (10 minutes) to interested teams for their use in teaming or other preparation.
- To provide some “Design-Build 101” training to help orient new (and “old”) staff and firms regarding how the Design-Build process works at a high level
- To inform the teams that MnDOT will be refreshing some Quality practices and expecting the contractor to take more direct ownership of Quality on the project than has been the case recently. This will likely appear as a scoring criteria in some way.
- To allow DBEs to join the meeting, hear the training, and – if possible – become connected with the primes earlier than usual.
Given #3 above, MnDOT would like to provide this meeting as advance notice of our Quality intentions in case it helps teams make (or refine) any teaming or personnel decisions well in advance of the RFQ release. The meeting is not “required” for all bidders. However, attendance is recommended.
If interested in attending virtually or viewing the project website, please RSVP to Peter Davich, Design-Build Program Manager at MnDOT, who may tailor the content of the meeting differently depending on, for example, how many DBE firms are interested.
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Your Trusted Resource
Associated General Contractors of Minnesota
525 Park Street, Suite 110 | St. Paul, MN 55103
651-632-8929
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