Are you – or is someone you know – in your late 20s to early 40s, looking for an opportunity to get out of your comfort zone and hone your communication skills? Then the Leadership Blueprint might be right for you!

Now in its 8^th year, this program is guaranteed to improve communication skills, teach you about relevant industry topics, and you will, along the way, make new friends. The program is available to individuals at AGC member firms only, and is limited to 21 people. More information and an online application form can be found here. Application deadline is August 26, 2022. The 2022/23 program begins November 10. Participants are expected to attend all sessions. Contact Merry with any additional questions.

Developed in partnership with Wipfli LLP, Executive Circle is designed specifically for executive owners or top management decision-makers within a member firm. Limited to 15 executives, the Circle will, over six sessions, help participants to build trust relationships among peers and gain strategic knowledge that will help drive transformational change into their business. Cross-discipline (building/highway) learning and project partnering (general and specialty contractors) perspectives are shared and discussed as viewed through the project owner lens. The Circle adheres to the AGC of Minnesota Antitrust Policy.

More information and an online application form can be found here. Applicants will be reviewed by the AGC Executive Committee and program consultant to determine eligibility. The program begins December 1, 2022. Participants are expected to attend all sessions. For further information, contact Merry Beckmann.

Nomination is open for the 2022 AGC of Minnesota Recognition Awards! Do you know someone who should be considered for AGC's Lifetime Achievement or Skill-Responsibility-Integrity (SRI) award?

Nominate them today!

Nomination closes September 5, 2022.

As contractors review and negotiate contracts, it is not enough to confirm that a waiver of consequential damages has been included. Contractors must understand the nature and extent of any exceptions that are included with the proposed waiver. Otherwise, a contractor may find that the waiver actually offers very little in the way of protection from consequential damages claims. Learn more

Rob is a member of Fabyanske, Westra, Hart & Thomson's Construction Law Department. He can be reached at 612.359.7648 or rsmith@fwhtlaw.com

Congratulations to the fifteen students pursuing degrees in the construction industry who became the latest recipients of scholarships from the AGC Foundation!

Thirteen students will be awarded AGC scholarships, and two students (Erik DeSmith and Savannah LaRocque) will be awarded the C.S. McCrossan Scholarship, given annually in honor of industry icon Charles McCrossan and funded by a preferred memorial designation and generous donations from the McCrossan family.

Many of the scholarship recipients will be on hand to receive their scholarships at our upcoming Golf Tournament. The annual Sporting Clays Fundraiser directly supports the AGC of Minnesota Foundation, providing funds for scholarships.

The federal government has revised its form 1273 with significant changes including a potentially new and expansive interpretation of “project” and increase in liquidated damages amount. The new form can be found here.

Contractors are projecting an average increase of staff wages to be 4.17% according to a study published by PAS Inc. 

The EEOC still is considering COVID-19 testing appropriate and not a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act generally because COVID-19 still is considered a pandemic. New guidelines, however, require employers to reassess its policies as the pandemic circumstances or workplace circumstances change. Employers should keep this in mind if it is conducting testing and be able to show that the testing is appropriate. More information is available here.

AGC America is conducting its annual survey on labor shortages here.

DOL has created an app to calculate a workers’ hours, break time, overtime, and wages due. More information here.

As part of the Federal government’s commitment to advancing equity and ensuring access to contracting opportunities, today the Biden-Harris Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to modernize the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and Airport Concession DBE (ACDBE) program regulations. Spanning nearly 40 years and mandated by Congress, the DBE and ACDBE programs are intended to prevent discrimination, and remedy the continuing effects of past discrimination, against small businesses owned and controlled by disadvantaged individuals. 

By modernizing the existing regulations, the NPRM proposed today would help further level the playing field for small, disadvantaged businesses seeking to compete for federally assisted aviation, highway, and transit contracts as well as airport concession opportunities. These changes are coming at a critically important time as small businesses will play an essential role in helping to build infrastructure made possible by the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. 

A summary of the NPRM can be accessed here. DOT invites comments to the NPRM from all interested parties, including funding recipients and project sponsors, firms participating or seeking to participate in USDOT assisted contracts, and the prime contracting community at large. Written comments to the Federal Register must be submitted using this link by September 19, 2022. 

The USDOT will be hosting multiple public meetings beginning July 27, 2022. Sign up for the GovDelivery DBE listserv to receive updates throughout the notice and comment period, and view the DBE/ACDBE NPRM Webpage to learn more about the rulemaking process, public meetings, and other information about the NPRM. 

Join the AGC Leadership Blueprint Alumni and Minnesota Builders Exchange (MBEX) Young Professionals for an afternoon of Minnesota Twins AAA baseball. On August 10 at 1:07 p.m., the St. Paul Saints will take on the Columbus Clippers (AAA team for Cleveland Guardians). 

Planning for the 2023 Minnesota Construction Summit is in full swing! Registration for attendees, sponsors, and exhibitors is open - click the buttons to reserve exhibiting space, sign up as a sponsor, or save money by registering early to attend!

If you would like to respond to the open call for presentations at the Summit, please complete this survey.

The 2022 golf tournament is sold out, but a few sponsorship opportunities remain!

If you would like to be a breakfast or lunch sponsor, or donate to raffle items, contact Lisa.

Reserve your team or sponsorship for the 2022 Sporting Clays Fundraiser, held on Wednesday, September 14! Proceeds go to the AGC of Minnesota Foundation, which provides scholarships to students pursuing a career in the construction industry.