Subby Nominations

Subby nominations are an obligation if you support or are a member of ASA of Metro Washington. For 61 years, this has been the opportunity to recognize the GCs, Owners and other industry stakeholders for outstanding performance in creating a fairer and more efficient industry in the DMV.  This can be an interesting company function. For instance, one company asks its PMs, APMs and Estimators to discuss the nomination form and then each person is responsible to submit one nomination.  How will your company be sure it makes nominations? 

Get Great Team in Early – The Great Team award is always a highlight of the SUBBYs. This year we are asking that you get your Great Team nomination in early.  So why not decide which of your projects deserves the award and start now bringing together the information that will assure a winning nomination. 

Watch for the SUBBY nomination form arriving in your inbox soon. We look forward to learning about the companies and teams you believe worthy of recognition for their contributions to our industry's success.

Updates on The Economy

• Cranes  The RLB Crane Index shows DC as one of the markets where cranes are increasing.  It looks like there is a lot of work going on now and in the future around Georgetown and National Mall.  
  
  
• Renovation your next market? Commercial renovation could see a 70 percent increase nationwide over the next few years according to Construct Connect.  Multi-family renovation and the conversion of office to mixed use seems to be most likely.
  
  
• Data Centers - While Northern Virginia is by far the largest data-center market, this article from the Washington Business Journal contains some worthwhile considerations as you continue to bid on this major market driver in our area.  The power demand in our area could force some changes.  Here are some points to consider:
  • Data-center power demand will grow 160% by 2030 nationally
  • Northern Virginia is the world's largest data-center market and led with 391.1 megawatts of new supply.
  • Northern Virginia also had the largest year-over-year net absorption, at 407.4 MW, and lowest vacancy rate, at 0.9%, in Q1.
  • In Loudoun County, Virginia, local lawmakers recently voted to change how data centers can be approved for construction; meaning all “data-center proposals would require discretionary approval from the local board of supervisors.”
  • The project, which would share a border with Manassas National Battlefield Park, was approved to allow more than 20 million square feet of data-center development and could become one of the largest data-center projects in the world if fully built out.
    
    

Not enough Subs in Indiana.  What about the DMV?
This article from a local newspaper in Indiana indicates that area is having a hard time finding the subcontractors it needs to keep up with the booming construction economy.  It causes me to wonder if the same could take place in our area?  What do you think?

PM Workshop
We already have a few registered for the 2025 Project Managers’ Workshop which starts in January.  Those who have sent people in the past tend to register, so please register early to be sure to get a spot.  Consider the PMs, APMs, Estimators and others in your company who could benefit from some of the best instructors covering the issues PMs face every day. Classes start at noon on Jan. 9^th and run every two weeks for six weeks.  Please register now becausethis has sold out every year for the last eight years. Click here for the curriculum and to register.

PMs and Timely Notices
This article from ConcensusDocs explains the importance of timely notification of changes, schedules, etc.  Notifications that Project Managers are taught in ASAMW’s PM Workshop explained above.  ConcensusDocs Form 200 Subcontract specifies the dates that must be met for a claim to be valid. Do you have a process for your PMs to give timely notifications?

Hispanic Heritage Month in the DMV
The Boards of the Metro DC Hispanic Contractors Association and ASAMW met on Oct. 23^rd and agreed on the issues facing the members of both groups.  We will seek ways to address these issues (retention, payments (esp. change orders), etc.) with other groups to affect significant change in the industry. Watch for developments. 

We invite you to an exciting evening of networking on Nov. 6^th at 5 pm.  A number of our GC Partners and others will be available to discuss upcoming projects.  Let’s all come out to connect with and explore valuable opportunities for small minority, Hispanic, and immigrant-owned construction firms based in DC. Click here for more information and to register.

One Fifth of All Construction Workers Lack Permanent Legal Status
According to this Construction Dive Article.  In some trades in the DMV the percentage seems to be higher, though there is no known data to support that fact.  Several solutions are identified in this article, such as an expanded H2B Visa Program,  Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) programs could positively influence the number of construction workers available.