SUBBY Nominations are Open – Please start TODAY on your Nominations
Click here to start nominating those you think should be recognized for excellence in our industry. There are individuals and companies that deserve a Subby Nomination, but will not be nominated unless you take the time to make a meaningful nomination. The Subby Banquet will be held on Feb. 3rd at the McLean Hilton for our 60th Anniversary Event. Please put that date on your calendar to join the best in our industry.
A Story of Life as a Small Finishing Subcontractor
A subcontractor has written a scenario faced by a finishing contractor waiting for payments. Click here for correspondence from a finishing contractor to the project team explaining how disregard for prompt payment affects a company like this. Please read it and reply to this email with your observations.
Construction is the Happiest Job in the World
CNBC reported that Construction, not Technology, yes Construction…is the job that makes people happiest. BambooHR, an HR software platform, analyzed data from more than 57,000 employees at over 1,600 companies across the globe between January 2020 and June 2023. A Harvard study discovered that “employees are happier in jobs that require human interaction and provide opportunities to build meaningful relationships with coworkers”.
2024 Project Manager's Workshop
The best part of the PM Workshop is the instructors. One graduate says, “The instructors are individuals that have been in the industry for a long time, and I found it easy to relate to them as many of their experiences are very closely related to what I have seen”, Gyo Arango, Project Manager, Kogok Corp. Click here for more information and to register your PMs, APMs, estimators, superintendents, or others. It is limited to two people per company.
How is Productivity on Your Jobs?
The majority of labor on a construction project are subcontractors’ employees, and FMI claims between $30 - $40 billion was lost due to labor inefficiencies in 2022. The CEO of Shawmut has found a lot of the inefficiencies in the project lifecycle occur during handoffs. This Construction Dive article further explains the challenges ahead.
Filing a Lien?
ASA of Metro Washington has resources for how to file a lien in the three jurisdictions of the DMV. At the Oct. 17th SIE, discussions evidenced that members need to be aware of their lien rights, as some projects are starting without the proper funding in place. Just reply to this email and we will provide papers on lien rights in MD, DC and VA.
Bid With Your Gut?
Some members report they let their gut feelings decide if they are going to bid a job or not. So, the gut determines the risk tolerance of the sub. Although that is a common way, it is not the best way, and not the way used by experienced members of ASA. On Nov. 29th attorneys and subcontractors will talk with you about the elements of today’s subcontract document that you need to be aware of before you bid a job. Andy Cook, K&L Gates, Brian Wood, Smith-Currie and three subcontractors will look at the common subcontract clauses in the area and help you decide if you are making the best business decision on whether to bid a job or not. Click here to register.
Subs/GC Get Burned on DC Kitchen Project
An article from the Washington Business Journal shows the need for subs to protect their lien rights when the owner and general contractor do not pay. It will be valuable to follow this case to see if the GC uses pay if paid language to protect itself from non-payment by an owner, since such language is allowable in DC. This ConsensusDocs Article explains the current legal arguments about Virginia’s Pay if Paid laws now in effect. It appears the timing of notices for non-payment is still a question. Please reply to this email with your experience with the Virginia law.
Youth Apprenticeship
Montgomery County and other areas have Youth Apprenticeship programs that you might want to explore. Click here for more information. There are obvious benefits to hiring someone from area high schools. But, also, there may be grants in the future to supplement the program. For now there are tax credits for companies that hire Youth or Registered Apprentices. The first step is applying with MD DOL. Click here for that application. For more information on how MCPS Work Based Learning Programs can benefit your business please contact: Gwendolyn [email protected], Instructional Specialist for Work Based Learning for MCPS.
Repeat - Need Number of Voters we Represent
We estimate ASA of Metro Washington members represent more than 15,000 voters in our three jurisdictions of the DMV. Please share with us an employee count by zip code. This information will be extremely helpful when we are speaking to specific lawmakers. We only need the number of employees by zip code, so please provide it the easiest way possible.
MEMBER UPDATES
Financial Scams – Ryan Hogan with Preferred Insurance reminds us that misdirected payment fraud is something our members need to be prepared for. Click here for an article on what to watch for and how to protect yourself.
