News for Public Works
Public Works Board approves $85M in infrastructure loans
From a domestic water project in Spokane to a sewer project in Westport, the Washington State Public Works Board has awarded over $85 million in loans for pre-construction and construction activities for thirty projects across the state.
Posted on: 08/07/2019
Max Kuney calls for highway trust-fund fix
Senate hearing begins FAST Act reauthorization effort
Posted on: 07/12/2019
Pierce Transit to hold open house for GC/CM project
Pierce Transit is holding an open house on August 13, requesting industry comments on its upcoming Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project in the 14.4-mile Pacific Avenue/State Route 7 Corridor from Downtown to Tacoma Dome Station to Spanaway.
Posted on: 07/11/2019
Washington Supreme Court expands contractor notice obligations
The Washington State Supreme Court dealt another blow to public works contractors in Washington State.
Posted on: 12/04/2018
PSRC announces $6.4-billion transportation plan
The Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) recently unveiled a $6.4-billion draft regional Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), with 377 projects underway in the region through 2022.
Posted on: 09/20/2018
AG’s Office agrees to consider legality of Education Special District 112’s Construction-Services Group
The Washington State Attorney General’s Office has agreed to look into the procurement practices of Educational Special District 112’s Construction Services Group, and to issue a non-binding opinion on whether it school districts that contract with the group must comply with Washington’s competitive procurement procedures in doing so.
Posted on: 09/11/2018
State of Washington requests participants in disparity study
The State is requesting the participation of business owners to discuss their experiences with doing business with the State of Washington.
Posted on: 04/23/2018
AGC forms Acceptable Worksites taskforce
To support the City of Seattle's Priority Hire program and its community workforce goals, Acceptable Worksites contract provisions were included in city-issued contracts to improve apprenticeship graduation rates among women and people of color and ensure appropriate behavior on all city project sites.
Posted on: 11/21/2017
WSDOT proposes 19% DBE goal on FHA-funded projects
WSDOT is proposing a 19 percent overall DBE participation goal on Federal Highway Administration-funded projects for federal fiscal years 2018 through 2020. WSDOT will submit the proposal to FHWA early next year following a public comment period.
Posted on: 11/01/2017
Update on Port of Seattle’s PLA-enforced priority-hire proposal
Citing problems already apparent in the priority hire ordinances passed by the City of Seattle, Sound Transit and under consideration by King County, AGC raised significant concerns about the Port of Seattle’s proposal.
Posted on: 10/23/2017
Contact your legislators today and urge them to pass the Capital Budget now!
The State Legislature has passed the operating budget -- but not the capital budget, which funds a multitude of construction projects.
Posted on: 07/14/2017
Don’t work apprentices out of scope, reminds L&I and WSDOT
In a recent memo to contractors, WSDOT and L&I reminded contractors that they are not permitted to work an apprentice outside of their approved scope of work and that they could be prohibited from bidding should they do so.
Posted on: 07/10/2017
L&I says new system makes it easier to meet requirements
L&I has announced that contractors have a completely redesigned system that makes it easier to meet requirements on public works projects.
Posted on: 06/05/2017
WSDOT using Maximum Funds Available specifications for a few projects
WSDOT has announced that a few projects to be advertised by the end of this year will carry Maximum Funds Available specifications. For these projects bids will be rejected if the bid amounts exceed the specified maximum funds available.
Posted on: 06/05/2017
Counties race to the courthouse to subvert contractor-backed venue law
Any contractor that bids on public-works projects knows all too well that the terms of the awarded contract are nonnegotiable and that the contractor’s bargaining power is virtually nonexistent. In short, public-works contracts are offered on a take-it-or-leave-it basis.
Posted on: 04/25/2017
WSDOT Design-Build report notes progress, recommends improvements
WSDOT is doing many things well when implementing design/build projects but could take steps to improve, according to a recently-completed report prepared for the State’s Joint Transportation Committee (JTC).
Posted on: 11/29/2016
Eyman’s new tack to cut transportation funding
Tim Eyman has filed a whopping 126 initiatives this year, many of which would gut transportation funding.
Posted on: 06/06/2016
Got an opinion on the federal change-order process?
Got an opinion on the federal change-order process?
Posted on: 04/25/2016
AGC supports Brightwater contractor in legal dispute with King County
AGC is supporting Brightwater tunnel contractors Vinci/Parsons RCI/Frontier Kemper JV (VPFK) in a legal dispute with King County. At issue is the long-standing principle that an “implied warranty” comes with an owner-issued plans and specifications, and how it allocates risk on Washington construction projects if following those plans and specifications does not produce the desired or intended result.
Posted on: 04/11/2016
Sound Transit unveils its $50 billion plan
Last week, Sound Transit released its draft Sound Transit 3 (ST3) plan, kicking off a public comment period that will likely conclude with the $50 billion plan on the November ballot in the Sound Transit counties.
Posted on: 03/28/2016
WSDOT’s project-delivery selection guidance provides objective criteria
WSDOT’s new project-delivery method selection-guidance (PDMSG) process is now in effect. PDMSG is a process to evaluate projects and select the most appropriate project delivery method (PDM) based on each project’s attributes, opportunities and risks that result in the most cost-effective and best-value project delivery.
Posted on: 12/15/2015
What projects might Sound Transit 3 entail?
Sound Transit is hoping to move forward on its third phase with an up-to $15 billion package. It’s still a long way off with no certainty for its success as the Legislature still has to provide permission to Sound Transit to put the measure on the ballot and then it would have to be passed by vot...
Posted on: 06/11/2015
Guidelines to prevent union-backed prevailing-wage claims on public-works projects in Washington
Eileen I. McKillop Lane Powell PCConstruction has finally picked up after the recession. The Puget Sound Business Journal recently reported that the top 25 construction projects in the Puget Sound region amount to at least $12.5 billion of business for the region. As many major public-works proje...
Posted on: 06/03/2015
City of Seattle signs priority-hire PLA for projects $5M or more
The City of Seattle recently signed a community work force agreement (CWA) with the construction-trades unions as the mechanism to implement the requirements of its priority-hire ordinance approved by the Council and signed by the mayor in January. The objective of the priority-hire ordinance is ...
Posted on: 05/12/2015
Orth, Berger testify against bid-listing bill
AGC is opposing legislation mandating the listing of many additional subcontractors at the time the public entity establishes the low responsive bidder.
Photo L-R: Duke Schaub Tymon Berger and Doug Orth prepare to testify before the Ways and Means Committee against the bid listing bill.
ESHB 1...