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Reports on the steps taken by contractors to renovate the Pentagon, the building housing the United States Defense Department. Walker Lee Evey's appointment as procurement official; Failure of the building to meet building codes and telecommunication infrastructure requirements; Materials used in the renovation.

Urban Search and Rescue Teams usually train in artificial situations. But thanks to construction industry volunteers, the Fairfax County, Virginia., Urban Search and Rescue Task Force will soon have a changeable "scenario building" where members can practice rescues in simulated collapsed structures or confined spaces. Fairfax task force members responded to the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, 1999 earthquakes in Turkey and 1995 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma blast.

Focuses on the move of construction union organizers to sign up open shop craftworkers in order to organize a contractor. How the union places open shop workers; Terms of the four-year collective bargaining agreement of the United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers; Purpose of the union for organizing the Superior Air Conditioning Inc. INSET: Unemployment Slumps.

This article presents information related to nonunion training by the trade unions. The AFL-CIO's Building and Construction Trades Dept. has thrown down the gauntlet, putting the nonunion Associated Builders and Contractors on notice that its apprentice programs are under attack, including possible legal action, for what the labor unions assert are "flawed and failing programs." The unions are calling for an immediate investigation into poor performing programs and a requirement that they maintain a certain graduation rate by craft. The view was held that it was likely that building trade councils or other state-level union groups would pursue legal action to block ABC's apprentice programs.

From the U.S. government's first requests for proposals to rebuild war-torn Iraq last year, contractors hoping for a piece of the massive reconstruction effort have had one thing made perfectly clear to them, that it is each firm's responsibility to provide security for their personnel and the projects under their domain. And a new round of rebuilding contracts will soon be awarded as the number of military forces decreases through troop rotation and coalition plans to depart Iraq in July. As troop numbers decline, the coalition wants newly trained Iraqi security forces to take their place and have more of a stake in the reconstruction effort, says Lieutenant General Robert B. Flowers, chief of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

This article reports that a construction coalition is hoping to put a stop to the use of Internet-based reverse auctions for construction, particularly on federal contracts. The coalition hopes that the U.S. Congress will make that official. Industry officials thought such auctions, popular for buying commercial products, would be halted for federal construction after a U.S. Corps of Engineers report last summer. But contractors are concerned about one sentence in the 2006 defense authorization bill that the House recently approved.

The article reports that Black & Veatch Corp., Overland Park, Kansas and the AFL-CIO's Building and Construction Trades Department have launched the Construction Excellence Program, a joint contractor-employer effort to deliver increasingly more successful projects through improvements in all phases of project execution. Beginning with a national survey of 103 contractors and 340 union entities in January 2004, the company discovered that both groups share similar perceptions about problems that affect productivity and the need to make improvements.

When officials from an Associated General Contractors chapter approached a local lawmaker for support on a state-wide highway funding initiative, chapter members instead received a lesson in the importance of voting. Stephen E. Sandherr, AGC's chief executive officer, says the lawmaker questioned why he should use his influence to aid the chapter when the majority of its members did not participate in the political process. Industry groups focus on reaching their member firms which they hope, in turn, will reach out to their employees by sponsoring nonpartisan voter registration drives and distributing educational materials that show where the candidates stand on specific issues.

A study by the Army Corps of Engineers of its own construction procurement practices could put the kibosh on use of Internet-based reverse auctions in the public sector. The study concluded that reverse auctions could be used for commodities procurement. The Corps study was conducted of agency projects using reverse auctioning in a pilot program between October 2002 and September 2003. Michael W. Gossman, president of the Mechanical Contractors Association of America, says it can be difficult for contractors participating in a reverse auction to quantify their scope of work because it is often not as well defined as in buying a commodity.

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is one step closer to revising its rules for construction cranes and derricks. The OSHA-appointed Crane and Derrick Negotiated Rulemaking Committee, crafting changes to the crane standard since last year, on July 9 reached a consensus on major elements of an updated rule. OSHA staffers next must flesh out the committee's consensus agreement into detailed regulatory language that will be submitted to OSHA chief John Henshaw. It will be reviewed by other agencies and undergo an economic analysis. The current crane panel includes equipment manufacturers and suppliers, contractors, labor unions, insurers and government officials.

While potential subcontractors ramp up to compete for Iraq reconstruction jobs, firms already rebuilding infrastructure in Iraq are picking up the pace again after weeks of violence. Repairs of some units coming back on line have also yielded disappointing results, according to Tommy Crangle, a former Tennessee Valley Authority senior manager advising the Iraqi Ministry of Electricity. Firms interested in that work, which covers seven industry sectors, had the chance to pitch their capabilities to the primes at an Army-sponsored Iraq.

Looking to boost his environmental profile in an election year, U.S. President George W. Bush used Earth Day festivities to announce a new wetlands goal of moving beyond the earlier policy of "no net loss" to increase total wetland acreage over five years. Bush is looking to conservation incentives to create, improve and protect at least 3 million more wetland acres. But reaction was lukewarm from contractors, who generally need a permit under the Clean Water Act for projects near wetlands. The National Home Builders Association doesn't expect the policy shift to change anything for its sector of the industry.

Fuel prices are surging, giving construction something else to worry about besides the high cost of steel. The U.S. Energy Information Administration says gasoline's average price per gallon rose 29 cents and highway diesel's was up 17 cents from December 2003 levels. That hurts contractors who now must pay more to operate diesel-powered equipment and trucks, says Kenneth Simonson, the Associated General Contractors' economist. Democratic Senator of Massachusetts John Kerry says if he wins the presidential election, he'll press OPEC to drop its cut in output quotas and vows to stop filling the Strategic Petroleum Reserve until prices drop.

Contractors hoping to win a key role in Iraq reconstruction work worth billions of dollars are putting the finishing touches on the first round of bid proposals due at the Pentagon's Iraq Program Management Office this week. The bids for managing nearly $7 billion in design-build construction are due on February 2, 2004 and bids for the actual building contracts are due on February 5. Nearly 600 officials representing contractors, suppliers and subcontractors attended the all-day session in suburban Virginia, near Washington D.C. But many officials from large design and construction firms said the session should have been sooner and limited to prime contractor candidates. Government sources said that under federal procurement law, care has to be taken to ensure that no potential bidder receives an unfair advantage.

Two senior House Democrats are turning up the heat on the administration of the U.S. President George W. Bush asserting federal contractor Halliburton Co. is overcharging the U.S. taxpayers for gasoline it imports into Iraq. Representatives Henry Waxman and John Dingell claim Houston-based Halliburton, the energy giant once headed by Vice President Dick Cheney, has hiked its prices between 65 and 88 percent over what the Iraqi state-owned oil company pays for imports. Legislators say they are particularly concerned because the House and Senate supplemental spending bills to fund reconstruction in Iraq each authorize $2.1 billion for oil infrastructure and procuring emergency stocks such as kerosene.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering asking certain outside contractors, including those working on Superfund sites, to conduct background checks on their employees to ensure those workers do not pose a threat to national security. EPA, which has its own procurement rules, has taken extra precautions since Sept. 11, 2001. But some construction groups are of the view that the cost of doing background checks may possibly affect smaller firms from competing for EPA work. "We believe that the suitability determination is better made by the government," says Mike Pearlstein, manager of federal regulatory affairs for the Associated Builders and Contractors.

Reports on the launch of a labor-management trust by Ironworkers' Union in the U.S. that will co-operate with contractors to increase their market share. Person who will head the trust; Service responsibilities of the trust; Percentage funds provided by the union and contractors for the trust.

Focuses on the initiative taken by contractors and building trade unions in the U.S. for improvement of their construction techniques. Ways through which the unions will improve their construction techniques; Issues involved in construction to be discussed by the trade unions in a meeting scheduled for May 22, 2003; Guidelines for undertaking construction processes.

Reports the organizing order of Edwin D. Hill, president of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers to its electrical workers in the U.S. Enforcement of organizing rules; Assertion of promoting the rank of union contractors; Relationship between union and the customers.

Presents news from the United States as of February 2001. Projects of the Department of Transportation; Contractor rules; Candidates floated for agencies; California powerplant reviews.

Reports that the administration of United States President Bill Clinton has issued rules setting eligibility requirements for contractors seeking federal work. Effectivity date of the so-called 'blacklisting' rules; Provisions under the plan.

Reports the efforts of engineering contractors to increase political campaign donations in the United States. Demography of donations in fiscal year 1999-2000; Assessment of the financial status of construction programs; Construction accounts funded by the seven enacted annual appropriations bills.

Reports that two tremors shook Turkish communities devastated by the August 17, 1999 earthquake. Projected number of homes needed; Claims that contractors used shoddy building practices; Statement issued by Peter Yanev, a structural engineer and president of EQE International.

Focuses on the business opportunity offered by the financial crisis in Brazil to contractors. Decline of the stock market of the country; Loan package for Brazil from the International Monetary Fund; Remarks of contractors on the crisis.

Presents information about legislations regarding the engineering industry of the United States. Amount received by the National Institute of Health for the upgrading its facilities; Issue regarding the successor of William B. Gould as chairman of the National Labor Relations Board; Response of lawmakers to the changes in federal contracting rules.

Reports on the reaction of contractors to a proposal of the American Institute of Architects revising the standard contract documents. Shifts in design responsibility; Move away from risk avoidance to risk management; Obligations between owner and architect.

Reports on the executive order prohibiting the award of federal contracts to businesses hiring illegal immigrants. Opposition by the National Utility Contractors Association; Comments of Anita Drummond of the American Subcontractors Association.