News for Public Works
DOR: Contractors pay sales tax on clean-up activities
The State Department of Revenue reminds contractors that sales taxes must be paid on janitorial services that are construction clean-up or preparation for turning a new building over to the owner. The DOR prepared this webpage describing when a retail sales tax is applicable for interior cleaning...
Posted on: 03/16/2015
Report highlights need for rural road improvement
In 2012 22 percent of Washington’s major rural roads were rated in poor condition -- the 12th-highest rate nationally.This is one of the findings of a recently released report Rural Connections: Challenges and Opportunities in America’s Heartland by national transportation research group TRIP. Th...
Posted on: 07/18/2014
AGC protests exclusion of women-owned firms from WSDOT DBE program
WSDOT is moving forward with its proposal to exclude non-minority women-owned businesses from Washingtons DBE program goals for federally-funded contracts. WSDOT recently submitted its proposal to the U.S. Department of Transportations Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). If approved by FHWA th...
Posted on: 06/10/2014
State Supreme Court overturns law protecting general contractors from trust fund liens on public works projects
By John P. Ahlers and Masaki James YamadaUnder Washington’s Public Works statutes (RCW 39.08 and 60.28) general contractors who perform public works are legally required to post payment bonds and have retainage withheld from progress payments. The purpose of these laws is to protect the public en...
Posted on: 04/15/2014
Milestone for PCL Civil's Sound Transit project
The PCL Civil Constructors construction team for the Sound Transit South 200th Link Extension project was visited by Sound Transit staff members of the congressional delegation Washington State and local officials and the media on April 9th.
The start of the guideway erection at Sound Transits...
Posted on: 04/15/2014
Ask Your State Senator to Restore Funding for Public Works
An important public-works bill has passed the House. Act now to urge the State Senate to act!
The House passed SHB 2244 a bill to restore funding for the Public Works Assistance Account a key source of financing for local governments for the acquisition construction repair replacement or improve...
Posted on: 02/20/2014
ACT NOW to support infrastructure construction
Feb. 14 -- At any moment the State House of Representatives will be voting on a bill to restore funding for the Public Works Assistance Account a key source of financing for local governments for the acquisition construction repair replacement or improvement of bridges streets and roads; water sy...
Posted on: 02/14/2014
Bill changes GC/CM for heavy civil projects
HB 2208 is legislation that would specifically allow changes to the current self-performance limitations and allow for part of the project to be negotiated when a project is “heavy civil” in nature. The bill changes the current 30 percent limit on negotiated work to 50%.
The Capital Projects Rev...
Posted on: 02/03/2014
AGC to Legislature: Restore funding for public works construction
AGC is supporting legislation to restore funding streams to the Public Works Assistance Account which helps fund hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of local construction projects. Local governments and special purpose districts are eligible to apply to the Public Works Board (PWB) for low-int...
Posted on: 01/31/2014
New Seattle Policy has Contractors Acting Like Banks
By Tymon Berger Ashbaugh Beal
In the last days of September the city of Seattle announced dramatic changes to the prompt payment terms found in the citys standard contract provisions for public construction work.
The city initially appeared ready to release the proposed changes on Oct. 1 for co...
Posted on: 10/07/2013
AGC Supports Member in Court Case against Union and Trust Funds
John Ahlers Ahlers & Cressman PLLC
Under Washington’s Public Works Statutes (RCW 39.08 and 60.28) general contractors who perform public works are legally required to post payment bonds and have retainage withheld. The purpose of these laws is to protect the public entity (owner) from subco...
Posted on: 09/24/2013
Inslee's Executive Order Impacts Contractor-Selection Process
Governor Inslee recently signed an executive order “requiring consideration of lifecycle and operating costs in public-works projects.”
The order requires agencies – when hiring an architect engineer GC/CM or Design Build firm for projects funded by the state’s capital budget — to consider the f...
Posted on: 09/09/2013
Sunset Forces Review of GC/CM, D-B, JOC
39.10. Thats the parlance for the states alternative public works contracting procedures reflecting the pertinent chapter in the Revised Code of Washington. But unless the Legislature reauthorizes it 39.10 goes away next year. 39.10 is set to sunset at the end of June 2013 and were it to do so...
Posted on: 10/29/2012
AGC Protests Change to Fringe Calculation on Public Projects
Labor and Industries is proposing to move forward -- outside the normal rule-making process -- with changes on how it calculates employer fringe benefit contributions on prevailing wage jobs. The move would increase payroll costs and taxes for many contractors.
AGC is fighting the change. This ...
Posted on: 10/29/2012
Seattle Public Utilities - GCCM Opportunity
PW# 2012-020A Landsburg Facilities & Chlorination GC/CM Preconstruction & Construction Services.
The project delivery method for the Project is General Contractor/Construction Management (GC/CM) as defined in Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 39.10.340 -.410. The GC/CM will work with SPU ...
Posted on: 09/11/2012
Seattle Public Utilities Offers Construction Opportunities Workshop
Workshop set for morning of Aug. 22 at Seattle City Hall
SEATTLE — Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) is hosting an August 22 workshop to provide contractors with information about upcoming opportunities to do business with the department before these projects are advertised.
View the flyer for thi...