Inside this Edition

Statewide LMCC Retreat

Energy Conservation and Performance Platform

Bid More Competitively

Affordable Care Act

Electri Research on Employing CW/CEs

New Pact

Classes & Workshops

Another busy week ahead.  Take a look at this week's e-Blast for Monday, September 8th.  We hope to see many familiar and new faces at the Fall Member Meeting tomorrow.  Have a terrific week.     

Aristotle


"We are what we repeatedly do.  Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit."

This Week 

 
MON
8th4:30 AMAlameda JATC, ZNEC, San Leandro




TUE9th1:00 PM

Alameda Building Trades Political Interviews, Dublin



6:00 PMFall General Member Meeting, Palm Event Center, Pleasanton




WED10th7:30 AMPleasanton Chamber 2015 Forum, Pleasanton


7:45 AMFremont GRC, Fremont


8:30 AMNFPA 70E Workshop, Chapter Office, Dublin


12:00 PMBusiness Issues Committee, Fairfield-Suisun Chamber


3:00 PMOakland Chamber Economic Development Committee, Oakland


5:00 PMAGC Public Works Night, Palm Event Center, Pleasanton




THU11th9:00 AMSolano EDC Board of Directors, Fairfield




FRI
12th
10:00 AM
IBEW 595 Golf Classic, Dublin Ranch Golf Course

Statewide LMCC Retreat

Respond Today

 

The Statewide LMCC retreat is next week, September 17-18, 2014. If you have not confirmed your attendance, please contact Darlene Besst today.  Need a hotel room?  The room block expires at the end of the day today (September 8th).  Please call the Citizen today to reserve your room at the NECA negotiated rate.  See the attached flier for details on the 2-day meeting.     

  

Energy Conservation and Performance Platform

ECAP

 

Learn More About NECA Energy Conservation and Performance Platform (ECAP)

NECA rolled out its ECAP pilot about four months ago.  Since then we have seen approximately 70 contractors sign-up for the ECAP pilot program, with the majority in California.  If you are unfamiliar with ECAP, the pilot platform allows contractors of all sizes to offer in-house and low risk financing options for energy efficiency projects.  The online toolkit also allows contractors to underwrite projects with project performance insurance, measure and verify projects online while selling operation and maintenance contracts for recurring revenue.  The program also assists in the development of investment grade proposals that directly target the lowest hanging fruit for optimal payback periods and similar financial metrics.

 

Contractors across California are getting excited about the prospect of competing and beating ESCOs and landing projects that were once unattainable.

 

The Chapter would like to offer training to our contractors and we will come to you.  Ideally, a group of contractors from each area can gather at your local training center for an ECAP tutorial that takes about three hours to walk through, including the access and approval portal, the client-contractor agreement documents, as well as each platform tool.  The demonstration session ends with a sample project.  Afterward, we can offer further one-on-one support to each contractor who needs assistance.

 

In addition to the features outlined above, ECAP:

  • Works directly with contractors for optimal project engineering;
  • Has subject matter experts to assist with client communication;
  • Dispatches energy auditors for larger projects that require a significant amount of technical information;
  • Provides financial experts to answer questions about the different financing vehicles; 
  • Has a technical staff to assist with using the online application.

ECAP is building a one-stop shop comprised of energy economic modelers, energy-efficiency developers, complex project designers and management (micro-grids, battery storage), solar developers and lighting experts that are all available to assist and partner with your projects and educate your company to manage these jobs later.

 

ECAP is a tremendous tool that allows NECA contractors to be a virtual ESCO.  Contact Darlene Besst at the Chapter office to get going in your area.

 

Bid More Competitively on Government Contracts

ASA Webinar

 

The American Subcontractors Association will host a webinar on competitive bidding to secure government work.  The webinar will highlight winning contracts and boosting revenue; how to save money on payroll taxes; how to reduce fiduciary liability; how to cut costs, mitigate risk and work more efficiently; and more.  NECA contractors can take advantage of the ASA member fee of $99.  To register call 703/684-3450, and mention your association with NECA.  Or register online by clicking here.

 

Affordable Care Act

Update

 

The open enrollment period for health coverage during 2015 runs from November 15, 2014, to February 15, 2015.  Coverage can start as soon as January 1, 2015.  This applies to individual plans only; businesses can offer coverage to their employees at any time. 

 

Starting in 2015, employers with 100 or more full-time employees must offer health coverage to their full-time employees or pay an "employer responsibility" penalty.  The penalty will apply to employers with 50 or more full-time employees starting in 2016.  To avoid a payment for failing to offer health coverage, employers will need to offer coverage to 70% of their full-time employees in 2015 and 95% in 2016 and beyond.  This helps employers that, for example, may offer coverage to employees who work 35 or more hours, but not yet to those who work 30-34 hours.  Unlike most employers, the ACA considers employees who work 30-39 hours per week "full-time."  The ACA exempts businesses with 50 or fewer full-time equivalent employees from having to provide health insurance.  However, if you want to offer coverage, you can use the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) Marketplace.  Employers that offer SHOP coverage and have fewer than 25 full-time equivalent employees may qualify for a Small Business Health Care Tax Credit.  Employers must pay at least 50% of their full-time employees' premium costs.  The tax credit is worth up to 50% of the employer contribution (up to 35% for tax-exempt employers).

ELECTRI Research On Employing CW/CEs 

Shows Strong Interest & Clear Value

 

ELECTRI International has completed its investigation of current CW/CE practices now being used by well-established electrical contractors to determine if a CW/CE program improves competitiveness. The research was conducted by Todd L. Sirotiak, CCP, LEED AP, MBA, PE, PhD., from Diversified Construction Services.  The electrical contractors involved in this study provide strong evidence that CW/CEs can be successfully used on a majority of projects. They recommend that CW/CE opportunities in the electrical labor field appear exceptional if electrical contractors can find a way to capitalize on them.  When considering how to add CW/CEs to the company's workforce, those now employing CW/CEs favor recruiting by word-of-mouth (77%) and the union hall (67%).  Once a CW/CE is on board, most companies rely upon the JATC to assist in providing future training.

 

In describing how adding CW/CEs affects competitiveness and market share, responders indicate a very high level of improvement in productivity - 97%; safety - 90%; and schedule performance - 100%.  The researcher determined that acceptance of CW/CEs is the leading challenge and recommends developing an educational approach for current staff that addresses the reasons why CW/CEs need to be part of the business model.  The report concludes that the CW/CE experience is holistic, adds business value, and offers opportunities for balanced growth.

 

Click here to access the complete report, Best Practices for CW/CE Implementation.

  

New Pact

Between Frontier Communications & IBEW

 

After negotiating for 14 months, the IBEW and Frontier Communications Corp. through interest arbitration reached a three-year agreement covering 1,011 employees in California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington, both parties announced August 20th.  Matthew Carroll, business manager/financial secretary for IBEW Local 89 in Marysville, WA, told Bloomberg this includes "reasonable wage increases."  It also includes a guarantee that the Connecticut-based telephone company will continue operating a customer service center and related support center in Everett, WA until the agreement expires in 2017.  But the contract also includes a provision that jeopardizes the job security of mechanics, outside line construction workers and central office installation employees, according to Carroll, because it allows Frontier to use contractors for their work assignments.

 

Under the agreement, hourly wage increases are retroactive to May 26, 2013, the joint statement said.  The new agreement includes "an innovative solution to offer high-quality health care while controlling ever-increasing health care costs with a joint IBEW-Employer sponsored Family Medical Care Plan."  There will be no changes in the pension formula under the new agreement.  "Any new hires will not get a defined benefit pension."  Effective August 19, "they will get an enhanced 401(k)," or defined contribution plan.  Frontier will match to some extent the employee contributions to the 401(k) plan, Carroll said. For existing employees, the new contract contains a reduction in the 401(k) plan match from Frontier.

 

Under the new agreement, employees also lost additional flexibility tied to work scheduling.  Carroll said the new contract includes no guarantee that any employee will get two consecutive days off in a week.

 

Classes & Workshops
At the Chapter Office in Dublin

 

Construction Law Class, Wednesday October 1st, presented by Dan McLennon, McLennon Law Corp.  Conditioning your bid can be a powerful tool for negotiating and securing your preferred contract terms and conditions.  During this session you will receive suggested bid condition language and tips on how to negotiate using them.  The cost is $100 for NorCal NECA members and $200 for non members.  Education fund credits may be used.

  

EPS Level 1 - Date:  9/22, 23, 24, 29, 30, 10/1/2014  Download the Flyer 

Construction Law - Wednesday, 10/1/2014, 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM  Contact Juanita

 

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