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2005 Annual Convention Call For Abstracts Issued ACEC has issued a Call For Abstracts for topics to be included as educational sessions in the upcoming 2005 Annual Convention. The Convention will be held April 10-13 in Washington. Abstracts submitted in the proper format and on appropriate topics will be considered for inclusion among the Annual Convention educational sessions. All submissions should be sent to ACEC Education Programs Director Andrew Fort at afort@acec.org before August 31, 2004. Click here for the Call For Abstracts form. Further information is available by contacting Andrew Fort at 202-682-4330. Members Receive A 15% Discount On IT ACEC has a new Discount Program partner—Eraglobe, a full IT services company that offers custom web design, hosting, domain registration, multimedia services, application development, database development and knowledge management solutions. ACEC members receive up to 15 percent off Eraglobe's services. Click here to visit their site and take advantage of ACEC member discounts. September Online Seminars September 1 Using a Web Browser to Manage Project Information, Chris Pinckney September 8 Keys to Success in Web-Based Project Management, Kristine Fallon September 15 Great Boards: Understanding How Engineering Firms Can Improve Their Governance Model, Doug Thompson September 22 Make Your Contacts Count: Networking Know-How For Business & Career Success, Lynne Waymon Seminars are held from 1:30pm–3:00pm EDT. Click here for session descriptions and to register. Have Your Firm Peer Reviewed Today One of the design industry's most effective tools for streamlining and improving business performance is the Organizational Peer Review (OPR). Register before September 1 and receive a $100 discount on the registration fee. For more information on OPR contact Kevin Wilson at kwilson@acec.org. SEI Class XI '05 Registration Now Open Registration for the 2005 ACEC Senior Executives Institute is now open. The ACEC Senior Executive Institute Program provides engineering firm executives with the management tools needed to prosper in the 21st century. Click here or contact Dee McKenna at 202-347-7474 or dmckenna@acec.org for more information. Mark Your Calendars! The ACEC Institute for Business Management has scheduled several signature programs for Fall 2004: CEO Retreat November 5-6   Phoenix, AZ Project Management: The Road to Profitability November 18-19 Washington, D.C. Marketing: Raising the Bar November 18-19 Washington, D.C. Visit www.acec.org for complete information and to register.

Growing Concern Over Unrealistic Standards Of Care Standard of care clauses that demand unrealistic mandates of "perfection" are a growing concern in the states according to a recent survey of ACEC state organizations. ACEC's Board of Directors will focus on this issue during a briefing at the Fall Conference in Portland, Maine. "Owners need to be made aware that despite the professional judgment of an engineer, there will always be factors involved that may require design changes," says Chuck Kopplin, chairman of ACEC's Risk Management Committee. "Anticipating all the unknowns on every project is impossible. It is important that owners be made aware that, as a project develops, changes in the plans may need to be made." Jack Beemer, chairman of the Risk Management subcommittee that is looking at this issue, will brief the Board in Portland, exploring the extent of the problem and possible actions the industry should pursue, including steps to better educate owners. The survey notes that owners are increasingly seeking to recover costs from engineers because of perceived errors and omissions, often without approaching the engineering firm about possible solutions first.

ACEC Members Can Benefit From New Federal Agency Qualifications System ACEC member firms are encouraged to take advantage of a new online system for submitting qualifications that will broaden contracting opportunities for engineering companies with federal agencies. When the new SF 330 became effective in June, a new online method for submitting General Qualifications (Part II of SF 330) was initiated. Part II of the form can now to submitted electronically to the Online Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA). While submission of the SF 330 Part II to ORCA is voluntary, it will increase a firm's visibility in the federal marketplace and may lead to opportunities for contracts that are not announced in FedBizOps. "This is an ideal vehicle for putting firms into wider circulation for federal contracts," said Don Evick of the Army Corps of Engineers, adding, "it is a win-win for both agencies and ACEC members." Click here for details on submitting General Qualifications.

ACEC/PAC Partners with ACEC/Utah For Matheson Fundraiser Congressman Jim Matheson (D-UT) (Center), ACEC/Utah President Norman Bennion (left), and ACEC/Utah Executive Director Trudy Collins at the ACEC/PAC-ACEC/Utah fundraiser. ACEC of Utah teamed with ACEC/PAC in organizing a successful fundraiser for Congressman Jim Matheson (D-UT), a rising member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Running for a third term representing Utah's Second Congressional District, the Utah Democrat faces a tough election challenge in November. Matheson ran an energy company before coming to Congress, and enjoys a strong relationship with the engineering community in the state. ACEC of Utah hosted the event, which also included national support through ACEC/PAC. "We were pleased to demonstrate the industry's strong support for a good friend in Congress," said Trudy Collins, executive director for ACEC of Utah.

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