The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs recently announced the launch of a new online platform aimed at modernizing how the agency receives notices about construction contract and subcontract awards. The Notification of Construction Contract Award Portal will launch Aug. 26.

ABC condemned an Aug. 19 proposed rule, Federal Acquisition Regulation: Use of Project Labor Agreements for Federal Construction Projects, which requires federal construction contracts of $35 million or more to be subjected to controversial project labor agreements, saying it will result in the award of construction contracts to powerful special interests at

On Aug. 22, ABC submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Transportation in opposition to union labor requirements included in a proposed rule establishing the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program.

On Aug. 15, ABC submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Labor identifying a number of concerns with its proposed rule on Nondisplacement of Qualified Workers Under Service Contracts, which would implement Executive Order 14055. Issued on Nov. 18, 2021, by President Biden, the EO requires that federal agencies include a clause about nondisplacement of workers in solicitations and contracts for projects covered by the McNamara-O’Hara Service Contract Act of 1965. The required clause states that successor contractors and subcontractors who win a bid for covered work must offer qualified employees employed under the predecessor contract a right of first refusal of employment under the successor contract.

Through its Build Your Future initiative, NCCER is expanding its career exploration tool, CareerStarter, to provide direct connections between entry-level job seekers, local training programs and employers.  

The comment deadline for the Federal Highway Administration’s June 22 proposed rule for the National Electrical Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program is Aug. 22. The proposed rule would require contractors to use government-registered apprentices and the controversial union-backed Electric Vehicle Industry Training Program.

On Aug. 15, ABC submitted comments to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in support of its proposed Small Projects and De Minimis General Applicability Waivers for Buy America requirements.

On Aug. 15, ABC submitted comments on the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division’s notice of a proposed revision to the Information Collection Request, titled “Report of Construction Contractor’s Wage Rates.” This ICR governs the WD-10 form used in wage surveys to determine the prevailing wage rate under Davis-Bacon and Related Acts requirements.

The controversial, $740 billion partisan budget reconciliation package, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, was signed into law by President Biden August 16 with new prevailing wage and registered apprenticeship mandates on private clean energy construction.

Democrats passed their $740 billion reconciliation package, the Inflation Reduction Act, on Sunday, Aug. 8, by a 51-50 vote with Vice President Kamala Harris casting the deciding, tie-breaking vote. The bill is now set to pass the House later this week and be signed into law by the president, giving Democrats a key victory and Republicans critical fodder for attack ads as they head into the midterm elections.