2010 Issue

41 T HE ORGANIZATION HAS STRATEGIC GOALS that are designed to aid the consulting engineering community. Three of these goals include 1) Become recognized by all engineering companies as their legisla- tive advocate for the promotion and protection of their business interests, 2) Become recognized by all engineering companies in the United States as their primary resource on business practices, and 3) Become recognized by all stakeholders in the built environment as the national voice of the engineering industry. ACEC Utah has had a very successful year towards actively pursuing the national strategic goals and improving the business community locally for consulting engineers. ACEC Utah, its legislative committee, lobbyists and past president were instrumental in having two important pieces of leg- islation passed in the 2009 legislature. They included Senate Bill 97 and Sen- ate Bill 124S02. The first bill also known as “Good SamaritanAct for Engineers” protects engineers who provide engi- neering services during a natural disas- ter. It is understood that the engineers may be called upon during natural disasters to make quick decisions to aid rescue efforts, assess structural conditions of building, bridges and other significant infrastructure. These decisions could minimize the loss of life or prevent further loss during the disaster. The bill provides liability protection for those engineers that provide service during such events. SB 124S02, Indemnification for Design Professional Services, was initiated by ACEC Utah efforts to aid the assumed liability by consulting engineers workingwith State agencies. Liability requirements onmany state contracts have been a concern of many of the consulting engineering companies. Consultants were being asked to indemnify for work that they were not responsible for. SB 124S02 limits the liability of consultants to only those areas that they and their subconsultants are directly responsible for. ACEC Utah is currently in negotiations with State agencies on coming up with liability language that can be used for all state agencies that solicit engi- neering work. This language will benefit all consulting engineers, not just members of ACEC. Finally, SB 220 dealt with consultants being liable for the economic loss of their clients due to project delays etc. ACEC Utah filed an amicus brief in a case that involved economic loss, the brief explained to Utah’s highest court why it was necessary to protect the contract-based economic expec- tations of Utah’s design professionals and contractors. This bill protected the rights of both designers and contractors fromclaims on economic loss. ACEC Utah has been and continues to be proactive in the political arena and meets regularly with legislators to understand bills that could poten- tially impact on the engineering community including those that can aid and/or harm the consulting community. ACECencourages the use of public funds to maintain the integrity of local, state and national infrastructure. Another area that ACEC Utah is very active in is in the procurement of engineering services. ACEC Utah is promotes Quality Based Selection (QBS) in procurement of engineering services. Engineering services are not a commodity and should not be solicited based solely on cost. ACEC Utah encourages the use of QBS for all solicitations of engineering services. ACEC Utah provides a year long lead- ership seminar for emerging leaders. The seminar teaches these future lead- ers all aspects of the engineering busi- ness including, risk management, busi- ness financial matters, political issues, understanding marketing issues, and legal business issues, communication and team leadership. Managers that graduate from this program are given tools that they can use throughout their career to improve the engineer- ing companies for which they work at. I personally have been active in many other societies and appreciate the services that these groups provide. I can honestly say that my involve- ment in ACEC has been one of the most fulfilling parts of my career as an engineer. It has provided me with an opportunity to interact with policy and decision makers that can influence both the amount and type of work available to all engineers. It as an organization is active in promoting the business of engineering and watches out for the needs and requirements of the engineering community. I encourage all consultants to be active in ACEC, this organization is there for your benefit and the welfare of your consulting business. ACEC Utah provides a year long leadership seminar for emerging leaders. The seminar teaches these future leaders all aspects of the engineering business including, risk management, business financial matters, political issues, understanding marketing issues, and legal business issues, communication and team leadership. Strategic Goals and Improving The Business Community HIRAM ALBA, P.E., P.G