Wednesday, January 28, 2015

How Not to Implement Bidder Responsibilty Criteria on a Project

Establishing bidder responsibility criteria on public works construction projects can be a good idea.  It helps ensure that the low bidder is, in fact, capable and qualified to successfully perform the work.  Some public agencies, however, go about implementing responsibility in ways that are counterproductive and lack transparency. 

City of Des Moines, Iowa:  In September 2014, the City of Des Moines adopted what they grandiosely call the "City of Des Moines Taxpayer Quality Assurance Policy."  It only applies for building or facility projects estimated to cost more than $1 million.  In essence, it is intended to be a bidder responsibility law, but it is flawed in a number of ways:
  • More Prequalification than Responsibility:  The law requires that all contractors interested in bidding on a project must complete and submit "no later than two weeks prior to the deadline for accepting bids" a "General Contractor Quality Assurance Questionnaire" and respond to 26 questions.  Establishing bidder responsibility is generally determined after bids have been opened to assess whether the low bidder is responsible.  The City of Des Moines' questionnaire begins to look more like a prequalification process.
  • All bidders must complete questionnaire:  Unlike bidder responsibility practices, the City is requiring all bidders to complete and submit the questionnaire.  Because of the length and complexity of some of the questions, this may cause some bidders to decide not to bid on city work, thus reducing competition and increasing prices, or to bid on the project but increase their prices to recoup their costs in completing the questionnaire and to deal with the hassle of bidding with the City.
  • Responsiveness vs. Responsibility:  The City's practice of requiring the questionnaire prior to bidding makes submission of the form a matter of responsiveness initially before an analysis is even made of whether the bidder is responsible. In other words, if a bidder fails to submit the questionnaire by the deadline, presumably their bid is non-responsive. Documentation of bidder responsibility should never be made part of the bid process, but requested of the low bidder after bid opening.
  • Questionnaire is subjective:  The questions asked by the City are not actual bidder responsibility criteria, but collects information about which the City does not disclose what the basis will be of their evaluation of the questionnaire.  In other words, to properly implement bidder responsibility, there must be actual criteria and standards, so that anyone looking at the documentation submitted should be able to come to the same conclusion about whether the bidder met the criteria or not.  
Misguided effort:  The City of Des Moines' attempt to ensure responsible bidders is ultimately misguided.  It creates a subjective process that will discourage competition and increase costs. The policy also attempts to fix a non-existent problem.  According to the City's engineers, "in general, the City of Des Moines has not experienced major issues in its public bid construction program." Click here to read an excellent and more detailed analysis of the City's law from the law firm of Fabyanske Westra Hart & Thomson. 

Use bidder responsibility criteria:  The preferred method for implementing bidder responsibility is to publish actual criteria in the bid documents, and to then request documentation from the low bidder a certain number of days after bid opening demonstrating that they meet the criteria.  Criteria should be crafted in such a manner to not unduly restrict competition, but to establish a baseline threshold of the ability of the bidder to successfully perform the work.  Click here to read "Suggested Guidelines for Bidder Responsibility" published by the State of Washington's Capital Projects Advisory Review Board.


Presidential History:
  • Presidential History Blog:   While I will discontinue writing this Public Contracting Blog on March 5, 2015, you can sign up for a free email subscription to my Presidential History Blog at www.PresidentialHistory.comOn a case-by-case basis, I will only be accepting limited consulting and training opportunities after March 5, 2015.
Mike Purdy's Public Contracting Blog
© 2015 by Michael E. Purdy Associates, LLC
http://PublicContracting.blogspot.com

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Should Work Be Bundled Together Into 1 Project or Broken into Separate Projects?

How do you define a public works construction project?  Should work for multiple subcontractor trades be bundled together into one larger project, or should it be broken into smaller separate projects?   

Issues with a bundled project:  There are a number of issues associated with bundling work into one project: 
  • Liability:  The general contractor, instead of the public agency, assumes the liability for performance of the entire project in accordance with the contract documents.
  • Schedule:  The general contractor, instead of the public agency, is responsible for scheduling the work of the subcontractors in an appropriate sequence in order to complete the work on time. 
  • Warranty:  Maintenance and warranty issues are simplified by having the general contractor as the public agency’s single point of contact for resolving warranty issues.
  • Small Businesses:  May negatively impact the use of small, disadvantaged, minority, and women owned businesses who might not be able to bid a larger project. 
Issues with separate projects:  There are a number of issues associated with breaking work down into separate projects: 
  • Schedule:  Managing the schedule for multiple subcontractors takes staff time for public agencies.
  • Expertise:  Managing and overseeing all of subcontractor trades requires a level of expertise that may be beyond that of a government project and construction manager.
  • Time for Managing Subs:  More administrative time is required for the public agency to manage all facets of construction with multiple subcontractors, rather than having the contractor manage it all.
  • Audits:  Multiple contracts may result in more exposure to audits and potential violations of ordinances and policies.
  • Procurement Regulations:  Splitting projects under bidding thresholds may violate procurement regulations, or at the least, give the appearance of inappropriate actions on the part of public agencies.
  • Streamlined Award:  Splitting a project into smaller bids may be a more streamlined process for internal approval of an award, requiring fewer levels of approval.
  • Cheaper:  No markup of subcontractor costs results in reduced direct costs for the public agency.
In the news:  A city manager in Georgia recently separated work out into multiple smaller projects less than $20,000 each in order to avoid obtaining approval of the city council for a larger project.  City of Covington city manager Leigh Anne Knight, also argued that it was done to save money, an argument that is difficult to prove.  The city’s planning director acted as the construction supervisor for the projects, leading the city council and mayor to assert that the planning director’s time would be better spent performing his duties as planning director.  The council will consider defining by ordinance what constitutes a “project.”  For more information about this story, click here.


Presidential History:
  • Presidential History Blog:   While I will discontinue writing this Public Contracting Blog on March 5, 2015, you can sign up for a free email subscription to my Presidential History Blog at www.PresidentialHistory.comOn a case-by-case basis, I will only be accepting limited consulting and training opportunities after March 5, 2015.
Mike Purdy's Public Contracting Blog
© 2015 by Michael E. Purdy Associates, LLC
http://PublicContracting.blogspot.com

Monday, January 26, 2015

Seminar: Alternative Project Delivery

Seminar:  Alternative Project Delivery

When:  Friday, March 13, 2015 (all day) 

Where:  Bellevue, WA (Red Lion Inn) 

Agenda:  In the last few years there have been significant changes to the General Contractor/Construction Manager delivery method to include Heavy Civil Construction projects, and to the Design-Build delivery method to include Progressive Design-Build.  This seminar will have presentations from owners, contractors, and consultants on how they select and manager Alternative Project Delivery, and the risks and benefits associated with these delivery methods.

Sponsored by:  Pacific Northwest Chapter of CMAA (Construction Management Association of America


Presidential History:
  • Presidential History Blog:   While I will discontinue writing this Public Contracting Blog on March 5, 2015, you can sign up for a free email subscription to my Presidential History Blog at www.PresidentialHistory.com.  On a case-by-case basis, I will only be accepting limited consulting and training opportunities after March 5, 2015.
Mike Purdy's Public Contracting Blog
© 2015 by Michael E. Purdy Associates, LLC
http://PublicContracting.blogspot.com

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Job Opening: Procurement Program Contracts Manager

Washington State DSHS (Department of Social and Health Services)
  • Position: Procurement Program Contracts Manager
  • Location:  Olympia, Washington
  • Closing Date:  February 15, 2015 at 11:59 pm Pacific Time
  • Salary: $63,144 to $81,600 Annually
  • Job Summary:  This position provides and is responsible for oversight, research and analysis pertinent to DSHS procurements and contracting; performs complex and high-level staff work related to statewide procurement and contracting issues; and foresees, identifies, and resolves statewide issues related to DSHS procurements and contracting.
  • For More Information and to Apply:  Click here.
Mike Purdy's Public Contracting Blog
© 2015 by Michael E. Purdy Associates, LLC
http://PublicContracting.blogspot.com

Job Opening: Regional Manager, National IPA

National IPA (National Intergovernmental Purchasing Alliance)
  • Position: Regional Manager, Lead Contract Specialist
  • Location:  West Region (CA, AZ, WA, NV, ID, OR, UT).  Successful candidate should live in the West Region
  • Closing Date:  Open Until Filled
  • Job Summary:  The Regional Manager (RM) is an executive position responsible for developing relationships with institutions of higher education and suppliers.  Working with purchasing and other professionals at universities and community colleges, the RM will engage collaboratively with major suppliers to increase utilization of the National IPA contract portfolio and Novation contracts. The RM will report to the Group Director – West Region, live within the Region and should expect to travel up to 50% of the time. 
  • Responsibilities:  Responsibilities will include, but not be limited to:
    • Identifying new business opportunities within the higher education marketplace.
    • Providing training and sales support for National IPA’s supplier partners.
    • Developing strong business relationships and engaging key stakeholders.
    • Cultivating contract utilization for large spend categories.
    • Supporting company sales and marketing initiatives.  
  • Qualifications: 
    • Purchasing experience in higher education, public sector or a minimum of 3 years direct sales experience (preferably in the higher education sector).
    • Bachelor's degree required.
    • Located in the West Region (CA, AZ, WA, NV, ID, OR, UT)
  • Skills and Abilities: 
    • Excellent communication, negotiation, and presentation skills.
    • Excellent organizational and project management skills with ability to work collaboratively in a dynamic work environment.
    • Customer focused with strong relationship building skills.
    • Professional, self-motivated, assertive and driven to succeed.
    • Ability and skills to work from virtual office environment
     
  • About National IPA:  National Intergovernmental Purchasing Alliance (National IPA), a Provista Company, is a privately-owned Group Purchasing Organization (GPO) in the public, education and non-profit market sector.  The National IPA was established through a collaborative effort of public agencies across the United States with the specific purpose of reducing procurement costs by leveraging group volume.  National IPA aggregates purchasing volume of participating public agencies across the country in order to receive larger volume discounts from suppliers.  There are over 56,000 public, education and non-profit agencies nationwide that participate in the National IPA cooperative purchasing program. More information about National IPA is available at www.nationalipa.org.
Mike Purdy's Public Contracting Blog
© 2015 by Michael E. Purdy Associates, LLC
http://PublicContracting.blogspot.com

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Federal Bid Protests Increase in 2014

Bid protests on federal procurements increased by 5% in FY 2014 over bid protests filed in FY 2013.  There were a total of 2,561 bid protests filed with the federal Government Accountability Office (GAO), up from 2,429 filed in FY 2013.
 

Reverses decrease from previous year:  The increase in bid protests reversed a slight 2% decrease in FY 2013, which marked the first time in a number of years that the number of protests had actually declined.  The following shows the percentage change in bid protests since 2006. (The federal fiscal year runs from October 1 through September 30 of each year.)
  • 2006 to 2007 - 6% increase
  • 2007 to 2008 - 17% increase
  • 2008 to 2009 - 20% increase
  • 2009 to 2010 - 16% increase
  • 2010 to 2011 - 2% increase
  • 2011 to 2012 - 5% increase
  • 2012 to 2013 - 2% decrease 
  • 2013 to 2014 - 5% increase
Reasons for protests:  GAO reports the following as the most prevalent reasons why they sustained protests filed with them during the 2014 fiscal year:

  • Failure to follow the solicitation evaluation criteria
  • Flawed selection decision
  • Unreasonable technical evaluation
  • Unequal treatment of offerors
More Information:  Click here to read the complete GAO report to Congress on bid protests during FY 2014 (7 pages). 
Practical Tips:  Make sure you have a comprehensive and independent quality control process for reviewing your solicitation documents before they are advertised to ensure that the selection process and requirements are clear.  Your solicitation documents should also define your agency's protest procedures, which may be partially governed by your state law.
Mike Purdy's Public Contracting Blog
© 2015 by Michael E. Purdy Associates, LLC
http://PublicContracting.blogspot.com

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Training: Public Works Bidding and Contracting

2 Day Class on "Public Works Bidding and Contracting"

Mike Purdy
When:  February 26-27, 2015 (8:00 am to 5:00 pm) 

Where:  Kennewick, Washington 

Instructor:  Mike Purdy 

Training Outline:  This two day "Public Works Bidding and Contracting" class will cover the following subjects:

  • Types of Public Works Contracts
  • What is a Public Work, Ordinary Maintenance, and Maintenance?
  • On-Call Public Works Contracts and the State Auditor's Office
  • Small Works Rosters
  • Developing Bid Documents
  • Bid Receipt and Opening
  • Bonds and Insurance
  • Bid Responsiveness
  • Bidder Responsibility
  • Bidding and Award
  • Prevailing Wages
  • Change Orders
  • Retainage and Contract Close-out
Cost:
  • $140 - WA NIGP Chapter members
  • $180 - Non-WA NIGP Chapter members
Sponsored by:  Washington State Chapter of NIGP

Information and Registration:  Click here. Don't delay as decision whether there are enough registrants to hold the class must be made in the next week or so.
Mike Purdy's Public Contracting Blog
© 2015 by Michael E. Purdy Associates, LLC
http://PublicContracting.blogspot.com

When Do Federal Prevailing Wages Apply to a State or Local Agency Project?

Many public works construction projects are funded through multiple funding sources, often involving local, state, and federal sources. 

$1 taints the pot:  Even if a project includes just a small dollar amount of federal money, the entire project becomes subject to federal prevailing wage requirements. 

Bid form structure doesn't control:  Some agencies may include different bidding schedules for different portions of the work on the bid form for a project - some of which are funded with federal dollars and others with state or local dollars.  However, if the bid schedules are all part of one bid, one project, and one contract, then the entire project becomes subject to federal prevailing wages.

Mike Purdy's Public Contracting Blog
© 2015 by Michael E. Purdy Associates, LLC
http://PublicContracting.blogspot.com

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Job Opening: Lead Contract Specialist

King County, WA
  • Position: Lead Contract Specialist
  • Location:  Seattle, WA
  • Closing Date:  January 26, 2015 at 4:30 pm Pacific Time
  • Salary: $80,953 to $102,606 Annually
  • Job Summary: This position in the Construction and Architectural Engineering Contracts work group is responsible for leading, overseeing and evaluating the work of others and ensuring consistency by interpreting policies and procedures, as well as providing expertise as a specialist in procurement of major contracts involving construction, professional, engineering, and/or architectural consulting services and contracts.
  • For More Information and to Apply:  Click here.
Mike Purdy's Public Contracting Blog
© 2015 by Michael E. Purdy Associates, LLC
http://PublicContracting.blogspot.com

Job Opening: Contract Administrator

City of Bellevue, WA
  • Position: Contract Administrator
  • Location:  Bellevue, Washington
  • Closing Date:  January 26, 2015 at 5:00 pm Pacific Time
  • Salary: $63,286 to $ $87,327 Annually
  • Job Summary: This position is in the City's Transportation Department and oversees and coordinates contractual relationships for capital and/or maintenance projects from advertisement to contract completion to ensure compliance with state/federal/city specifications, requirements, and budget.
  • For More Information and to Apply:  Click here.
Mike Purdy's Public Contracting Blog
© 2015 by Michael E. Purdy Associates, LLC
http://PublicContracting.blogspot.com

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Do Your Change Orders Require Contractors to Waive Future Claim Rights?

When a public agency executes a change order, does the change order have language in which the contractor waives their rights to seek additional compensation or time for the changed work?  In other words, is the dollar amount of the change order really the final amount of the change order?

Change order should be final:  The purpose of a change order is for the owner and contractor to agree upon an increased cost and any additional days that may be associated with the change. 

Open ended change orders:  However, some change orders open the door for the contractor to seek additional compensation for the same work.  Here's an example of language that can be problematic for a public agency with a contractor reserving the right to seek additional compensation for the change beyond what is negotiated in the change order:  
"Contractor reserves the right to a future contract sum and schedule adjustment should changes be discovered which are not identified as such in the referenced documents and to submit for additional compensation related to the impact of this change on unchanged work or the effect of this change in combination with other changes."
Rights waived in change orders:   Instead of the above language, public agency change orders should include language in which the contractor waives their rights to seek additional compensation or time based on the change.  Here is some language that addresses this:
"The Contractor agrees that any change in the Contract Amount or Contract Time provided in this Change Order are full and complete compensation to the Contractor for the change(s) to the work, deleted work, modified work, direct or indirect impact on the Contractor's schedule, and for any equitable adjustment or time extension to which the Contractor may be entitled for this Change Order, pursuant to the Contract between the Owner and Contractor."
Language for contract and change orders:  Public agencies should include in both the contract and change order, language stating that the amount and time for change orders are final and that no additional payment will be made unless conditions change beyond what is agreed upon in the change order.  Work with your attorneys on developing these safeguards.
Mike Purdy's Public Contracting Blog
© 2015 by Michael E. Purdy Associates, LLC
http://PublicContracting.blogspot.com

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

What is "Bid Shopping" and "Bid Peddling"?

John P. Ahlers
Well known and respected Seattle construction attorney John P. Ahlers has written two very helpful blogs on everything you need to know about "bid shopping" and "bid peddling."

Rather than attempt to repeat the concepts, I refer you to his to his very readable and well written blogs as noted below that not only defines these practices, but explains Washington state law (RCW 39.30.060), the Subcontractor Listing Statute that applies to all public works projects estimated to cost $1 million or more. 

A Primer on Bid Shopping in Public Contracts - Part I
  • Bid Shopping Defined
  • Defense to Promissory Estoppel
  • Subcontractor Listing Requirement (Public Works Contracts)
  • Does Listing a Subcontractor Convey Acceptance of its Bid?
A Primer on Bid Shopping in Public Contracts - Part II
  • Subcontractor's Private Right of Action
  • 2002 Amendments to the Subcontractor Listing Statute
  • Reasons for Substitution Exempted Under the Subcontractor Listing Statute

Mike Purdy's Public Contracting Blog
© 2015 by Michael E. Purdy Associates, LLC
http://PublicContracting.blogspot.com

Sunday, January 11, 2015

Mike Purdy Will Cut Back on Work as a Consultant

As many of you know, I retired in early 2010 following a 30-year career as a public contracting manager, having worked for the City of Seattle, the Seattle Housing Authority, and the University of Washington.  Even though I “retired,” my work as a consultant has not looked or felt much like “retirement” or given me time to do other things I’m interested in.  As a consultant and trainer, I’ve been busier and worked more hours than I ever did when I was employed by government agencies. 

Milestone birthday:  In April last year, I turned 60 and used that milestone birthday to think and reflect about my dreams and the years ahead.  While I’m healthy and energetic now (and certainly don’t feel 60!), I’m more and more aware that life is short, that each day is an incredible gift, and that there are no guarantees of tomorrow for any of us. The recent passing of family and friends and the health challenges of others have continued to sensitize me to the brevity and fragileness of life.  And strangely, I’ve noticed that my hair (especially my beard!) is a lot whiter than it was a few years ago!
Solving problems:  I’ve loved the freedom and flexibility that comes with being self-employed, and providing services to help people solve problems.
  • Consulting:  Working on procurement/contracting strategy, reviewing and revising bidding and contracting documents, developing procurement policies and procedures, serving as a GC/CM advisor on ten such projects, and helping to solve a host of procurement and contracting challenges.
  • Training:  Providing training to thousands of dedicated professionals.
  • Blog:  Writing my Public Contracting Blog to help keep the broader public procurement / contracting community informed of key and emerging issues.
  • Questions:  Responding to many emails and phone calls each week from those with specific and short questions and scenarios.
It's time to make a change:  However, for everything there is a season, and for every good thing, there comes a time for transitions and changes.  As I evaluate my years ahead, I want to be deliberate and intentional in the decisions I make, in how I spend my time and energy, and not just continue doing the same thing because it’s easier to not make a change.

Cutting back on commitments:  With mixed emotions, I’ve decided to scale back on my consulting and training work starting on March 5, 2015.  At that point, I will have done consulting for ten years, five of those years full-time.  Here's what my commitments will look like:

  • Current clients:  I have some current clients I am under contract with, and some longstanding relationships with others, and I will continue to work with these clients.
  • New clients:  In order to free up time for other things, I will be accepting fewer consulting engagements and teaching fewer training classes.
  • Public Contracting Blog:  I will discontinue writing regular blog postings effective March 5, 2015.  I started writing my blog seven and a half years ago in early June 2007.  Since then, I've written some 2,040 blog postings.  Approximately 2,200 of you from across the country subscribe to the blog by email, and I've been gratified that so many of you have mentioned to me over the years how helpful the blog has been for you.  However, as you may well imagine, researching and writing the blog takes a considerable amount of time for me.  While many of you are most familiar with the emails of new blog postings that you receive, you can also access the blog at http://PublicContracting.blogspot.com.  The blog will remain online, and you will be able to continue to do key word searches of the blog, and research issues based on a subject index on the blog.
How will I spend my time?  My immediate project starting in March 2015 will be to finish researching and writing a book on the U.S. Presidents that I’ve started, and to find a publisher.  And I have dozens and dozens of other things I want to write about.  

Presidential history blog:  I will also write more frequently for my Presidential History Blog.  If you’re interested in this:
  • New Video:  Watch a fun six minute "Presidential History News" video on my website (http://presidentialhistory.com/video/).  It delivers "live" news coverage (I'm the newscaster) of key moments in presidential history. This first video reports the surprising story of the presidential election returns for 1916 between incumbent Woodrow Wilson and challenger Charles Evans Hughes.
  • A Request:  If you like this video, please share it on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, YouTube, other social media, and by email with family and friends.
Great relationships:  As a consultant, I’ve had the great privilege of working with more than 100 clients including public agencies, contractors, consultants, non-profits, and associations getting to know many wonderful people who care deeply about making the public contracting process fair, transparent, efficient, expedient, and in compliance with the myriad of laws and regulations that apply.  I’ve learned from all of you, and count many of you not just as professional colleagues, but as friends.  A big thank you to everyone for helping make my 35 years in public contracting so fulfilling!
Mike Purdy's Public Contracting Blog
© 2015 by Michael E. Purdy Associates, LLC
http://PublicContracting.blogspot.com

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

2015 Public-Private Partnership Conference & Expo

2015 Public-Private Partnership Conference & Expo

When:  February 23-25, 2015 

Where:  Dallas (Sheraton Hotel) 

What:  The conference will examine the current state of P3s (Public-Private Partnerships) in the U.S. and identify the role they play in the development and delivery of community and social infrastructure, real estate, transportation, higher education, and urban/economic development projects. 

Sponsored by: The Public-Private Partnership Alliance

Information and registration:  Click here or visit www.thep3conference.com.

Mike Purdy's Public Contracting Blog
© 2015 by Michael E. Purdy Associates, LLC
http://PublicContracting.blogspot.com

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

How Do Change Orders Impact the Amount of Payment and Performance Bonds?

Typically, a public agency will obtain a Payment Bond for 100% of the contract amount and a Performance Bond for 100% of the contract amount.  

But what happens if there are change orders to the project that increase the dollar amount of the contract?  Do the bonds cover the amended contract amount from both a payment and performance perspective? 

3 options:  There are three options of how these bonds respond to an increase in the contract amount through change orders.
  • Surety approval always required:  Under this alternative, any change order, regardless of the dollar amount, must receive approval from the surety for the increased amount so that the bonding company can issue a "rider" or amendment to the bonds and increase the dollar amount of protection under the bonds.  Administratively, this can be burdensome, and can slow down the approval process for change orders and payment to the contractor.
  • Surety approval sometimes required:  Under this alternative, approval of the surety is required only for change orders of a certain dollar amount or a certain percentage (singular or cumulative).  The bonding company's approval would again be issued in the form of a rider to the bonds.  Like the first option, this alternative is also administratively cumbersome.
  • Surety approval never required:  Under this preferred option, by issuing and signing the Payment and Performance Bonds, the bonding company agrees to any and all future change orders that may change the amount of the contract.  From an administrative perspective for the public agency, contractor, and bonding company, this is the most streamlined way to address changes in the contract amount. 
Communicate your policy:  Public agencies should communicate clearly in the bid and contract documents their expectations of which option will apply.  Language must also be reflected in the actual Payment and Performance Bonds (a strong argument why agencies should have their own bond forms that must be used).  If the third option above is used, here is potential language to include in the bid and contract documents as well as the bonds:
The Surety for value received agrees that no change, extension of time, alteration or addition to the terms of the Contract, the specifications accompanying the Contract, or to the work to be performed under the Contract shall in any way affect its obligation on this bond, except as provided herein, and waives notice of any change, extension of time, alteration or addition to the terms of the Contract or the work performed. The Surety agrees that modifications and changes to the terms and conditions of the Contract that increase the total amount to be paid the Principal shall automatically increase the obligation of the Surety on this bond and notice to Surety is not required for such increased obligation.
Mike Purdy's Public Contracting Blog
© 2015 by Michael E. Purdy Associates, LLC
http://PublicContracting.blogspot.com

Monday, January 5, 2015

Annual Economic Panel Discussion

Annual Economic Panel Discussion

When:  January 15, 2015 (5:00 pm to 8:00 pm) 

Where:  Museum of Flight (9404 E. Marginal Way S., Seattle) 

Sponsored by:  ISM (Institute for Supply Management) - Western Washington 

Participants:
  • Yoram Bauman, Moderator
  • Bill Virgin, Editor and Publisher, Northwest Newsletter Group
  • David Reich, Chief Economist, King County
  • Eric Schinfeld, President, Washington Council on International Trade
  • Paul Turek, State Economist, Washington Employment Security Department
  • Anneliese Vance-Sherman, Regional Labor Economist, Washington Employment Security Department
Cost:
  • Until January 8th: $65 members; $70 non-members
  • After January 8th: $70 members; $75 non-members
  • Subscribers to my blog are eligible for the member rate
  • Price includes free admission to the Museum of Flight and a buffet dinner catered by McCormick & Schmick's
More information and registration:  Click here.
Mike Purdy's Public Contracting Blog
© 2014 by Michael E. Purdy Associates, LLC
http://PublicContracting.blogspot.com