Training on Design-Build Contract Revisions

The Northwest Region of the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) is sponsoring a breakfast training session on the 2009 revisions to the DBIA Design-Build contracts between owners and contractors.

When: Thursday, January 22, 2009, 7:15 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.

Where: Rainier Club, 820 Fourth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101

Cost: $50 for members, $55 for non-members

Instructor: Robynne Thaxton Parkinson, President, Northwest Region of DBIA and local attorney (Law Offices of Robynne Thaxton Parkinson, PLLC)

For more information and to register, click here.

City of Vancouver Recruiting a Procurement Specialist

The City of Vancouver (Washington) is recruiting for a Procurement Specialist.

Salary: $2,752 to $4,483 per month

Application Deadline: Friday, January 16, 2009

For more information and to apply, click here.

The individual selected for this position will serve as buyer, contract compliance officer or a combination of both and is expected to provide contract administration for locally funded Professional Service Agreements and Request for Proposals and/or Qualifications.

Job Opening: City of Vancouver, Procurement Manager

The City of Vancouver (Washington) is recruiting for Procurement Manager.

Salary: $6,314 to $7,814 monthly

Filing Deadline: Open until filled

For more information and to apply, visit the City of Vancouver's website.

Annual Meeting of NIGP's Washington State Chapter

Annual Meeting of Washington State Chapter of NIGP

When: Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Where: City of Seattle, City Hall, Bertha Knight Landes Room

Cost: $20.00

Registration Deadline: January 7, 2009

For more information and registration, visit the Chapter's website at www.wanipg.org.

Negotiations Training Class

Get What You Need Through Successful Negotiation Strategies

When: February 9-10, 2009, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Where: City of Bellevue, City Hall

Sponsored by Washington State Chapter of NIGP

Cost:

• $360 for National NIGP members
• $500 for non-members of NIGP and Washington chapter

Registration Deadline: January 16, 2009

Instructor: Tony Ellis, CPPO

Description: This seminar will introduce students to some of the best principles used in negotiating.

Contracts Job Open at Port of Seattle

Sr. Manager Service Agreements

Salary: Minimum $81,530, Midpoint $101,907

Filing deadline: Friday, January 9, 2009

Purpose: To manage the Service Agreement Section of the newly created Central Procurement Office and to ensure Port compliance with all legal and policy requirements associated with the procurement of professional and personal services.

For a complete job description and minimum requirements, click here.

For information on how to apply, click here.

Reminder on New Minimum Wage Rate

As a reminder, effective January 1, 2009, the minimum wage rate in the State of Washington increased from $8.07 per hour to $8.55 per hour.

Where the prevailing wage rate on existing public works contracts is less than the minimum wage rate, contractors must begin paying the minimum wage rate, effective January 1, 2009.

This is an unusual situation as contractors normally know that when they bid a project they can rely on the rates they must pay to be consistent during the life of the contract. But because the minimum wage law is a separate law from the prevailing wage law, contractors must pay the minimum wage rate where it is higher than the prevailing wage rate.

The analogy would be if the contractor estimated in their bid that materials would cost a certain amount, but during the term of the contract, the supplier increased their cost, the contractor would have to pay the higher materials costs. One of the risks a contractor takes in bidding on a project is that their costs may go up from what they bid, either because of a new law or because of increased prices for materials or labor.