H.R. 1859, the Construction Quality Assurance Act of 2001, has gained the support of the association. The bill proposes a ban on the practice of “bid shopping” on federal projects. According to SMACNA, by banning bid shopping on federal projects in excess of $1 million, the Construction Quality Assurance Act would promote quality construction and prevent abusive construction contracting practices. Also, the organization believes that a ban on bid shopping would in effect require a general contractor to honor his or her submitted list of subcontractors whose estimates have been used to calculate the bid package for the federal construction project.

Finally, SMACNA has opposed H.R. 1972, which proposes amendments to the Davis-Bacon Act. The association has issued a statement on the bill saying, “Congress and the federal government should play no part in increasing the number of already plentiful low wage, no benefit, no training, dead-end jobs in the construction industry when a severe skilled labor shortage needs immediate federal attention and support.”

SMACNA also believes that the bill would largely gut enforcement of the law and undermine the Act’s ability to preserve and reflect local wage and benefit standards.

Publication date: 06/11/2001