WASHINGTON – Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) and the U.S. Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce (USPAACC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) calling for the two organizations to work jointly to ensure that all contractors have a fair and equal opportunity to compete for and win contracts to build federal, state, and locally funded construction projects. The agreement was signed by Chuck Goodrich, ABC 2017 chair, and CEO’s Mike Bellaman and Susan Au Allen, respectively, during ABC’s board of directors meeting on June 21.
An initial area of focus for the two organizations is urging congressional action on the Fair and Open Competition Act (H.R. 1552/S. 622), which would prevent the federal government from requiring or encouraging project labor agreements (PLAs) on taxpayer-funded construction projects. Government-mandated PLAs steer construction contracts to unionized firms and prevents 86 percent of the U.S. private construction workforce that does not belong to a union from working on public works projects, driving up the cost of construction between 12 percent and 18 percent, according to a series of academic studies. Twenty-four states already have similar legislation ensuring fair and open competition in government contracting on the books.