GCA Construction News Bulletin March 2021

VOL. 62 ISSUE 3 MARCH2021 • GUAM CONTRACTORSʼ ASSOCIATION

PERFORMERS

TOP

2021

TABLE OF CONTENTS

11

12

CONSTRUCTION NEWS BULLETIN

MARCH

2021 8

S.A.M.E. UPDATE

10

SMALL BUSINESS NOTES

11

CONSTRUCTION HEADLINE

12

FEATURE STORY

16

NAWIC NEWS

18

MEMBER BENEFITS

20

NEWSLINE

24

REPORTS/ INFORMATION

NOW ACCEPTING ONLINE PAYMENTS VIA PAYPAL

VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE INFO 2 | MARCH2021

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EDITORIALS

CONSTRUCTION NEWS BULLETIN

THEDIRECTORS

THEEDITORIALS

THETEAM

PRESIDENT James Martinez Guam Contractors’ Association

Guam Contractor’s Association (GCA) in conjunction with Adztech and Public Relations, Inc. publishes the Construction News Bulletin (CNB) monthly.

Reproduction of materials appearing in this publication is strictly forbidden without written permission by GCA.

PUBLISHER: James Martinez

CHAIRMAN Peter Errett Hawaiian Rock Products VICE CHAIRMAN Bill Beery Tutujan Hill Group

While we always strive for accuracy, we will from time to time overlook mistakes. In order to help us improve the quality and accuracy of this publication, we ask that you take the time to look at the information provided and notify GCA or Adztech of any corrections as needed. Opinions and editorial content of this publication may not necessarily be those of the publisher, production team, staff, GCA members, GCA Board of Directors and advertisers.

SECRETARY/TREASURER Grace Jacot SET Pacific PAST CHAIRMAN Jessica Barrett Barrett Plumbing CONTRACTOR DIRECTORS: Don McCann Black Construction Corporation

For more information about advertising in the GCA Construction News Bulletin contact the advertising department at (671) 477-1239/2239 or email at adztech@teleguam.net.

Shoja Rezvani Contrack Watts Contractors John Sage Pacific Rim Constructors Inc.

Distributed to GCA members or can be obtained by stopping by the Guam Contractors’ Association office located at 506 Mariner Ave., Barrigada, Guam 96913

Dan Soriano Granite Construction Lucia Wood APTIM ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS: Jose Garcia First Hawaiian Bank

To find out more about how you can become a GCA member contact Guam Contractors’ Association at Tel: (671) 647-4840/41 Fax: (671) 647-4866 or Email: gca@teleguam.net. www.guamcontractors.org

Mark Cruz MidPac Far East Patty Lizama Pacific Isla Life

AD SALES: Jaceth Duenas PRODUCTION: Jason Davis Geri Leon Guerrero Christopher “Taco” Rowland EDITOR: Adztech CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Pete Diaz RD Gibson Rodney “RJ” Ricarte Rebecca Gale GCA STAFF: Desiree Lizama Elaine Gogue Francine Taitague Trevor Cruz COVER: Honoring our 5 companies that placed in ABC'S Top 200 Perfomers, Top 100 General Contractors, Top General Contractors Up To $50 Million, And Top Performers With Special Designations

Postmaster. Send address changes to Guam Contractors’ Association, located at 506 Mariner Ave., Barrigada, Guam 96913

Camilo Lorenzo Matson Navigation

GCA

PRODUCTION TEAM LEAD: Geri Leon Guerrero

TRADES ACADEMY B u i l d i n g

S k i l l s

F o r

A

L i f e t i m e

Guam Contractors Association

4 | MARCH2021

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PRESIDENT’S LETTER

CONSTRUCTION NEWS BULLETIN

PRESIDENT’S LETTER Dear GCA Members: This month marks International Woman’s Month and more specific to our industry, we celebrated Women in Construction (WIC) week from March 7 – 13, 2021. In celebration of Women in Construction (WIC) Week, GCA hosted two virtual career exploratory events specific to showcasing our industry to aspiring young ladies in middle and high school. Our first in a series of webinars entitled “Hire Like a Girl” was intended for young women between the ages of 8-23. It was a great opportunity for a young woman to start her career with valuable insights. They learned how a successful recruiter gets the right employees for a company and got valuable tips to make themselves that right person. This marked the official launch of our first Sister Program with an organization based in Colorado called Transportation and Construction Girl or TC GIRL for short.

TC GIRL is a nationwide effort to encourage more young women to pursue careers in transportation and construction.

Building Career Bridges for GIRLs is a program to link girls and female experts in the construction and transportation industry. This program is designed to reach across geographical borders to provide opportunities to young women in the transportation & construction industry. Our goal is for young women to push past the stereotypes and to learn about financially sustainable careers in transportation & construction. Our Sister Program includes signing up one girl from Guam that would get one-on-one mentoring each month from a woman in Colorado – for 10 months – there would be a reciprocal girl from Colorado that would be assigned to one woman in Guam We launched this relationship in February with monthly webinars occurring every second Friday of the month at 9:00 am. (Guam time) We are looking forward to a great year with TC GIRL. The other program that was supposed to launch last year in March, had to be delayed until just this year because of the Corona Virus pandemic which shut down the island in March 2020. However, we are proud to launch this program finally this month., although a virtual version of this event. The program is called Power Up; It’s a Mother Daughter Thing.

Dr. Mittie Cannon, founder of Power Up Inc. whose mission is empowering young women in the industry, is inspiring and has brought much recognition to the opportunities that exist in construction especially to our young aspiring girls. She began envisioning a program that would introduce young women and their mothers to exciting careers in construction. To ensure success in her programing, she sought out partnerships with industry leaders who had also expressed a desire in bringing about a more diverse construction industry workforce. Dr. Cannon leaned on her community, the construction industry, and educational connections, and in October 2015, a collaborative partnership was formed to present the signature program: Power UP: It’s a Mother-Daughter Thing! This collaborative partnership has had tremendous success and challenges the perception of women in construction. Fueled by Dr. Cannon’s personal passion to address the labor shortage, this innovative initiative works diligently to attract, educate, and retain youth. What started in Montgomery Alabama has now reached the shores of our tiny island in the Western Pacific as GCA launches what we hope will be an annual event.

We are proud to be affiliated with these organizations as we reach out and encourage more of our female demographic, starting as early as middle school, to pursue careers and opportunities in the construction and transportation industries.

Dångkulu na si Yu’us ma’åse’ James A. Martinez President Guam Contractors Association

Guam Contractors Association

6 | MARCH2021

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S.A.M.E. UPDATE

CONSTRUCTION NEWS BULLETIN

Society of

NEWSLETTER MARCH 2021

American Military Engineers

ANNOUNCMENTS 2021 SAME Engineering & Construction Camp Application Portal now open. For High School Students.

Deadline: 15 MAR 2021 SAME Guam Post will sponsor a student to attend.

Guam Post Annual Elections Please let Scott Thompson (scott@coffman.com) or Noel Enriquez (nenriquez@macdonaldbedford.com) know if you are interested in being a Director.

SAVE THE DATE 23-27 MAR 2021 ChST SAME National Event: Virtual Capital Week, DoD & Federal Agency Program Briefings See www.same.org 25 MAR 2021 SAME Philippines Field Chapter Network Mixer, Lighthouse, Subic Bay Freeport Zone. Contact: Steve Taylor (taylorstephenr@yahoo.com) 14 APR 2021 Honolulu Post Meeting SAME Honolulu Post & NAVFAC, USACE, AFIMSC Det 2 – Standardization of Facility Related Control Systems (FRCS) and Cyber Commissioning (CyCx) for MILCON Projects.

Upcoming March Meeting

MAIN PRESENTATION

GovGuam-DoD Integration Zero Waste Analysis & Implementation 18 MAR 2021

FEBRUARY EVENT RECAP:

MILITARY CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM UPDATES CAPT Timothy Liberatore, PE, Commanding Officer for NAVFAC Marianas, and CAPT Steven Stasick, PE Commanding Officer for Officer In Charge of Construction (OICC) Marine Corps Marianas provided updates on their construction programs at our virtual Joint Membership Meeting.

The Joint Meeting was held in conjunction with Engineers, Architects, Land Surveyors Week and included members from 10 other professional organizations in Guam’s A-E-C Industry.

For their full presentations, see the SAME Guam Post website.

DPRI Project: Future Awards Project Title J-008 Fire Station J-015 Enlisted Dining Fac P-803 Individual Combat Skills Training J-301 Consolidated Headquarters J-018 Sec Bldg/Pol Station P-317 Combined EOD Facility P-296 Ordnance Operations Admin P-311 Central Fuel Station P-312 Distribution Warehouse P-802 Base Warehouse J-015 Enlisted Dining Facility J-023 BOQ A J-025 Medical Dental Clinic BEQ 5-Plex P-305 4th Marine Regiment Facilities P-804 Central Issue Facility P-307 Consolidated Armory P-280 Aviation Admin Bldg P-310 Infantry Battalion Company HQ P-314 MEB Enablers J-034 BOQ B J-318 Public Works/ Maintenance Shops P-306 CLB-4 Fac P-326 Principal End Items Warehouse J-301 Consolidated HQ PAF189030 Cargo Pad with Taxiway Extension PAF189040 Maintenance Support Facility PAF189021 Airfield Development Phase 1 PAF189022 Parking Apron PAF189010 Fuel Tanks with Receipt Pipeline and Hydrant System

CAPT Stasick

NAVFAC Marianas Projects: Future Awards

Inst.

Est Range

MCBCB MCBCB

$25M-$100M $25M-$100M

Planned Award FY21 FY21

MCBCB

$10M-$25M

FY21

MCBCB

$100M-$250M

FY21

MCBCB

$25M-$100M

FY21

MCBCB

$25M-$1000M

FY21

AAFB

$10M-$25M

FY21

MCBCB

$25M-$100M

FY21

MCBCB

$25M-$100M

FY21

MCBCB

$25M-$100M

FY21

MCBCB

$25M-$100M

FY21

MCBCB

$100M-$250M

FY21

MCBCB

$25M-$100M

FY21

MCBCB

$100M-$250M

FY21

MCBCB

$100M-$250M

FY22

MCBCB

$25M-$100M

FY22

MCBCB

$25M-$100M

FY22

AAFB

$25M-$100M

FY22

MCBCB

$25M-$100M

FY22

MCBCB MCBCB

$25M-$100M $100M-$250M

FY22 FY22

MCBCB

$100M-$250M

FY22

MCBCB

$25M-$100M

FY22

MCBCB

$25M-$100M

FY22

MCBCB

$100M-$250M

FY22

Tinian

$25M - $100M

FY21

Tinian

$1M - $10M

FY21

Tinian

$25M - $100M

FY21

Tinian

$25M - $100M

FY21

Tinian

$25M - $100M

FY21

Note: Refer to www.fbo.gov and neco.navy.mil for official government solicitations from NAVFAC.

www.facebook.com/SAMEGuamPost 8 | MARCH2021

CAPT Liberatore

www.guamcontractors.org

Project Title P3001 Standoff Weapons Complex, MSA 2 P554 Construct Refueling Facilities at X-Ray Wharf P1804 Retrofit Lighting System to LED, Bldg 50 P691 Facility Controls Upgrades, Connectivity & Cybersecurity for NBG Smart Grid P669 1.6 MW Solar Array ISO WWTP, Apra Harbor P649 Joint Communications Upgrade P9007 Space Control Facility #5 P31054 Munitions Storage Igloos Phase 4 P83003 Hayman Munitions Storage Igloos, MSA 2 P1366 Munitions Storage Igloos, Phase 2 P73010 SATCOM C4I Facility P3000 Airfield Damage Repair Warehouse P8127 TACMOR Utilities & Infrastructure Support P519 X-Ray Wharf Berth 2 P052 National Guard Readiness Center

Inst.

Est. Range

Planned Award

AAFB

$25M-$100M

21-Mar

NBG

$10M-$25M

TBD

NBG

$250K-$500K 21-May

NBG

$5M-$10M

21-Jun

NBG

$10M-$25M

21-Jun

NBG

$10M-$25M

21-Sep

AAFB

$10M-$25M FY22 Q1

AAFB

$25M-$100M FY22 Q2

AAFB AAFB

$5M-$10M

FY22 Q2

$25M-$100M FY22 Q2

AAFB

$10M-$25M FY22 Q2

AAFB

$25M-$100M FY22 Q2

Palau

$25M-$100M FY22 Q2

NBG

$25M-$100M FY22 Q2

NBG

$25M-$100M FY22 Q4

Challenges & Opportunities:

• • • • • • • • • • • •

COVID-19 Construction Growth // H-2B Labor // Bid Climate FSC/BOS Contract Mobilization // Growth Off-Guam Programs & Posture Planning (Across Oceania) MEC Program Maturity // Authorities // Process Streamlining Industry Partnership // Lessons Learned JRM Realignment (NAVFAC-USAF Transfer) Cyber Security NAVFAC-Contractor-SEABEE “Partnered” Projects Innovation–3D Construction Printing//UAS//Bubble-Deck Early Mobilization *** Updated Division 01 Specs Common Components for Critical Systems

Website: www.same.org/Guam facebook.com/GuamContractors

SMALL BUSINESS NOTES

CONSTRUCTION NEWS BULLETIN

join our SB Community!

• The GCA Small Business Committee supports small business members of the association to ensure their voices are heard and needs are met within GCA capabilities.

• Do you have an issue or concern that we might be able to assist with?

• Do you have an idea or suggestion that may benefit our small business community?

L-R: James Martinez, Joe Roberto, Adam Baron, Bill Bernardo, Theresa Crisostomo, Tom Roberto, Jaylene Kent, Gerardine Mendiola, Jane Ray, Philip Leddy, Ken Lujan.

HELP US HELP YOU BY JOINING US AT OUR MONTHLY MEETINGS OR CONTACT: Lucia Wood (Chair) Theresa Crisostomo (Vice-Chair)

(671) 777-8425 lucia.wood@aptim.com (671) 588-5972 theresac@jwsguam.com

GUAM PTAC FREE Live Webinars 3/25 2021

SBA Mentor-Protege Program The SBA Mentor-Protege program is modeled after the 8(a) Mentor-Protege Program. The Guam PTAC will update you on the eligibility requirements and how to apply.

Applying for a DUNS Number & Registering in SAM

04/01 2021

04/08 2021

04/15 2021

10 | MARCH2021

To sell your product or service to the Federal government, you need to get a DUNS number and register in SAM. These registrations pose unique challenges to Guam/CNMI based businesses. Tips and solutions for these challenges will be discussed.

Federal Contract Opportunities Beta.sam.gov is the portal for Federal Contract Opportunities.

The Guam PTAC will show you how to setup an account and how to use the search filters to ensure you do not miss any opportunities.

How to Get 8(a) Certified The government buys products and services differently than the private sector. The Guam PTAC will discuss marketing strategies, essential documents, and how to get your company on “the list”.

www.guamcontractors.org

The Guam Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) is offering FREE webinars to the public for March & April 2021.

Webinars run from 10am-11:30am and will be conducted via Zoom. Links to the live webinar and the webinar evaluation will be emailed to all registered attendees 15 minutes before the start of the webinar.

Register at: guamptac.ecenterdirect.com For more information, contact the Guam PTAC at (671) 735-2552 or visit www.guamptac.com

FREE Live Webinars Every Thursday!

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CONSTRUCTION NEWS BULLETIN

CONSTRUCTION HEADLINE

MATSON PUBLISHES NEW SUSTAINABILITY REPORT

Publication Details Progress on Environmental, Social, Governance Goals HONOLULU, March 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Matson, Inc. (NYSE: MATX), a leading U.S. carrier in the Pacific, has published a new Sustainability Report that describes the company's commitment to responsible environmental, social and governance practices.

"Over more than a century, Matson's business has been built on earning the trust of the customers and communities we serve and conducting our business with integrity. This report highlights Matson's achievements and the measures we are taking to advance responsible, sustainable and ethical practices throughout our company," said Matt Cox, chairman and chief executive officer. "I am proud of the work Matson is doing and we remain committed to building on our rich history."

Matson's new report focuses on three areas that the company considers most important: environmental stewardship; caring for its employees and communities; and operating its business ethically, safely and reliably.

The report provides detail on the company's strategic approach, measures its progress and celebrates its key achievements. The company intends to issue reports annually.

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Some highlights of the inaugural report include: • Environment: Reduced CO2 emissions by 13% between 2017 and 2019 and finished building four state-of-the-art U.S.-built ships which have numerous environmental features to help reduce GHG emissions • Diversity: Encouraged professional development and committed to providing new scholarships and internships aimed at increasing diversity among individuals pursuing studies in transportation and logistics • Safety/COVID-19: Pioneered internal COVID safety policies and protocols and shared best practices with the U.S. Coast Guard and other maritime leaders "This is an exciting time for Matson," said Rachel Lee, vice president, sustainability and governance. "We are making progress toward achieving Matson's sustainability goals – from moving toward a low-carbon future; to promoting a diverse workforce and an equitable and inclusive culture; and continuing to protect our employees in the face of an unprecedented pandemic."

More information on Matson's sustainability activities, including a downloadable copy of its 2019-2020 Sustainability Report is available at: www.matson.com/sustainability.

www.guamcontractors.org

MARCH2021 | 11

RECOGNIZING WORLD-CLASS PERFORMANCE by: R.D. Gibson

TOP PERFORMERS

abc.org/TopPerformers

CONSTRUCTION NEWS BULLETIN

FEATURE STORY

This comes on the eve of the first year anniversary of the official announcement of the public health emergency, which would upturn our lives. Sometimes there just are no words. Over the twelve months, each feature has had COVID-19 at its center; the effects, the forecasts, the best practices, what has not worked, how contractors faced and braved new territory and obstacles in an age that has pushed the limits of remote working, and so on and so forth.

Eligibility is incumbent upon a handful of critical criteria.

The Guam Contractors Association members had to have ‘world-class safety performance’. More specifically achieving and holding onto a Gold status or higher for the ABC’s STEP Safety Management System. As stated in the release, this points to a safety standard that is “up to 655% safer than the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics industry average.” The release cited the ABC 2021 Safety Performance Report.

It has been a year of reflection for everybody. It has given us pause to not just look at the negatives and the disadvantages of a seemingly invisible enemy, but it has given us all an opportunity to count our victories, however big or small they are, given the circumstance. It has also given us an opportunity to practice gratitude.

Though these members were chosen based on work performed in 2019, it goes without saying their commitment to safety, quality of work, and high-quality performance was paramount and at the forefront of their company culture and product well into the pandemic.

The press release quoted Michael Bellaman, president and chief executive officer of Associated Builders and Contractors as saying, “The common priorities in our third annual list of ABC Top Performers include culture, safety, innovation, workforce development and driving market value.” His quote continued, “Collaboration and adaptation created a safer, more productive jobsite and workplace for Guam Contractors Association members, and I applaud these association leaders for setting the standard in developing people, winning work and delivering that work safely, ethically and profitably.”

In its ups and downs, 2020 has also pushed contractors to go above and beyond in their delivery of services, and, for that, a dozen of our very own are being recognized by the Associated Builders and Contractors in their 2021 Top Performers Listing. According to a press release, the list “recognizes ABC member contractors’ in safety, quality, diversity, project excellence and special designations, ranked by work hours.”

The list is printed as a supplement to Construction Executive magazine. Additionally, the release listed several other awards. These include, Top 200 Performers, Top 75 Trade Contractors, Top Electrical Contractors, Top Plumbing/HVAC Contractors, Top Specialty Contractors and Top 100 General Contractors and Top General Contractors Up to $50 million. More, those included in the listing receive a Accredited Quality Contractor credential.

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Some companies were recognized in various categories.

Four Guam contractors found themselves on the list, including Hensel Phelps (7), Black Construction Corporation (39), Landscape Management Systems, Inc. (106), and Ian Corporation (198).

Three Guam contractors were placed in the Top 100 General Contractors category. These are Hensel Phelps

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MARCH2021 | 13

FEATURE STORY

CONSTRUCTION NEWS BULLETIN

(6), Black Construction Corporation (24), and Landscape Management Systems, Inc. (56).

their team, their company and their island and be proud of being a part of it.”

Landscape Management Systems, Inc. (3) and Ian Corporation (21) also received recognition as Top General Contractors up to $50 Million.

Leonard Kaae, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Black Construction Corporation emphasized BCC’s company culture is based on ‘family’. BCC has a reach throughout the Pacific from right here on the island of Guam to our neighbors in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Federated States of Micronesia, West to the Philippines and beyond to Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. Kaae underlined the culture of family within their organization “embodied in trust, respect and a ‘can do’ spirit...Every employ ee plays an integral part in the...success of th

Additionally, Landscape Management Systems, Inc. (16), Agbayani Construction Corporation (48) and Ian Corporation (57) were recognized as Top Performers with Special Designations.

TEAMWORK At the root of a company’s success are its employees, management, and their collective vision to make things progress. Everybody is on the same page; everybody understands the mission; everybody is steadfast and dedicated toward getting the job done well and right; everybody is also ready to support one another. Especially in the year we have all just endured, it is important to have a company culture of teamwork and support.

Bob Salas, Owner and Director of Landscape Management Systems, Inc. stated it is unprecedented for the company to be recognized globally. He added that it is “evidence of [the team’s] constant development and diligence, especially during these trying times.”

With this in mind, he added how his company emphasizes and prioritizes growth and development as key parts of their company culture, and applauds the individual employees for their dedication and commitment to their mission. Further, Salas said, “I hope that each individual in our company can see the change they’ve brought to

14 | MARCH2021

It is a collective look at teamwork; of examining potential and supporting growth; of celebrating the individual and diverse contributions from every employee. For Ian J. Chong, President of IAN Corporation, contributions from all employees are contributions to the company and its success as a whole. “No one is too big to do anything small, nor too small to do anything big,” he started.

“Everyone helps in many ways.” This, according to Chong, enhances communication, expands innovation, and empowers the workforce - this is the framework Chong credits his team’s success.

CHANGE Not to generalize, but a lot of people and businesses can say that they experienced change this year. Some for the better; some for the worst. Though these businesses are being celebrated after the fact, there is no denying the continued determination, dedication, or commitment to changing with the times.

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Salas shared, “Change is never easy and oftentimes the reward is not immediately obvious.” He continued, “This award serves as recognition of the changes our people have made and the growth and development that comes as a result of it.”

However, one thing has not changed: the standard of excellence in projects in Guam. President of the Guam Contractors Association James Martinez stated in a release, “These 12 companies consistently perform to the highest standards on Guam and the mainland.” He called them ‘world-class’ and ‘some of the best examples’ in the industry on island. “As recovery of the Guam economy begins and the military build up continues, these are the companies who will be leading,” stated Martinez.

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FEATURE STORY

These awards show the continued dedication to safety that our companies here at home are consistently working toward. But, moreso, these awards show the heart and commitment to the development of our island into the future. These awards signify the hard work, long hours, sanitized, and sweat of these companies’ employees - it is their love for our community manifested and on display for the whole world.

Congratulations to the companies and their employees who made their way onto the 2021 ABC Top Performers Listing!

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MARCH2021 | 15

NAWIC NEWS

CONSTRUCTION NEWS BULLETIN

National Association of Women In Construction (NAWIC) Guam celebrates Women In Construction (WIC) Week this month with great pride to highlight women as a visible component of the construction industry. This year we Connect-Collaborate-Construct to promote and show case women in construction in our community and advance our mission to strengthen and amplify women's success in the construction industry.

We CONNECT through various platforms to inform our community of resources available through NAWIC. Emphasizing the growing role of women in the industry and raise awareness of career opportunities, sharing our firsthand knowledge of the success and challenges women face in our industry as we continue our efforts to diversify the industry. We have the honor of promoting WIC Week and our organization on the GCA Today Podcast with Dave Hayner, Damdaming Pinoy Radio Talk Show with Dr. Sam Mabini, and K57 News Talk Radio with Patti Arroyo.

We COLLABORATE with our members, their companies, and our industry partners to strengthen and grow our organization and foster a cooperative spirit. To encourage women to seek construction opportunities, NAWIC Guam plans to launch a mentorship program in June 2021. NAWIC Guam partners with other local industry organizations, such as GCA, Trades Academy, SAME, EALS, Guam Women's Chamber Of Commerce, Guam Council of Women’s Clubs, Guam Women’s Club, Pacific SBDC to offer a variety of skill-building and networking opportunities that help to empower women in the construction industry.

We CONSTRUCT stronger relationships with our members, their companies, industry partners, and community through various professional events and community improvement projects throughout the year. Our local chapter community program, "Hard Hats and Hug Hearts," we volunteer our time, materials, and other resources to complete community improvement projects.

NAWIC Guam would like extend our appreciation and gratitude to all women in construction, our industry partners, and supporters for their contributions to our organization and the industry.

We also thank and acknowledge our inspiring members and our member companies THANK YOU for your commitment to advancing women in construction!

Want to know more about NAWIC Guam or join our organization?

Contact us at nawicguam@gmail.com or DM us on Facebook (Nawic Guam) or Instagram (@nawicguam). www.nawic.org 16 | MARCH2021

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MEMBER BENEFITS

CONSTRUCTION NEWS BULLETIN

BE HEALTHY! GET IN SHAPE! YOUR GCA HEALTH PLAN OFFERS WELLNESS AND FITNESS PROGRAMS

By Rodney “RJ” Ricarte Wellness isn’t just a slogan at TakeCare. It is our mission. Your GCA health care benefit offers many wellness and fitness programs and earning incentives throughout the year to help you be active, eat right, relax & unwind, and stay socially connected.

Nationally Accredited Wellness Program

The only accredited health education and wellness program in Guam by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC), TakeCare’s program utilizes the National Committee for Quality Assurance’s (NCQA) Health Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®) measure to apply industry best practices and evidence-based strategies proven to support and improve health outcomes. The program empowers members to achieve healthy behaviors and reduce risk factors, and the program offers health risk assessment (HRA) & biometrics screenings, health education classes, cancer prevention campaigns, and fitness programs.

Wellness Programs Just for You

New for 2021, our Disease Management Classes and Workshops will be delivered virtually through pre-recorded sessions and Microsoft Teams. Members will be able to access the material on their own time and re-watch lessons and complete knowledge quizzes to reinforce key concepts. Our well programs include: Cardiac Risk Management, Children’s Health Improvement Program, Diabetes Management, Quit Now! Nicotine Cessation (includes free quit aids, Chantix, Zyban and Nicotine patches), Nutrition Counseling, Nurse Case Management, Teen Talk Program, Well Mommy-Well Baby and PreventT2, the National Diabetes Prevention Program recognized by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). We also engage members with special events and campaigns such as the “Eat Right” Conference, “Let’s Get Physical Fitness Expo” and “Laughter is the Best Medicine.”

TakeCare advocates preventive cancer screenings and early detection of cancers through its yearly campaigns for breast, cervical and colorectal health. Participants who complete the screening can receive gifts and cash incentives.

Incentives to Stay Healthy

TakeCare provides wellness and disease management incentives up to $250 per eligible individual or $500 per eligible family per benefit period provided they meet the criteria stated under the incentive program. Health Risk Assessment (“HRA”), Health Education Workshops and Disease Management programs must be completed and done through TakeCare to be eligible for these incentives. And TakeCare provides fitness and outcome-based incentives up to $350 per eligible individual and $700 per eligible family per benefit period provided they meet the criteria stated under the incentive program. Health Risk Assessment (“HRA”) must have been completed within three (3) months from the time of the incentive payout and should be done through TakeCare.

This is just a brief overview of the wellness programs and incentives offered to you through your GCA health care benefit from TakeCare. For more information, please call the Wellness Team at 300-7224 or 300-7161, Monday through Friday from 8am-5pm or email at wellness@takecareasia.com.

Rodney “RJ” Ricarte is the TakeCare account executive for GCA. He can be contacted at (671) 487-7121 or rodney.ricarte@takecareasia.com.

18 | MARCH2021

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NEWSLINE

CONSTRUCTION NEWS BULLETIN

NEWSLINE Survey Says: ABC Members Strongly Support Repeal or Reforms to Costly Davis-Bacon Act and Prevailing Wage Laws According to findings of an ABC membership survey published on March 3, 2021, ABC members overwhelmingly support repeal or reform of the federal Davis-Bacon Act and related state and local prevailing wage laws that increase costs and reduce competition from qualified contractors on taxpayer-funded construction projects. The Davis-Bacon Act is a 1931 law that requires contractors and subcontractors that perform work on federally funded or assisted construction contracts in excess of $2,000 to pay a government-determined prevailing wage and benefit rate on an hourly basis to on-site workers.

The survey found: • 87.9% of participants do not support prevailing wage laws and the Davis-Bacon Act in its current form.

• 83.1% of participants support full repeal of prevailing wage laws.

• 82.1% of participants support reforms to prevailing wage laws.

“The survey results reaffirm that the 90-year-old Davis-Bacon Act, an archaic and costly policy that is far past its expiration date and similar state and local laws in 27 states, must undergo commonsense regulatory reforms or be fully repealed,” said Ben Brubeck, ABC vice president of regulatory, labor and state affairs. “This system of federal, state and local governments setting ‘prevailing wages’ is outdated, needlessly raises construction project costs, stifles contractor productivity and discourages competition from small businesses interested in pursuing federal and federally assisted construction projects.”

Prevailing Wage Regulations Increase Costs and Reduce Opportunity Approximately 94% of the 350 survey

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participants believe that government prevailing wage laws make projects more expensive. Meanwhile, 67.6% said the laws result in less competition from subcontractors and 75% said it would make contractors less likely to bid on public works projects in their own communities, paid for by their own tax dollars.

“As the construction industry is suffering from a 9.4% unemployment rate due to the recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and America’s crumbling infrastructure faces an estimated $2.6 trillion investment gap by 2029, lawmakers considering a multitrillion dollar infrastructure spending bill need to do everything possible to maximize taxpayer investments in infrastructure while helping all construction workers and small businesses find quality jobs to rebuild their communities,” said Brubeck.

“The Congressional Budget Office estimates that repealing the Davis-Bacon Act would save the federal government $17.1 billion between 2021 and 2030, but research suggests repealing the Act would actually save taxpayers more than $11.56 billion a year,” said Brubeck.

According to economic models, every $1 billion in extra overall construction spending generates an average of at least 6,500 construction jobs and every $1 billion in extra construction spending on infrastructure generates an average of at least 3,300 construction jobs.

In 2017, a study by the Heritage Foundation estimated 30,000 more real construction jobs would be created on an annual basis if the U.S. Department of Labor enacted commonsense regulatory reforms repeatedly suggested by the

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Government Accountability Office and the DOL Office of Inspector General, as they would help calculate an accurate prevailing wage in a timely manner.

Survey participants also highlighted how prevailing wage laws harm small and minority-owned businesses, result in more expensive and/or less affordable housing and school construction and make it harder to finance green energy projects and support energy-saving home weatherization.

“Survey participants noted that prevailing wage laws will hit small businesses particularly hard and decrease the hiring of small businesses,” said Brubeck. “This is because it would force them to hire or assign additional personnel to comply with prevailing wage red tape.”

Survey Results Undermine Prevailing Wage Advocate Arguments The majority of survey participants said prevailing wage laws either harm or have little positive impact on workforce development, attracting a skilled workforce, enhancing project safety, ensuring a quality project delivered on time and on budget and the hiring of local, minority, women, veteran and disadvantaged businesses: • 60.7% said it makes no difference, while 36.5% said it will harm their company’s investment in workforce development strategies.

• 77.8% said it will not have an impact on their ability to attract skilled workers, while 8% said it would result in attracting less-skilled workers.

• 94.9% said it will make not make a difference in a company’s safety performance on a project, while 2% said it would make a project less safe.

• 92% said it will not make a difference in a project’s construction quality,

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while 5.1% said it would decrease quality.

• 61.9% said it will make no difference to project’s on-time and on-budget delivery, while 35.5% said it would decrease on-time and on-budget delivery.

• Approximately 65% said it will make no difference in local hiring outcomes, while 27.7% said it would result in worse local hiring outcomes.

• 76.7% said it will make no difference in the hiring of minority, women, veteran and disadvantaged business enterprises, while 18.8% said it would decrease hiring of disadvantaged businesses.

• 77.5% said it makes no difference in the hiring of hiring of minority, women, veteran and ex-offender construction workers, while 19.7% said it would decrease hiring of these disadvantaged workforce populations.

“The survey results undermine arguments prevailing wage advocates cite as a reason to require anti-competitive and costly prevailing wages on taxpayer-funded construction projects,” said Brubeck. “Open-ended responses to survey questions make it clear that prevailing wage laws provide little value and often undermine contractor efforts to upskill and retain a diverse workforce.

The truth is, the alleged benefits of prevailing wage laws can be achieved through specific procurement language and strong prequalification standards independent of prevailing wage regulations.”

“Our employees are our company’s greatest asset, and we must continue to upskill them to stay safe and productive in order to deliver to customers a high-quality project on time and on budget,” said one survey participant. “We invest in workforce development through our company training programs as well as participate in government-registered apprenticeship programs in certain trades. We make these investments regardless of whether we are performing prevailing wage work or private work. It makes no difference to our value proposition.”

ABC Membership Not Unanimous on Prevailing Wage Repeal/Reform Of note, the survey confirmed there are ABC member contractors who support prevailing wage laws for a variety of reasons, despite the fact that they believe it increases taxpayer costs and reduces competition from contractors. In facebook.com/GuamContractors

open-ended responses, some contractors characterized prevailing wage laws as helpful to their business because: 1) They allow companies to pay employees an above-market premium that is passed on to taxpayers; 2) They discourage competition from firms that haven’t mastered compliance strategies with the red tape associated with prevailing wage regulations; and 3) They prevent union lobbyists from mandating union-only project labor agreements that lock out the more than 87% of the construction industry that chooses not to belong to a union.”

“Although more expensive, we can compete on a level playing field with unionized contractors on prevailing wage projects, which is not the case with government-mandated project labor agreements, where we cannot compete at all,” said a participant. “One key benefit of prevailing wage laws is that when construction unions lobby for government-mandated PLAs, opponents can point to the fact that workers are already paid union rates; therefore, union-only PLA monopolies are not needed to protect workers and are bad policy. Unfortunately, lawmakers usually do not get the distinction and care more about the politics than policy.”

Some participants supported a government-determined wage floor, but felt that that the current rates are excessive, are not prevailing and are not accurate, while others wanted regulatory clarity.

“Rates in my rural marketplace are identical to rates charged in expensive cities in my state. These rates are not prevailing and do not meet local standards and violate the intent of the Davis-Bacon Act,” said one participant.

“The rates are excessive and are not even close to prevailing rates in our market. The fringe benefits on some union prevailing wage rates are in excess of 60% of the wage rate to make up for chronic pension underfunding by the union,” said another participant.

“We need more clarity on union work rules related to U.S. DOL wage decisions.

Cloak-and-dagger policies and enforcement are why businesses distrust government and increase risk costs in bids,” said a participant.

“The union lobby wants to make prevailing wage compliance as complicated as possible so they can use it as a weapon to target competitors and get them www.guamcontractors.org

NEWSLINE debarred if they accidentally are out of compliance,” said a participant. “There needs to be a good-faith exception to differentiate between bad actors and good actors making honest mistakes.”

State Prevailing Wage Laws A total of 27 states have enacted prevailing laws applying to most or some of their taxpayer-funded construction projects procured by state and local governments, depending on the threshold and applicability of their respective law. Of the 27 prevailing wage states, six states set rates identical to the Davis-Bacon Act, seven states explicitly set rates at the union collective bargaining agreement rate, nine states set rates through a survey process and the remaining states set rates through other methodologies.

Since 2015, Michigan (2018), Arkansas (2017), Kentucky (2017), Wisconsin (2017), West Virginia (2015) and Indiana (2015) have repealed their prevailing wage laws.

Following West Virginia’s repeal, a 2018 study conducted by the University of Kentucky Center for Business and Economic Research found that total costs for public school construction in West Virginia declined by more than 7%.

Additionally, the CBER found no evidence that repealing this mandate had any impacts on safety or quality of construction.

Similar research measuring the impact of prevailing wage repeal is underway in multiple states.

Additional ABC Resources on Prevailing Wage Policies ABC supports the full repeal of the Davis-Bacon Act, as well as any state and local prevailing wage laws that mandate wage and benefit rates. In the absence of full repeal of the Davis-Bacon Act and state prevailing wage laws, ABC also continues to support legislative and regulatory reform efforts designed to mitigate its negative effects and failure to reflect the current market rate.

ABC opposes expansion of Davis-Bacon and state and local prevailing wage laws into areas of public and private projects in which it has not been previously mandated.

Learn more about the Davis-Bacon Act at abc.org/DavisBacon and abc.org/Education-Training.

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ABC General Counsel Provides Overview of OSHA’s Updated COVID-19 Guidance On Jan. 29, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued “Protecting Workers: Guidance on Mitigating and Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 in the Workplace1,” which provides updated guidance and recommendations for employers and outlines existing safety2 and health standards. OSHA states, “The recommendations are advisory in nature, informational in content and are intended to assist employers in providing a safe and healthful workplace.” ABC’s general counsel, Littler Mendelson P.C., also published an article 3 that discusses OSHA’s new COVID-19 guidance.

While employers are encouraged to read the Littler article in its entirety, excerpts from the article are provided below: COVID-19 Prevention Programs The guidance encourages employers to implement COVID-19 prevention programs in the workplace. According to OSHA, these programs are an effective way to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 at work and employees and/or their representatives should be involved with the program’s development and implementation. The guidance lists 16 elements 4—four of which are considered key elements—that should be included in a COVID-19 prevention program. Read the Littler article to learn about the four key elements that should be included.

Return to Work Criteria The guidance discusses additional measures for limiting the spread of COVID-19, starting with separating and sending home infected or potentially infected people so they cannot infect other workers. Employers should follow a symptom-based strategy for identifying, separating and sending home workers according to OSHA, although there may be limited circumstances where a test-based strategy is appropriate. To learn more about a symptom-based strategy and quarantine guidelines, see the Littler article.

For additional information, see OSHA’s eliminating the hazard by separating and

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sending home infected or potentially infected people from the workplace5.

Social Distancing Measures Maintaining at least six feet of distance between individuals can be one of the best ways to protect individuals from infection. As such, OSHA recommends that employers implement various measures such as limiting the number of people in one place at any given time (including during toolbox talks and safety meetings), increasing the physical space between workers and/or customers, altering work spaces to add physical cues reminding individuals to physically distance from one another (e.g., signs, tape marks, decals, etc.), offering vulnerable workers duties that minimize their contact with others and prohibiting handshaking or other forms of physical contact.

Additional information can be found in OSHA’s implementing physical distancing in all communal work areas6.

Engineering Controls The guidance discusses two specific types of engineering controls for employers to consider: barriers between workers and ventilation. At fixed workstations where workers are not able to remain at least six feet away from other people, OSHA recommends that transparent shields or other solid barriers (e.g., plexiglass, flexible strip curtains) be installed. These barriers do not replace the need for social distancing, according to the agency, and six feet of separation should still be maintained between individuals when possible.

To prevent the spread of COVID-19 in buildings, OSHA also recommends that employers improve ventilation. The guidance lists a number of helpful strategies7 to achieve this goal.

Additional information can be found in OSHA’s installing barriers where physical distancing cannot be maintained8 and improving ventilation.

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Face Coverings and PPE Face coverings are simple barriers that help prevent respiratory droplets from reaching others. According to OSHA, face coverings should be made of at least two layers of a tightly woven breathable fabric and should not have exhalation valves or vents. They should fit snugly over the nose, mouth and chin with no large gaps on the outside of the face. When worn properly, face coverings can suppress the spread of COVID-19.

Wearing a face covering, however, is complementary to and not a replacement for physical distancing.

The guidance recommends that employers provide all workers with face coverings at no cost to the worker. In addition, employers should require any other individuals at the workplace (e.g., visitors, customers, nonemployees) to wear a face covering unless they are under the age of two or are actively consuming food or beverages on site.

OSHA standards may require employers to provide PPE to supplement other controls when the measures discussed above cannot be implemented or do not protect workers fully. In these scenarios, employers must determine what PPE is necessary and provide all necessary PPE to workers at no cost in accordance with relevant OSHA standards.

Additional information can be found in OSHA’s suppressing the spread of the hazard using face coverings9 and use personal protective equipment when necessary10.

Sanitization, Cleaning and Disinfecting Practices Per OSHA’s guidance, employers should ensure that workers, customers and visitors have adequate supplies and time to clean their hands frequently and cover their coughs and sneezes. Posters encouraging hand hygiene and physical distancing should be posted at the entrance to a workplace and in other areas where they are likely to be seen.

These posters should be in a language

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workers can understand, including non-English speakers.

Employers should also develop, implement and maintain a plan to perform regular cleanings to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace.

This should include routine cleaning and disinfecting of all frequently touched surfaces and portable jobsite toilets, prohibiting the sharing of objects or tools between workers or ensuring appropriate cleaning and disinfection of shared tools, providing disposable disinfecting wipes so that commonly used surfaces can be 1 2 4 3

5 6 7 8 9

wiped down before each use, storing and using disinfectants in a responsible manner and advising workers to always wear gloves or additional PPE appropriate for the chemicals being used.

Additional information can be found in these OSHA articles on providing the supplies necessary for good hygiene practices11 and performing routine cleaning and disinfection12.

https://www.osha.gov/coronavirus/safework https://www.osha.gov/coronavirus/standards https://www.osha.gov/coronavirus/safework#role-employers-workers https://www.littler.com/publication-press/publication/ osha-issues-new-covid-19-guidance-mitigating-and-preventing-spread https://www.osha.gov/coronavirus/safework#eliminating-the-hazard https://www.osha.gov/coronavirus/safework#implement-physical-distancing https://www.osha.gov/coronavirus/safework#improving-ventilation https://www.osha.gov/coronavirus/safework#installing-barriers https://www.osha.gov/coronavirus/safework#supressing-spread

10 11 13 12

14 15 16 17 18

Additional Resources: OSHA COVID-19 Resource webpage13 OSHA COVID-19 Control and Prevention—Construction Work14 OSHA COVID-19 FAQs15 ABC Coronavirus Update webpage16 CISC COVID-19 Exposure Prevention, Preparedness and Response Plan for Construction17 CDC COVID-19 webpage18

https://www.osha.gov/coronavirus/safework#use-ppe https://www.osha.gov/coronavirus/safework#provide-the-supplies https://www.osha.gov/coronavirus https://www.osha.gov/coronavirus/safework #perform-routine-cleaning-disinfection https://www.osha.gov/coronavirus/control-prevention/construction https://www.osha.gov/coronavirus/faqs https://abc.org/Coronavirus http://www.buildingsafely.org/covid-19-coronavirus/ https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html

This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or opinion.

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A/C & Refrigeration Mechanic HVAC & Refrigeration Technician

21

6

Crane Operator

Total Non-Construction H-2B Workers

11

Pipefitter

www.guamcontractors.org TOTAL Construction H-2B Workers

Total OTHER Construction

10

HVAC & Refrigeration Mechanic

2

Heavy Equipment Mechanic

1563

57

15

Heavy Equipment Mechanic

17

Camp Cook

8

Construction Equipment Mechanic

2

Other Construction Occupations

Employers Workplace Monthly Report Statistics

Automotive Mechanic

Other Non-Construction Occupations

GUAM DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Alien Labor Processing Certification Division

18 108 90 2 31

Sheetmetal Worker Heavy Equip. Operator Electrician Camp Cook Welder Total Common Const.

1582 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1584

1762

1584

Total H-2B Employers

Total U.S. Workers Grand Total H-2B Workers

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

Total U.S. Workers

Total U.S. Workers Grand Total Hin H2 companies 2B Workers

US Workers vs. H-2B

5 22

4000

17

Construction Non-Construction

Employers By Industry

Philippines Mexico Japan Kiribati United Kingdom Australia Italy Peru Thailand Other Total by Nationality

Workers by Nationality

1506

17 66

Structural Steelworker Plumber

203

626

345

Reinforcing Metalworker

Carpenter

Cement Mason

Common Construction Occupations

MONTH ENDING: February 2021

Mexico Thailand 0.13% 0.00%

1.13%

4.38%

1.20%

7.17%

13.48%

5.98%

0.13%

Other 0.00%

Peru 0.00%

Prepared By: Jessie Cruz Contact information: Greg Massey, ALPCD Administrator P.O. Box 9970 Tamuning, Guam 96931 (671)475-8005/8003

Welder

Camp Cook

Heavy Equip.

Operator Electrician

Sheetmetal Worker

Reinforcing Metalworker Structural Steelworker Plumber

Carpenter

Cement Mason

Other

Thailand

Peru

Italy

Australia

United Kingdom

Kiribati

Japan

Korea

Philippines

United Kingdom 0.00%

Kiribati 0.00%

22.91%

41.57%

2.06%

Common Construction Occupations

Philippines 99.87%

Japan 0.00%

Australia 0.00%

Italy 0.00%

H-2B Population by Nationality

REPORTS/ INFORMATION CONSTRUCTION NEWS BULLETIN

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