Subcontractors USA Journal 18

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TEXAS JOURNAL

W W W . S U B C U S A . C O M

Architecture | Construction | Education | Energy | Engineering | IT | Manufacturing | Oil and Gas | Petrochemical | Transportation

September 2017 | Advertising for Certified Women, Veteran & Minority-Owned Subcontractors | 18th Edition

Permit Us Now:

One-Stop Texas Building Permit Leaders Helen Callier, Industry Expert & CEO of Permit Us Now, Shares Invaluable Info on Obtaining Building Permits in the Aftermath of Hurricane Harvey

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INSIDE

06

Manhattan Construction Names Jason Fuller Vice President – Houston

10

Doing Business with FEMA

18

FEMA Fact Sheets: Contracting Requirements & Debris Removal Tips

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Publisher’s Message

MR. D-MARS

The Subcontractors USA Texas Journal highlights opportunities and news relevant to the construction, energy, architecture, engineering, oil and gas, transportation and IT industries we serve. During this recovery phase after Hurricane Harvey, we hope you find this issue not only informative, but inspiring and educational as well.

This month’s issue highlights Permit Us Now, an industry recognized technical services firm providing building permit expediting, consulting, project management and CADD services. They are sharing important information on how to obtain city

Behind the Journal

“It’s not how far you fall, but how high you bounce that counts.”

- Zig Ziglar

our services

contents

Publisher & CEO Keith J. Davis, Sr.

04 Architecture 04 Klyde Warren Park Receives ASLA Design Award of Excellence

Chief Operating Officer Kimberly Floyd

06 Business 06 Manhattan Construction Names Jason Fuller as Vice President - Houston

ACCOUNTING MANAGER Eugenie Doualla Vice President, Marketing Anita Bates SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES C.T. Foster Tiffany Black PHOTOGRAPHY L.C. Poullard Grady Carter MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR Andrea Hennekes LAYOUT & GRAPHIC DESIGN Angel Rosa Project Coordinator Taelor Smith Antoniece Portis DISTRIBUTION Booker T. Davis, Jr. Rockie Hayden CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Helen Callier Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Subcontractors USA News Provider Vernell Silva

building permits to rebuild after the devastation of Hurricane Harvey.

Definitely much needed information during this time. Zig Ziglar once said, “It’s not how far you fall, but how high you bounce that counts.” Texans are a resilient bunch and we will bounce back even higher.

As always, thank you for your continued support of Subcontractors USA Texas Journal. When you support us, you are supporting more than just our company; you are supporting the communities in which we live and work.

Working together, we can succeed in making positive things happen.

06 08 Construction 08 Rebuilding Texas after Harvey: Here's what contractors need to know 08 Texas Study Finds Higher Resale Value in LEED-Certified Homes

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10 Fema 10 Doing Business with FEMA 14 SBA to Open Business Recovery Center in Houston to Help Businesses Impacted by Hurricane Harvey 18 Fema Fact Sheets

16-17 Cover Stary 16-17 How to Obtain City Building Permits to Rebuild After Hurricane Harvey 20 Manufacturing 20 TI introduces most affordable way to get started with DLP® Pico™ display technology

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22 Transportation 22 Port Welcomes Coast Guard Merchant Marine Industry Trainee 22 Smaller metros take action to draw millennials fleeing bigger urban areas

ADVERTISING | MARKETING MEDIA | COMMUNICATION Graphic Design • Logos • Flyers • Ads • Folders • Brochures • Door Hangers Printing • Business Cards • Flyers • Folders • Pull-up Banners • Step and Repeat Banners • Brochures • Door Hangers • Letterhead • Envelopes Photography • Headshots • Event Photography Online & Email Marketing Social Media Advertising

24 Petrochemical 24 ONEOK Reports Status of Operations Following Hurricane Harvey

Talafery media group, inc.

24 26 Gas & Oil 26 Magellan Midstream to Construct Delaware Basin Crude Oil and Condensate Pipeline 26 Gas Bright Spot: Texas Natural Gas Flowed and Continues to Flow Uninterrupted throughout Hurricane Harvey 28 Energy 28 E.ON breaks ground on Texas Waves Energy Storage Projects 28 MRC Global Inc. Announces Intention to Refinance the Company's Senior Secured Term Loans

MAIN OFFICE 7322 Southwest Fwy., Suite 805 Houston, TX 77074 Phone: (713) 272.9511 | Fax: (713) 272.6364 Email Us: contact@subcusa.com Visit Us Online www.subcusa.com 28

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SubContractors USA

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Architecture

Klyde Warren Park Receives ASLA Design Award of Excellence OJB Landscape Architecture wins the ASLA Design Award of Excellence for Klyde Warren Park, a 5-acre freeway deck park in Dallas, Texas.

tanical gardens. Opening the park has also provided a significant economic boost to the once-desolate area surrounding the freeway, spurring a flurry of office and residential projects on parcels surrounding the project.

The park's sustainable landscape provides dramatic environmental improvements including the sequestration of CO2 through native planted trees, temperature reductions from shade producing trees and canopies and water conservation through the subgrade reservoir's collection of stormwater. Klyde Warren Park has gracefully reconnected the city, and has become an integral and endeared open space in Downtown Dallas.

To learn more about OJB visit www.ojb.com and read more about the ASLA Design Award of Excellence.

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

T

he American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) today announced Klyde Warren Park, a freeway deck park in Dallas designed by OJB Landscape Architecture (OJB), as the recipient of the ASLA Design Award of Excellence. This prestigious designation is awarded to only one project per year.

The award will be presented October 23 at the ASLA National Meeting in Los Angeles.

OJB Founder and President, James Burnett, FASLA, said "Receiving this award is an incredible honor for our firm and we are delighted to join the distinguished list of past recipients. This park has been transformative on so many levels; socially, economically and environmentally. It has changed the way people imagine public space in Dallas. The city was ready to heal the big divide that separated Downtown from Uptown and Klyde Warren Park was the answer. We were inspired by our clients' determination to see this decade long project become a reality."

Klyde Warren Park was constructed over one of the busiest freeways in Texas. The freeway had severed the city's Arts District from Uptown for many years. Restoring the connection has transformed the city by bridging the gap and creating a new heart of downtown.

The park sits over the eight-lane Woodall Rodgers

Freeway and is designed to reflect the district through its inspirational design. Acting as a common ground for the surrounding museums and businesses, the 5.2-acre urban park has been warmly embraced by the community and has been a catalyst for economic development.

Conceived as a Public/Private Partnership (P3), the park's construction was funded jointly by the City of Dallas, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), the US Department of Transportation and private donations to the non-profit Woodall Rodgers Park Foundation (WRPF).

The park has made a positive impact on the Dallas community. Operating under a long-term lease with the City of Dallas, the WRPF's event programming staff keeps the park's calendar full of offerings including Dallas Opera simulcasts, free concerts, regular fitness classes and a rotating menu of the city's most popular food trucks. The park's flexible design features a children's park, great lawn, restaurant, performance pavilion, fountain plaza, games area, dog park and bo-

About OJB Founded in 1989, OJB Landscape Architecture began with a focus on creating landscapes that provide unique and unforgettable sensory experiences. OJB's recent work has focused on the rejuvenation of American cities through the creation of distinctive public park spaces including ULI Urban Open Space Award winning Klyde Warren Park in Dallas and Myriad Gardens in Oklahoma City. Other notable projects include the artfully planted Sunnylands Center and Gardens in Rancho Mirage, CA, Levy Park in Houston and LeBauer Park in Greensboro. In 2016, James Burnett, FASLA, founder of OJB Landscape Architecture, received the ASLA Design Medal and in 2015, OJB received the ASLA Firm Award for its renowned portfolio of work. Follow OJB on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Vimeo.

SOURCE: http://www.ojb.com

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Business

Manhattan Construction Names Jason Fuller as Vice President - Houston M

anhattan Construction Company, a privately-held construction services company founded in 1896, is pleased to announce the promotion of Jason Fuller as vice president of the Houston region. Fuller will lead client engagement, preconstruction and construction services for Manhattan’s Houston-area office. Fuller’s promotion solidifies Manhattan’s commitment to the Houston market, where the company has had a solid presence for more than 70 years.

Fuller has been part of Manhattan’s Houston team for 16 years and during that time he advanced through project management, preconstruction and business development responsibilities. Prior to his promotion, he served as project director. In his new role, he brings a diverse set of expertise gained in the Houston market where he has been involved with projects in the commercial, aviation, sports, entertainment and healthcare business sectors.

“Our Houston-area clients will benefit from Jason’s involvement in the Houston community and his expertise in early phase project planning and preconstruction,” said John Reyhan, president of Manhattan Construction Company.

Fuller, a native Houstonian, holds a bachelor’s degree in construction science from Texas A&M University.

About Manhattan Construction Company:

Jason Fuller, Vice President

Founded in 1896, Manhattan Construction is recognized among Engineering News-Record’s top 50 contractors in the nation. In the last three years, Manhattan has received more than 40 industry honors for quality and safety. Manhattan is a 14-time Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Accredited Quality Contractor (AQC) and a seven-time ABC STEP Diamond Safety Award Winner. The company’s services include Builder-Driven Preconstruction®, construction management, general building, and design-build. Manhattan Construction operates from offices in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, Okla.; Dallas and Houston, Texas; Naples, Fort Myers, Tampa, Fla.; Washington, D.C.; and Atlanta, Ga. Visit us at www.manhattanconstruction.com Source: www.manhattanconstruction.com

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COnstruction

Rebuilding Texas after Harvey: Here's what contractors need to know

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

W

hile rescue efforts are still underway in the Houston region in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, state and federal officials are already wrestling with the formidible task of cleaning up and rebuilding infrastructure and homes once the unprecedented amount of floodwaters recede.

The staff at Austin-based Strategic Partnerships Inc., which tracks contract opportunities for vendors of all types around the state, said they have been inundated with calls from contractors asking about cleanup and rebuilding efforts.

Mary Scott Nabers, Strategic Partnerships’ CEO, published a list of guidelines for contractors that want to be part of the cleanup and construction efforts down the road.

Vendors should also know that the Federal Emergency Management Agency continually stockpiles essential emergency goods, known as initial response resources, long before disasters occur so resources can move quickly.

Those emergency items include

bottled water, food, cots, tarps, blue roofing sheeting and blankets. While exact quantities fluctuate, the division typically keeps about 13.1 million items with a street value of about $96 million in supplies stockpiled, according to Nabers’ report.

The FEMA Public Assistance Grant Program moves into action after an event is declared a disaster. This program provides resources for contractors related to the repair, replacement or restoration of public facilities that are eligible for funding assistance.

Contractors should contact this division of FEMA to inquire about getting vetted for pre-arranged contracts.

Contractors can register with FEMA’s System for Award Management division and submit a voluntary vendor profile form. Follow this link to read Strategic Partnership's full report on contracting opportunities. http://bit.ly/2x66yp1 Estimates of the destruction brought by the hurricane, which made landfall a second time on Wednesday east of Houston headed toward Louisiana, are projected to be somewhere in the range of $160 billion, with Texas accounting for most of that total.

COnstruction

Texas Study Finds Higher Resale Value in LEED-Certified Homes

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

W

hen it comes to building valuable homes, a new study from the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) indicates that green may be the way to go.

“The Value of LEED Homes in the Texas Real Estate Market: A Statistical Analysis of Resale Premiums for Green Certification,” found that new homes in Texas that were built to meet standards such as LEED are worth an average of $25,000 more in resale value than non-LEED homes. Also, between 2008 and 2016, homes built to LEED standards showed an 8 percent boost in value. Homes built to a wider range of standards saw a 6 percent increase in value.

This study examined more than 3,800 green-certified homes built in Texas in this time frame, and was based on an analysis of more than 230,000 homes in the state. The basic purpose of the study was to see whether any green certification had an effect on a home’s resale value.

“Our research shows there is a ‘green premium’ in the Texas single-family home market,” said Greg Hallman, faculty director of the Real Estate Fi-

nance and Investment Center at the McCombs School of Business. “The average new home in our Texas MLS data set sells for $311,000, so a 6-to8-percent green premium represents a significant gain for homeowners, developers, and real estate agents and brokers.”

According to a statement from the University of Texas at Austin, LEEDcertified homes enhance the health and well-being of occupants and provide cost savings to homeowners and residential building owners. This is on top of the overall energy savings, since LEED-certified homes use 20–30 percent less energy than a standard home.

“As developers and buyers continue to see the value in LEED, we expect the number of LEED-certified homes to increase in the Texas market,” said Taryn Holowka, senior vice president, USGBC. “Homes that are built to meet green standards deliver more value to the seller and also ensure that buyers will have a high-value sale down the road and reap the benefit of lower utility bills while living in the home.”

The USGBC expects the residential green construction market overall to grow to $100.4 million in 2018 from $55 million in 2015. In Texas, there are more than 6,890 homes that are currently LEEDcertified or pursuing this certification.

Source: www.ecmag.com

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FEMA

Doing Business with FEMA T

he Industry Liaison Program is the one point of entry for vendors seeking to do business with FEMA. The program coordinates vendor presentations with program offices and Industry Days, conducts market research, and performs vendor analysis reporting. FEMA’s Industry Liaison can be reached at 202-646-1895.

Industry Liaison also maintains an enterprise-wide repository – used to supplement market research for Contracting Officers – of vendors who contact FEMA. Staffed with a help desk, the program processes and routes vendor profile data to the appropriate FEMA program offices, including the Small Business Office, for follow-up.

To support FEMA’s national mission and engage with the FEMA Industry Liaison Program, please have your constituent do the following: 1. Register with the System for Award Management (SAM), which is now accessible for use. This system replaces the Central Contractor Registry (CCR).

SAMRegistration Registration SAM If you were not previously registered with CCR, please go to www.sam.gov to register. Should you have any questions about the SAM registration process, please contact the SAM Service Desk at 1-866-606-8220. Once registered with SAM, they contact FEMA-Industry@fema.dhs.gov for a Vendor Profile Form.

If you are contacting FEMA to assist with disasters, the Industry Liaison Support Center would like to take this opportunity to provide you a brief overview of FEMA’s role when disasters occur. FEMA assumes the lead agency role when disaster declarations are declared at the Federal level. In this role, FEMA coordinates with other Federal partners, state and local governments and the private sector to procure life-sustaining commodities and services for the welfare of the disaster survivors. Some of these items include, water, cots, blankets, packaged meals, etc. In state emergency disaster declarations, FEMA assumes a support role and stands ready to assist the states where needed. To assist with cleanup after disasters occur, reach out to the Corps of Engineers and the states. They are responsible for debris removal and cleanup. How to contact these entities may be found below.

FEMA does establish temporary housing sites for disaster survivors, when necessary, and typically procures haul and install and deactivation services for these units; an example of services FEMA procures.

In the instance that FEMA is procuring the products/ services, every effort must be made to procure capabilities from vendors that reside in or primarily does business in the disaster-impacted areas in compliance with the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, Section 307. When local vendors cannot provide the capabilities or all available sources have been exhausted, FEMA may expand its geographical search. However, the expanded search may remain within the respective states where disasters have occurred. As efforts transition to long-term recovery, rebuilding of communities and other infrastructure becomes the responsibility of the states and local entities, and homeowners. Federal funding may be available to assist with these efforts based on the parameters of the declaration.

In addition to the information provided above, we also recommend that you explore the following options, as applicable, for seeking contract opportunities with the Federal Government, including FEMA. Many of the options below also provide information on seeking state and local contracts. If you are seeking Federal contract opportunities for the first time, please

seek the assistance of the Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) nearest you; contact information below in option 13.

1. Desire to provide transportation services to FEMA, please follow this link, www.gsa.gov/tmss, to the General Services Administration (GSA) Transportation Management Services Solution (TMSS) to seek GSA approval. FEMA procures many of its transportation needs through the General Services Administration (GSA). Mr. John Wheeler, (703) 605-9190, is the point of contact for GSA transportation solutions.

The types of transportation services FEMA procures via GSA include: truckload, less truckload, air charter, barge, air freight, air ambulance, heavy hauler, ocean, freight, rail, power only, limousine, chartered bus, vehicle rental, truck rental, travel trailers, and mobile homes.

2. Visit the DHS Advance Acquisition Planning System; the forecast of contract opportunities at http://www.dhs.gov/xopnbiz/opportunities/ gc_1300288340710.shtm. This system includes projections of all anticipated contract actions greater than $100,000 and points of contact.

3. Contact the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Obtain information that assists small businesses in preparing for and navigating business opportunities. Visit SBA at www.sba.gov.

4. Seek procurement opportunities for simple commodity buys at FedBid, www.fedbid.com.

5. Find opportunities. The single point-of-entry to search, monitor, and retrieve Federal procurement opportunities is Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps) at www.fbo.gov.

6. Seek Grant Opportunities. Visit www.grants.gov.

7. Watch the Web. Federal and state agencies are placing more procurement opportunities on their web sites. FEMA posts its procurement opportunities on FedBizOpps. (www.fbo.gov).

8. Get listed in electronic catalogs. GSA Advantage and other electronic commerce initiatives will let you list your products/services for government browsing.

9. Teaming and partnering. If you are strong in one business area, but inexperienced in another, find a subcontractor or teaming partner who can provide the capability that you lack. The Federal Government encourages teaming. Visit the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) at www.fpds.gov. FPDS provides the names of companies who have been awarded contracts, and you may reach out to these contractors for subcon-

tractor, supplier or teaming opportunities.

10. Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTAC). Reach out to your state Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTAC) nearest your location.

These centers offer a variety of resources that prepare you for work with the Federal Government, as well as procurement opportunities at the state and local levels.

Following this link www.aptac-us.org/new/index.php will assist you in locating the PTAC in your area.

11. Become a member of the Corps of Engineers Contractor Registries if you are interested in performing disaster response and recovery work; e.g. debris removal. Follow this link to access their website http://www.usace.army.mil/Missions.aspx. Once there, select “Emergency Operations” and then “Contracting in Disasters”. You may register your company with the “USACE Disaster Resource Contractor Registry”. We also encourage you to explore all the links under “Emergency Operations”. Useful information is provided there regarding the Corps of Engineers support role to FEMA during disasters.

12. Register with your State Procurement Office and reach out to your State Emergency Management Agency. Google to locate your state agencies or other state agencies where disasters have occurred.

13. Seek construction, facilities management, leasing and retail services opportunities with the General Services Administration (GSA). Visit GSA’s website at www.gsa.gov/portal/category/22013.

14. Interested in donating or volunteering, visit FEMA’s Helping Others webpage at www.fema.gov/ rebuild/recover/howtohelp.shtm.

15. Desire to extend your facility to house FEMA qualified disaster survivors, sign up on-line at www. ela.corplodging.com using the Hotel Enrollment section. Vendor assistance call center contact information may also be found at https://ela.corplodging.com/ contactus.php. The Call Center may also be contacted via phone 866.545.9865, via fax 866.362.0740 or via email femahousing@corplodging.com.

In addition, you may find these three informational links about federal contracting useful: http://www.dhs.gov/get-started-dhs-contracting https://www.sba.gov/content/federal-contracting-resourcessmall-businesses http://www.gsa.gov/portal/category/100635

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FLUOR SUPPLIER DIVERSITY PROGRAM

Connecting for Opportunities Fluor is committed to excellence in supplier diversity.

As a global company, Fluor operates across highly diverse markets that are best served by correspondingly diverse resources, including suppliers and subcontractors.

Visit us at www.fluorprocurement.com for a list of the products and services that Fluor buys and create your company profile.

© 2016 Fluor Corporation.

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FEMA

SBA to Open Business Recovery Center in Houston to Help Businesses Impacted by Hurricane Harvey T

he U.S. Small Business Administration and the Texas Gulf Coast Small Business Development Center Network today announced the opening of a business recovery center in Houston to provide a wide range of services to businesses impacted by Hurricane Harvey that began Aug. 23, 2017. The center will open as indicated below.

“Due to the severe property damage and economic losses Hurricane Harvey inflicted on businesses in Texas, we want to provide every available service to help get them back on their feet,” said SBA’s Houston District Director Tim Jeffcoat. “The center will provide a one-stop location for businesses to access a variety of specialized help. SBA customer service representatives and SBDC business advisors will be available to meet individually with each business owner,” he added. No appointment is necessary. All services are provided free of charge.

BusinessRecovery RecoveryCenter Center Business HARRIS COUNTY University of Houston Small Business Development Center Region Office 2302 Fannin St., Suite 200 Houston, TX 77002

Austin Joint Field Office

Sept. 11, 2017 DR-4332-TX NR 008 FEMA News Desk: 512-490-3890 FEMA-HarveyTxNewsDesk@fema.dhs.gov

Mondays – Fridays, 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Saturdays and Sundays, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

“SBA customer service representatives will meet with each business owner to explain how an SBA disaster loan can help finance their recovery. They will answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explain the application process and help each business owner complete their electronic loan application,” Jeffcoat said.

According to Texas Gulf Coast SBDC Network Executive Director Dr. Steve Lawrence, SBDC business advisors at the center will provide business assistance to clients on a wide variety of matters designed to help small business owners re-establish their operations, overcome the effects of the disaster and plan for their future. “Services include assessing business economic injury, evaluating the business’s strength, cash flow projections and most importantly, a review of options with the business owner to help them evaluate their alternatives and make decisions that are appropriate for their situation.

According to Jeffcoat, businesses of any size and private, nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets. These loans cover losses that are not fully covered by insurance or other recoveries.

For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private, nonprofit organizations of any size, SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. EIDL assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any property damage.

Business owners may also apply online using SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela or get help from SBA representatives at any Disaster Recovery Center in Texas. Disaster loan information is also available from SBA’s Customer Service Center by calling (800) 659-2955 or emailing disastercustomerservice@ sba.gov(link sends e-mail). Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing may call (800) 877 8339. For more disaster assistance information, visit http://www.sba.gov/ disaster. Completed applications should be mailed to U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

HURRICANE HARVEY

News Release FEMA Hiring Texas Residents for Hurricane Harvey Recovery Jobs AUSTIN, Texas – In partnership with the State of Texas, FEMA is hiring workers across the state for administrative, logistical and technical jobs related to hurricane recovery.

Those hired will join the recovery team – local, state and federal workers, voluntary agencies and community organizations – already in place. Through temporary local employees, FEMA gains valuable community insights, provides jobs and puts Texans to work helping Texans.

Jobs posted recently pay between $14 and $34 per hour. Some of the jobs include: administrative support assistant, civil engineer, communications specialist, construction cost estimator, courier, crisis counselor, customer service specialist, environmental specialist, floodplain management specialist, graphics specialist, hazard mitigation outreach specialist, historic preservation specialist, registered nurse and voluntary agency liaison, among others.

The first step is to register at WorkinTexas.com, the Texas Workforce Commission’s website, where application instructions are posted. FEMA will announce more jobs soon. ### FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from and mitigate all hazards.

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA tollfree at 800-621-3362 (voice, 711/VRS - Video Relay Service) (TTY: 800-462-7585). Multilingual operators are available (press 2 for Spanish).

The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners, and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling (800) 659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call (800) 877-8339.

Source: www.sba.gov

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How to Obtain City

Building Per to Rebuild After Hurrican

By Helen Callier Contributing Writer

F

rom Rockport to Houston to the Beaumont-Port Arthur Triangle, thousands of residential, commercial and government buildings have been affected by Hurricane Harvey and require rebuilding. As a native of Houston, I, along with the Permit Us Now team, want to help our communities get back into operations faster, so we want to share with contractors, architects and project owners what we know to-date on obtaining city building permits.

Here’s the Latest News on Area Here’s the Latest News on Area Permitting PermittingCenters Centers City of Houston Permit Center *The emphasis is on helping Houstonians get back on their feet and get their homes and businesses repaired and usable. Check QFLOW for Residential and Commercial One Stop and assist with overflow until further notice; will work submitted plans when One Stop is under control.

The City of Houston and other permitting jurisdictions have made adjustments to internal processes to assist project owners, contractors and architects in obtaining building permits as quickly as possible.

Walk-ins are allowed in the Floodplain Management Office (FMO); just pull a flood damage ticket on the first floor. The FMO may need to do an inspection before issuing a permit depending on where property is located, the nature of the work and the completeness and reasonableness of the cost estimate. Please review with FMO if you have any questions and you can check their website to see if property is located in a floodplain.

FEMA has set up Disaster Recovery Centers and Houston Permitting Center staff are handing out basic permitting information at designated tables. Note: Cosmetic work involving painting, flooring, etc. does not require permits.

HPC has extended business hours to close at 7pm instead of 5pm and will add Saturdays if needed. Please check the City of Houston Permitting Center website for more information.

HPC's intention is to focus first on ‘Repairing Houston,’ with resources available at One Stop to meet demand. Also, the HPC is expecting

the go-ahead soon to roll out mobile and regional based One-Stop centers in the hardest hit areas.

We are estimating a possible four-week delay in obtaining building permits and for the workload to return to normal. Please monitor our Facebook page @PermitUsNow and the City of Houston’s website for updates.

To learn more about flood damage repair in the floodplain, visit https://www.publicworks.houstontx.gov/notices/flood-damage-repair.html

Harris County Harris County and other neighboring counties impacted by the storm have waived permit fees.

Commercial and residential properties must

have a permit. If you have an account, when you sign in, go to the drop-down menu and click the Commercial Flood option. Next select submit on this application.

Residential is the same process. For either commercial or residential, a site plan and a floor plan are required. Show the areas that were flooded and need repair. For both residential and commercial, the county must inspect before a permit is issued.

Call 713-274-3880 to self-report if you are a project owner.

PEARLAND Commercial and Residential need to apply for a no-fee due permit. Project scope of work is

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required and must be no structural damage or ch submit plans.

FRIEND

Must apply for a dem repair permit. All appl cal, Electrical and Plum permit. If any structur you will need to submit

PASAD

All commercial work w and inspections will occu

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rmits ne Harvey

on-structural. If there is hanges, you will need to

DSWOOD

mo permit and a separate licable MEP (Mechanimbing) must apply for a ral damage or changes, t a full set of plans.

DENA

will continue with permits ur. Cosmetic work involv-

Code Enforcement Contact Information Plan Review Commercial Residential Inspections Building Mechanical Electrical Plumbing Occupancy/Life Safety Sign Administration Permit Office General Dacoma Office Kingwood Office Utility Releases Other Information Customer Assistance & Code Development Office Automated Inspection Request Line

832-394-8810 832-394-8820 832-394-8840 832-394-8850 832-394-8860 832-394-8870 832-394-8880 832-394-8890 832-394-8899 713-686-6224 281-361-9586 832-394-8847 832-394-9000 713-222-9922

To Reach Other City of Houston Departments: http://www.houstontx.gov or dial 311

ing painting, flooring, etc. does not require permits.

Residential storm damage will require permits and inspections for significant structural repair and replacements. Plans are required as well.

For sheetrock remove and replace, no-fee permits will be issued so the project can be tracked.

No-Fee permits will be issued for travel trailers and RVs on homeowners’ property for 120 days.

ROCKPORT In operation and working from a different location since municipal building was destroyed.

We are in communications with the permitting staff and will post updates @PermitUsNow on Facebook and Twitter.

CORPUS CHRISTI and PORTLAND Jurisdictions are open and managing permitting process as quickly as possible. If you have any questions, please refer to their respective websites. We will continue to monitor workloads as we have commercial projects in coastal areas.

OtherPoints Pointsto toNote Note Other Over the last few months, we have noticed an increase in requests from commercial project owners who needed building permits after the construction work was completed. Most building projects require a building permit to start construction and a permit is required as proof for a city inspection, as well as to obtain a certificate of occupancy.

There will be a large amount of construction work for a long period of time.

Below are six tips to consider while managing an increased commercial project workload.

1. Work in a professional manner and refrain from shortcuts 2. Review the appropriate jurisdictions building codes and pay special attention to buildings in floodplains 3. Pull city building permits PRIOR to starting construction work 4. Communicate with project owners on a regular basis to assure them permit obtained 5. Call and ask plan reviewers about any questions 6. Consider using a building permit expediting firm to save time and money

Conclusion InInConclusion We are grateful and give credit to the hundreds of plan reviewers, inspectors, city engineers and Permitting Center managers working at the City of Houston and surrounding areas from Rockport to Corpus Christi, Texas who were helpful in providing information on obtaining permits after Hurricane Harvey. We also appreciate the opportunity to work across the State of Texas assisting organizations that require building permits.

If you have any building permit tips to assist in rebuilding after Hurricane Harvey flooding, please connect with me on Linkedin and @PermitUsNow on Facebook. Build safe.

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Fema

Fema Fact Sheets Fact Sheet

Fact Sheet

PUBLIC ASSISTANCE: DEBRIS REMOVAL TIPS

PUBLIC ASSISTANCE: CONTRACTING REQUIREMENTS CHECKLIST The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance (PA) Program provides supplemental assistance to states, tribes, and local governmental entities, as well as certain private non-profit organizations (hereinafter referred to as applicants). FEMA’s Public Assistance Program and Policy Guide (http://www.fema.gov/public-assistance-policy-and-guidance) provides comprehensive information regarding assistance that FEMA can provide and the requirements that applicants must follow in order to receive the assistance. The purpose of this Fact Sheet is to provide key information that applicants need to consider when utilizing contracted resources.

Avoid the Risk of Not Being Reimbursed for Contract Costs in a Time of Need Failure to follow federal contracting requirements when procuring and selecting contractors puts applicants at risk of not receiving full reimbursement for associated disaster costs. Both FEMA and the U.S. Department of Homeland AVOIDANCE CHECKLIST Security’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) closely review DO NOT: applicant procurement actions and contract selections to evaluate whether Federal requirements were met. Where “Piggyback” on other jurisdiction’s contracts. requirements were not met, funding can be disallowed and, Award cost-plus-a-percentage-of-cost in some cases, taken back even years after the event. Due to contracts or contracts with a percentage-of the frequency of applicants not following contracting construction-cost method. requirements and the millions of dollars subsequently put at Include local preference. risk, FEMA and the OIG are increasing their efforts to ensure applicants understand Federal requirements for AVOID: contracting resources. In addition to this Fact Sheet, FEMA Time & Material (T&M) Contracts (FEMA has extensive procurement and contracting resources for may reimburse costs incurred under a T&M applicants, including the Procurement Under Grants Field contract only if all of the following apply: Manual Supplement, which are available at No other contract was suitable; www.fema.gov/procurement-disaster-assistance-team.

The contract has a ceiling price that the Additionally, the OIG in July 2016 issued its Audit Tips for contractor exceeds at its own risk; and Managing Disaster-Related Project Costs (OIG-16-109-DThe Applicant provides a high degree of Jul16). oversight to obtain reasonable assurance that the contractor is using efficient methods and effective cost controls.

FEMA reimburses costs incurred using fixed-price or costreimbursement contracts. FEMA advises against the use of Time and Materials (T&M) contracts and generally limits the use of these contracts to a reasonable time based on the circumstances during which the applicant could not define a clear scope of work because T&M contracts do not adequately incentivize contractors to control costs or maximize labor efficiency.

Sole-Source Contracts unless you can support their use under the procurement rules.

Pre-disaster/stand-by contracts with price proposals that increase when awarded postdisaster.

“FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.”

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance (PA) Program provides supplemental assistance to states, tribes, and local governmental entities, as well as certain private nonprofit organizations (hereinafter referred to as applicants). FEMA’s Public Assistance Program and Policy Guide (http://www.fema.gov/public-assistance-policy-and-guidance) provides comprehensive information regarding assistance that FEMA can provide and the requirements that applicants must follow in order to receive the assistance. The purpose of this Fact Sheet is to provide key information to consider when planning and initiating debris removal operations.

Costs to remove incident-related debris (including, but not limited to, vegetative debris, components of structures, sand, mud, silt, gravel, rocks, boulders, vehicles, and vessels) from improved public property and public rights-of-way (ROWs), including Federal-aid roads, are reimbursable. FEMA also reimburses a limited timeframe for vehicle and vessel storage when necessary to provide applicants time to identify the owner.

If applicants authorize residents to place incident-related debris on the public ROW, including Federal-aid roads, costs to subsequently remove the debris from the ROW are reimburseable.

In such cases, local governments should provide guidance to citizens to avoid placing hazardous waste on the ROW and to avoid placing debris near fire hydrants and power poles.

Applicants should consider placing large roll-off trash bins on public property and ROW for use by the citizens to minimize significant debris piles on the ROW and establishing debris dropoff sites for household hazardous waste.

Various types of resources are reimbursable, including the applicants’ employees, temporary hires, mutual aid, and contractors. Additionally, the value of volunteer hours or donated equipment may be used to offset the non-Federal cost share (usually 25%).

DOCUMENT THESE ITEMS Applicants need to document the following information to support debris removal claims: □ Quantity and type of debris: o Hauled to a temporary staging site o Reduced, including reduction method (e.g., chipped, burned) o Hauled to a final disposal site o Recycled □ Pick-up locations □ Disposal locations (temporary staging, recycling, and final disposal) □ Owned (“Force Account”) equipment: o Type of equipment and attachments used o Year, make, model, size/capacity o Days and hours used o Operator name □ Contracted equipment o Certifications of truck

Monitoring Debris Operations

FEMA requires that applicants monitor all contracted debris size/capacity removal operations. If it does not monitor contracted debris □ Labor: removal operations, it jeopardizes FEMA funding. Applicants may o Name o Days and hours worked use employees (including temporary hires), contractors, or a o Work performed combination for monitoring. FEMA will provide debris monitor training to an applicant’s employees upon request. It is not necessary, or cost-effective, to have Professional Engineers or other certified professionals perform debris

“FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.”

August 31, 2017

August 31, 2017

Federal Emergency Management Agency

Federal Emergency Management Agency monitoring. FEMA considers costs unreasonable when associated with the use of staff that are more qualified than necessary.

REQUIREMENTS CHECKLIST Provide full and open competition; Place qualified small and minority businesses and women’s business enterprises on solicitation lists; Assure that small and minority businesses, and women’s business enterprises are solicited whenever they are potential sources; Divide total requirements, when economically feasible, into smaller tasks or quantities to permit maximum participation by small and minority businesses, and women’s business enterprises; Establish delivery schedules, where the requirement permits, which encourage participation by small and minority businesses, and women’s business enterprises; Use the services and assistance, as appropriate, of such organizations as the Small Business Administration and the Minority Business Development Agency of the Department of Commerce; Maintain oversight to ensure contractors perform according to the terms, conditions, and specifications of their contracts or purchase orders; Maintain written standards of conduct covering conflicts of interest and governing the performance of employees who engage in the selection, award, and administration of contracts; Negotiate profit as a separate element of the price for each contract in which there is no price competition and in all cases where cost analysis is performed; Perform a cost or price analysis in connection with every procurement action in excess of the Simplified Acquisition Threshold, including contract modifications. The Federal threshold is currently $150,000, if state or local procurement law is more restrictive, then the state or local law must be followed; Include required provisions in all contracts awarded; and Maintain records sufficient to detail the history of the procurement. These records will include, but are not limited to the rationale for the method of procurement, selection of contract type; contractor selection or rejection; and basis for the contract price.

Noncompetitive procurement may be used under certain circumstances, one of which is when the public exigency or emergency will not permit a delay resulting from competitive solicitation.

Examples Illustrating the Meaning of Exigency and Emergency Emergency: A tornado impacts the City and causes widespread and catastrophic damage, including loss of life, loss of power, damage to public and private structures, and millions of cubic yards of debris across the City, leaving almost the entire jurisdiction inaccessible. The City needs to begin debris clearance activities immediately to restore access to the community and support search and rescue operations and power restoration.

Exigency: A tornado impacts the City in June and causes widespread and catastrophic damage, including damage to a City school. The City wants to repair the school and have it ready for the beginning of the following school year in September. The City estimates, based on past experience, that the sealed bidding process will take at least 90 days, and the City’s engineer estimates that the repair work would take another 60 days. This would bring the project completion to well after the beginning of the school year. Rather than going through sealed bidding, the City—in compliance with State and local law—wants to solicit bids from five contractors that have previously constructed schools in the State and award the contract to the lowest bidder among those five. This would be an example of an “exigency”, such that sealed bidding would cause a delay under the circumstances and the use of some other procurement method was necessary based on the particular situation.

SELECTING DISPOSAL SITES DO: If burning debris as a reduction method, obtain guidance from applicable State, Territorial, Tribal, or local regulatory agencies to determine if and where burning can be conducted.

DO: Obtain permits from applicable Federal, State, Territorial, Tribal, and local regulatory agencies.

AVOID: Areas such as endangered species’ critical habitats, archeologically sensitive areas, rare ecosystems, contaminated sites, well fields, or surface waters. If near these areas, establish buffer and/or turbidity barriers.

AVOID: Areas of close proximity to schools, nursing homes, hospitals, historic buildings, residences, or public water supplies especially in windy areas due to dust and odor.

DO NOT: Dispose of debris in floodplains or wetlands.

Alternative Procedures Pilot Program for Debris Removal FEMA is currently conducting the Alternative Procedures Pilot Program for Debris Removal. Under this pilot program, applicants may elect to participate in one or more of the following: • Reimbursement of straight-time for employees (limited to overtime under standard program) • Retention of income generated from recycling debris • 2-percent increased cost-share incentive for applicants with a FEMA-accepted debris management plan with pre-qualified debris removal contractors before the start of the incident period • Increased Federal cost share based on a sliding scale to accelerate completion of debris removal (This procedure must be authorized in the President’s major disaster declaration for declarations requested on or after August 28, 2017 ): Debris Removal Conducted (Days from Start of Incident) 1-30

Federal Cost Share 85%

31-90

80%

91-180

75%

FEMA will NOT provide funding for debris activities after 180 days (unless FEMA grants an extension)

FEMA’s Public Assistance Alternative Procedures Pilot Program Guide for Debris Removal, http://www.fema.gov/alternative-procedures provides detailed guidance on the pilot program.

Additional Fact Sheets are available for debris removal from waterways, removal of animal carcasses, and contract requirements.

Applicants should ensure their attorneys review all procurement actions and contracts. FEMA has a Procurement Disaster Assistance Team that is available to review contracts to ensure they include required provisions.

Applicants may contact the State or Territory to request FEMA assist with review.

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MANUFACTURING

TI introduces most affordable way to get started with DLP® Pico™ display technology Tiny form-factor chipset and $99 EVM make it easier to design new, ultra-compact display applications

T

exas Instruments, opened the door for developers to implement high-performing DLP display technology with virtually any low-cost processor. The new 0.2-inch DLP2000 chipset and $99 DLP® LightCrafter™ Display 2000 evaluation module (EVM) now make it more affordable to leverage DLP technology and design on-demand, free-form display applications such as mobile smart TVs; pico projectors; digital signage; projection displays for smart homes, smartphones and tablets; and control panels and Internet of Things (IoT) display solutions. For more information about the DLP2000, see http://www.ti.com/ DLP2000.

With the DLP LightCrafter Display 2000 EVM, developers worldwide can easily design with DLP technology. The EVM's dual connector is set up to support any flexible GPIO-driven video interface capable of up to 24-bit red/green/blue (RGB)-capable processor, including the BeagleBone Black development board based on TI Sitara™ AM335x processors, and includes software drivers and BeagleBone Black code examples for easy programming. This makes the technology more accessible for developers to incorporate highperforming DLP Pico™ displays into new applications.

Key features and benefits of the DLP2000 chipset and EVM • Industry's most affordable pico display solution: Designed with developers in mind, this $99 EVM is a building block to pair with low-cost processors for display applications.

• Virtually limitless display possibilities: The 0.2-inch diagonal display is based on the smallest DLP Products digital micromirror device (DMD), designed for compact, space-constrained display applications.

• Developer-friendly: The new EVM features a standard interface and plug-and-play functionality for quick assessment, allowing signals from the display controller to connect with any 24-bit RGB-capable processor and providing solutions with a high-definition (HD) aspect ratio.

• Compatible with low-cost processors: Inclusive software drivers and BeagleBone Black code examples ease the programming process.

Availability and pricing The DLP2000 is available now for US$19.99 and the DLP LightCrafter Display 2000 EVM is available for US$99.00 through the TI store and authorized distrib-

utors. For more information, see www.ti.com/dlp2000 or watch the DLP LightCrafter Display 2000 demo to see how quickly you can get started.

Learn more about DLP Pico display technology • Download the DLP2000 chipset datasheet.

• Get started with DLP Pico technology.

• Watch our video.

• Download the DLP2000 reference design.

About Texas Instruments DLP Products Since 1996, award-winning TI DLP technology has powered the world's top display devices to deliver high-resolution images rich with color, contrast, clarity and brightness for a wide range of applications, including industrial, automotive, medical and consumer market segments. DLP technology is being used in movie theatres (DLP Cinema® products) and large-scale, professional venues and conference rooms, classrooms and home theaters. With mobile devices enabled by DLP Pico technology, users have

the ability to display images from the palm of their hand. Every DLP chipset features an array of microscopic mirrors that switch on and off up to 10,000 times per second. To learn more, please visit www. ti.com/dlp or follow TI DLP technology on Twitter at @TI_DLP.

About Texas Instruments Texas Instruments (TI) is a global semiconductor design and manufacturing company that develops analog integrated circuits (ICs) and embedded processors. By employing the world's brightest minds, TI creates innovations that shape the future of technology. TI is helping more than 100,000 customers transform the future, today. Learn more at www.ti.com.

Trademarks DLP and DLP Cinema are registered trademarks and Pico and LightCrafter are trademarks of Texas Instruments. All registered trademarks and other trademarks belong to their respective owners.

SOURCE Texas Instruments Incorporated Link to story: http://newscenter.ti.com/2017-08-02-TIintroduces-most-affordable-way-to-get-started-with-DLP-RPico-TM-display-technology

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Transportation

Port Welcomes Coast Guard Merchant Marine Industry Trainee E

arlier this year, Lieutenant Brett Belanger with the U.S. Coast Guard contacted Port Houston about becoming a host for the Merchant Marine Industry Training Program. With the port’s strong relationship with the organization, the Port Commission approved the request.

Brett Belanger, in the Coast Guard’s prevention track, was selected and assigned to Sector HoustonGalveston. Having previously served for the Coast Guard in Wisconsin, he started his experience at the port June 19. The 2008 Massachusetts Maritime Academy graduate studied industrial administration and has worked for the Coast Guard for nine years.

The program requires the participant to shadow maritime professionals and organizations in the region for a full year without a uniform, so the officer can learn about the dynamic of that particular port.

After the year of training, the trainee serves three or four years of active Coast Guard duty at the assigned port sector. Houston was one of the few ports selected to sponsor a participant.

Port Houston hosted and sponsored Belanger for six weeks, while he will also continue to work with other local private industry partners along the Houston Ship Channel including; Shell, Kirby Inland Marine, Odfjell Terminals and American Eagle Tankers.

“This program is similar to a fast-track internship or apprenticeship. It provides an overview of the port and the big picture of how our industry operates,” said Marcus Woodring, Chief HSSE Officer for Port Houston. “It’s a great opportunity – and Brett will be prepared for a successful duration in Houston with his assignment.”

The Coast Guard’s specialized programs for the training program includes marine inspections, investigations, port safety and security, waterways management and marine environmental protection.

The prevention duty assignment track that Belanger chose is designed for qualified and experienced inspection officers and its goal is to broaden the officer’s professional experience and knowledge by providing opportunities to gain extensive insight and exposure of inspection services as well as merchant vessel and marine operations.

The purpose of the training is to develop within the participant — and the Coast Guard as a whole — a better understanding of the ever-changing technical, regulatory and business environment in which their organization operates.

Participants in the program submit a monthly and final report back to the Coast Guard, describing their activities and passing on their experience to the rest of the Coast Guard organization.

“My time here has been eye opening. I think it is great to see how the Port of Houston is planning ahead for the next 10 to 20 years with its infrastructure, vessels and assets,” said Belanger.

The inspection specialist hopes to be a Captain of the Port someday.

Transportation

Smaller metros take action to draw millennials fleeing bigger urban areas

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

A

re millennials getting ready to leave big cities in droves?

Some experts in demographics, economics and real estate have predicted the millennial exodus from huge urban areas has already begun.

If true, the question remains: where will they go?

Some may head to the suburbs, like their parents and grandparents did before them, but many will look for a different lifestyle, one that combines the advantages of suburban living with the best features of city life. Some smaller metro areas, like Wausau, Wisconsin, are banking they have the blend of economic opportunity, urban elements, affordability and lifestyle that will attract migrating millennials.

The draw "Economy has always been a factor in generational migrations, and while the nature of work has changed, economic opportunity is still key to where people want to live," says Christian Schock, director of planning, community and economic development for the City of Wausau. "Everyone wants to find a place with the winning formula of urban activities, affordability and lifestyle. Businesses want to put down roots in that environment, too, knowing it will draw a bigger pool of skilled workers."

In recent years, the City of Wausau has made concerted efforts to position itself with both big city amenities and small town assets. By many accounts, the efforts are paying off. In a 2016 Pew Research Trust analysis of income equality nationwide, Wausau ranked first in the nation, with the middle class constituting 67 percent of the city's total population. Wausau also ranked highest in Wisconsin and eighth nationally on Area Development magazine's list of hot spots for new and expanding businesses.

The formula Small to mid-size metro areas that want to attract millennials, as well as businesses and investors, need to address key areas, including: * Urbanity In addition to the recreational and entertainment amenities often highlighted when discussing millennials, many mid-sized metros lack the diversity of housing types that can be found in a larger city which millennials might be accustomed to.

One strategy Wausau has focused on specifically is diversifying housing product. The City funded local architects to design an urban rowhouse - a housing style which did not previously exist. For over a decade, leaders proactively assembled parcels for new riverfront apartments, and continually

worked with developers to seek tax credits which could be applied to renovating historic properties into unique multifamily offerings. * Affordability Rising real estate costs are among the factors that kept many millennials living in cities longer than they might have liked, experts say. Midsized metros have an edge in making home buying more affordable for millennials - and homebuyers of all generations.

Recognized as a leader in economic development homesteading, Wausau's Live It Up program is a partnership between local employers and the city to provide employees with a no-interest down payment assistance loan for the purchase of a home. In the last two years, the program has allocated more than $200,000 in no-interest loans to local employees. * Place Millennials who came of age in urban environments have a strong affinity for multifunctional spaces, and are drawn to communities that are a walkable mix of business, retail, industry and residential. While the specific physical space needs may change, their own strong sense of identity makes them inclined to seek a region that has its own established sense of self.

Wausau has leveraged more than

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$100 million in new downtown development over the past decade and currently has another $100 million under construction, emphasizing the city's identity as a vibrant, growing core.

Wausau's Riverlife Village project is reclaiming more than 16 acres of urban waterfront along the Wisconsin River to house a new park, river wharf, mixed-use office space, biking paths, apartments and a family entertainment center.

Perhaps the greatest testament to a mid-sized metro's success is the recommitment of historic businesses to local growth. Wausau Insurance was an early innovator in workers' compensation insurance, which evolved out of the necessity for local lumber mills to share the risk of worker rehabilitation. Now part of Liberty Mutual, the company recently announced a $50 million regional facility expansion. Wausau Window and Wall Systems and Linetec, both in the building materials industry, also trace their roots to the lumber industry, and have completed over $60 million worth of expansion and doubled the size of their workforce within the past five years, providing a strong foundation for continued economic development.

"Any resident, millennial or not, is looking for ways to connect with their community. Both businesses and residents are discovering that smaller cities can even be more responsive and creative than larger metros," says Robert Mielke, mayor of Wausau. - BPT

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Petrochemical

ONEOK Reports Status of Operations Following Hurricane Harvey

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

O

NEOK, Inc. today announced that its Mont Belvieu, Texas, complex is operational and has not experienced significant damage from the impact of Hurricane Harvey. All ONEOK employees located in the Gulf Coast area are safe and accounted for.

Some ONEOK assets in the area are operating at reduced volumes primarily due to temporary refinery and petrochemical facility outages and restraints on its customers' ability to receive natural gas liquids (NGL) products. Currently, upstream volumes from ONEOK's producer customers have not been significantly impacted. With the help of other companies in the industry, ONEOK is working to best serve the needs of customers as NGL markets recover and return to pre-hurricane levels. As volumes and customer operations recover, ONEOK is prepared to resume normal operations at all Mont Belvieuarea facilities.

CBP-6100-07 CRE Ad-MM.pdf

"Our hearts and thoughts go out to everyone impacted by the devastating effects of Hurricane Harvey," said Terry K. Spencer, ONEOK president and chief executive officer. "Many ONEOK employees live and work in the areas impacted and have experienced the devastation firsthand. I'd like to thank our employees for their remarkable efforts during this difficult time and for their many hours working to keep our assets operating safely. As we work together to resume normal operations, our focus remains on the safety of our employees and their families, the safe operation of our assets and our commitment to continue operating reliably for our customers."

ONEOK, Inc. (pronounced ONE-OAK) (NYSE: OKE) is one of the largest energy midstream service providers in the U.S., connecting prolific supply basins with key market centers. It owns and operates one of the nation's premier natural gas liquids (NGL) systems and is a leader in the gathering, processing, storage and transportation of natural gas. ONEOK's operations include a 38,000-mile integrated network of NGL and natural gas pipelines, processing plants, fractionators and storage facilities in the Mid-Continent, Williston, Permian and Rocky Mountain regions.

ONEOK is a FORTUNE 500 company and is included in Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500 index.

For information about ONEOK, Inc., visit the website: www.oneok.com.

For the latest news about ONEOK, find us on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter @ONEOK. SOURCE: http://www.oneok.com

1

6/9/16

10:52 AM

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When it comes to business, timing is everything.

And, with historically low rates, there’s never been a more opportunistic time to expand your business with a commercial real estate loan from Comerica. As the leading bank for business*, we’ve been financing business expansion for nearly 150 years. Whether you need to build or purchase, expand or refinance, it’s the right time. Are you ready?

Call 800.705.2387, stop by a Comerica banking center or visit comerica.com/cre.

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Data provided by SNL Financial, June 2015.

CBP-6100-07 06/16

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RAISE YOUR EXPECTATIONS.

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Gas & Oil

Magellan Midstream to Construct Delaware Basin Crude Oil and Condensate Pipeline H

agellan Midstream Partners, L.P. (NYSE: MMP) announced today it is commencing construction of a new Delaware Basin pipeline originating in Wink, Texas to handle crude oil and condensate.

Magellan will build an approximately 60-mile, 24-inch pipeline from Wink to Crane, Texas, which serves as an origin to its Longhorn pipeline. The new Wink pipeline will have an initial capacity of 250,000 barrels per day (bpd) with the ability to expand to more than 600,000 bpd if warranted by industry demand. The project also includes construction of a new terminal at Wink which will offer broad inbound and outbound pipeline access to parties that connect to the facility.

Magellan currently expects the project to cost approximately $150 million and to be operational in mid-2019, subject to receipt of any necessary permits and regulatory approvals.

"Magellan is known in the industry for its independent service provider business model and is ideally situated to meet growing industry demand for a crude oil and condensate pipeline system with access to customers originating from the Delaware Basin," said Michael Mears, chief executive officer.

The new pipeline segment will offer direct service from the Delaware Basin to the Crane origin of Magellan's Longhorn pipeline, which provides crude oil and condensate transportation service to the Houston and Texas City refining complex and marine export facilities. In addition, this pipeline segment will be able to provide service from the Delaware Basin to the new crude oil and condensate line to Corpus Christi, Texas that has been proposed by Magellan as well as others in the industry.

Magellan plans to conduct an open season for commitments on the new pipeline system at a later time; however, construction of the new pipeline does not depend on the results of the open season. In addition, the partnership is assessing additional pipeline and terminal investments in West Texas to strengthen and enhance its overall crude oil service offerings.

About Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. (NYSE: MMP) is a publicly traded partnership that primarily transports, stores and distributes refined petroleum products and crude oil. The partnership owns the longest refined petroleum products pipeline system in the country, with access to nearly 50% of the nation's refining capacity, and can store approximately 100 million barrels of petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel fuel and crude oil. More information is available at www.magellanlp.com.

Portions of this document constitute forward-looking statements as defined by federal law. Although management believes any such statements are based on reasonable assumptions, actual outcomes could be materially different. Among the key risk factors that may have a direct impact on the statements made in this news release are: (1) the ability to obtain required rights-of-way, permits and other approvals on a timely basis; (2) price fluctuations and overall demand for crude oil and condensate; (3) changes in tariff rates or other terms imposed by state or federal regulatory agencies; (4) the occurrence of an operational hazard or unforeseen interruption; and (5) willingness to incur or failure of customers or vendors to meet or continue contractual obligations. Additional information about issues that could lead to material changes in performance is contained in the partnership's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2016 and subsequent reports on Forms 8-K and 10-Q. You are urged to carefully review and consider the cautionary statements and other disclosures made in those filings, especially under the heading "Risk Factors." Forward-looking statements made by the partnership in this release are based only on information currently known, and the partnership undertakes no obligation to revise its forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances learned of or occurring after today's date.

Source: http://www.magellanlp.com

Gas & Oil

Gas Bright Spot: Texas Natural Gas Flowed and Continues to Flow Uninterrupted throughout Hurricane Harvey

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

H

urricane Harvey packed a huge punch, and Texans staggered, but did not fall, says Freedom CNG, Houston Metro's compressed natural gas fuel provider (CNG). The Texas Gulf Coast and parts of Louisiana were devastated by this storm, while first responders, friends, neighbors, out of state volunteers, complete strangers and now donations came to the rescue. Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts! As we continue the recovery process the effects on our community are daunting; the cleanup, the assessment and rebuilding begins.

Our oil production platforms and refineries have been negatively impacted by Harvey causing fuel shortages and price increases across Texas and beyond. But there is a huge bright spot: Texas natural gas abundance, durability and usability. Texas is #3 in the world in natural gas production, and throughout the storm, pipeline operators have provided an uninterrupted supply to all affected areas. Pipeline integrity provided Texas with the ability to use natural gas to produce power, cook, generate hot water and provide transportation fuel to light and heavy duty vehicles across the state.

The State of Texas has over 150 natural gas stations that have had supply throughout the event. The price is extremely stable and no shortages have been reported.

Freedom CNG, for example, was fueling METRO transit buses, Houston Distributing Trucks, Waste Corporation garbage trucks, AT&T service vehicles and many other fleets right here in Houston. When the power went out, on-site back-up generators ensured that our customers would receive critical fuel for their vehicles. Our hats are off to Texas natural gas producers and pipeline companies for keeping Texas' clean fuel flowing to all.

SOURCE: http://www.freedom-cng.com

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ENERGY

E.ON breaks ground on Texas Waves Energy Storage Projects

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

E.

ON today began construction on its Texas Waves energy storage projects co-located at the existing E.ON Pyron and Inadale wind farms in West Texas. Texas Waves consists of two 9.9 megawatt (MW) short duration energy storage projects using lithium-ion battery technology and will be an integral part of the wind farm facilities near Roscoe, Texas.

These projects will be the second and third grid connected lithium-ion battery systems installed by E.ON in North America and are expected to be online by the end of 2017.

"Breaking ground on this project is particularly exciting as it allows us to continue to build our reputation as one of the leading players in North American energy storage," said Mark Frigo, VP of Energy Storage North America at E.ON. "These projects will benefit from the lessons learned and experience accumulated on our Iron Horse project, completed back in April."

Iron Horse, E.ON's first grid connected lithium battery system project, consisting of a 10 MW energy storage facility with an adjacent 2 MW solar array southeast of Tucson, Ariz., is online and helping Tuc-

son Electric Power (TEP) maintain reliable electric service for more than 400,000 customers by providing frequency regulation and voltage control support.

Texas Waves are designed to provide ancillary services to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas(ERCOT) market and will be capable of responding to shifts in power demand more quickly, increasing system reliability and efficiency.

E.ON designated Greensmith Energy for energy storage software and services and has selected Primoris Renewable Energy for engineering, procurement and construction on the Texas Waves projects.

E.ON has developed, built and operates more than 3,100 MW of solar and wind renewable energy generation across the U.S., with more on the way. E.ON also offers O&M and asset management services to third party owner/operators looking for "Service with an Owner's Eye."

ENERGY

MRC Global Inc. Announces Intention to Refinance the Company's Senior Secured Term Loans

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

M

RC Global Inc. announced that it is launching an effort to refinance in full the company's $414 million in outstanding principal amount of senior secured term loans under its existing term loan B, scheduled to mature in November 2019.

As part of this effort, the company will seek to enter into a new, seven-year senior secured $400 millionterm loan B credit facility. In addition, the Company intends to amend its existing asset based lending facility (ABL) to extend the maturity to 2022 and size the new ABL facility at $800 million. The company expects to use proceeds of such a new term loan facility, together with a draw under the company's ABL facility, to repay in full all indebtedness outstanding under the existing term loan facility.

About E.ON E.ON is an international investor-owned energy company, focusing entirely on energy networks, customer solutions and renewables. In the 2016 financial year, more than 40,000 employees from 90 nations generated sales of around $42 billion. Around 33 million customers purchase gas and electricity from E.ON. Within the global renewables segment E.ON is a leading company. The company has already invested more than $11 billion and operates nearly 5.4 gigawatts of renewable capacity.

SOURCE E.ON

Andrew Lane, MRC Global's President and CEO, said, "We are launching this refinancing effort to take advantage of favorable conditions in the debt markets, extend the maturity of our long-term debt to 2024 and extend our ABL facility for another 5 years."

The company expects that, consistent with the existing term loan facility, the obligations under the new term loan facility would be secured by a first priority lien on all of the company's assets and substantially all of the assets of the guarantor domestic subsidiaries, other than the assets securing the ABL facility (which include the company's accounts receivable, inventory and related assets), and by a second priority lien on this ABL collateral.

There can be no assurance that the company will enter into a new term loan or new ABL facility, or what the ultimate terms of such new facilities will be. The company's ability to enter into these new facilities and use the proceeds thereof depends on, among other things, market conditions, reaching final agreement with lenders and the approval of the company's board of directors.

About MRC Global Inc. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, MRC Global is the largest global distributor, based on sales, of pipe, valves and fittings (PVF) and related products and services to the energy industry and supplies these products and services across each of the upstream, midstream and downstream sectors. More information about MRC Global can be found on our website www. mrcglobal.com.

SOURCE: http://www.mrcglobal.com

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