Contractors, subcontractors and industry suppliers who want information on the regional aspects of the wider American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) bill (known informally as the stimulus package) can start their research at one primary Web site.
James Price, an attorney with Kansas City, Mo., law firm Spencer Fane Britt & Browne LP, urged attendees of the 2009 National Demolition Association (NDA) to start out at www.recovery.gov, a Web site set up by the federal government that is gateway to other pertinent Web sites.
According to Price, the site offers links to federal and state agency Web pages that spell out specific projects that have received ARRA funding.
This includes transportation projects—ranging from highway, bridge, rail and airport projects—as well as potential demolition and construction projects being overseen by the Departments of Defense, Energy, Environmental Protection and Housing and Urban Development.
Price mentioned military installation upgrades (DOD), nuclear energy laboratory de-commissioning jobs (DOE), Superfund clean-up projects (EPA) and urban redevelopment programs (HUD) all as examples of where ARRA spending might cross paths with demolition contracting.
That spending is in addition to the $49 billion available to be spent on transportation projects, most of which will funnel through the Department of Transportation (DOT) but be disbursed by state transportation departments. “There’s a lot in there,” Price commented about the variety of projects that may receive funding.
Price noted that working directly with government agencies is not for all business owners, especially those impatient with or intimidated by considerable paperwork. Other pitfalls can include learning to comply with prevailing wage requirements and being tolerant of slow payment schedules.
For those who are willing to try, Price recommended getting to know the appropriate state or federal region contracting officers and taking steps to become a “scheduled contractor.”
The 2009 NDA Convention took place April 5-8 at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort in Orlando, Fla.