Engineering Inc - May/June 2018 - 8

LEGISLATIVEACTION

ACEC Secures QBS
Expansion, Airport Funding
Increases in House FAA Bill

GREG PEASE/GETTY IMAGES

CLARK/CQ ROLL CALL/GETTY IMAGES

GARY LANDSMAN

Omnibus Spending
Bill Retains ACEC
"Buy American"
Language

JAROMIR CHALABALA/EYEEM/GETTY IMAGES

he House of Representatives passed an aviation infrastructure bill that
expands the use of Qualifications-Based Selection (QBS) on federally
funded airport projects, a key priority for ACEC's "citizen lobbyists" during the ACEC Annual Convention lobbying effort. The Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act (H.R. 4) also increases funding
for airport infrastructure and provides additional tools and flexibility for
the FAA to permit expanded commercial
operations of unmanned aircraft systems.
The House adopted an amendment sponsored by Reps. Bruce
Westerman, R-Ark., and Dan Lipinski, D-Ill., to modify existing
A/E procurement rules for airports using Airport Improvement
Program (AIP) funds. The revision would ensure that if any stage
of a project is funded with AIP dollars, then the engineering and
design portion must follow a QBS process. The amendment is
designed to discourage airports from segmenting A/E contracts
with local funds to avoid federal QBS requirements.
Lawmakers also approved an increase in AIP funding, up
Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Ark.
from the current level of $3.35 billion. The bill authorizes a
new competitive grant program, funded from the General Fund
and subject to annual appropriations, which would supplement
existing formula funds for small and midsize airports. The program would grow from $1.02 billion in F.Y. 2019 to $1.11 billion in F.Y. 2023.
In addition, ACEC supported provisions in the House bill
related to unmanned aircraft systems, including a risk-based
permitting process for expanded commercial operations, and
additional research and development into new and emerging
technologies.
Rep. Dan Lipinski, D-Ill.
The short-term extension of current FAA programs is set to
expire on Sept. 30. The Senate may debate its version of the bill
during the summer.

ENGINEERING INC.

MAY / JUNE 2018

The recently passed F.Y. 2018
Omnibus appropriations bill
includes ACEC-requested
language adopted in the
House and Senate that urges
the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
to "increase the use of United
States professional engineers
and architects in the design,
build and oversight of construction projects funded by
this act."
The bill also directs the
agency to report on progress
made to correct problems
cited in a 2014 construction
assessment report, which
highlighted, among other
issues, the lack of proper
engineering oversight
of agency construction
projects.
The language in the spending package is the latest
step in an ongoing effort
by ACEC to require the
agency to engage American
engineering firms to support infrastructure projects
abroad that are funded by
U.S. tax dollars. The Council
will continue to work closely
with Congress this year on
this issue, expanding beyond
USAID to include the Millennium Challenge Corp.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Engineering Inc - May/June 2018