Volume XIX Number 6 February 2010

Sia Kusha, PE, F. ACEC

Florida PE Legislative Days are Just Around the Corner.

In less than two weeks we will be gathering in Tallahassee to exercise our constitutional right to lobby our elected officials. Thanks to Frank Rudd, Jon Johnson, and our dedicated and hard-working staff, we have a full agenda and I personally look forward to welcoming you to Tallahassee.

Our best assets in lobbying are you, your staff and your relationship with the senators and representatives who make up the Florida Legislature. As you already know, grassroots lobbying is not just about visiting Tallahassee during the session and speaking to your legislators about issues. It is about cultivating relationships year-round with your elected officials. Helping on their campaign, inviting them to the local FES chapter meetings and spending time with them at their district office, where the environment is more relaxed, are examples of establishing a working relationship. When issues that affect our profession and your business arise, we need you to reach out to your elected officials and give them your perspective. In the words of former House Speaker Tip O’Neill, “all politics is local.”

Whether or not you’ll be in Tallahassee during the PE Legislative Days, we need you to carry the following message to your elected representatives and/or senators.

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY – Recent court decisions have made limitation of liability clauses in design professional contracts unenforceable in Florida, even though such clauses are quite common and are routinely enforced in other states. It is imperative that design professionals, who often earn a small fee in relation to very large construction projects, be able to manage their risk with contractual terms. Design professionals should be able to control their liability to clients through their contracts. SUPPORT SB and HB 701.

DESIGN-BUILD PROCUREMENT – For a competitive selection process to be fair and economical for design-build firms, it is crucial for such documents submitted, and any presentations made in response to the solicitation, to be exempt from public records and public meetings respectively until such time that the agency provides notice of decision or intended decision. Companies should not have to reveal their proposals and technical innovations to their competitors, which puts them at an unfair disadvantage. This will promote significant time and cost savings for the public. All information will become public record within 20 days of the submittal. SUPPORT SB 1142 and HB 745.

PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION – SUPPORT legislation that defines appropriate professionals for preparing and processing drainage connection permit applications as well as Water Management District Environmental Resource Permit applications. Other professionals do not have the same legislative mandate to protect the public health, safety and welfare. Professional engineers should be the primary professionals under Florida statutes to complete this type of work.

CONSULTANTS COMPETITIVE NEGOTIATION ACT (CCNA) – SUPPORT the CCNA Act, a competitive procurement approach that emphasizes quality first and then cost. OPPOSE price being a consideration prior to selection of the most qualified firm. Price is always a consideration for the selection process under CCNA, but it is negotiated after the most qualified firms are ranked.

CONCRETE vs. ASPHALT – The decision to which type of material is used for a particular road project is best decided by a professional engineer on a case-by-case basis. OPPOSE legislative mandates on using concrete vs. asphalt for FDOT projects.

TRUST FUNDS – OPPOSE any use of money designated for trust funds for general revenue. Programs like the Transportation Trust Fund and Florida’s Inland Protection Trust Fund are funded by taxes and fees that are designated specifically for these trust funds.
As always, I want you to know we can use and need your counsel. Please feel free to contact me, Frank or any other member of your Board of Directors about any issue you believe merits our attention.

Thanks for all you do, and I sincerely hope to see you in Tallahassee.

Why did Haiti suffer such abject building failures when earthquakes of similar or greater magnitude are less severe in the United States? Click here to read A Law that Works.

Member Services Committee
The committee discussed the suggestion of conducting an in-house salary survey.  After feedback from the Public Relations Committee and consideration about the current economic condition of the profession, it was decided not to move forward with conducting a salary survey.  
     The committee agreed to host a FICE Member Reception in Tampa, in conjunction with the FICE BOD meeting, and the FICE Transportation Committee meeting. Details will be announced soon. FICE Members are encouraged to attend the reception and invite prospective FICE members as well. Please contact Anne Wilson (awilson@fleng.org) with any questions.

Florida MATHCOUNTS® 2010
MATHCOUNTS is a motivating and rewarding national math coaching and competition program that promotes middle school mathematics achievement through grassroots involvement in every U.S. state and territory. Are you looking for a way to contribute to a good cause and still see a return on your investment? Donate your time and/or money to Florida MATHCOUNTS. The 2010 competition is scheduled to take place at the Hilton Orlando Altamonte Springs on Friday, March 26, 2010.
    To download a sponsorship commitment form, click here.
    Chapter competitions will take place in February. Click here to see where your chapter competition.

Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes: The Changing Business of Engineering   The Annual Conference Steering Committee, chaired by Jennifer Porter, PE, and Mandee Brandt, PE, are pleased to announce the theme for the upcoming FES/FICE 94th Annual Summer Conference & Exposition. “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes: The Changing Business of Engineering”  theme was selected to help recognize the changes in the business of engineering and to promote the profession. In addition to offering technical educational sessions, the conference will explore opportunities for engineers to partner with our educators to prepare our students for careers in engineering.
    Mark your calendars for August 4-7, 2010; set your compasses for 26° North Latitude, your attitudes for change and your GPS for Marriott Marco Island. Saturday Night will take on a magical, mystical and alluring ambience with our “Caribbean Night” Informal Dinner. So there is no dressing up for the Annual Summer Conference, bring your flip flops and tropical attire for the conference of a lifetime….  Let’s put the fun back into learning.
      Make Your Hotel Reservations Today. The Florida Engineering Society has secured a limited block of rooms at a discounted group rate of $153 single or double occupancy. There is no resort fee and self parking is discounted. Please note that the deadline to make your reservations and receive the discounted group rate is Tuesday, July 13th; however, rooms may sell out prior to this deadline. Ensure you have a room by contacting the Marriott Marco Island today. To make your reservations call toll free at 800-438-4373 and reference Florida Engineering Society.

FES Partners With MNSPE to Offer Civil PE Review Course 
• Delivered in interactive webinar format
• A series of 11 webinars over 7 weeks
• FES Members receive MNSPE Member Rate
Class size is limited – Register by February 17, 2010

This class meets for 11 sessions over seven weeks. Topics covered include, hydrology, waste facilities engineering, mechanics of materials and IBC loads, fluid mechanics, soils and foundations, open channel flow, highway engineering (2 sessions), timber/steel design, construction, concrete and engineering economics (brief review). This class does not cover seismic or land surveying.
     For more information, click here or contact Mary Detloff, CAE, Executive Director, Minnesota Society of Professional Engineers by phone at 651/457-2347 or email to mdetloff@mnspe.org.

“Qualifications” Tops “Lowest Bid” in Providing

Better Cost, Better Quality Construction Design, Nationwide Study Shows

Click here to read complete press release.

AVCON Inc. was selected by Orange County to provide final engineering design services for International Drive (From South Westwood Boulevard to North Westwood Boulevard). They shall provide final engineering design and construction plan preparation for the widening of International Drive from four to six lanes. Rick Baldocchi, PE will serve as Principal-in-Charge and Brian Flynn, PE as project manager. 

The South Florida Water Management District has retained MACTEC to provide construction management services for a major stormwater project in South Florida. Contract amount is $2.5 million.

Construction began this month on a $400-million elevated interchange project that Tampa Bay Area motorists can use as a direct route to downtown Tampa and the Port of Tampa. The I-4/Selmon Expressway Connector (Connector) will link two major highways—Interstate 4 (I-4) and the Selmon Expressway—and will help alleviate congestion on the downtown interchange and through nearby Ybor City. It will also serve as an additional hurricane evacuation route. PBS&J designed all but a northern portion of the Connector on behalf of FDOT District VII. For more on this please click here.

WilsonMiller provided ecological and lead permitting services through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the Panther Passage Conservation Bank, a 4,009-acre habitat conservation bank located in Hendry County. Establishment of this Conservation Bank represents an excellent opportunity to conserve highly valuable biological resources.  The Conservation Bank will provide permanent conservation and management of vital habitat for the federally-listed Puma concolor coryi (Florida panther).

CPH Engineers Inc. ranked the largest engineering firm in Volusia and Flagler counties according to the Volusia/Flagler Business Report Special Annual Edition.

E Sciences is pleased to announce that Richard W. Earp, PE has joined their firm. Engineer Earp, formerly with Osceola County Public Works and Orange County Public Works, brings more than 11 years of extensive municipal engineering experience to E Sciences. During his tenure as a municipal water engineer, he specialized in watershed master planning and stormwater management design and permitting.

GAI Consultants Inc. has named Lawrence C. Gendzier corporate legal counsel.


Keith D. Bennett, PE, James M. Savidge, and Ronald C. Williams, PE ( left to right) were recently named vice presidents with Gannett Fleming Inc. Naldo Gonzalez, PE  was recently named as a senior associate and Bryan P. Mulqueen, PE joined the consulting firm as a vice president and manager of transit and rail for the firm’s Delmarva and Southeast Regions.

Made possible by a cooperative effort between Florida Atlantic University and the School District of Palm Beach County, the Pine Jog Environmental Education Center (EEC) received the top prize, the Judges Award, as part of Southeast Construction magazine’s “Best of” awards competition. It also won the award for Best Green Building. For this LEED® Gold certified project, Hanson provided building commissioning services – a quality-oriented process that verifies and documents the building’s system performance and energy efficiency against defined objectives and criteria.
   Kelly Rubino, PE, senior vice president, recently was named principal of Hanson Professional Services Inc.’s aviation market sector.

Andy Lauzier, PE, an HDR Engineering Vice President, has been named Managing Principal of their Orlando office. Lauzier, who has over 26 years of experience in transportation engineering and design, also serves as HDR’s Florida Highway Business Class Leader. He is a member of the FICE Transportation Committee and Co-chair of the Production Subcommittee. He is also a 2008 Graduate of the Florida Engineering Leadership Institute.

Deborah M. Dowd has joined HSA’s Tampa office as Business Development Manager for Geotechnical Services.

King Engineering Associates is pleased to announce that Craig Smiley, PE will manage its Northeast Florida operations in Jacksonville. Craig comes to King Engineering with over 25 years of planning and engineering experience in both the public and private sectors. Please find attached a letter from their firm that highlights significant King events and accomplishments of 2009 >>  

Burgess & Niple Inc. is pleased to announce the election of Scott D. Perfater, PE as one of the owners of the firm. Scott has led the development of infrastructure projects in the firm’s West Virginia and Florida offices during his 15-year tenure with B&N. Scott currently serves as District Director of the Orlando office. A registered Professional Engineer in Florida, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia, Perfater earned a bachelor’s in civil engineering from Carnegie Mellon University and a master’s of business administration from Marshall University.

Ustler Development has broken ground on the GAI Building, a premier downtown Orlando “green” office building that will house the Orlando office of GAI Consultants Inc.’s Southeast regional operations.  Click here for more information.

Frank T. Martin was recently elected by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) (www.apta.com) to serve on its Business Member Board of Governors. Martin was chosen from 45 applicants from the business community. Martin serves as senior vice president and national business sector manager for PBS&J’s transit services division. For more information on this, please click here.

RWA has announced that Jereme Shaidle, a civil engineer in their Naples office, has received his Florida professional engineering license.

T.Y. Lin International is pleased to announce that Max Fajardo has been named Vice President. Fajardo brings over 35 years of private and public sector experience in the areas of airport operations; operational readiness; commissioning; program and project management; and engineering and construction. Based in Miami, he will be responsible for leading the Operational Readiness Line of Business, focused on the aviation, transportation, and industrial markets.

Wantman Group Inc. (WGI) is pleased to announce that Gabe Henehan, PE has joined their engineering consulting firm. A University of Florida alumni, Gabe has more than 13 years of civil engineering experience in Florida. Gabe will be involved in full-service land development activities for WGI.

The Naples, Florida-based planning, design and engineering firm of WilsonMiller has opened a new office in Jacksonville at 4720 Salisbury Road. The office is the firm’s 11th in Florida with additional regional offices in Sarasota, Fort Myers, Gainesville, Palmetto, Port Charlotte, Tampa, Deland, Tallahassee and Panama City Beach. The Jacksonville office will serve the firm’s public and private clients throughout Northeast Florida, the southeast United States, the Caribbean, Latin America and the Middle East. WilsonMiller has hired David Tillis to manage the new Jacksonville office. Prior to joining WilsonMiller, Tillis worked for the Bonita Bay Group and The St. Joe Company specializing in real estate and land use entitlement.
    WilsonMiller is also pleased to announce that Jessada Sunhachawi recently received his professional engineer (PE) license from the Florida Board of Professional Engineers; and Catherine Jones recently passed her American Institute of Certified Planners Comprehensive Planning Examination

GAI Consultants Inc. announced that it has completed its merger with Bonar Group, a Fort Wayne, Ind.-based consulting and engineering firm. Bonar Group provides engineering, surveying, and planning services for municipal and commercial clients and has a staff of more than 60 located in five offices throughout the Midwest.  Financial terms of the stock swap merger were not disclosed. GAI’s latest expansion caps a year of growth in 2009. Last year, GAI opened new offices in Murrysville, Pa.; Mount Laurel, N.J.; Tampa, Fla.; Boca Raton, Fla.; Richmond, Va.; and Charlotte, N.C.  Construction began in January on the GAIBuilding, a $30 million development project in downtown Orlando that will headquarter GAI’s regional headquarters in the Southeast.

FICE Advanced Work Zone Traffic Control
Marriott Tampa Waterside
February 16-18, 2009

20 PDHs of Technical Engineering Credit

Course Prerequisite: One year of experience in work zone traffic control or one year being responsible for work zone traffic control plan development.

     Requirement: The Florida Department of Transportation requires that engineers and project level personnel with responsibility or authority to decide on the specific maintenance of traffic (MOT) requirements pass a certified 20-hour advanced training course and test in work zone traffic control. 

FICE Advanced Work Zone Traffic Control Refresher

Orlando Marriott LakeMary
April 22, 2010

6 PDHs of Technical Engineering Credit 

Course Prerequisite: Persons that have successfully completed training in the Restricted Activities or Intermediate or Advanced category and have kept their certification current by retesting from an approved provider may take the appropriate category refresher course to comply with this procedure. A failing grade on the refresher test, requires that the full course must be taken and successfully completed. A wallet card from an approved provider must be no more than four years old to be considered current.  

2010 GMEC Conference
May 6-7, 2010  
The Hilton in the Walt Disney World Resort
Earn your PE licensure renewal requirements at one conference
8 PDH of technical area of practice
Including three embankment dam presentations
Peace River Project – MWH Americas
Herbert Hoover Dike: Overview and Rehabilitation – US Army Corps of Engineers
Herbert Hoover Dike – Coastal Caisson Corporation
4 PDH laws and rules – Updated for 2011 PE Renewal
$275 FICE/FES-members         $375 non-members  

Laws and Florida Professional Engineers

Updated for 2011 PE license renewal

FBPE approved course number 0000006

Order a DVD or download from the internet

4 PDH Laws and Rules credit

$89 FES/FICE-members           $125 non-members

For full details and registration information, please check the web at www.fleng.org