Monthly Newsletter
Public Works, Procurement, and Disadvantaged Business News
January 2011 | Volume 3, Number 1 | Nevada Edition | www.dbegoodfaith.com
Coalition pushes Legislature for more public works spending
The Building Jobs Coalition of Nevada is pressing lawmakers to jump-start the state's job market by investing heavily in infrastructure.
The coalition proposes that the state spend $100 million to provide the financial backing for $1 billion in bonds, which would be used to fund infrastructure projects around Nevada. According to the group's figures, the investment would create more than 11,000 jobs and produce over $1.5 billion in economic activity.
The group is also lobbying for the Legislature to index fuel taxes for inflation, with all proceeds going to fund public works projects.
"Presently, all fuel taxes, except those in Washoe County are flat amounts per gallon, effectively restricting growth in revenue to growth in number of gallons sold, a manner of taxation unresponsive to increases in vehicle fuel economy and the cost of construction," says the coalition's web site. "To illustrate the impacts of this strategy, if an additional 9 cents per gallon were available to the Regional Transportation of Southern Nevada for road construction today, roughly $400 million in additional bonding capacity could be created for critical transportation infrastructure enhancements during the next three years and upwards of $1.8 billion through 2020."
Additionally, they recommend that the state and local governments dedicate annual appropriations to maintain “core infrastructure assets.
In the past year, employment in Nevada's construction sector has decreased by 20 percent -- equal to the loss of 14,700 jobs.
Learn more about the Building Jobs Coalition of Nevada.
The coalition proposes that the state spend $100 million to provide the financial backing for $1 billion in bonds, which would be used to fund infrastructure projects around Nevada. According to the group's figures, the investment would create more than 11,000 jobs and produce over $1.5 billion in economic activity.
The group is also lobbying for the Legislature to index fuel taxes for inflation, with all proceeds going to fund public works projects.
"Presently, all fuel taxes, except those in Washoe County are flat amounts per gallon, effectively restricting growth in revenue to growth in number of gallons sold, a manner of taxation unresponsive to increases in vehicle fuel economy and the cost of construction," says the coalition's web site. "To illustrate the impacts of this strategy, if an additional 9 cents per gallon were available to the Regional Transportation of Southern Nevada for road construction today, roughly $400 million in additional bonding capacity could be created for critical transportation infrastructure enhancements during the next three years and upwards of $1.8 billion through 2020."
Additionally, they recommend that the state and local governments dedicate annual appropriations to maintain “core infrastructure assets.
In the past year, employment in Nevada's construction sector has decreased by 20 percent -- equal to the loss of 14,700 jobs.
Learn more about the Building Jobs Coalition of Nevada.
Diablo Contractors, Inc.
Seeking DBEs for NDOT Contract #3440 in Incline Village, NV.
Find more DBE opportunities
SBA introduces new women business program
On February 4th, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will launch a program aimed at expanding federal contracting opportunities for women-owned small businesses (WOSBs). The change follows a rule adopted by the SBA in the fall.
To participate in the program, a business must be 51 percent owned and controlled by one or more women, and the women must be U.S. Citizens. The firm must also meet the SBA's small size standards for its industry. If a firm wishes to be certified as an economically disadvantaged women-owned small business (EDWOSB), the owner must meet certain net worth and income requirements.
The SBA has yet to announce how eligible businesses can be certified through third-party certifiers, though it says it will provide an approved list on its Web site soon. However, eligible businesses will be able to self-certify their status through the Central Contractor Registration and the Online Representations and Certifications Application.
Eligible companies already with disadvantaged business enterprise certification from the U.S. Department of Transportation and/or as an 8(a) participant with the SBA will have their certifications accepted as WOSBs.
The rule also authorizes set-asides for WOSBs and EDWOSBs on federal contracts that meet certain criteria.
Read more on the SBA's WOSB and EDWOSB program.
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For more information on how DBE GoodFaith can help your business, contact us at (877) 802-3394 or visit www.dbegoodfaith.com.