Attention!: Contractors, subcontractors, architects, engineers, material suppliers, owners, anyone with employees. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services released a revised version of the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification on 17 July 2017. Employers may continue to use the old version of Form I-9 until tomorrow. However, starting on Monday, 18 September 2017, all employers must use the new version … Read More
Commercial Drones in the Construction Industry
Better enjoy those long lunches while they last. According to a recent article in the Economist, commercial drones may soon find their way to a job site near you as a means of improving efficiency and safety in the construction field. Goldman Sachs has run the numbers and predicts that $100 billion will likely be spent on military and civilian … Read More
AIA Releases 2017 Construction Contract Documents
The American Institute of Architects publishes the most widely used form document set in the construction industry. The AIA revises the construction contract documents approximately every 10 years to address legal opinions and current construction practices. On April 19, the American Institute of Architects released the 2017 version of its contract documents. The documents revised in the 2017 version include: A201™-2017 General Conditions of … Read More
Tennessee Contractor License Legislative Update
Tennessee contractors should be aware of a couple of upcoming changes to the Tennessee contractor license laws. House Bill 0906 / Senate Bill 0355 passed unanimously yesterday. Audited and Attested Financial Statements Currently, an applicant requesting a Tennessee contractor license with monetary limits of $1.5 million or greater is required to submit financial statements that are audited and attested to by … Read More
What’s Next For Federal Contractors?
A special guest post by Lewis Thomason employer lawyer Janet Hayes. When it comes to signing Executive Orders, President Barack Obama proved there is no shortage of ink in the presidential pen. Obama’s sweeping executive actions frequently targeted federal contractors. While President Trump’s agenda is vastly different from his predecessor, he has already proven he shares Obama’s love for the … Read More
Contracting in Tennessee – 5 Simple Tips
It never ceases to amaze how contractors, particularly those based out of state, run afoul of Tennessee laws. As 2017 progresses, here are few laws that should be kept in mind. Are You Licensed? – A Contractor’s license is required prior to contracting. In Tennessee, “contracting” includes bidding, offering to engage, or negotiating a price for projects of $25,000 or … Read More
The Business of Construction: Payment Disputes
The construction industry includes not only completing the project, or fulfilling an order, but also handling the “business” side of the industry. Oftentimes, this “business” side involves payment disputes, including disputes over invoices or payments. One common payment dispute situation involves a party disputing an invoice attempting to satisfy the obligation with a payment for less than the amount shown … Read More
Executive Order Creates Temporary License Exam Waiver
In response to the recent wildfires that swept through Gatlinburg and surrounding areas in east Tennessee, Governor Haslam issued Executive Order No. 61. The Order permits a temporary contractor’s license to be issued to provide for the protection of the health, safety and welfare of the public. Qualified contractors may apply for an examination waiver for a temporary six (6) … Read More
Contractors, did you know . . . ?
The Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors has statutory authority to impose civil penalties for violations of statutes, rules, or orders enforceable by the Board. Orders of the Board are often based on a finding of misconduct. Did you know that failure to abide by a warranty agreement is an enumerated form of misconduct. So is the failure to respond to … Read More
CHANGE IS IN THE AIR: State to Pilot “Expertise Based” Procurement
On August 15, the State of Tennessee Real Estate Asset Management Division (STREAM) held a educational session on a new expertise-based procurement approach it intends to pilot on select future projects within the Capital Projects Group. The presentation was led by John Savicky, with the Arizona State University Performance Based Studies Research Group. In contrast to traditional competitive bidding, the … Read More