June 29, 2012

Congress Passes Transportation Bill
Congress agreed to the final version of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) Act (H.R. 4348), with the House voting 373–53 and the Senate voting 74–19 in favor of passage. The two-year, $118 billion bill maintains transportation spending at current levels. The bill is expected to be the last major piece of legislation Congress passes before the elections.

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June 20, 2012

Senate Committee Discusses Future of Commercial Space Flight
NSPE Senior Manager of Government Relations Sarah Ogden attended the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee's Science and Space Subcommittee hearing, "Risks, Opportunities and Oversight of Commercial Space." The hearing focused on the role of the commercial space industry in the national space program and its contribution to U.S. competitiveness in the global market. Witnesses represented the private sector, NASA, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Government Accountability Office.
 
Senators also questioned witnesses on the safety of the commercial space industry and the current moratorium on Federal Aviation Administration regulations governing commercial space flight.

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June 18, 2012 

Political Heavy Hitters Advocate "All of the Above" Approach at Energy Forum
NSPE Senior Manager of Government Relations Sarah Ogden attended the Atlantic's Next Generation Energy Forum, which focused on the roles of the public and private sector in growing the capacity of alternative energy sources. Speakers included Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel Poneman, Governor John Hickenlooper (D-CO), and former Environmental Protection Agency Administrator and former White House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy Director Carol Browner. Panelists of public and private sector leaders also discussed the wind and biofuels industries.

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June 14, 2012

NSPE-Backed Amendment Restores Funding for STEM Education Program
NSPE joined the STEM Education Coalition in supporting an amendment that restored $51 million in funding to the Department of Education's Mathematics and Science Partnerships program. The Mathematics and Science Partnerships program is the only program within the Department of Education with the specific goal of improving student performance in math and science by enhancing teachers' subject-matter knowledge and teaching skills.
 
The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies originally cut the Mathematics and Science Partnerships program's 2013 fiscal year funding from its current level of $150 million to $99 million. Subcommittee Ranking Member Richard Shelby (R-AL) built bipartisan support for Mathematics and Science Partnerships program funding, however, then offered a successful amendment to restore the program's funding during full-committee deliberations. The Senate Appropriations Committee included the amendment in its final bill.
 
NSPE is a member of the STEM Education Coalition, which supports science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education programs for teachers and students at the Department of Education, National Science Foundation, and other agencies that offer STEM-related programs. The coalition is composed of more than 1,000 groups representing all sectors of the technological workforce.

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June 7, 2012

NSPE Coalition Sponsors Federal A/E Forum
The Council on Federal Procurement of Architectural and Engineering Services sponsored a forum for federal agency representatives and design professionals regarding A/E procurement issues. Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI-2) discussed the Federal Prisons Accountability Act of 2012 (H.R. 3634), which would require the Federal Prison Industries to compete with the private sector for government contracts. Small Business Administration Office of Size Standards Director Khem Sharma spoke about the recent increase in the A/E size standard for small businesses, noting that SBA has not received negative feedback following the increase. U.S. Census Bureau Geographic Program Management Assistant Division Chief Leslie Godwin discussed the Geography Division's funding needs and use of mapping technology.

General Services Administration Multiple Awards Schedule Program Director Robin Bourne sparked a lengthy debate with his presentation on GSA's Multiple Awards Schedules. NSPE and COFPAES have long objected to GSA's inclusion of a Professional Engineering Services Schedule in its program. Services contracted through GSA's Multiple Awards Schedules are based on price, while federal agencies are required to procure A/E services using qualifications-based selection. While GSA claims it does not allow design services to be listed on its Multiple Awards Schedules, A/E services are regularly found on the Schedules in violation of the law. NSPE and COFPAES will continue to work with GSA to resolve the issue.

NSPE is a founding member of COFPAES, an organization dedicated to protecting and promoting the Brooks Act (PL 92-582) and the use of qualifications-based selection.

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