Formation 1909 Headquarters Washington, D.C. President/CEO David A. Raymond | Type Business Association Membership 5,100 Member Firms Staff 43 | |
The American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) is a trade association founded in 1909 to promote the business interests of engineers in private practice in the United States. ACEC is a federation of 51 state and regional councils with national headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Contents
History
ACEC traces its roots to the founding of the American Institute of Consulting Engineers (AICE) in 1909. In its first years, AICE was largely a New York City-focused organization, with more than half of its members working in the New York City area. The organization was active in opposing the use of publicly employed engineers on public projects and advocated for engineers to be hired based on their qualifications rather than price.
In 1956, representatives from 10 state associations representing consulting engineers met in Tulsa, Oklahoma and created the Consulting Engineers Council, a nationwide association to promote the business interests of engineers. The new organization had an initial membership of 494 individuals and firms. In 1959, it joined the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC). By 1960, CEC had 29 state-based member organizations, represented more than 1,000 firms, and had established a group liability insurance program.
It supported the passage of the A/E Selection Procedures Act, also known as the Brooks Act, in 1972, which requires that the U.S. Federal Government select engineering and architecture firms based upon their competency, qualifications and experience rather than by price. The Council has been a major supporter of the Act's Qualifications-Based Selection (QBS) rules ever since, repeatedly beating back efforts from federal agencies to use price in procuring engineering services.
In 1973, CEC and AICE merged to form the American Consulting Engineers Council (ACEC).
In 1986, ACEC founded the American Tort Reform Association (ATRA) to address what it considers unfair liability statutes nationwide.
In 1998, it supported the inclusion of a provision in the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) to require state transportation departments to follow QBS guidelines.
In 2000, the organization changed its name to the American Council of Engineering Companies to reflect its firm-based membership. All of the 51 state and regional councils have since followed suit.
Later that year, it backed the "Thomas Amendment" in the Water Resources and Development Act, which limited the ability of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to compete with private engineering firms in municipal works such as schools and utilities.
In 2004, it helped win passage of a 9 percent tax deduction for engineering firms as part of the American Jobs Creation Act.
In 2012, ACEC, along with the American Public Works Association (APWA) and American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), founded the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI), which has developed the envision sustainability rating system for civil infrastructure.
Advocacy
ACEC advocates for the business interests of its member firms on both the federal and state levels.
Key Council issues include limiting government competition, increasing infrastructure funding, reforming the tax system, and improving risk management protections.
Political Action Committee
The American Council of Engineering Companies Political Action Committee (ACEC/PAC) was established in 1975 to support federal candidates for office who promote a pro-business legislative agenda. ACEC/PAC is bipartisan and is funded solely by ACEC member contributions.
Education
The Council holds more than 130 online educational webinars annually, covering a wide range of business management and engineering topics.
Founded in 1995, ACEC's Senior Executives Institute provides advanced management, leadership and public policy training for emerging firm leaders. More than 400 executives have participated in the program.
In cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration, ACEC holds regular on-site educational workshops on how engineering firms can better navigate Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR).
Each fall, ACEC hosts two-day meetings for three educational forums: Information Technology; Financial; and Human Resources.
Coalitions
ACEC has six coalitions—dedicated communities of ACEC members organized by practice area or firm size:
Publications
ACEC publishes Engineering Inc. magazine, a bi-monthly four-color journal that focuses on business and engineering industry issues. In 2014, the magazine won an APEX Grand Award, a national award for business communicators.
Last Word is the Council's weekly electronic membership newsletter.
In 2014, the Council introduced the ACEC Engineering Business Index survey, which charts the health of the engineering industry.
EJCDC
ACEC, ASCE, and the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) founded the Engineers Joint Contract Document Committee (EJCDC) in 1975 to develop objective standard contract documents that represent both parties in engineer-designed construction projects in the United States.
Conferences
ACEC hosts two conferences per year. Each spring, the ACEC Annual Convention and Legislative Summit is held in Washington, D.C. and features political speakers and coordinated member visits to congressional offices. The ACEC Fall Conference is held in different locations each year and focuses on member education. The 2017 conference will be held in Orlando.
Awards Programs
ACEC also administers six scholarship programs.