Understand the requirements and exceptions when submitting bids for contracts in Ohio. Many professionals are called upon to quickly analyze and provide advice on public bidding issues in Ohio. This topic will explain the methods for analyzing the public bidding requirements, including home rule and statutory requirements, when public bidding is actually required, the variations and exceptions to public bidding, and the fundamentals of contrac...

Are you up-to-date with the new regulations of the Bureau of Indian Affairs' Right-of-Way? The new Bureau of Indian Affairs' Right-of-Way regulations have a considerable impact throughout Indian country, for both tribes and businesses involved in negotiations and economic opportunities on tribal lands. This topic will provide you with an overview of the Bureau of Indian Affairs' New Right-of-Way requirements. The new regulations will be compar...

Learn about key issues including keeping trespassers off utility or other easements. This topic will include legal and practical advice on identifying the priorities in land rights and responsibilities regarding easements and rights of way as the dominant estate and as to competing interests with respect thereto. Whether the servient estate holders, other easement holders or other third parties, determining what can, may and can't be done on...

Get practical advice to avoid common mistakes so that you can prepare useful and legally compliant NEPA documents. Since 1970, the National Environmental Policy Act has been the cornerstone for environmental protection in the United States. To implement NEPA, federal agencies must prepare environmental impact statements or environmental assessments to study the impacts of their proposed actions. Unfortunately, some federal agencies, their cons...

Construction claims are tricky and on public projects they can be even more complex. Owners, contractors, subcontractors and architects who are experienced in private construction contracts can run into trouble when dealing with public works contract claims. This topic will provide persons who work on public works contracts around the country with the fundamental elements of public works claims and will also provide information regarding the...

Learn how to establish, develop, and evaluate a stormwater utility in your community. As the regulatory requirements for stormwater management continue to put financial pressure on municipal governments, more and more communities are either required to implement a stormwater program or improve their existing program to meet NPDES MS4 stormwater permit requirements and capital needs for asset renewal and upgrades. In particular, implementation...

Learn how to deal with the obstacles you might encounter as you navigate through Arizona's Public Contracts and Procurement Regulations.Public projects offer unique and significant opportunities to generate business and accumulate valuable experience. However, many contractors have experienced frustration, either in dealing with the red tape often associated with public projects, or else with getting their foot in the door in what is perhaps u...

Find out how to properly track applicant data to avoid costly and damaging discrimination findings.Federal contractors and subcontractors are required to track applicant data for their affirmative action plans. However, even companies who properly track applicant data treat the process as a purely recordkeeping exercise. Failure to maintain proper and robust information regarding applicant disposition is the most common error employers can ma...

Gain an understanding of HUD Section 3 regulations and challenges to avoid penalties, suspension, or worse. Many recipients including attorneys, developers, contractors, city managers, superintendents, mayors, city administrators, county and municipal officials, public relations directors, and other government professionals of HUD funding who are required to comply with Section 3 requirements fail to document their efforts to hire low and very...

Understand how to make sense of the myriad of requirements of the public records and public meetings laws in Washington. The public records and public meetings laws provide multiple challenges to local government agencies. The agency must provide training on an ongoing basis to protect taxpayers from daily penalties and legal fees, and to reduce the amount of the daily penalty if a record is inadvertently withheld. The public meetings laws red...