Weekly Briefing: June 12, 2026
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
Week of June 8, 2026
Construction Materials Prices Jump 2.6% in May, Up Nearly 10% Year Over Year
Construction input prices rose 2.6% in May from the prior month with nonresidential input prices up 2.4%, according to an ABC analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Overall materials prices are now 9.6% higher than a year ago, and nonresidential inputs 9.7% higher.
Much of the monthly increase was driven by energy-related commodities, with both crude petroleum and unprocessed energy prices rising by 11.8% and 6.9%, respectively, while natural gas prices fell 18.2%. Since February 2020, overall construction and nonresidential construction input prices have risen by more than 55%.
ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu highlighted tariff-affected inputs such as iron, steel, and copper as a growing risk for contractors, given their heavy use across industrial, infrastructure, and data center projects.
Although contractors remain optimistic about profit margins over the next six months per ABC's Construction Confidence Index — with backlog rising to 8.8 months on continued data center investment — Basu cautioned that materials price escalation and stubbornly high borrowing costs could eventually weigh on profitability, complicating fixed-price bids and procurement for design and construction firms.
Coalition Asks Court to Block Trump Executive Order Targeting DEI Among Federal Contractors
A coalition of plaintiffs has asked a Maryland federal judge to issue a preliminary injunction blocking President Trump’s March 26 executive order on diversity, equity, and inclusion among federal contractors, filing the request June 4. The underlying lawsuit was filed April 20.
The executive order directs federal departments and agencies to insert a clause into contracts and subcontracts requiring partners to certify they will not engage in racially discriminatory DEI activities or risk contract cancellation, with agency leaders given until July 24 to bring contracts into compliance.
The plaintiffs, including the National Association of Minority Contractors alongside higher-education and faculty groups, argue the order amounts to a "gag rule" that forces contractors to choose between their First Amendment rights and access to federal work and contend they are likely to succeed in showing it violates the First Amendment, Fifth Amendment, and the Administrative Procedure Act.
The court has not yet decided the injunction request, and the order remains in effect pending that decision, leaving AEC firms that hold or pursue federal contracts facing an unresolved compliance question ahead of the July 24 deadline — with potential exposure around contract certifications and how internal DEI policies are documented, particularly for minority-owned firms.
June 3, 2026
Littlejohn & Co. (Littlejohn), a Connecticut-based private investment firm, has acquired Milrose Consultants (Milrose), a New York-based national provider of building code consulting, municipal expediting, engineering and architecture services, from Southfield Capital. This acquisition supports Milrose’s next stage of growth by providing resources and expertise to accelerate strategic geographic expansion, M&A, and new investments in technology, talent, and platform capabilities. “Milrose has developed an established and well-respected brand providing an essential service to the built environment,” said Brian Michaud, Managing Director at Littlejohn. “Our investment in Milrose is a natural extension of Littlejohn’s deep experience investing in differentiated providers of products and services to the building and infrastructure markets, and we look forward to bringing our resources and network to strategically grow the platform and further enhance its capabilities.”
June 3, 2026
WGI, a Florida-based multidisciplinary consulting firm, backed by First Reserve, has acquired S. Kanetzky Engineering (SKE), a Texas-based electrical and power engineering firm supporting water and wastewater infrastructure across Texas. This strategic move expands WGI’s Texas presence and strengthens its electrical engineering, instrumentation and controls, supervisory control and data acquisition systems (SCADA), and water/wastewater infrastructure capabilities. “Welcoming the team from S. Kanetzky Engineering to WGI represents a powerful step forward in expanding our electrical engineering and water infrastructure expertise,” said David Wantman, CEO of WGI. “For nearly three decades, SKE has built an outstanding reputation across Texas for delivering high-quality, reliable solutions for complex water and wastewater systems. Their technical depth, client-first mindset, and commitment to excellence align seamlessly with WGI’s core values.”
June 4, 2026
Certerra, a Nevada-based provider of technology-enabled testing, inspection, and certification (“TIC”) services for critical infrastructure, backed by OceanSound Partners, has acquired Paramount Consulting & Engineering, a Florida-based building envelope consulting, inspection, and specialized testing services firm. This acquisition deepens Certerra’s footprint in South Florida, one of the most active building envelope markets in the U.S., while expanding its built-environment capabilities and strengthening its position in materials engineering and the earth sciences. “The acquisition of Paramount Consulting & Engineering brings a highly specialized team with deep expertise in building envelope consulting, forensic engineering, and code-driven inspection services to our Southeast and Building Envelope Divisions,” said Ed Lyon, CEO of Certerra. “Paramount Consulting & Engineering’s technical depth and proven track record in South Florida position us as a full-lifecycle TIC provider, offering services from the ground up through the roof.”
June 4, 2026
Champlin | EOP, an Ohio-based architecture, planning, interior design, historic preservation, and experiential graphic design firm, has acquired 510 Architects, a Virginia-based architecture and interior design firm. This acquisition expands Champlin | EOP’s presence in Virginia and strengthens its ability to serve clients across the Mid-Atlantic region, while enabling 510 Architects to capture new market opportunities with expanded resources. “This is first and foremost about people, culture, and shared values,” said Jason East, CEO of Champlin | EOP. “The 510 team has built an outstanding reputation in Richmond through great design and strong client relationships. We are excited to welcome them to Champlin | EOP and continue building on their strong legacy while shaping the future together.”
June 4, 2026
Guardian Infrastructure Services (Guardian), a New York-based utility-focused infrastructure services platform backed by Energy Impact Partners (EIP), has acquired E2 Consulting Engineers (E2), a California-based provider of engineering and technical consulting services to electric and gas utilities across North America. This acquisition advances EIP’s strategy of building Guardian into a scaled utility infrastructure services platform, with Guardian continuing to pursue growth through both selective acquisitions and organic expansion. “Guardian was established to support the growing need for outsourced technical labor across a wide array of utility and infrastructure services, where EIP is uniquely positioned to add value,” said Steven Kantowitz, Managing Partner at EIP. “E2 significantly expands the platform’s engineering and technical services capabilities, adding differentiated expertise across utility T&D and substation engineering, inspection, and utility program delivery and management services.”
June 11, 2026
MTE Consultants, an Ontario-based multidisciplinary engineering and consulting firm, has acquired Fishburn Sheridan & Associates (FSA), an Ontario-based engineering firm specializing in building science and structural engineering services. This acquisition enables MTE to leverage FSA’s regional expertise to better serve clients across Eastern Ontario, while strengthening its multidisciplinary engineering resources and integrated offerings. “Our focus has always been on building lasting partnerships and delivering dependable engineering solutions,” said Ted Rowe, CEO of MTE Consultants. “Welcoming FSA into MTE allows us to better support clients across Ontario—public and private alike—while preserving the relationships and local expertise that have defined FSA’s success.”
HDR, a Nebraska-based, employee-owned global architecture, engineering, environmental, and construction firm, announced that the HDR Foundation has awarded 22 grants totaling $611,548 to nonprofits across 15 states, each sponsored by an HDR employee personally engaged with the recipient organization. The grants align with the foundation's focus on improving education, creating healthy communities, and encouraging environmental stewardship. Recipients include Onward Industries, which received funding for field-based environmental learning materials for youth in coastal Southern California, and Skiku, which received a grant for trail grooming decks that make skiing more accessible in rural Alaskan villages.
The EFCG Weekly Briefing summarizes the week’s key news in the AEC industry, including M&A updates, and micro- and macro-trends, aggregated from industry-focused and global news sources.
To send any additional press releases or news from your firm that you would like us to share please email Fatima Moumen at fmoumen@efcg.com.