Weekly Briefing: March 6, 2026
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Week of March 2, 2026
Construction Groups Back Labor Department Proposal on Independent Contractor Rules
Industry groups, including the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) and the Associated General Contractors of America, support the U.S. Labor Department’s proposal to rescind the 2024 independent contractor rule and restore the worker-classification analysis that was in effect in 2021 under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
The department’s Wage and Hour Division says the proposal would replace the 2024 rule’s multi-factor “economic realities” test and apply the earlier analysis not only to the Fair Labor Standards Act, but also to the Family and Medical Leave Act and the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act.
Certain groups say the proposal could preserve legitimate independent contractor relationships that have historically existed in construction, while ABC argues that the change would simplify and clarify how businesses determine whether a worker qualifies as an independent contractor or an employee.
Views on the proposal’s practical effect remain mixed: the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations backed the 2024 rule as a way to address worker misclassification, while employment attorney Todd Lebowitz said the new proposal would have limited impact because it would affect only certain federal laws, would not control federal court interpretations, and would not change state-law, tax-law, or employee-benefits standards.
ABC Reports February Construction Job Losses and Weaker Industry Outlook
Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) reported that the construction industry lost 11,000 jobs in February, while year-over-year industry employment increased by 42,000 jobs, or 0.5%.
ABC’s analysis showed that nonresidential construction employment fell by 3,800 positions in February: heavy and civil engineering lost 6,500 jobs, nonresidential specialty trade lost 1,400 positions, and nonresidential building added 4,100 jobs.
ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu said construction employment declined again in February and has now fallen in eight of the past 11 months, while both the residential and nonresidential segments lost jobs for the month.
Basu said several indicators point to a weaker near-term outlook for the industry, citing declining construction spending over several quarters, ABC’s Construction Backlog Indicator falling to a four-year low in January, conflict in Iran, trade policy-related uncertainty, and crude oil prices above $80 per barrel; the article also reported a 6.9% construction unemployment rate in February.
March 2, 2026
Fehr & Peers (Fehr), a California-based transportation planning and engineering firm, has acquired Safe Streets Research + Consulting (Safe Streets), an Oregon-based transportation safety research and data analytics firm. This strategic move enhances Fehr’s capabilities in designing transportation systems for public and private clients. The addition of Safe Streets will enable Fehr to deliver more complex projects underpinned by data analysis, ultimately driving enhanced communications with stakeholders and engineers alike.
March 2, 2026
IMEG Corp. (IMEG), an Illinois-based engineering and planning firm specializing in building systems, infrastructure, and consulting services for a variety of markets and clients, has acquired KMCE, a Texas-based subsurface utility engineering and underground infrastructure services firm. This acquisition enhances IMEG’s geographic presence in Texas while providing expertise in underground infrastructure. Paul VanDuyne, President and CEO of IMEG, commented, “KMCE has built a strong reputation across Texas for delivering precise utility locating and risk-mitigation solutions that support safe, efficient project delivery. Their focused expertise enhances our ability to provide clients with proactive infrastructure insight and integrated engineering solutions from planning through construction.”
March 3, 2026
Englobe, a Canada-based engineering, environmental consulting, and materials testing firm, backed by controlling interest from Colliers, has acquired Applied Aquatic Research (AAR), a Canada-based environmental firm specializing in aquatic and terrestrial biology, fisheries, and water management. This strategic move enhances Englobe’s environmental services in Canada and provides additional capabilities to support the full lifecycle of projects. “AAR is widely respected in the industry as a trusted environmental advisor with deep technical expertise,” said Mike Cormier, President of Englobe. “Their capabilities align exceptionally well with Englobe’s strategy to provide integrated, end‑to‑end environmental services that support responsible development in the energy and resources sector and beyond.”
March 4, 2026
Ardurra, a Florida-based multidisciplinary engineering and consulting firm specializing in infrastructure, water/wastewater, transportation, aviation, and public works for public and private clients, backed by Littlejohn & Co., has acquired Remington & Vernick Engineers (RVE), a New Jersey-based full-service water and municipal engineering firm. This acquisition positions Ardurra to advance its growth strategy and leverage the longstanding relationships and expertise RVE has built. Ernesto Aguilar, President and CEO of Ardurra, stated, “RVE has served its communities for more than a century, and we’re excited for what we will build together with this powerful new platform in the Northeast. RVE has built an exceptional team. We look forward to welcoming them into Ardurra’s people-first culture and continuing to grow together.”
March 4, 2026
Stratus Team (Stratus), a Pennsylvania-based integrated architecture, engineering, and consulting services firm serving federal, state, and local government clients, backed by Brightstar Capital Partners, has acquired PVEDI, a Pennsylvania-based architecture, engineering, interior design, and planning firm specializing in residential, hospitality, leisure, and commercial properties. This acquisition strengthens Stratus’ offerings in environmental, structural, and residential design while expanding their geographic reach. “Joining Stratus strengthens our ability to deliver even more value to our clients through expanded multidisciplinary expertise,” said James M. Venture, CEO of PVEDI. “By combining our teams, we can bring broader technical depth and more integrated solutions to complex projects, while creating new opportunities for our professionals to work together across a larger organization."
Engineers from Savannah River Site (SRS) partnered with Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) and middle schools across the Central Savannah River Area to celebrate National Engineers Week and National Job Shadow Day. During the program, 50 engineers led 128 hands-on sessions for more than 2,600 students, showing how engineering applies to everyday life. At one middle school, volunteers taught students about plate tectonics and earthquake-resistant design, and students built wooden stick models and tested them on a shake table to see how well their structures withstood simulated seismic activity. SRS and SRNS’ partnership has been ongoing since 2008, and together they have reached over 600,000 students through career day events, workshops, and community outreach.
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 Clay Han at chan@efcg.com.