Week of June 23, 2025

Pushback on Project Labor Agreements Signals a Shift in the Federal Bid Process

• The Trump administration is working to remove the Biden-era project labor agreements (PLAs), which are pacts between craft workers and contractors that enforce compensation and work rules for a federal or federally funded project over $35 million.  

• Union and federal workers typically support PLAs for their potential to standardize the organization of large projects and improve efficiency, but critics claim that these agreements hinder competition by excluding nonunion workers, especially as union membership in construction has dropped to a new low of 10.3% in 2023. 

• In an attempt to stay in the middle ground of the issue, the Office of Management and Budget instructed federal agencies to include the PLA mandates in their contracts, but also encouraged the use of bid protest strategies to avoid those requirements. 

• The Federal Acquisition Rule has previously been used to argue that the PLAs reduce the number of bidders and affect the project price. Currently, the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) group is arguing before the U.S. Appeals Court in Atlanta that the PLAs violate nonunion contractors’ First Amendment rights by requiring them to work under union rules, pay union dues, and contribute to union pension plans.

New York Moves Forward with Plans to Build New Nuclear Power Plant

• New York Governor Kathy Hochul has announced plans to build a new nuclear power plant in upstate New York that will generate enough electricity to power a million homes, and help New York avoid the “rolling blackouts” that other states have been experiencing.  

• States have started to increase interest in nuclear power as a way to cut emissions while still meeting energy demands, as seen in Illinois, Montana, and Wisconsin lifting longstanding bans on new nuclear power, Texas using $350 million in funding to build new reactors, and Michigan and Pennsylvania working to reopen previously closed nuclear plants.  

• In addition to state level support, technology leaders such as Amazon, Google, and Microsoft, have started investing in nuclear power for their data centers.  

• While Governor Hochul has pushed for the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission to improve efficiency, and President Trump signed executive orders to accelerate nuclear power development, opinions within the state remain divided. Although there are supporters for the project and the increased energy production it will provide, some remain concerned about the high costs and safety.   

  
  

June 24, 2025 

Universal Engineering Sciences (UES), a Florida-based engineering and consulting firm backed by BDT&MSD and Palm Beach Capital, acquired Geohazards Engineering and Geology (Geohazards), a Florida-based geology and engineering firm. This acquisition allows UES to harness Geohazards’ specialization in forensic engineering, geology and geophysics, geotechnical engineering, geotechnical construction inspection, erosion control, and litigation support. “We’re very excited to welcome Geohazards to Team UES,” stated Rick Kushner, President of UES’ North Florida region. “They are dedicated to their clients and always developing innovative solutions to serve those clients. Ongoing research and development is in their company’s DNA, and we’re proud to have them join our organization.”

June 24, 2025  

CHA Holdings, Inc (CHA), a New York-based full-service engineering, design, consulting, and PM/CM firm backed by H.I.G Capital, has acquired FALCON Engineering Services (FALCON), a California-based firm that specializes in construction management and engineering services for a wide range of civil engineering projects. The acquisition expands CHA’s presence to the West Coast and bolsters its capabilities in project management, construction management, and construction inspection. “FALCON is a milestone addition to CHA,” said Jim Stephenson, CEO of CHA Holdings. “This acquisition aligns perfectly with our value creation strategy for growth and expansion into the western region of the U.S., building on our position as a leading national firm.”

June 24, 2025 

Trinity Consultants (Trinity), a Texas-based global environmental consulting firm that provides services in the environmental health and safety regulatory compliance, ecology & water, built environment, and life sciences markets, backed by Oak Hill Capital, has acquired Bridgewater Group (Bridgewater), an Oregon-based environmental consulting firm. This acquisition combines Trinity and Bridgewater’s environmental assessment, compliance, and permitting service offerings, enhancing their ability to deliver solutions to meet their clients’ needs. Vineet Masuraha, managing director for Trinity's west region, commented, “We're excited about the additional capabilities brought by [Bridgewater’s] highly skilled staff, established relationships, and strong client base in the Pacific Northwest market. Together, our combined expertise will be a strategic asset enabling us to provide better, more comprehensive services to clients in the Western United States and beyond."  

June 25, 2025 

Court Square Capital Partners (Court Square), a New York-based middle market private equity firm, has acquired a majority stake in DCCM, a Texas-based provider of integrated design, consulting, and program and construction management services to both public and private sector clients. This strategic move helps expand DCCM’s impact in its key markets, such as transportation, water, and power and utilities. “Court Square is committed to building upon DCCM’s strong foundation by expanding its capabilities and geographic reach,” stated Vivek Vyas, Partner at Court Square. “DCCM has a proven legacy of integration and collaboration, along with a strong track record of organic growth and strategic acquisitions. We look forward to supporting [DCCM’s] continued growth.”

June 26, 2025 

Salas O’Brien, a California-based employee-owned engineering and facility planning firm backed by Blackstone, has merged with BWK Engineering (BWK), an Ohio-based MEP, fire protection, and technology design firm. This strategic move enables Salas O’Brien to enhance its service offerings in the healthcare, education, and commercial sectors, while also expanding the opportunities available to BWK’s clients and team members. Darin Anderson, Chairman and CEO of Salas O’Brien, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “[BWK’s] deep expertise and strong reputation are a perfect fit for our culture and vision. Together, we’ll elevate what’s possible – delivering smarter, more innovative design solutions for our clients in healthcare, education, and commercial markets.”

EFCG hosted its Annual Technology Leadership Conference from June 16-17 at Boston University’s state-of-the-art Computing and Data Sciences Conference Center. We welcomed over 100 technology leaders from across the AEC industry, featuring more than 25 dynamic speakers and representation from 84 firms. 

The conference opened with EFCG Partner Marcus Quigley highlighting AI's transformative role in the AEC industry. Over the course of two days, attendees participated in in-depth discussions on the Rise of Modern IT Infrastructure, Cross-Disciplinary Innovation Networks, and the Latest on Technology Trends. 

On Day 2, Managing Partner Rebecca Zofnass presented EFCG's signature AEC Industry Overview, which included critical data as it relates to technology and AI. The agenda continued with thought-provoking sessions covering AI-Driven Enterprises, Geospatial AI, Software in the Industry, Sustainable Technology, Metadata and AI Workforce Resilience.  

EFCG extends a sincere thank you to everyone who attended this year's Technology Leadership Conference and to our sponsorship partners: HSO, Ecopia, Egnyte, Joist Ai, TRANSEARCH, Deltek, SG Analytics and Microsoft!

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.