Organization: MCAA

Resource Highlight: MCAA’s What Are the Pros and Cons of OCIPs and CCIPs?

Subcontractors are often required to enroll in “wrap-up” insurance and loss control programs that cover the owner, general contractor (GC) and all subcontractors on a project. MCAA’s What Are the Pros and Cons of OCIPs and CCIPs? explains the benefits and drawbacks of two commonly used types of wrap-ups: the Owner Controlled Insurance Program (OCIP) and the Contractor Controlled Insurance Program (CCIP). It’s just one of MCAA’s educational resources that are free to MCAA members as a benefit of membership.

The bulletin covers:

  • Considerations when working under a wrap-up
  • The contract terms of most wrap-ups
  • Potential estimating challenges
  • Payroll and claims reporting requirements
  • Documentation that should be provided to the project sponsor
  • What to watch for
  • Exclusions for certain sub-subcontractors
  • Claims considerations
  • Post project considerations

It also includes definitions and other information.

DOWNLOAD

For a full list of available Management Methods Bulletins, visit the Management Methods Bulletins page.

Have Questions or Need Personal Assistance?

Contact MCAA’s Frank Wall.

Learn How Decisions Made in the Field Impact the Project and the Company from NEI Instructor Mark Rogers

MCAA’s National Education Initiative (NEI) Seminars bring our best programs to your local association or your company thanks to instructors like Mark Rogers, President of West Chester Mechanical Contractors, an HVAC, service and plumbing contractor that serves the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area. Mark sheds light on how interactions and decisions made in the field impact all areas of a company.

Over the past eight years, Mark has voluntarily presented the “Real Cost of a Manhour” over 125 times to more than 20,000 UA Members. He has also taught sessions on jobsite profitability at MCAA’s Field Leaders Conferences and leadership sessions to the UA Business Managers/Agents and at MCAA’s Advanced Institute for Project Management in Austin, TX.

Mark has taught classes on a variety of mechanical contracting subjects to audiences of various sizes. His Field and Foreman Leadership Development (FFLD) seminars shed light on how interactions with coworkers, other tradespeople and the end users can help (or hurt) the direct cost of union tradespeople.  The series will also cover how decisions impact safety, insurance, profits and overall company culture at every level of a project and will educate ALL sides on what the other is dealing with on a daily basis. This better understanding of how their roles can be improved through leadership, communication and education sets the tone for the success of any organization.

Like our other NEI instructors, Mark brings his unique blend of industry and teaching experience to virtual courses, a relatively new NEI offering. Providing top notch, accessible education for everyone in your organization is what the MCAA’s NEI is all about! Visit the NEI website for more information about these seminars and a full list of the NEI courses available to MCAA members.

Book your courses via the NEI website, then apply for a 20% rebate on the instructor fees, up to $5,000 per class.*

LEARN MORE ABOUT MARK’S CLASSES
NEI WEBSITE

*This benefit is available only to MCAA members and local affiliates in good standing who book courses via the NEI website. Learn more about the rebate program here. Have questions or need personal assistance? Contact MCAA’s Frank Wall or call him at 301-990-2215.

Connect With the Latest Training from Watts Water Technologies and Aquatherm LP at MCAA.org

The Manufacturer/Supplier Training area of MCAA’s website connects our contractor members with training opportunities available from the members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

Participating companies highlight and link to new webinars and training opportunities across their product lines, services, solutions or web pages. Here are just a few of the recent additions:

Watts Water Technologies
Watts eLearning system provides access to a wide selection of products and solutions from our family of brands. Courses can be accessed anytime, anywhere; perfect for your busy schedule!

Learn More

Aquatherm LP
As the leader in polypropylene piping systems, Aquatherm offers comprehensive heat-fusion installation training at our Utah HQ, at partner sites and jobsites across North America, and virtually upon request.

Learn More

Interested in More Training from Our Supplier Partners?

Be sure to visit the Manufacturer/Supplier Training area for all the latest offerings.

Learn More

Help Your Field Leaders Improve Communication…and Your Company’s Image at the 2022 Field Leaders Conference

MCAA’s Field Leaders Conference is where field leaders realize their importance and value as professionals and members of the management team. Have your field leaders join us in October or November to learn the skills they need to be business, and results, oriented managers focused on growing company profits and brand.

SESSION HIGHLIGHT

Help Your Field Leaders Improve Communication…and Your Company’s Image
with Kevin Dougherty, Leading Construction Industry Consultant

Your field leaders are the face of your company. Are they prepared to communicate effectively, bridge conflict and personality clashes and protect your company’s image? Kevin Dougherty’s presentation at the Field Leaders Conference provides the tricks and tactics they need to get even the most difficult people eating out of their hands, plus other ideas for improving communication with crews, other subs, management and owners.

Kevin Dougherty, a leading construction industry consultant, has been guiding organizations as they adapt to a changing industry. He provides realistic, open-minded tangible solutions to today’s problems. Kevin is based in Sarasota, FL, and frequently speaks to construction industry organizations who welcome his engaging, enthusiastic manner.

We have two conferences coming up in Indianapolis (October 12-14) and Kansas City (November 2-4). Register your field personnel today! This is a conference you can’t afford them to miss.

Indianapolis Conference
Kansas City Conference

Registration is Now Open for MCAA’s 2023 Safety Conference: 20 Years of Safety Excellence

January 17-19, 2023 | San Diego, California

MCAA is excited to open registration for our 20th Annual Safety Conference.

As the longest running skilled trade safety conference, we will be offering over 50 hours of training and education, including three incredible keynote speeches on safety leadership, mental health, and safety management. The conference will also include a special 20th anniversary celebration at PETCO Park hosted by MCAA’s Board of Directors.

New this year, we will be extending our time with exhibitors to discover the latest in safety product innovations and technology breakthroughs. We will also be offering a Certified Safety Professional (CSP) prep course for those interested in taking their safety certifications to the next level. Registration for the prep course is limited to 20 attendees total and is an additional fee. 

This three-day conference is designed to give safety professionals the insight they need, from upcoming OSHA regulations and hazard research, to breakthroughs in product safety and safety training. Conference registration is open to our partners, the members of the United Association, NECA, SMACNA, and TAUC.

Have questions or need assistance? Contact us at eventregistration@mcaa.org or 301-869-5800.

MORE INFORMATION
REGISTER NOW

Find the Latest from Morris Group International and Key2Act in MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show

MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show connects our contractor members with the members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

Participating companies highlight and link to new products, product lines, services, solutions or web pages of particular interest. Here are just a few of the recent additions:

Morris Group International
Stop resources from draining away with Smith Labor Saving Roof Drains! Engineered to save installation costs, we have several styles to fit different applications.

Learn More

Key2Act
Key2Act is the construction and field service technology leader, focused on mechanical and non-mechanical specialty trades, facilities maintenance and other large asset or equipment-centric industries.

Learn More

Need Something Else?

Find many more smart solutions in MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show!

Visit the Virtual Trade Show

Speaking of Smart Solutions

Visit the Smart Solutions Case Studies area of our website to learn how other mechanical contractors found their win-win with cost-saving and productivity-enhancing applications from members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

This section of our website also includes tips and ideas to help your company save money and enhance your productivity. Don’t miss it!

Visit Smart Solutions

W.D. Manor Partners with Morris Group International to Expand Reach of Dialysis Box – Novel System Cuts Installation Time and Labor Costs

W.D. Manor Mechanical Contractors devised a better, safer dialysis box plumbing system, and now they are partnering with Whitehall Manufacturing, a division of Morris Group International, to manufacture and market the system. The W.D. Manor All-In-One Modular Dialysis Box by Whitehall® (model numbers 8193 and 8194) is easier and faster to install than traditional systems. Banner University Medical Center of Phoenix, AZ, installed the All-In-One Modular Dialysis Boxes in a major expansion project, saving hundreds of hours compared with traditional dialysis systems.

LEARN MORE

Looking for More Smart Solutions?

Visit the Smart Solutions Case Studies area of our website! You’ll see how other mechanical contractors found their win-win with productivity-enhancing and cost-saving applications from members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

Plus, you’ll find tips and ideas on other ways you and your company can save money and enhance your productivity.

VISIT SMART SOLUTIONS

Find Your Next Great Hire With MCAA’s Revamped GreatFutures Job Board

Looking for an intern or full-time new hire? Checkout MCAA’s newly revised job board to post your open positions to a network of student chapter members from close to 50 student chapters from across the U.S. and Canada. 

How it works:

  • Login with an MCAA username and password
  • Click on the job board within the Career Development page
  • Click Manage My Jobs and Add a Job to create your posting
  • Jobs remain active for 1 month to ensure postings stay fresh
  • When the job is set to expire, a reminder will be sent for you to either “mark as filled” or “duplicate” and repost for another month
  • Interested students can view postings and submit their contact information and resume
  • Your office will be notified via email when interested students submit their resume
  • From there, your office is encouraged to continue with your company’s application & interview process
VIEW JOB BOARD

School-Year Internship Grants

Have an intern working for you during the Fall semester? Don’t forget to submit an Internship Grant application! Internship grants funded by the John R. Gentille Foundation (JRGF) reward both the hiring company ($1,000) and the student ($500 gift card).  Each MCAA member company may submit up to two grant applications per calendar year. 

SUBMIT APPLICATION

Hiring an Intern? Apply for an Internship Grant.

Having interns working at MCAA member companies is a win-win for the mechanical contracting industry.  Employers get top talent and build a pipeline for future employees. Students gain experience, create connections, develop skills and further their interest in mechanical contracting. Internship grants funded by the John R. Gentille Foundation (JRGF) reward both the hiring company and the student.

Each MCAA member company may submit up to two internship grant applications per year.  Once the grant application is reviewed and accepted, MCAA will mail both a $500 student gift card and a $1,000 check to the company. 

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.  

Learn More & Apply

Resource Highlight: MCAA’s Employee Reviews

Employee reviews are powerful tools in the performance improvement process. MCAA’s Employee Reviews provides guidelines and samples to help ensure a productive and beneficial review process for employees and their managers. It’s just one of MCAA’s educational resources that are free to MCAA members as a benefit of membership.

The bulletin covers:

  • Benefits of the review process
  • Preparing for the review
  • The two types of reviews
  • Conducting the review
  • Guidelines to help ensure productive and beneficial reviews
  • Legal considerations

It includes examples of:

  • Open-ended questions
  • A management driven rater review
  • A management driven exploratory review
  • An employee self-evaluation questionnaire
DOWNLOAD

To learn more about MCAA’s Advanced Leadership Institute mentioned in this bulletin, visit the Advanced Leadership Institute page.

For a full list of available Management Methods Bulletins, visit the Management Methods Bulletins page.

Have Questions or Need Personal Assistance?

Contact MCAA’s Frank Wall.

Withum Explains Why PPP Loan Forgiveness May Not Be Tax-Free

National accounting firm Withum shares information to help you understand the tax implications of the recent Internal Revenue Service (IRS) ruling addressing the proper treatment of improperly forgiven paycheck protection program (PPP) loans. The IRS ruled that the PPP loan forgiveness amount is not tax-free, even if the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the lender granted the borrower full loan forgiveness, if the taxpayer did not satisfy the factual requirements for loan forgiveness.

Learn to Run More Productive & Profitable Jobs from NEI Instructor John Koontz

MCAA’s National Education Initiative (NEI) Seminars bring our best programs to your company or local association thanks to instructors like John R. Koontz, MCAA’s Director, Project Management Education. He gives project managers and field leaders a grounding in planning and time management, cost controls, scheduling documentation, and people management skills to help them run more productive and profitable jobs.

John has logged hundreds of days on the road each year since the NEI’s inception. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, he has brought his unique blend of academic and practical experience to virtual courses, a new NEI offering.

A former tenured associate professor in Purdue University’s Department of Building Construction Management, John has been teaching since 1992. Before that, he spent 15 years in the employment of MCAA contractors in roles including senior project manager, project manager, project engineer, and estimator.

His Fundamentals of Project Management (FPM) Seminars feature topics that will help project managers run more productive and profitable jobs, from planning and time management to cost controls, scheduling documentation and people management.

The Field Leaders Education (FLE) Seminars for Construction offer a similar grounding for those in field leadership.

Finally, his Other Seminars (OS) for Construction explore how to forge strong foremen/project manager partnerships, improve operations, and provide an appreciation of MCAA’s Change Orders, Productivity, Overtime publication.

Providing top notch, accessible education for everyone in your organization is what the MCAA’s NEI is all about! Even during the COVID-19 era. Visit the NEI website for more information about any of these seminars and a full list of the NEI courses available to MCAA members.

NEI WEBSITE

MCA of Chicago Starts WiMI of MCA of Chicago

The Mechanical Contractors Association of Chicago hosted its first Women in the Mechanical Industry (WiMI) meeting on August 29, 2022. The Mechanical Contractors Association of Chicago is proud to host its own WiMI committee and provide these resources to the women in its membership, such as professional, networking, and educational events. MCA of Chicago looks forward to better supporting women involved in the organization. The Chicago WiMI committee will ensure women in the MCA of Chicago always have a seat at the table.

VIEW PRESS RELEASE

Help Your Field Leaders Understand Their Impact on Profitability at the 2022 Field Leaders Conference

MCAA’s Field Leaders Conference is where field leaders realize their importance and value as professionals and members of the management team. Have your field leaders join us in October or November to learn the skills they need to be business, and results, oriented managers focused on growing company profits and brand.

SESSION HIGHLIGHT

Help Your Field Leaders Understand Their Impact on Profitability
with Mark Rogers, MCAA Past President & President, West Chester Mechanical Contractors

Many in the field may not realize how their daily job impacts the people they work with and the bottom line. At the MCAA Field Leaders Conference, your field team can benefit from the know-how of someone who has experienced it all in The Foreman’s Impact on Profitability session led by MCAA member Mark Rogers. Rogers began his career as a Steamfitter Apprentice in 1986 with Local 420 in Philadelphia, went on to start his own mechanical contracting company in 1996 and served as MCAA President in 2011. He volunteers around the country presenting his “Real Cost of a Man Hour” and has given the talk over 125 times to over 20,000 UA Members. Rogers is passionate about education for everyone in the industry and tailored his presentation at the Field Leaders Conference specifically so those in the field can better understand and appreciate their overall role and impact on a job.

Mark Rogers is the President of West Chester Mechanical Contractors. He started out as a steamfitter, then started West Chester Mechanical in 1996. The company specializes in private commercial work in the healthcare and educational arenas. An MCAA past president and Chair Emeritus of MCAA’s Education Committee, Mark’s passion is education for everyone involved in our industry. He continues to help develop programs and sessions for the association, including the “Real Cost of a Manhour” presentation, which he has delivered over 125 times in the past eight years.

We have two conferences coming up in Indianapolis (October 12-14) and Kansas City (November 2-4). Register your field personnel today! This is a conference you can’t afford them to miss.

Indianapolis Conference
Kansas City Conference

2023 MEP Innovation Conference Tours Are Selling Out – More to Come!

Event Dates: January 11 – January 13, 2023 | Austin, TX

2023 might seem like a far way off, but early registrants are not only taking advantage of the early-bird rate, but also spots in the facility tours. After a week of registrations, contractors have nearly filled the first release of tours at MCAA and SMACNA member Dynamic Systems Inc. The tour will include an explanation of DSI’s VDC operations and its integration to its sheet metal, plumbing and piping fabrication. 

Our facility tours are a new feature of the MEP Innovation Conference scheduled for January 11-13 in Austin, Texas. Attendees have the option to go offsite before the Opening General Session, or to participate in a set of optional pre-conference sessions at the hotel including product demonstrations, case studies, and hands-on workshops. Once the conference begins, it will bring together approximately 500 of the most innovative MEP contractors from around the country for the next two days. If you missed out on the initial release of the tours, don’t worry. More are being developed as we get closer to the conference and will take place at manufacturers, software developers, training centers and other contractor facilities.

VIEW AVAILABLE TOURS

Register now to network with peers from multiple trades across the country and learn about industry advancements for the future of the MEP trades. Secure early bird pricing and register today!

MORE INFORMATION
REGISTER NOW

Event Contact
Have questions or need assistance? Contact us at eventregistration@mcaa.org or 301-869-5800.

Thank you to our conference sponsors:

MCAA’s 2022 Fabrication Conference Offers a Look Into the Network of Shops Approach

As fabrication progresses towards manufacturing, a new approach is being taken that mirrors industrial manufacturing. The approach is known as distributed manufacturing for many industrial producers. For mechanical and plumbing contractors, it involves a network of fabrication facilities, VDC resources and jobsite construction crews that work together to design and build projects as efficiently as possible.

The 2022 MCAA Fabrication Conference, powered by MSUITE will be hosted by McKinstry Company, who will share insight into their network of shops approach. It involves coordination and balance of both fabrication and VDC resources across their multiple locations. In order to do this, it takes ample resources in software, VDC personnel and fabrication tools & equipment. 

It begins with the people. VDC operators need to be able to not only have expert knowledge in drawing, but codes for multiple jurisdictions. They also need to be able to coordinate between offices and remote workers to allocate portions of the job and track progress. Once drawn and approved for fabrication, manufacturing and supply chain operations takes center stage and a determination must be made for where to fabricate based on final location and specialized equipment for each fabrication facility. Final installation is then performed by construction crews distributed over a wide geographical area around multiple office locations. 

While this technique might be seen as only approachable by large contractors with multiple locations, it can actually be used by small contractors that are looking to outsource parts of their operations. Many contractors use multiple VDC resources outside of their operations when coordinating and designing. The same goes for outsourcing parts of their fabrication from other trades or specialty firms.

To learn more, attend the 2022 MCAA Fabrication Conference, November 2-4 in Seattle, Washington. 

UPDATE: Registration is temporarily sold out while we secure additional hotel rooms. If interested, please fill out the waitlist registration form below and submit it to MCAA.

JOIN WAITLIST

Find the Latest from Tyler Pipe & Coupling and Anaco-Husky in MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show

MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show connects our contractor members with the members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

Participating companies highlight and link to new products, product lines, services, solutions or web pages of particular interest. Here are just a few of the recent additions:

Tyler Pipe & Coupling
Tyler Pipe & Coupling produces quality cast iron soil pipe and fittings and no-hub couplings in the heartland of America. Visit our website to see how quality cast iron is made right here in the USA.

Learn More

Anaco-Husky
Follow the Leader, choose Husky SD 4000 Heavy Duty Couplings. Visit our website and check out the new members of the Husky family.

Learn More

Need Something Else?

Find many more smart solutions in MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show!

Visit the Virtual Trade Show

Speaking of Smart Solutions

Visit the Smart Solutions Case Studies area of our website to learn how other mechanical contractors found their win-win with cost-saving and productivity-enhancing applications from members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

This section of our website also includes tips and ideas to help your company save money and enhance your productivity. Don’t miss it!

Visit Smart Solutions

Registration Is Now Open for MCAA’s 2022 Industry Funds Conference

Gain knowledge of what Industry Funds are, the best way to use them, and even what not to do with them when you join us for MCAA’s Industry Funds Conference (IFC) November 30 – December 2, 2022, in Longboat Key, FL. The IFC, formerly the Industry Improvement Funds Conference, will address geofencing, tied in with marketing; discuss how to better involve future leaders; and highlight how diversity is linked to the funds. We will hear from legal representatives, as well as CNA ‘s cybersecurity and insurance expert. If you collect or contribute to industry funds, you won’t want to miss it. Register today!

Those who attend the IFC will learn:

  • What industry Funds are and the best way to use them
  • How to use industry funds for geofencing/marketing
  • How industry funds are being used to get future leaders involved in the industry
  • How diversity is linked to the funds
  • What association insurance is needed, things to look for, pitfalls, and dos and don’ts
  • Why an association needs cyber liability insurance, what is covered, and what is not
  • What not to do with industry funds
  • The legal perspective on industry funds
LEARN MORE & REGISTER

Now More Than Ever, Women Are Standing Out in This Industry

MCAA’s Women in the Mechanical Industry (WiMI) Initiative wants to give a big shout out to WiMI Vice Chair Wendy Glauber! She was recently named a 2022 Women of Influence Honoree in the Executive Category through Buffalo Business First.

Glauber is the General Counsel and Vice President of Human Resources for MCAA Member John W. Danforth Company, and one of 27 women recognized through the publication for her contributions to the Western New York community.

“Wendy has been a great asset to Danforth and truly exemplifies our organization’s mission and vision. Her recognition as a Women of Influence Honoree is a true testament to that,” said Patrick W. McParlane, President and COO of the John W. Danforth Company.

Glauber became Vice Chair of the WiMI Committee in 2022 at the Annual WiMI Education Conference. We are looking forward to celebrating more of the accomplishments of women in our industry, like Wendy Glauber.

MCAA’s Women in the Mechanical Industry (WiMI) initiative was launched in 2018 to enable women in the industry to further enrich their careers. Over the years the initiative has given these women an opportunity for networking, career development, mentoring and education. If you’d like to learn more, you can find information here.

General Piping Flies Through Installation With NIBCO’s Grooved Butterfly Valves

General Piping, Inc. counted on NIBCO grooved butterfly valves to meet the strict deadlines of a high school renovation project. “NIBCO’s grooved butterfly valves were easy and fast to install, and they’ve performed well,” said Justin Richardson, project manager, who led the renovation of Lawrence Central High School in Indianapolis, IN.

LEARN MORE

Looking for More Smart Solutions?

Visit the Smart Solutions Case Studies area of our website! You’ll see how other mechanical contractors found their win-win with productivity-enhancing and cost-saving applications from members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

Plus, you’ll find tips and ideas on other ways you and your company can save money and enhance your productivity.

VISIT SMART SOLUTIONS