Breakfast

General Conference Sessions

Lunch & Solutions Pavilion

Keynote: Beyond the Stimulus – Navigating the Brave New World

Dual Speaker Session:

Speakers:

• Congressman Tom Davis, former U.S. Representative (R-VA); Chair, Committee on Government Reform; Chair, Subcommittee on Technology and Procurement Policy
• Norbert Young, President, McGraw Hill Construction

Session Details:
In this session, Congressman Tom Davis, who served seven terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, serving Virginia's 11th Congressional district, will discuss the implications and reality of the Administration's initiatives on acquisition reform, how the procurement procedures around the stimulus bill will differ from the norm, and what the changes will mean to you.

As the Chair for the Subcommittee on Technology and Procurement Policy, Tom Davis was the leading expert in Congress on the acquisition process and other issues affecting government contractors. At Insight 2009, Congressman Davis will give us his views on a range of issues and initiatives affecting firms like yours including:

• The Administration's push to procure more goods and services via fixed-price contracts
• The likely effect of cuts to major defense programs
• The long-term outlook for small and mid-sized firms
• Trends in inter-agency procurement
• The prospect of even more changes at DCAA
• The future of infrastructure spending

Norbert W. Young, Jr. is president of McGraw-Hill Construction, the leading source of project news, product information, industry analysis and editorial coverage for design and construction professionals.

In this session Mr. Young will share his insight into the current and future state of the construction industry, including the economic outlook, the impact of the stimulus package, and opportunities for growth. He will also discuss the importance of leveraging technology to enhance efficiency and productivity and the future of key industry trends including virtual design and construction and sustainability.

At Insight 2009, Mr. Young will offer his views on a range of issues and initiatives affecting firms like yours including:

• The Administration's emphasis on infrastructure spending, green building technologies and alternative energy
• The long-term outlook for AEC industry firms
• Construction industry trends impacting the A/E industry
• Hot markets for the A/E industry in the coming years

Keynote Panel Discussion: The 90-Day American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Report Card

This session will help customers and prospects determine next steps in order to leverage ARRA and government contracting projects and enhance future growth. A panel comprised of former government officials and other experts in industry, procurement and the economy will identify key issues, discuss potential disconnects and also discuss the future outlook of the current ARRA environment.

Speakers:

• Kenneth Simonson, Chief Economist, The Association of General Contractors of America (AGC)
• David Muzio, Former Deputy Associate Administrator for Procurement, Office of Management and Budget, Principal, MCR, LLC
• Robert Murray, Chief Economist, McGraw Hill Construction
• Kevin Plexico, Senior Vice President, INPUT

VIP Reception

Construction Outlook 2009

The construction industry in 2009 will be shaped by divergent forces. The ARRA will boost infrastructure work, such as highways, bridges, and environmental public works. An additional lift will be provided to several building types, including federal. At the same time, the deepening economic recession and tight lending conditions loom as substantial negatives in 2009. This presentation will review the main provisions of the stimulus bill as they affect construction, as well as other important features of the current economic climate. An update to the 2009 projections for U.S. construction starts will be provided, covering such sectors as public works, institutional building, commercial building, and housing.

Speaker:

• Robert Murray, Chief Economist, McGraw Hill Construction

The Road Ahead: Procurement Reform

During the last year, a number of significant acquisition reform laws have been passed by Congress, and the Obama Administration is pressing forward with an ambitious acquisition reform agenda. Among the new reforms are contractor fraud and overpayment reporting requirements; ethics and internal control requirements; a database for contractor integrity and performance information; requirements for increased use of fixed-price contracts; competition requirements and GAO bid protest authority for task and delivery orders; accountability and transparency requirements in the 2009 Recovery Act; and a commitment by the Obama Administration to bring work currently performed by the private sector back into the government.

Our speaker, Rob Burton, the former head of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy, will give his views on these and other acquisition reform initiatives that may affect your organization. He will also discuss the impact these initiatives will have on agencies that contract for your services.

Speaker:

• Rob Burton, former Acting and Deputy Administrator, Office of Federal Procurement Policy, Executive Office of the President; Partner, Venable LLP

Marketing to the Public Sector: A Different Rule Book

2009 is destined to bring unprecedented opportunities to work on government contracts in the public sector. If you have never done public sector work, you need to understand the differences between marketing in the public and private sectors. In this session you can expect to hear advice from marketing experts in the A/E industry, as well as first-hand reactions from panelists with extensive decision-making experience in selecting consultants for public sector opportunities. In this session you will learn how to become an expert on navigating this new landscape and substantially increase your likelihood of effectively reaching these clients and winning projects.

Speakers:

• Michael Ellegood, Principal Consultant, PSMJ Resources and former Director of Public Works, Maricopa County, AZ
• Julie Ellegood, Senior Consultant, PSMJ Resources and Sky Harbor International Airport
• Bernie Siben, The Siben Consult, LLC

Follow the Money: Transportation Focus

Where is the money going – high speed rail, roads, bridges, new projects, maintenance, green/eco friendly? What does "shovel ready" really mean? Our speaker will provide hands-on insight into where and how federal transportation funds are being spent.

Speaker:

• Noranne Downs, P.E., District Secretary, Florida Department of Transportation, District 5
• Hope A. Lane, Officer, Aronson & Company, Government Contract Services Group

Stimulus Infrastructure Opportunities Revealed: Examining Planned Investments Across the States

The session analyzes federal and state spending plans for infrastructure related investments and identifies hotbed states and regions for AEC firms to target. The session also includes an examination of the stimulus spending that has occurred thus far and what’s still to come with a focus on infrastructure investments.

Speaker:

• Kevin Plexico, Senior Vice President, INPUT

Brave New World: Compliance Experts

DCAA has launched a new era in compliance with their revised audit guidance. Our panel of compliance experts and former DCAA auditors will explain the impact of the agency's new policies and procedures and how you can mitigate the effect on your organization.

Speakers:

• Peter Lauria, Partner, Beers & Cutler
• Alan Chvotkin, Executive Vice President and Counsel, Professional Services Council
• Mark Burroughs, Director of Government Contract Services, Deloitte
• Jack Fisher, former Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) Auditor and Director of Compliance, L-3
• Renee Hagen CPA, CMA, Director of Business Services (former DCAA auditor), Chenega Corp.

Hot Markets in the New Economy: Green Building

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act calls for major new construction and energy efficient modernization of federal office buildings, courthouses and land ports across the country. Of the total $5.5 billion allocated, GSA is planning to put $4.27 billion toward "high performance green building" modernization and improvement. Our speaker will discuss the agency's commitment to green building and what it means for the government contracting, IT, and AEC sectors. In addition, Mr. Winstead will give his views on how, where and when these funds may be spent and the objectives agencies, such as the GSA, are seeking to achieve.

Speaker:

• David Winstead, Former Commissioner of Public Buildings, GSA, Attorney, Ballard Spahr

Hot Markets in the New Economy: International Projects

Despite the worldwide recession, more and more domestic AE and environmental firms continue to find opportunities overseas. Indeed, with most U.S. private markets looking soft for the next couple of years, many U.S. firms-of all shapes and sizes – are finding they have to seek opportunities abroad to remain viable. This discussion will cover the outlook for a number of international regions and share the perspectives and experience of U.S. firms who have "been there, done that" internationally.

Moderator:

• Mick Morrissey, Managing Principal, Morrissey Goodale

Panelists:

• Po Sun Chen, Managing Director, ValleyCrest Design Group
• Craig Finley, Managing Principal, Finley Engineering Group
• Amir Kangari, Senior Vice President & Managing Director, PBS&J International
• Tom Schanze, President, Applied Technology & Management

Expand Your Public Sector Business: Partnering and Teaming Strategies

This session will focus on the state of government contracting partnerships in 2009 and teaming strategies for the future. What do integrators look for in a Teaming Partner? This session will help you gain insight into what qualities integrators look for in partners and discusses the typical details of their qualification and selection processes. Industry expert, Deniece Peterson will provide solid advice on how to earn trust and partner with large integrators.

Speaker:

• Deniece Peterson, Principal Analyst, INPUT

The Road Ahead: Experts Panel

This session features viewpoints from leading industry organizations on The Road Ahead for the architecture and engineering industries. Discussion will focus on the impact of stimulus funding and public sector opportunities along with a broader look at the opportunities and threats in the years ahead, including other market opportunities, major trends and business issues of relevance. Executive level representation from both the American Institute of Architects and the American Society of Civil Engineers will provide their viewpoints and discuss where consensus exists and where issues and viewpoints diverge between the architecture and engineering communities.

Moderator:

• John D. Doehring, Jr., Senior Vice President, ZweigWhite

Panelists:

• Mickey Jacob, Regional Director, American Institute of Architects (AIA)
• Wayne Klotz, President, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)

Positioning to Win: 5 Steps for Capturing the Win

Everyone knows it's a best practice to start your pursuit before the RFP is released, but how do you actually do that? Most companies arrive at an RFP release unprepared, even when it's their own re-compete. In 5 easy steps, you will learn what you need to do to position yourself to win before the RFP is even released. From opportunity identification to proposal, you will walk away with sound strategies to win more business.

Speaker:

• Carl Dickson, Publisher, CapturePlanning.com

Evening Celebration