About
Concerned Contractors is a coalition of open shop and union shop contractors (plumbers, electricians, HVAC and building trades) that have organized to represent the many small business owners and construction workers across the state. The mission of the coalition is to bring unfair and needlessly expensive bidding to the attention of taxpayers, school board officials, legislators and the media.
During a period that a waiver system existed from 2000 to 2010 limiting the number of bids allowed on school construction projects, a group of plumbing, electrical, HVAC contractors and their workers banded together as the Concerned Contractors. Contractors and workers were all feeling the same thing – shut out from projects in their own towns and local school districts. Thousands of small business owners were being denied opportunities to participate, while only large general contractors/brokers were allowed to submit bids.
Please email us at info@concernedcontractors.com for more information or questions.
Resources
Check out our Resources page to view important documents regarding our efforts to end unfair bidding.
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Take Action
Take Action – Defend the Pennsylvania Separations Act – Oppose SB 659
Attacks on the Pennsylvania Separations Act continue within the PA Legislature.
The Senate Education Committee recently held a hearing in Allentown on legislation which essentially undoes the multiple primes requirements of the Separations Act, a law that is in the best interest of contractors and taxpayers. While the accompanying co-sponsor memo of Senate Bill 569 says it is a re-introduction of previous legislation, the new bill omits non-waivable language that requires separate primes (Sec. 751).
As you know, The Pennsylvania Separations Act of 1913 requires public entity construction projects to solicit separate bids and award separate contracts for electrical, HVAC (heating, ventilating, air-conditioning), plumbing and general construction. In other words, four prime contracts are required for public projects. This ensures a cleaner and less expensive process of spending taxpayer dollars. Separate prime contracts prevent the taxpayer from paying for unnecessary mark up of subcontractor’s prices. It also provides an opportunity for small and local contractors to bid on projects directly to the public body.
However, some in Harrisburg would like to repeal the Separations Act and SB569 is unfortunately another misguided effort in that effort. Please click here or link above to contact your local legislators to urge opposition to this legislation.