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AGC Responds to USACE PLA Inquiry

On May 9, AGC sent a letter opposing the possible use of a project labor agreement (PLA) mandate posted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Baltimore District for the construction of a conference center and dormitories for the U.S. Customs & Border Protection's advanced training center in Harpers Ferry, W. Va. AGC has sent over 60 letters to federal agencies opposing PLA mandates and bid preferences during the Obama Administration, most in response to agency announcements that a PLA mandate or preference was under consideration for a particular project or an anticipated set of projects in a particular area. Of those, only one PLA mandate has been issued to date. AGC neither supports nor opposes contractors’ voluntary use of PLAs on government projects, but strongly opposes any government mandate for contractors’ use of PLAs. AGC is committed to free and open competition for publicly funded work, and believes that the lawful labor relations policies and practices of private construction contractors should not be a factor in a government agency’s selection process. For more information, please contact Jimmy Christianson at (703) 837-5325 or christiansonj@agc.org.