Ditchmen • NUCA of Florida Ditchmen - November 2019 | Page 12

What Have You Done
for Me Lately?
By Kari Hebrank,
Executive Vice
President, NUCA
of Florida
Oftentimes, we get so caught
up in our day-to-day activities,
trying to tackle the latest problem,
finish a project or secure a new
customer or client, we fail to
take a moment to reflect on our
successes. Your state association
is no different—we don’t always
take the time to share or reflect on
our accomplishments. After we
solve one crisis and before we can
move to the next pressing industry
issue, we may get hit with “what
have you done for me lately?” To
answer that question, below are
just some of NUCA of Florida’s
advocacy efforts, both regulatory
and legislative successes, from
this past year.
■ ■
10
When the City of Port Orange
changed their RFP process
to require all underground
utility work to replace an aging
water main be completed
by a “Commercial General
Contractor,” we intervened and
were able to get the city to
reverse its position and allow
licensed underground utility
& excavation contractors to
respond to bids and perform
the work.
DITCHMEN • NOVEMBER 2019
■ ■ In order to stop several counties
and cities from mandating only
General Contractors on bid
projects, we met with Secretary
Beshears, Dept. of Business
& Professional Regulation, to
create a Public Works “Hot
Topic” on the department’s
website to inform local
governments that they must
follow Florida law with respect
to allowing licensed contractors
to perform work under their
scope of practice per Florida
Statutes
■ ■ Section 255.0992 (2) (b).
Specifically, the Public Works
“Hot Topic” states in part:, “local
municipalities may not prohibit
any contractor that is qualified,
licensed, or certified as required
by state law from bidding on
public works projects, pursuant
to section 255.0992, Florida
Statutes” You may find the “Hot
Topics” website at: http://www.
myfloridalicense.com/DBPR/
construction-industry/hot-
topics/
■ ■ We helped secure $149M for
water quality improvements,