ACEC-AZ: Progress, Priorities, and a Key Win

The 57th Legislature has been active on a wide range of issues impacting infrastructure, water, transportation, and professional services.

Several bills of importance to the engineering community continue to move forward, including efforts related to:

• Water resource development and groundwater assessments

• Transportation funding and project delivery

• Energy infrastructure and emerging technologies

👉 Stay informed: Be sure to check the Bill Tracker on the ACEC Arizona website (acecaz.org) for real-time updates on legislation impacting our industry.

Procurement Reform Update: HB2692 → S.B. 1250

A major development this session is the evolution of procurement reform legislation.

H.B. 2692 and S.B. 1250 represent the same policy language, with S.B. 1250 serving as the striker amendment vehicle to continue advancing the legislation. This approach ensures the bill remains active and progressing through the legislative process.

S.B. 1250 has not yet been fully approved, but it reached a key milestone by passing out of the House Appropriations Committee on March 31st with a unanimous 16–0 vote.

The updated language builds on the original intent of HB2692 and delivers meaningful improvements by:

• Advancing alternative project delivery methods (CMAR, Design-Build, Job Order Contracting, and program/project management services)

• Reinforcing Qualifications-Based Selection (QBS) by maintaining a clear separation between qualifications and price

Direct Select Threshold Increase – A Major Win

One of the most impactful provisions for ACEC members is the increase in the direct select threshold:

• Raised from $500,000 to $1,000,000

• Indexed annually using the GDP price deflator

This adjustment is long overdue. If the original threshold had been indexed when first adopted, it would already be near this level today.

Why this matters:

• Reflects the true cost of delivering professional services today

• Enables agencies to deliver smaller projects more efficiently

• Reduces administrative burden while preserving QBS principles

This represents one of the most meaningful procurement improvements for Arizona’s engineering community in recent years.

HB2400 Update – “Gas Tax Holiday” No Longer Moving Forward

We can also report a significant development on another major issue:

HB2400, the proposed “Gas Tax Holiday,” is currently dead for this session.

ACEC Arizona actively engaged in opposition, emphasizing that while reducing costs for Arizona families is important, eliminating or diverting transportation user fee revenue would have serious long-term consequences:

• A $300,000,000 annual loss of Highway User Revenue Fund (HURF)

• Delayed or canceled infrastructure projects

• Increased long-term maintenance costs

• Reduced roadway safety

This outcome helps preserve the integrity of Arizona’s transportation funding as well as the safety of the system.

ACEC National PAC: Building Influence for Our Industry

Advocacy doesn’t stop at the state level. ACEC’s national efforts remain critical to advancing policies that support the engineering industry across the country.

Arizona continues to play an important role in supporting the ACEC National PAC, ensuring our industry has a strong voice in Washington, D.C. on issues such as:

• Infrastructure investment

• Procurement policy

• Workforce development and STEM funding

• Regulatory and business climate

As with anything in life, things take money and so far we have currently raised $12,100 towards our 2026 goal of raising $20,350 from ACEC-AZ Members. Every dollar counts, so please consider contributing what you are able. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to me or Amerigo and we would be happy to talk with you. 

An Easy Way to Participate: Spring Sweepstakes

One of the easiest and most popular ways to support the PAC is through the annual sweepstakes:

🎟️ 2026 Spring Sweepstakes
📅 May 5, 2026

This is ACEC’s most popular PAC fundraising event of the year, offering participants a chance to win literally thousands of dollars while supporting the industry.

👉 Tickets are limited and sell quickly:
https://acec.aristotle.com/SitePages/acecpacspringsweeps.aspx

Important Reminder on Contributions

Federal law requires that ACEC National PAC contributions come from individuals only:

• Contributions must be made personally (not reimbursed)

• Companies and firms may not contribute directly to the National PAC

Upcoming Member Engagement Opportunities

ACEC Arizona continues to prioritize direct engagement with firm leadership across the state.

Principal Roundtable – Phoenix

📅 April 9, 2026
⏰ 7:30 AM
📍 ACEC Arizona Office

This session brings firm principals together for candid discussions on market conditions, legislative impacts, and industry trends.

Southern Arizona Roundtable + Liaison Meeting – Tucson

📅 April 15, 2026
⏰ Lunch
📍 DoubleTree Hotel Downtown Tucson (Convention Center)

We’re combining a principal roundtable with a Southern Arizona liaison meeting to strengthen coordination with local agencies and firms and ensure regional alignment.

STEM Game Day U of A, We need Volunteers

We are just days away from STEM Game Day at the University of Arizona on April 10, and we need your help to make this event a success.

Right now, we have 37 confirmed volunteers—but we need 60 total.

That means we still need 23 volunteers to step up immediately.

If we don’t reach full staffing, we will have to scale back portions of the experience for the 500+ middle school students attending. These students are getting a hands-on introduction to engineering careers—and this is one of the most direct ways we can build our future workforce pipeline.

Event Details:

• 📍 University of Arizona – Arizona Stadium
• 📅 April 10, 2026
• ⏰ 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM

How you can help:

• Volunteer yourself
• Send a team member or emerging leader
• Encourage others in your firm to participate

This is only a half-day commitment, but it has a lasting impact.

We talk often about workforce challenges—this is our opportunity to be part of the solution.

We need 23 more volunteers—let’s get there.

If you or someone from your team can participate, please reach out today.

Thank you for stepping up and supporting the next generation of engineers.

Final Thought: Advocacy + Engagement = Our Impact

The 2026 session reinforces a clear theme:
Our industry’s success depends on strong advocacy and active member engagement.

• At the Capitol, we are protecting infrastructure funding and advancing procurement improvements

• At the federal level, we are strengthening our voice through the National PAC

• Within our membership, we are building stronger connections and collaboration

We encourage you to:

• Stay engaged on legislative priorities

• Check the ACEC Arizona Bill Tracker regularly

• Support ACEC PAC efforts—especially through the Spring Sweepstakes

• Attend an upcoming roundtable

Together, we continue to shape the future of Arizona’s engineering industry.