By Stephanie Corken, October 5, 2026
October opens with the NECA Convention in Las Vegas and closes with the countdown to our December Salishan celebration, and there's plenty in between. From free AI training and new sales tools to policy updates on data centers and small business rules, this issue covers what's moving nationally and what's coming up close to home.
Let’s dive in!
📚 Chapter Meetings, Education Courses, & Safety Classes
🤝280 LMCC | Skipped
🦺659 Safety | Tuesday, October 22, 2026 | 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. | Crater Lake Electrical Training Center *Rescheduled from October 27
🤝659 LMCC | Tuesday, October 22, 2026 | 12-1 p.m. | Crater Lake Electrical Training Center *Rescheduled from October 27
🦺280 Safety | Thursday, October 22, 2026 | 4-5 p.m. | Central Electrical Training Center
LOCAL IN-PERSON EVENTS & TRAINING:
🎉 December 4-5, 2026 | Salishan Winter Meeting with John Stone and Josh Rizzo - Details below!
NATIONAL IN-PERSON EVENTS & TRAINING:
🏢 NECA 2026 Convention and Trade Show – Las Vegas, NV | Oct 4-7, 2026
🦺 NECA Safety Professionals Institute | Oct. 20-22 | Washington, DC’
🤝 2026 Labor Relations Conference | Nov. 2-4 | Phoenix, AZ
🦺 Executive Management Institute | Nov. 17-21 | Washington, DC
💡2027 MEP Innovation Conference | Jan. 25-27, 2027 | Tampa, FL
WEBINARS & VIRTUAL LEARNING:
🎓 Worker’s Compensation Insurance SAIF | Webinars and Classroom Trainings available year-round:
Federal Audits | Tuesday, October 27, 2026 | 10-11 a.m.
Preventing serious injuries and fatalities in construction | Thursday, October 29, 2026 | 10-11:30 a.m.
🏗 Project Planning: From Preconstruction to Closeout | Oct. 13 | 12:00 p.m. ET
📐 Basic Estimating of Electrical Construction | Oct. 13-23 | 10:00 a.m. ET
🧮 Advanced Estimating Strategies | Oct. 13-16 | 12:30 p.m. ET
📝 Change Order Management | Oct. 16 | 10:00 a.m. ET
🤔 How does NFPA 70E Apply to your Business? | Oct. 28 | 1:00 p.m. ET
September Reports Are Open in EPRLive
September payroll reports are now open in EPRLive.
⚠️ Benefit payments must be received before the 10th and are considered late after the 15th. If the 15th falls on a weekend or bank holiday, payments are due the Friday before.
There are no exceptions or grace periods due to NEBF policies and IRS regulations related to 401(k) contributions. Failure to meet the 15th deadline may result in liquidated damages and interest. Payments are processed by date received, not postmark date.
If you are unable to make your payment, you must still file all payroll reports in EPRLive by the 15th. Zero-hour reports are required even if no work was performed.
ACH payments through EPRLive remain the preferred method to avoid mailing delays. Instructions for setting up electronic payments are linked here.
📅 EPRLive Training: Need help navigating EPRLive? Free training sessions are held the first Thursday of each month. The next session is Thursday, November 5th, 2026 at 9:00 AM PST.
Join via Zoom HERE. Meeting ID: 826 4816 3255 | Passcode: 172870
⛳ 4th Annual Golf Tournament Raises Over $15,000 for Construction CareLine
On Friday, September 11, ORPAC NECA hosted its 4th Annual Golf Tournament at Emerald Valley Golf & Resort in Creswell, bringing together signatory electrical contractors, IBEW leadership, and construction industry professionals from across Oregon. Thanks to our sponsors and players, the day raised more than $15,000 for Lines for Life and the 988 Construction CareLine.
Why we played
Construction has the second-highest suicide rate of any industry in America. Every dollar raised keeps a trained Oregon counselor on the line for a tradesperson or family member in crisis. The Construction CareLine is a free, 24/7 resource built for construction workers and their families. Call or text 988 and select the Construction option, or visit linesforlife.org.
Thank you to our 2026 sponsors
Swag Bags: Platt
Gold: McKinstry, EC Electric, Cherry City Electric, 280 LMCC, Milwaukee, OEG, IMA, Graybar
Silver & Raffle: HL Stearns Lighting & Controls
Drink Cart: Pacific Electrical Contractors
Hole: EPRLive, Convergint
Save the date
The 5th Annual ORPAC NECA Golf Tournament is set for Friday, September 10, 2027. Mark your calendars.
Upcoming NECA Education: October Virtual Classes
NECA has several virtual classroom sessions scheduled for October. Registration is open now, and education funds can be used.
Basic Estimating of Electrical Construction
Tuesday, October 13 to Friday, October 23, 2026 | 7:00 AM to 9:00 AM PT
A live online version of NECA's renowned Basic Estimating program, covering the same objectives and activities as the in-person class.
Register HERE.
Project Planning: From Preconstruction to Closeout
Tuesday, October 13, 2026 | 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM PT
$225.00
Examines the value and positive impact of a well-planned project.
Register HERE.
Advanced Estimating Strategies
Tuesday, October 13 to Friday, October 16, 2026 | 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM PT
$550.00
Covers all phases of the estimating process.
Register HERE.
Change Order Management
Friday, October 16, 2026 | 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM PT
$245.00
Focuses on effective change order management to reduce subcontractor risk and increase profitability.
Register HERE.
Questions about any of these sessions? Reply to this email, and we can help you get registered.
ORPAC NECA PRESENTS - License to Celebrate: A James Bond Affair
Some assignments demand more than an RSVP. This December, ORPAC NECA calls its members to Salishan for two days of intrigue, camaraderie, and the kind of evening that lingers long after the last martini. License to Celebrate: A James Bond Affair, sponsored by PLATT, is our winter celebration reimagined. Shaken. Stirred. Unforgettable.
The dossier unfolds in three acts.
Friday evening opens at the Long House with Casino Royale. Green felt, gold light, the soft click of chips. The room takes on the hush of a Monte Carlo drawing room, and every guest arrives with a hand to play. Guests contribute to our PAC throughout the night, folded into the atmosphere rather than pinned to a table. Children welcome!
Saturday morning brings Skyfall, a session led by Josh Rizzo devoted to the quieter kind of tradecraft: self-discovery, sharpened focus, and the interior work that separates operatives who last from the ones who don't. Coffee, conversation, and a room full of colleagues willing to think out loud.
Saturday evening closes with Diamonds Are Forever, the gala. The John Stone Band on stage, prizes threaded through the evening, and a Toys for Tots drive we'd love to see overflow. Bring something for a child in need, and bring yourself ready for a night worth remembering.
Younger guests are looked after in full style. License to Play hosts our smallest agents (ages 0–12) with spy-themed programming of their own, while our teens (13–17) trade the ballroom for a pool party track built expressly for them.
Registration is on the horizon. Each member contractor may bring up to 8 guests. To reserve your seats, reach out directly to your accredited representative. They'll have registration details in hand as they become available.
Salishan is holding two days for us. We hope you'll answer the call.
ELECTRI October Update
Five quick items from ELECTRI International this month.
1. Find Your Firm's Next Growth Market
New ELECTRI research ranks 10 priority markets against six commercial criteria, with firsthand insights from contractors already winning in the top two. Each opportunity offers low competition, ready technology, and a clear path to profit within five years. Download the free report HERE.
2. A New Chapter for ELECTRI
After the NECA 2026 Convention, Josh Bone steps into a new role with Evergreen Holdings Corporation after helping shape ELECTRI's growth since 2020. Jessica Cardenas, currently Deputy Executive Director, will take over as ELECTRI's next Executive Director. The Council stays at the center of ELECTRI's direction, with continued focus on research and resources that advance the industry.
3. New Tool: Service Readiness Progression Guide
A new guide from ELECTRI's NFPA 70B/E research helps contractors assess their service operation across five areas: People, Process, Technology, Contracts, and Leadership and Culture. It maps a progression from Level 0 (no structure) to Level 5 (fully integrated) to help reduce randomness, strengthen customer relationships, and grow recurring revenue. Explore the tool HERE.
4. Business Coaching, Available to All NECA Contractors
Coach Spotlight: Alan Gasvoda, Milwaukee Tool
With 20+ years working alongside NECA and the IBEW, Alan has helped more than 30 electrical contractors improve their prefab operations. Book a session with him to focus on operational strategy, prefab shop optimization, productivity improvement, lean implementation, workflow simplification, KPI development, and project delivery. Read more about Alan and learn about the coaching program HERE.
5. Missed Moneyball Contracting? Watch the Recording
Josh’s presentation explored how electrical contractors can use data to make better decisions, improve performance, and grow their businesses. Just like the stats on a baseball card tell you more about a player, the numbers behind your business can tell you a lot about how your company is performing, and where there may be opportunities to improve. Watch HERE.
Free AI Training for Your Team, Courtesy of NECA and Google
NECA has partnered with Grow with Google to give member contractors and chapter staff free access to the Google AI Professional Certificate. If your company has fewer than 500 employees, your whole team qualifies.
The program covers practical AI skills your office and field leaders can actually use, from planning and writing to data analysis and building simple apps. No coding required.
Why It Matters
Most contractors don't have the time or budget to build AI training in-house, and the productivity gap between AI-fluent teams and everyone else is widening fast. This is a straightforward way to get your people up to speed without adding to your overhead.
The Details
Who qualifies: Any U.S.-based business with 500 or fewer employees
What you get: 7 courses, 20+ hands-on activities, full certificate upon completion
Cost: Free
Deadline to claim: December 31, 2026
Deadline to complete: December 31, 2027
How to Get Started
One person from your company signs up first and becomes the account administrator. Pick your admin carefully, because changing it later requires a support request.
On the application, select "National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA)" as your referring partner. NECA has pre-verified chapter domains with Coursera, so approval usually lands within 7 business days.
Once verified, the administrator gets a link to distribute licenses to employees.
Stay updated: Since this is an ongoing initiative with moving parts, we have launched a resources and updates page on NECAnet.org to keep you all informed.
Questions? Reach out to Brooke Salmon.
This is one of the more useful national benefits to come across the desk in a while. Worth 10 minutes of your day to get your company set up!
Three New Sales Tools to Help You Win More Work
If you have ever tried to explain to a client why hiring a NECA contractor is a better bet than the low bidder down the road, NECA National just made your job easier. Three new customer-facing guides are now available in the Member Resource Portal, built to help you communicate the value of NECA membership in bids, RFP responses, and client conversations.
Why It Matters
Being an IBEW signatory and being a NECA contractor are not the same thing, and most owners do not know the difference. These guides put the case in writing, so you are not the only one making it in the room.
What's Included
A Customer's Guide. Full-length overview for commercial and industrial owners, covering safety standards, workforce training, and code compliance that non-member contractors cannot match.
What Sets a NECA Contractor Apart. A shorter, benefit-driven piece designed for pitch meetings, quick conversations, and leave-behinds.
Utility Contractor Guide. Built for utilities, cooperatives, municipalities, and outside line work, with a side-by-side comparison table you can drop straight into a proposal.
How to Use Them
Attach the relevant guide to your bid packages and RFP responses
Hand out the short version at pre-bid meetings and site walks
Send the utility guide ahead of conversations with co-ops and municipalities
Use the comparison table to answer the "why not just any signatory" question before it comes up
Where to Find Them
Download all three from the Member Resource Portal ».
Free, ready to use, and worth adding to your standard bid checklist.
Data Center Debate Takes Center Stage - Update from Mark Long at Pac/West Lobby Group
It’s no secret the rapid growth of data centers in Oregon and across the U.S. has raised concerns about the facilities’ impact on local communities. Gov. Tina Kotek has called for a moratorium on data center development, while her data center task force studies the issue. Final results are not expected until after the election.
Meanwhile, legislators are grappling with how to address the range of issues. Recently, the Oregon House Climate, Energy, and Environment Committee held a 2.5-hour hearing dedicated entirely to data centers, with speakers addressing everything from energy and water consumption to tax revenues and agency oversight.
Current Landscape
Research by ECONorthwest shows Oregon has 144 total data centers, including 112 operational facilities and another 32 planned or under development through 2030.
The footprint is currently much larger in Eastern Oregon, with 70 active facilities totaling 15.74 million square feet, or about 270 football fields. But there is more future development planned in Western Oregon, with 23 proposed facilities compared to nine[DW1] [GP2] planned for Eastern Oregon.
All data centers in Western Oregon are located either within city limits or an urban growth boundary, whereas in Eastern Oregon about 34% are outside of a UGB. Opponents argue siting data centers away from cities puts a strain on rural communities, leading to higher electricity costs, overuse of water, and taking farmland out of production.
Community Benefits
But as the committee heard from Amazon Web Services, the significant investment regionally in Umatilla and Morrow counties has also come with huge economic benefits.
AWS has been in Eastern Oregon for about 15 years. Since 2012, the company has invested more than $54.8 billion locally, contributing an estimated $15.4 billion to the area’s total economic output. AWS is also the largest taxpayer in both counties, contributing $71.3 million in property taxes and fees in 2025.
Data centers also support 9,500 local jobs, said Sheena Sharma, principal for economic development with AWS. The company employs 2,500 full-time workers, and during peak construction there may be between 4,000 to 6,000 construction workers on site.
Tax Revenues
Chris Allanach, an economist at the Legislative Revenue Office, said data centers are subject to state taxes based on their business structure. But that can prove challenging, he said, because there is no standard definition of “data center,” and identifying one can be “somewhat of a manual process.”
Facilities may also be exempt from certain taxes if they are part of an enterprise zone or other development incentive program.
Allanach said his office is continuing to work with counties, the Department of Revenue, and Business Oregon to determine how much money data centers are paying in income taxes, property taxes, and corporate activity taxes statewide. Results are expected around the first of the year.
Resource Concerns
Officials from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and Department of Water Resources laid out their respective roles regulating the environmental impacts of data centers. DEQ issues water and air quality permits depending on how the facility operates.
For example, cooling water for data centers may be reused to irrigate crops. DEQ permits set limits on the amount of water that can be sprayed on fields based on crop type, soil type, and irrigation method. Air quality permits also cap emissions produced by a facility’s backup diesel generators, which are typically used sparingly throughout the year but may be turned on during an emergency power outage.
Ivan Gall, OWRD director, said Oregon is dealing with water scarcity statewide. Securing new water permits for data centers is difficult, he explained, which is why new facilities mostly connect onto existing public water suppliers or obtain an existing water right through another entity.
POWER Act
Last year, lawmakers passed the POWER Act creating a new electricity rate class for data centers that use more than 20 megawatts. The legislation is intended to protect residential and small business customers by making large energy users like data centers pay their fair share for power and foot the bill for any new transmission.
Caroline Moore, energy program director for the Oregon Public Utility Commission, gave committee members an update on the bill’s implementation. On May 7, the PUC issued its first order with Portland General Electric, resulting in a 29% rate increase for data centers; 1.3% rate decrease for residential customers; 3.7% decrease for small businesses; 2.2% decrease for commercial customers; and 1.5% decrease for industrial customers.
Keeping the POWER Act focused on data centers captures a customer class that “has been and is projected to continue growing in a unique way,” Moore said.
Looking Ahead
As the committee’s hearing took place inside the Capitol, roughly 100 demonstrators gathered outside urging the Legislature to adopt a three-year moratorium on new data centers, according to the Oregon Capital Chronicle. Gov. Kotek announced she is pausing approvals for data centers on state lands for one year.
The pollical divide has already impacting many state and local elections in Oregon and could impact the power structure within the legislature.
Gov. Kotek's Data Center Advisory Committee posted its Preliminary Learnings and Questions report on Sept. 10, summarizing what the committee has learned to date while identifying policy questions that require additional examination.
As the temperature changes outside, the hope is that cooler heads will prevail post-election. It is anticipated many state and local officials will temper their opposition to data centers and work towards a bi-partisan solution somewhere in the middle. State and local officials are collecting ideas for 2027 and NECA, along with our partner groups, are part of those discussions. Meanwhile, misinformation is rampant on social media, elected officials don’t want to talk specifics and both industry and labor are trying to determine the most effective way either thru public information, policy advocacy or both to ensure manufacturing remains a viable and growing part of Oregon’s economy.
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SBA Small Business Rules Could Expand for Electrical Contractors
NECA secured a 60-day extension on SBA's proposed overhaul of how electrical contractors qualify as small businesses. The change could significantly expand federal contracting access for NECA contractors.
What's changing:
SBA wants to replace the $19M revenue threshold with an employee threshold.
Contractors with fewer than 550 employees would qualify as small businesses, with no revenue cap.
An estimated 1,804 additional electrical contractors nationwide would newly qualify.
Why it matters:
Federal contracts under $350,000 are automatically reserved for small businesses.
The "Rule of Two" requires awards to small businesses when two or more qualified applicants can do the work.
Designation also opens SBA-backed loans and disaster assistance.
Key dates:
October 6: SBA presents at the NECA Convention in Las Vegas on what the expansion means for your business.
November 20: Comment period closes. Click HERE to share input for NECA's formal comment submission.
NECA Regulatory Alerts can be found online at:
https://www.necanet.org/topics/labor-relations/overview or https://www.necanet.org/topics/government-affairs/regulatory-alerts
A Word From Our Friends at DynAImix: 5 AI Prompts Every Contractor Should Save
Most contractors try AI once, get a generic answer, and set it aside. Usually the prompt is the issue, not the tool. Save a few solid ones and AI becomes something your team reaches for daily. These five work in ChatGPT, Claude, or Microsoft Copilot.
1. Teach AI how you write emails
"Save the following as my email writing rules to memory. Opening: Start with the recipient's name followed by a comma. No 'hi' or 'hello.' Closing: End with [your sign-off] only. Apply these rules to every email I ask you to write."
If your version doesn't have memory, paste the rules into custom instructions.
2. Score your proposal against one that won
"Evaluate the attached bid proposal by comparing it with the successful bid also attached. Rate and score them together, tell me where my proposal scores below a 7, and explain what I should change."
Run this in a company-approved business account, not a personal one.
3. Turn OSHA language into something a new hire will remember
"Rewrite this OSHA regulation into three simple, easy-to-remember bullet points for a brand new laborer on their first day. Keep the language direct. [Paste the regulation text below.]"
Paste the actual regulation text, and have your safety lead confirm the summary before it reaches the crew.
4. Build a handoff report before you hand off a job
"I'm delegating a project to another team member. Ask me 12 questions, one at a time, to gather everything they'll need. Then write a delegation report covering timeline, stakeholders, open issues, risks, success measures, and failure points."
5. Get through a regulatory update in minutes
"Summarize this regulatory update in plain English for an electrical contractor's team. List what changed, who it affects, and three to five actions we need to take. Then draft a short internal note managers can read in two minutes. [Paste both versions below.]"
Always check the summary against the source before sending.
Thanks to Chris Carr and the team at DynAImix for sharing!
From Awareness to Action: Mental Health in the Trades
September was National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. New reporting from Construction Dive highlights how the industry's approach is shifting.
Key takeaways:
The numbers: Construction saw 41.9 deaths by suicide per 100,000 workers in 2024, down 1.7% from the year before and still among the highest of any industry.
Support programs are underused: Employee and Member Assistance Program uptake in the trades runs about 3 to 7 percent.
Training works: Superintendents trained to recognize and respond to a mental health crisis have made a real difference on projects where it has mattered most.
Pain and mental health are connected: Repetitive work, heavy lifting, and injuries feed into anxiety and helplessness. Safer, better-designed work is also mental health work.
The next step is action: Rotating strenuous tasks, building in recovery days, and folding mental health into a monthly toolbox talk are changes companies can make now.
The workers most at risk are often the least likely to speak up. Meeting them where they already are, in the safety huddle or the tailgate talk, is how the industry closes that gap.
Read the full Construction Dive article HERE.
Oregon's Economy Catches Up: What Contractors Should Watch
For the first time since the pandemic, Oregon's economy is growing at roughly the same pace as the national economy, according to the state's latest revenue forecast. Overall, economists describe conditions as "relatively steady," though several factors deserve a close look from the contractor side.
Key takeaways:
Revenue is up: The state expects about $55 million more this biennium and $538 million more in 2027-29, driven by stronger personal income tax collections.
Wages are climbing: Higher income tax revenue points to wage growth more than job growth, though economists expect the employment gap to start closing.
Corporate tax revenue is down: The corporate kicker "is no longer kicking," and corporate income tax revenue is projected to come in $92 million below expectations next biennium.
Inflation is still hot: Running between 3 and 4 percent, roughly double the target. Consumer spending is up, but so is household debt as people cover rising costs.
Tariff uncertainty continues: Shifting tariff rules have added unpredictability to material pricing and corporate tax planning.
Interest rate risk: If the Federal Reserve raises rates to cool inflation, borrowing-heavy purchases like vehicles, homes, and large capital projects could slow.
What it means on the jobsite. Wage pressure is real, material costs remain unpredictable, and financing conditions for big projects bear watching. At the same time, steady state revenue and continued consumer spending point to a workable near-term environment for contractors positioned to bid competitively and manage costs closely.
Source: Oregon Capital Chronicle, Aug. 26, 2026.
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