Updated: 9 hours ago
By Stephanie Corken, July 1, 2026
Happy July, contractors! We're officially at the halfway point of 2026, and there's a lot packed into this month's edition. A few items worth flagging up front: The new BOLI rules on off-site prevailing wage take effect July 1, and the updated bonding requirement for Local 280 and Local 659 begins with work performed this month.
Our Hellgate Jetboat Excursion is coming up August 15, the Golf Tournament tees off September 11 at Emerald Valley, and save-the-dates for September's Accounting & Best Business Practices sessions across all three divisions are below. NECA 2026 registration and housing are live, and the Mandalay Bay block closes August 12, so don't wait if you're planning to join us in Vegas.
Hope you and your crews have a safe and restful 4th of July!
📚 Chapter Meetings, Education Courses, & Safety Classes
CHAPTER MEETINGS:
🤝280 LMCC | Skipped
🦺280 Safety | Thursday, July 23, 2026 | 4-5 p.m. | Central Electrical Training Center
🦺659 Safety | Tuesday, July 28, 2026 | 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. | Crater Lake Electrical Training Center
🤝659 LMCC | Tuesday, July 28, 2026 | 12-1 p.m. | Crater Lake Electrical Training Center
🦺932 Safety | Wednesday, July 29, 2026 | 3-4 p.m. | Pacific Inside Electrical Training Center *Previously Scheduled for July 22
🤝932 LMCC | Wednesday, July 29, 2026 | 4-5 p.m. | Pacific Inside Electrical Training Center *Previously Scheduled for July 22
LOCAL IN-PERSON EVENTS & TRAINING:
COMING IN SEPTEMBER: Accounting & Best Business Practices for Electrical Contractors. Save the Dates, Registration Information Coming Soon:
Sept 14th, 2026: Cascade 280 Division
Sept 15th, 2026: Sunset 932 Division
Sept 17th, 2026: Crater Lake 659 Division
NATIONAL IN-PERSON EVENTS & TRAINING:
🌴 2026 Tri-District Region Conference | Jul 15-18, 2026
🏢 NECA 2026 Convention and Trade Show – Las Vegas, NV | Oct 4-7, 2026
🦺 NECA Safety Professionals Institute | Oct. 20-22 | Washington, DC
🦺 Executive Management Institute | Nov. 17-21 | Washington, DC
WEBINARS & VIRTUAL LEARNING:
🎓 Worker’s Compensation Insurance SAIF | Webinars and Classroom Trainings available year-round:
Wildfire smoke and worker protection: Understanding Oregon OSHA requirements | Tuesday, July 14, 2026 | 10-11 a.m.
Conflict resolution techniques | Tuesday, July 21, 2026 | 10-11:30 a.m.
Nailing Down Commercial Construction | Thursday, July 23, 2026 | 10-11 a.m.
🤖 Seven Points of Clarity Series: Data Models Demystified - Beyond the LLM Hype | Thursday, August 6, 2026 | 3PM ET
🤖 Understanding Construction Accounting Virtual Classroom | Thursday, August 13, 2026 | 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM ET
📐 Basic Estimating of Electrical Construction | Sept. 14-24 | 10:00 - 12:00 p.m. ET
🧮 Advanced Estimating Strategies | Sept. 14-17 | 12:30 - 3:30 p.m. ET
June Reports Are Open in EPRLive
June 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 postmarked 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, July 2nd, 2026 at 9:00 AM PST.
Join via Zoom HERE. Meeting ID: 826 4816 3255 | Passcode: 172870
⚠️NEW: Upcoming Bonding Requirement for Local 280 and Local 659 Jurisdictions
A separate notice was recently sent regarding upcoming bonding requirements for contractors with repeat delinquencies in the Local 280 and Local 659 jurisdictions, effective with reports for work performed in July 2026. If you haven't had a chance to review that notice, please do so.
Please ensure your payroll team or third-party provider is aware of these requirements.
If you have any questions, reach out to Melinda.
Two Ballparks, One Great Month for the Chapter
June brought back-to-back baseball nights, and both delivered exactly what these events are built for: time with members, families, and partners away from the jobsite.
Baseball Night in Bend | June 14 | Vince Genna Stadium
The NECA & IBEW 280 Labor Management Cooperation Committee kicked things off in Bend with the Elks taking on the Corvallis Knights. Members and families filled the party area for barbecue, good company, and a solid evening of summer league baseball.
Picnic at the Park | June 26 | PK Park, Eugene
Less than two weeks later, the NECA & IBEW 280 Labor Management Cooperation Committee hosted Picnic at the Park for the Eugene Emeralds vs. Everett AquaSox matchup. Contractors, apprentices, and industry leaders came together for an all-you-can-eat buffet, two games of baseball, and a postgame fireworks show to close out the night.
A big thank you to everyone who came out, to IBEW Local 280 for partnering on both events, and to the LMCC for sponsoring. Events like these are among the best opportunities all year to connect with the people who make this industry work.
ELECTRI Research Request: Cash Flow Contract Clauses Survey
ELECTRI is funding a study on how subcontract payment terms and contract clauses affect electrical contractor cash flow, including payment delays, retainage, and working capital shortfalls.
We're asking contractors and project managers with experience reviewing or negotiating subcontracts to complete a short 5-minute survey. Select participants will also be invited to follow-up focus group interviews. All responses are confidential, and the final report will be available through ELECTRI. Take the Survey
Keep an eye on ELECTRI’s Research Engagement Hub for more opportunities to participate in ELECTRI research!
NECA 2026 Registration, Chapter Dinner, and Happy Hour!
Heading to Vegas this October?
Registration is now open for the NECA 2026 Convention and Trade Show, October 4-7 in Las Vegas. Here is what our chapter needs to know.
Save the Date: Chapter Dinner
Join your Oregon Pacific-Cascade peers for an evening at The Left Bank, an elevated extension of the main dining room at the Eiffel Tower Restaurant with spectacular views of the Las Vegas Strip and the Bellagio Fountains.
When: Monday, October 5th, 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
Where: The Left Bank Room, Eiffel Tower Restaurant
Register for dinner HERE or below.
Save the Date: District 6 Happy Hour
Open to all D6 Contractors! Come unwind with contractors and industry partners from across the district over passed hors d'oeuvres and drinks.
When: Tuesday, October 6th, 4 PM to 6 PM
Where: Chandelier Bar, The Cosmopolitan
Our Chapter Hotel: Mandalay Bay
Our chapter has been assigned to Mandalay Bay. A few things to know:
Book as soon as possible for best availability
Guests must be 21 or older to check in
Reservation deadline: 5:00 PM Pacific, Wednesday, August 12 (blocks release after this date)
Why Go?
NECA 2026 is three focused days to strengthen your business:
Connect with 400+ manufacturers and service providers
Attend education sessions built for NECA contractors
Network with peers from across the country
It remains one of the most valuable gatherings of the year for union electrical contractors.
Questions? Reach out anytime. We are hoping for a strong showing from our chapter in Las Vegas.
Make Time to Connect in 2026
One of the biggest advantages of being part of NECA is the chance to step away from the day-to-day and connect with contractors who understand the work.
We’ve got strong events lined up this year, each designed to help you recharge and build relationships across the chapter.
🚤 Hellgate Jetboat Excursion & DinnerAugust 15, 2026 | Grants PassA high-energy jetboat ride through Hellgate Canyon, followed by dinner and time with fellow contractors. Register HERE. **8 members per contractor
⛳4th Annual Golf TournamentSeptember 11, 2026, 8:30AM Shotgun Start | Emerald Valley, CreswellJoin us for a day on the course with great golf, good company, and a little friendly competition.
❄ Winter Holiday Meeting – Salishan Coastal LodgeDecember 5, 2026 | SalishanA chance to wrap up the year with great food, live music, and time with your peers and families.
These events are built by contractors, for contractors. They are some of the best opportunities all year to stay connected.
We look forward to seeing you there!
New Bonding Requirement for Delinquent Contractors
We want to make sure you're aware of an upcoming change regarding fringe benefit bonding requirements in these jurisdictions.
What's changing:
Beginning with reports for work performed in July 2026, the fiduciaries of the Local 280 and Local 659 fringe benefit funds will require a bond or other satisfactory security from any contractor that is delinquent in filing or funding fringe benefit reports for two or more months in any consecutive 12-month period.
What the bond looks like:
• Posted by a reputable insurer or other issuer of Oregon bonds
• Amount equal to the greater of $5,000 or twice your expected monthly fringe benefit payment to the Local 280 and Local 659 funds
• Maintained continuously for three years, extended by an additional three years if any new delinquency occurs during that period
Important timing note:
To allow time for this notice to reach everyone, only delinquencies on reports for work performed in July 2026 or later will count toward triggering the requirement.
What this does not affect:
This requirement currently applies only to contractors with repeat delinquencies, not newly signatory contractors. It also applies only in the Local 280 and Local 659 jurisdictions. Local 48 continues to maintain its existing bond requirement. The Local 932 fiduciaries have not elected to enforce their bond provision at this time.
Background:
The bonding provisions have existed in Section VI.3 of Local 280's Inside Agreement and Section 6.10 of Local 659's Inside Agreement for many years. The fiduciaries have decided to begin enforcing them in response to recurring delinquencies that have placed a growing burden on the funds.
Please don't hesitate to reach out to our office with any questions.
Help Shape NECA's New On-Demand Course Series
Last month, ORPAC NECA contractors came together across Oregon for our annual Member Safety Walks, visiting active jobsites for real-world safety conversations that make a difference in the field.
The walks reinforced a message the entire industry is echoing: complacency is the biggest threat to jobsite safety. As one national safety leader put it, routine tasks breed routine thinking, and that's when incidents happen.
Our contractors tackled that challenge together, focusing on:
Daily pre-task planning as a genuine discipline rather than a formality
The details that save lives, like completing LOTO tags and keeping arc flash labels current
Protecting all trades on the jobsite through better coordination
Creating a culture where near-miss reporting is encouraged rather than punished
Leveraging tools like wearable voltage detectors as an added line of defense
Thank you to everyone who showed up. Your presence reinforced what NECA believes to the core: sending everyone home safe is non-negotiable.
New BOLI Law takes effect July 1, 2026 - Update from Mark Long at Pac/West Lobby Group
Some off-site work performed by electrical contractors will be subject to prevailing wage beginning July 1, 2026. This change in the law applies to procurements that a contracting agency enters into, on or after July 1, 2026. Some work in progress before the effective date may be exempt. For electrical contractors, there are two rules that “cascade” together to determine whether work performed off-site would now prevail: BOLI rules and State Electrical Board rules.
1. For BOLI rules, there are three checks to see if the work is covered.
a) Does the project otherwise prevail?
b) Is the work bespoke or custom-made?
c) Is the work exempt under the satellite location rule?
2. After reviewing the BOLI requirements, the Electrical Board rule further clarifies if work is covered. Both rules must be read in a particular order to determine if the work would now prevail off-site.
BOLI rules:
Does the project prevail?
There are no new changes to the underlying requirements of prevailing wage projects. Apply the existing rules to determine the public works thresholds.
Is the work Bespoke?
(1)“Bespoke” means work that is performed according to individualized specifications that are contained in a public works contract or related documents, including plans.
(2)“Bespoke” does not include work that is performed before the issuance of the public works solicitation.
Satellite Location Exemptions:
Work that would otherwise meet the requirements of an off-site “bespoke” public works project would not be considered a public works project if a contractor, subcontractor, or a public agency demonstrates by a preponderance of the evidence that the work produces:
(a) Inventory that, at the time it is produced, can with reasonable certainty, be sold on the general market or utilized on a project other than the public works project;
(b) A product that is identical to a product that was previously produced for a reason other than the public works project; or
(c) A product that was based exclusively on standard designs or standard dimensions, without modification, including but not limited to products that, before the public works solicitation was issued, were available for purchase in a catalogue or product list.
Electrical Board Rules: Off-Site Electrical Public Works
(A) Applies to uncertified off-site prefabricated electrical products allowed under ORS479.540(11)(D); or
(B) Is a certified electrical product that is modified off-site.
Electrical products certified under ORS 479.760 are not subject to the definition of public works under ORS279C.800(6)(a)(G)(III).
What do all these rules mean?
Electrical contractors will first determine if the BOLI rules exempt the work. For work not exempted by the BOLI rules, if it is a certified electrical assembly or product, it would be exempt.
This Electrical Board rule is designed to further protect manufacturers and certain fabrication shops from applying prevailing wage to the manufacture of standard electrical products that are certified (labeled). Some assembly and/or “modification” of electrical products is allowed off-site by licensed electricians. This segment of work could prevail if the underlying BOLI rules do not exempt the work.
As with all new rules, contractors will want to familiarize themselves with the rule and make any necessary adjustments to off-site operations. And of course, seek guidance from BOLI. BOLI will apply both its own rules and the Electrical Board rules when making off-site prevailing wage determinations.
EC Roundtable Virtual Meeting Resource Page Now Live
A new page on the Western Region NECA website puts all EC Roundtable Virtual Meeting materials in one place. Brought to you by the NW Technology Innovation Communication Collaboration (TICC) Committee, the EC Roundtable is a contractor-driven forum with 8 virtual meetings per year, open to all NECA Washington, Oregon, and Alaska electrical contractors.
Access the page HERE. Password: 2026
Also found at www.wrneca.org under the Resources tab.
What you'll find:
Moneyball Contracting recorded meeting and PowerPoint (feat. Josh Bone, 5/21/2026)
Josh Bone's Prompt Library for Superintendents, Project Managers, Estimators, COOs, and Controllers
How to Engage Today's Workforce take-away summary (feat. Amanda King, 3/12/2026)
Don’t miss this month’s virtual session on July 8th, 2026 at 11am PST. Topic: Construction Technology Trends That Actually Matter, featuring Tauhira Ali, NECA National Executive Director of Industry Innovation. Register HERE.
Have an idea for a hot topic? Email Ashlee Boekenoogen.
Oregon OSHA Adopts Updated Hazard Communication Standard
Oregon OSHA has adopted federal OSHA's revised Hazard Communication Standard (1910.1200), aligning state rules with GHS Revision 7. Administrative Order 1-2026 was signed May 29, 2026.
For signatory contractors, this touches everyday materials your crews already handle: wire-pulling lubricants, contact cleaners, solvents, conduit cement, epoxies, fluxes, and aerosols. Every employer with a chemical inventory falls under HazCom and must keep a written program, accessible Safety Data Sheets, proper container labels, and trained workers.
What changed
Hazard classification. Updated criteria for health and physical hazards, including mixtures.
Labels. Manufacturers must provide a harmonized signal word, pictogram, hazard statement, and precautionary statements for each hazard class.
Safety Data Sheets. SDS will follow a specified 16-section format.
Training. Employers must train workers to recognize the new label elements and SDS format.
Oregon OSHA issued OAR 437-002-0376 to give contractors more time than the federal deadline.
What to do now
Expect updated SDS and product labels from suppliers over the next two years. Update your written HazCom program to reference the revised standard, and build a training refresher into your safety meetings so crews recognize the new label elements when products show up on jobsites.
Questions? Reach out to Vaughn!
Google.org Renews Major Investment in Electrical Training
Google.org has announced a second round of funding for the electrical training ALLIANCE (etA), the apprenticeship program jointly run by NECA and IBEW. The investment is part of a national $50 million commitment from Google.org's AI Opportunity Fund to help prepare more than 300,000 American workers across 20+ states.
What the funding supports:
Expanded training capacity at etA centers across 20 states
Google AI Essentials training for more than 70,000 apprentices
VR and AR modules for core electrical skills
AI-driven leadership training for foremen
Continued apprentice growth, with 1,533 more apprentices in 2025 than in 2024
Why it matters for our members:Grid modernization, data center build-outs, and advanced manufacturing are pushing demand for skilled electricians to record highs. This investment strengthens the pipeline that signatory contractors rely on, and it equips the next generation with the digital and AI tools the work increasingly requires.
Watch NECA CEO David Long discuss what Google's continued investment means for the future of American infrastructure on Fox Business Network HERE.
Read the full NECA Press Release HERE.
Power Up: What's Coming for Electrical Contractors
The next decade will be one of the busiest stretches in the history of electrical contracting. Power demand is climbing, the generation that built this industry is heading toward retirement, and new technology is changing what a productive crew looks like.
What's driving the work:
U.S. electricity demand is projected to grow more than 55% by 2050 (NEMA).
Data centers will drive about 38% of net consumption through 2037, with 1,500+ in development nationwide.
Server racks have jumped from 15 kWh to 600 kWh in a decade, and that equipment gets swapped every five to seven years.
The workforce shift:
The baby boomer generation reaches retirement age by the end of this decade.
A strong apprenticeship pipeline matters more than ever. Our IBEW partners at Locals 280, 659, and 932, and the JATCs at CETC, CLETC, and the Pacific Inside Electrical Training Center, are central to that work.
Newer crews bring digital fluency and different expectations. Contractors who adapt how they lead and train will keep good people.
Technology, in plain terms:
The near-term picture is augmentation, not replacement. AR headsets overlay drawings, small robotic platforms move materials, and crews stay in productive work.
AI is gaining traction in back-office workflows like estimating, submittals, and procurement.
NECA exists to keep our contractors ahead of shifts like this one through education, labor coordination, safety, and peer connection.
Read the full article from Gregg Voss at EC&M HERE.
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