Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) is a national association representing 25,000 merit shop construction and construction-related firms in 77 chapters across the United States. ABC’s membership represents all specialties within the U.S. construction industry and is comprised primarily of firms that perform work in the industrial and commercial sectors of the industry.

ABC is the construction industry’s voice with the legislative, executive and judicial branches of the federal government and with state and local governments, as well as with the news media.

The Associated General Contractors, Oregon-Columbia Chapter, is a full-service construction trade association serving Oregon and Southwest Washington since 1920.  AGC provides services to open shop and union contractors, specialty contractors, and professional and industry associates.

Bureau of Labor and Industries
BOLI’s mission is to protect employment rights, advance employment opportunities, and protect access to housing and public accommodations free from discrimination.

BOLI’s four principal duties are to:

1. Protect the rights of workers and citizens to equal, non-discriminatory treatment through the enforcement of anti-discrimination laws that apply to workplaces, housing and public accommodations.
2. Encourage and enforce compliance with state laws relating to wages, hours, and terms and conditions of employment.
3. Educate and train employers to understand and comply with both wage and hour and civil rights law.
4. Promote the development of a highly skilled, competitive workforce in Oregon through apprenticeship programs and through partnerships with government, labor, business, and educational institutions.

The Construction Contractors Board was created in 1971 as the Builders Board and is responsible for safeguarding the security and property of the citizens of Oregon by preventing and resolving construction contracting problems and by insuring contractors’ compliance with the law.

The board administers the Oregon Contractors Law that provides for licensing of residential and commercial construction contractors, subcontractors and home inspectors; investigation and adjudication of complaints filed against licensees; and assessment of sanctions against unlawful contractors. The board tests applicants on a 16-hour course in construction laws and business practices. The board also engages in education activities aimed at preventing construction problems, resolving disputes and promoting a competitive business environment.

Where our goals are to:

1. Ensure a safe and peaceful community.
2. Promote economic vitality and opportunity.
3. Improve the quality of life in neighborhoods.
4. Protect and enhance the natural and built environment.
5. Operate and maintain an effective and safe transportation system.
6. Deliver efficient, effective, and accountable municipal services.

The mission of the Department of Education is to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access. It engages in four major types of activities:

1. Establishes policies related to federal education funding, administers distribution of funds and monitors their use.
2. Collects data and oversees research on America’s schools.
3. Identifies major issues in education and focuses national attention on them.
4. Enforces federal laws prohibiting discrimination in programs that receive federal funds.

OHBA is a professional, not-for-profit, trade association comprised of builders, remodelers, material suppliers, subcontractors, consultants, lending institutions, utilities and others involved in housing and building-related fields.

Founded in 1964, the Oregon Home Builders Association functions as a housing industry advocate, providing government relations, educational opportunities and builder and consumer informational resources.

The National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) is a not-for-profit education foundation created to develop industry-driven standardized craft training programs with portable credentials and help address the critical workforce shortage facing the construction industry.

Our mission is to build a safe, productive, and sustainable workforce of craft professionals.

The NWUCA Foundation for Education and Research is a 501(c)(3)charitable organization dedicated to supporting educational programs, industry research, and worker recruitment activities that meet the needs of the underground utility construction industry.

The Prime Contractor Development Program is designed to improve opportunities and build capacity of state certified Minority-Owned Businesses (MBE), Woman-Owned Businesses (WBE), and Emerging Small Businesses (ESB), (collectively “M/W/ESB’s”) in the regional construction industry to compete in the open market at a prime contracting level. Firms participating in the Prime Contractor Development Program  must have prior contracting experience. This is not a program for start up businesses.

The Prime Contractor Development Program  allows up to one-half of all new formal construction projects from $100,000 to $200,000 to be bid to program participants.

Worksystems, Inc. (WSI) is a nonprofit organization serving the City of Portland, Multnomah and Washington counties. The mission of the organization is to coordinate a regional workforce system that supports individual prosperity and business competitiveness.

The organizational values essential to the growth and vitality of the system include:

A skilled workforce that improves business and individual competitiveness, earning capacity, income and assets.
Partnerships that support alignment, effectiveness and continuous improvement.