The state of Florida has an excellent business environment for construction contractors, according to new state rankings released today by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). The state ranked in the top 10 out of the 50 states and the District of Colombia in the country. “Building America: The Merit Shop Scorecard” reviews and ranks state-specific information significant to the success of the commercial and industrial construction industry.

The scorecard website, meritshopscorecard.org, identifies states, such as Florida that have created an environment where merit-shop contractors are well positioned to succeed and states where strategic improvements need to be made.

Florida’s 2017 Scorecard

Overall Rank: 9

Project Labor Agreement Policy: No State Policy

Prevailing Wage Mandates: No

Right to Work: Yes

Public-Private Partnerships: Statute authorizes the use of P3s on horizontal and vertical construction projects. Unsolicited bids are allowed.

Construction Job Growth: 5-Year Average Job Growth Rate (2011-2016), 7.3%.

Workforce Development Incentives: Quick Response Training Program – An employer-driven training program designed to assist new value-added businesses and provide existing Florida businesses the necessary training for expansion. A state educational facility — community college, area technical center, school district or university — is available to assist with application and program development or delivery. The educational facility will also serve as fiscal agent for the project. The company may use in-house training, outside vendor training programs or the local educational entity to provide training.

Career and Technical Education: 82% of CTE high school graduates are placed in colleges or careers. Florida recognizes NCCER as an approved curriculum for CTE programs. The ABC East Coast Florida Chapter also offers the ABC Institute, an apprenticeship training program with five training locations on the East Coast of Florida

Detailed descriptions of each score are on Florida’s page at meritshopscorecard.org.

“Florida’s policymakers have built a free enterprise-based business environment that allows merit shop construction contractors to grow while also protecting taxpayers from inflated costs,” said Peter Dyga, president of the ABC East Coast Florida Chapter. “ABC applauds Florida for banning anti-competitive and restrictive project labor agreement and inflated prevailing wage mandates while supporting Right to Work and important workforce development incentives that rewards the industry’s investment in its employees. These policies have helped promote economic growth, which leads to more jobsites and more Florida construction jobs.”

During the 2017 legislative session, ABC East Coast Florida passed House Bill 599, Public Works Projects, and House Bill 377, Limitations on Actions other than for the Recovery of Real Property. The organization also passed Workforce Development legislation.

 Chapters: please add months and years for passing highlighted pieces of legislation such as bans on PLA and prevailing wage mandates, and RTW, workforce development or CTE policies.

The merit shop philosophy is the belief that people and companies succeed based on free enterprise principles within the free market system, which is characterized by open and fair competition and diverse participants. Those who adhere to the philosophy believe employees and employers have the right to determine wages and working conditions through either individual or collective bargaining, as they choose, within the boundaries of the law. They oppose violence, coercion, intimidation and the denial of the rights of employees and employers. Furthermore, they believe it is incumbent upon all branches of government to be responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars and that government should award contracts based solely on merit to the lowest responsible bidder, regardless of labor affiliation.

The Merit Shop Scorecard was developed with input from ABC chapters and industry stakeholders across the country. Criteria and definitions are available on meritshopscorecard.org. The scorecard will be updated with exclusive state construction unemployment rate estimates from economist Bernard Markstein, Ph.D.

Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) is a national construction industry trade association established in 1950 that represents more than 21,000 members. Founded on the merit shop philosophy, ABC and its 70 chapters help members develop people, win work and deliver that work safely, ethically and profitably for the betterment of the communities in which ABC and its members work. Visit us at abc.org.