One of the nation’s most progressive Design-Build laws was signed into Law on September 22, 2013, by the Governor of North Carolina (HB 857) to grant state and local government authorization to pursue Design-Build and Public Private Partnership project delivery. In addition, passage of the Law is a great step forward for qualifications-based selection in the State.

Previously, local municipalities were required to seek state legislative approval prior to pursuing Design-Build contracts. This process significantly delayed projects across the State of North Carolina, costing communities valuable financial resources.

North Carolina joins Arizona, Colorado, Florida, and Virginia as the most progressive states in the nation to advance the building and design industry.

HB 857,  sponsored by Representative Dean Arp, PE, was the signature piece of legislation for the design  and construction industry.  Supported and championed by PENC,  ACEC/NC and AIA, and working closely with the Carolinas AGC, this consensus bill  represented the efforts of 15 stakeholders and authorized three new methods of  building/financing for construction of public buildings:  (the bill applies ONLY to non-transportation infrastructure)

• Design-Build
• Design-Build Bridging
• Public Private Partnerships

 Representative Dean Arp is serving in his first term in the North Carolina General Assembly and represents Union County, District 69.  Speaker Thom Tillis has appointed him to be Vice-Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation.  He also serves on the Education Committee, the Homeland Security, Military, and Veterans Affairs Committee, the Judiciary Committee, the Public Utilities and Energy Committee, and the Transportation Committee.

Representative Arp is a small business owner and President of Arp Engineering in Monroe, where he is a licensed professional engineer and structural engineer in 40 different states. He earned a Civil Engineering degree from The Citadel and his Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering from The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he also serves on the Advisory Board for the William States Lee College of Engineering. As an award-winning Company Commander at The Citadel, Representative Arp lead his company of over 110 men to receive the President’s Cup and claim the title of Honor Company. The President’s Cup is presented annually to the cadet company with the highest combined score in academic achievement, military performance, extracurricular participation, fourth-class retention, and the fewest disciplinary cases. At The Citadel, he was a member of The Summerall Guards – The Citadel’s elite, silent drill platoon. He was also named to the Commandant List and achieved Gold Stars in Civil Engineering – one of the college’s top academic honors. Upon graduation, Representative Arp received the George W. Walker White Award for outstanding achievement in Civil Engineering.

Under his leadership on the Board of Education for Union County for over 12 years, they are the most successful large school district in North Carolina – ranking #1 in Adequate Yearly Progress among the 15 largest school districts and ranking fifth in the highest graduation rate among all 115 school districts, while having the third lowest cost per graduating student. 

Representative Arp has also volunteered for the H.E.L.P. Crisis Pregnancy Center, Habitat for Humanity, and Operation Reach Out, an organization in Monroe to help those less fortunate.  Representative Arp also volunteers extensively at his church where he has been a teacher, and a deacon.  He also helped build a school in Africa.

Representative Arp has been married for the last 25 years; he and Anne have two children – Emily and Caleb. 

 If you have any questions, please contact Jen Weaver at 704.376.6423 or [email protected].

Thank you to our Program Sponsor, Holder Construction. 

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Cancellations made 72-hours prior to the event will receive a refund. Due to our commitment with the meeting facility for food and beverage quantities, all other cancellations or no-shows will be invoiced for the full cost of the event.