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Tackling US State and Local Compliance Through Automation

Tackling US State and Local Compliance Through Automation

June 6, 2024
|
7:30AM - 8:15AM PT

About the webinar

Join Lumber and Keeyns for an essential webinar on "Tackling US State and Local Compliance Through Automation" tailored for the construction industry. Learn how automating compliance and reporting can eliminate costly errors and streamline the complex process of managing multi-state tax regulations.
We’ll show you how leveraging real-time data can drive smarter decisions, reduce administrative burden, and ensure compliance across multiple jurisdictions. With insights from industry experts, discover how automation can help your construction business stay ahead of tax challenges, no matter where your projects take you.

About Keeyns

Founded in 2017, Keeyns is a user-friendly platform and innovative SaaS solution that helps you achieve seamless compliance, minimize risk, and unlock powerful insights – all while driving down operational costs. Keeyns provides a single, secure digital workspace for all your tax needs. Our integrated modules for tax control framework, workflow management, and a central document database work together seamlessly. This unified approach boosts efficiency, ensures data accuracy, and creates a single source of truth for your tax operations. Ready to transform your tax management? Let's connect and explore how Keeyns can help you achieve your goals.

About Lumber

Lumber is an all-in-one construction workforce management platform that seamlessly streamlines payroll, time tracking, safety, compliance, field productivity, rewards, and recognition for building contractors. Our AI-powered platform automates tax calculations, deductions, and filings, ensuring contractors stay compliant with federal, state, and local tax requirements. Whether it’s certified payroll, prevailing wage, union reporting, or multi-state taxation, Lumber’s intelligent payroll engine takes the guesswork out of compliance.

Agenda

Introduction to Business Planning
  • Understand the importance of having a business plan for your construction company.
  • Learn how a well-defined business plan can help you clarify your vision and objectives.
Market Analysis
  • Understand the role of market research in analyzing your target market and understanding customer needs and preferences.
Defining Your Services and Unique Selling Proposition (USP)
  • Learn how to identify the services you will offer and how they differentiate you from competitors.
Marketing and Sales Strategy
  • Understand what is involved with a strong marketing and sales plan to attract clients and generate leads.
Operational Plan
  • Learn the factors to consider when determining your business operations, including staffing, equipment, and supply chain management.
Financial Projections
  • What factors should be considered while creating financial forecasts, including revenue projections, expenses, and cash flow analysis?
Q&A Session

Agenda

Introduction
What is an EMR?
Why should contractors care about their EMR?
3 Proven tips to slash your EMR
Q&A Session

Agenda

Introduction
Strategies for Managing Finances in Construction - The MATT Method
The CEO’s Role in Business
  • Motivations
  • Objectives
  • The Critical 4 numbers every CEO should be watching
Project Lifecycles
  • Stage 1 - The Process of Building a Budget
  • Stage 2 - Managing the Project
  • Stage 3 - Project Post Mortem
Tying Projects into Overall Company Financials and Cashflow
Q&A Session

Agenda

Introduction to Project Management
The 7 C’s of the Project Life Cycle
  • Understanding the 7 critical phases of the project life cycle: Concept, Criteria, Configuration, Construction, Commissioning, Completion, and Closeout.
The Four Pillars of Construction Success
  • Deep dive into Budget, Schedule, Quality, and Safety.
  • Strategies to balance these pillars and ensure project success.
Building and Leading the Right Team
  • The dynamics of assembling and managing a strong construction team.
  • Roles, responsibilities, and the importance of communication and collaboration.
Preparing for Project Closeout & Owner Occupancy
  • Important steps to take when closing out the project and getting it ready for owner occupation
Q&A Session

Agenda

Introduction
Why should contractors build on social media?
What are the biggest benefits to building a social media presence?
How to build a social media strategy?
  • Why are you posting?
  • Who are you targeting?
  • What should you post?
  • Where should you post?
  • When should you post?
  • How should you go about doing social media?
Q&A Session

Agenda

Importance of Frontline Leadership in the Field
Process for Optimizing Safety & Production
Cheat Code for Overcoming Resistance to Change
Simple Method to Make Improvements Stick
Equipping Frontline Leaders
Equip your frontline leaders with the tools to:
  • Elevate standards of care for their team
  • Resolve production challenges efficiently
  • Cultivate buy-in
  • Spread the gains across teams
Q&A Session

Agenda

Welcome & Introduction
The Basics of 401(k) Plans
  • What is a 401(k) plan?
  • How it helps with employee retention and recruitment
Simplifying the 401(k) Setup Process
  • How Human Interest simplifies 401(k) for small and medium businesses
  • Key benefits and compliance support for construction companies
Affordability and Cost Breakdown
  • Cost breakdown overview
  • Affordability for small to mid-size companies
Q&A Session

Agenda

Welcome & Introduction
  • Background on the FAR, uniform guidance, and unique requirements for federal jobs
Davis-Bacon and Related Acts
  • Summary of Davis-Bacon prevailing wage and administrative requirements
  • DOL 2023 update to DBRA implementing regulations and ongoing legal challenges
  • Related development: Project Labor Agreement (PLA) mandate for large federal construction contracts
  • Compliance challenges and best practices
Buy America Requirements for Federal Construction Projects
  • Overview of domestic preference laws including BAA, TAA, the Buy America laws and BABA
  • Recent developments:
    • OMB’s BABA Final Guidance
    • Changes to the BAA implementation in the FAR and DFARS
    • FHWA proposal to eliminate its Buy America manufactured products waiver
  • Compliance challenges and best practices
Construction Contractor Ethics and Compliance Programs
  • Features of an effective ethics and compliance program, per DOJ’s Evaluation of Corporate Compliance Programs (updated Sept. 2024)
  • Requirements for federal contracts and federally-funded projects
  • Recent developments for federal grants and assistance: whistleblower protections; mandatory disclosures; debarment standards
  • Enforcement trends: bribery and kickbacks; collusive bidding (including an update on DOJ’s Procurement Collusion Strikeforce); False Claims Act
  • Compliance challenges and best practices
Q&A Session

Agenda

Overview of Georgia Retraining Credit
Qualifying Activities by Business & Employees
Professional Services & RTC Examples
Q&A Session

Agenda

Automating labor tracking and integrating with project management tools
Simplifying expense reporting for field workers with real-time tracking and automated submissions
How Fyle and Lumber enhance expense management for construction projects
Q&A Session

Agenda

Overview of Topic
  • Importance of job costing in construction.
  • How accurate cost tracking impacts profitability.
Defining Job Costing
  • What is Job Costing?
    • Explanation of job costing and how it works.
  • Key Components of Job Costing:
    • Labor, materials, overhead, and indirect costs.
The Role of Accurate Cost Tracking
  • Why Cost Tracking is Critical to Profitability:
    • Avoiding under- and over-estimation of project costs.
  • Common Pitfalls in Cost Tracking:
    • Manual errors, untracked changes, and ignoring overhead costs, lack of training
  • Tools and Software for Accurate Tracking:
    • Overview of popular software or tools used for construction cost tracking.
Analyzing Job Costs for Better Decision Making
  • How to Interpret Job Cost Data:
    • Understanding cost reports and trends.
    • What are the key indicators we’re looking for.
  • Key Metrics to Monitor:
    • Cost-to-complete, variance reports, and profit margin analysis.
  • Making Data-Driven Adjustments:
    • Adjusting processes based on cost analysis
Tips for Contractors to Master Job Costing
  • Practical Tips to Improve Cost Tracking:
    • Training the team, improving communication, leveraging technology.
  • Integrating Cost Tracking with Project Management:
    • Ensuring cost data informs broader project decisions.

Agenda

Overview of Construction Contracts
  • Why contracts are essential to project success.
  • The impact of well-drafted contracts on profitability and risk management.
Key Terms Every Contractor Should Know
  • Overview of crucial terms such as scope of work, payment terms, and schedule.
  • How these terms impact your rights and obligations.
Common Contract Clauses and Their Implications
  • Indemnity clauses: What they mean and how they can impact your business.
  • Liquidated damages: Understanding their purpose and negotiating reasonable terms.
  • Change orders: Ensuring clarity and reducing disputes.
  • Termination clauses: Protecting yourself against unfair termination.
Negotiating Construction Contracts
  • Tips for negotiating contracts to minimize risk and maximize profit.
  • Understanding leverage points and how to use them effectively.
Identifying and Avoiding Contractual Pitfalls
  • Common mistakes contractors make when reviewing contracts.
  • How to spot and address red flags before signing.
Implementing Proactive Contract Management
  • Best practices for staying on top of your contractual obligations.
  • How to track compliance with key contract provisions.
Actionable Tips for Contractors
  • Practical advice for improving contract review and negotiation skills.
  • Leveraging professional advice when needed to safeguard your business.
Q&A Session

Agenda

The Future of Construction Finance: AI’s Role
  • Explore the current state of construction finance and how AI is driving innovation in project cost management and payroll.
Revolutionizing Project Cost Management with AI
  • Leveraging AI to streamline budgeting and forecasting
  • Predictive analytics for better cost control and risk management
Simplifying Payroll & Compliance with AI
  • How AI-driven payroll systems reduce administrative burden
  • Real-time compliance tracking with AI technology
AI Tools in Action
  • Live demo of AI tools developed by Lumber and Premier
Q&A Session

Agenda

Introduction
  • Who I Am & How I Got Here: Not an attorney—learned contracts by necessity.
  • Why Contracts Matter: It's not if something goes wrong, it's when—prevention is cheaper than fixing a dispute later.
  • You Don’t Need to Be a Lawyer: Knowing your work + contract basics = great business management.
Key Contract Red Flags (with Scenarios & Best Practices)
  • Insurance: Verify contract requirements match your policy before signing.
  • Payment Terms: Watch for unreasonable payment terms, retainage, and offsets.
  • Right to Stop Work: Ensure you can stop work for non-payment.
  • Terminations & Suspensions: Avoid termination without compensation, with or without cause.
  • Indemnity: Limit your liability to what you control.
  • Notice Requirements: Extend strict notice periods.
  • Delay Remedies: Protect yourself from liability on expected delays.
  • Liquidated Damages: Narrow the application of LDs.
  • Consequential Damages: Exclude special, indirect, or consequential damages.
  • Hazardous/Concealed Conditions: Disclaim responsibility for pre-existing issues.
  • Dispute Resolution: Ensure reasonable dispute locations.
  • Flow Down Clauses: Have you read your whole contract or complied with all of it?
  • Scope Check: Check the scope and anything that could expand it without your say so in the t’s and c’s.
Conclusion
  • Final Tips: Read your contracts, make a checklist, and stay curious!

Agenda

Construction-Specific Tax Challenges
  • Mobile workforce complexities across jurisdictions
  • Industry-specific compliance pitfalls
  • Cost impact of non-compliance
Streamlining Multi-State Tax Operations
  • Navigate the complexities of multi-state operations with confidence.
  • Learn how to efficiently manage compliance across various jurisdictions, ensuring you're meeting each state’s unique tax requirements while minimizing risk and maximizing operational efficiency.
Automating Compliance and Reporting
  • Learn how technology can streamline compliance and reporting processes to save time and reduce errors.
  • Manage multi-state withholding seamlessly.
  • Automate certified payroll and prevailing wage compliance.
  • Simplify digital documentation for faster, accurate reporting.
Leveraging Real-Time Data for Strategic Decisions
  • Learn how accessing live data helps you make informed, proactive tax decisions.
Q&A Session

Agenda

Identifying Hidden Costs
  • Discover the common areas where construction businesses overspend, from materials to insurance, and how to spot savings opportunities.
Negotiation Strategies That Work
  • Learn how to renegotiate vendor contracts, optimize supplier relationships, and get the best deals without sacrificing quality.
Streamlining Operations for Profitability
  • Explore ways to improve efficiency, reduce waste, and implement cost-saving processes in day-to-day operations.
How to Get Started with Cost Reduction
  • Practical steps to assess your business expenses, take control of costs, and build a more profitable, financially stable company.
Q&A Session

Speakers

Expert Guest
Burt Gesner
Head of U.S. Business Development,
Keeyns
Keeyns

Burt Gesner is responsible for driving Keeyns’ growth strategy and expanding Keeyns’ presence in the U.S. market. Burt joined the team in 2024 and brings significant client-focused experience in the Financial Services sector from across a variety of industries, including Heavy Equipment and Construction Services. His focus is on identifying new market opportunities and enhancing customer engagement, so that Keeyns can develop tailored solutions in order to meet the evolving needs of its clients. His goal is to make Keeyns the ‘gold standard’ of collaboration and compliance in the tax industry.

Lumber
Peter Lukovits
Account Executive,
Lumber
Lumber

Peter Lukovits is an Account Executive at Lumber, bringing his background in Finance and Tech to help deliver cutting edge solutions for the Construction Industry. Peter joined the Lumber team in 2024 as and SDR, and has since grown into a role as an AE where he leads client-facing discussions to uncover the root of inefficiencies in the back office and the field. Peter has a strong focus on identifying new opportunities, managing client relationships, and providing his expertise in ConTech for those in need. Peter is based in Norwich VT, where he enjoys his time playing golf, fly fishing, skiing, and jamming on his guitar.

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