The US Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments in March in a case that could provide more clarity on freight brokers' liability. The dispute centers on whether the selection of a motor carrier is a core broker "service" under the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act, which would preempt claims of broker negligence in choosing an unsafe carrier. The case is reaching the high court amid carriers' concerns about the adequacy of the requirement for freight brokers to have a $75,000 bond in place.

President Donald Trump signed a $1.2 trillion spending package to end the federal government's partial shutdown that began on Saturday. The spending deal, which lawmakers struck on Thursday, separates Department of Homeland Security funding from the main appropriations bill, allowing departments crucial to construction -- including Defense, Labor, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development -- to remain funded.

The Canadian Construction Documents Committee has updated four standard contracts to reflect recent legislative changes and modernize project delivery. Key changes include the introduction of the "Ready-for-Takeover" milestone, revised prompt payment requirements, progressive release of holdback and termination for convenience. The new versions of the forms also update insurance and liability provisions and provide clarity about preconstruction services in construction management projects.

A federal court recently ruled that an insurer is not required to defend or indemnify a general contractor for damages related to defective work on a Navy project. The ruling highlights the need for contractors to avoid noncoverage by understanding the details of their commercial general liability policies, "including the nuances of policy definitions, obtaining insurer consent when necessary, and allocation between covered and uncovered claims," two attorneys write.

Constant availability, the belief in a universal success blueprint and the need for complete information before making decisions are three productivity myths that contribute to burnout, a human-performance expert writes. One beneficial change that leaders can make is resetting their priorities weekly, an author says. "Saying yes to every opportunity fractures focus, erodes decision quality and disconnects you and your team from purpose," she says.

Construction contractors will continue to face challenges and uncertainty in 2026. This NASBP Blog post, from law firm Gould & Ratner LLP, reviews the issues facing the construction industry, including tariffs, supply chain issues and labor constraints. The authors offer tips to overcome these obstacles. They note that construction contractors should be well-informed on the challenges they face and seek to address them using contract terms. Contractors who have flexibility and can pivot if something is not working will be able to steer through the current obstacles. Read more.

Registration for the 2026 NASBP Annual Meeting & Expo is now open! The NASBP Annual Meeting & Expo will be held May 17-20 at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colo. The meeting will kick off on Sunday, May 17, with a welcome reception. Monday and Tuesday will include networking opportunities and informative general sessions. The NASBP Golf Tournament will be on Tuesday on the two iconic Broadmoor golf courses, and there will be a free Texas Hold 'em-themed event for those not golfing. The meeting's final event will be an evening at the Broadmoor's Cheyenne Mountain Lodge. Visit the NASBP Annual Meeting website for agenda details, the current attendee list, nearby hotel information and to register. Direct questions via email to Bethany Jones, NASBP Meeting Planning Consultant. Register today!

Learn more about Progressive Design-Build (PDB), why it is growing in popularity and what risks to look out for in this upcoming NASBP-supported ConsensusDocs webinar. Join "Progressive Design-Build: Concerns, Opportunities, and Latest Twists" at 2 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday, Feb. 24. The webinar will cover the benefits and drawbacks of using PDB and will share strategies for fairly allocating risks and addressing risk exposure. The presenters will review the new ConsensusDocs standard form contract addressing PDB and give tips on implementing the new form. The webinar costs $79. Register today! For more information about NASBP's active role as an endorsing member of ConsensusDocs, visit the NASBP website.

Insuring data center construction projects has become increasingly complex, as the scale and speed of such projects lead to large exposures and unique risks, insurance and brokerage leaders say. "When you have so many insurance parties participating, it becomes a bigger challenge to line up everybody," because "everybody, at the end of the day, needs to be on the same page and offer one set of terms," an engineering underwriter says.