Join us on January 27, 2026 at the Virginia General Assembly.
Participants will observe and participate in the legislative advocacy process by spending the day at the Virginia General Assembly. The itinerary will include meeting with elected officials and lobbyists, observing proceedings during the House/Senate Floor Session(s), and witnessing/participating in House/Senate (Sub)Committee Meetings.
Earns 6.5 LUs
The AIA Virginia PAC is one of the sharpest tools in our advocacy toolkit. The AIA Virginia PAC Award celebrates the engagement and commitment of a local AIA component that supports the advancement and mission of the PAC. The winning component goes home with $1,000 cash for Architecture Week/Month and the award trophy will be presented at Architecture Exchange East in November.
And the winner for 2025 is … AIA Coastal Virginia. Congratulations!!!
Final Results:
90 points AIA Coastal Virginia
60 points AIA Central Virginia
20 points AIA Blue Ridge
20 points AIA Richmond
0 points AIA Northern Virginia
Points are accrued in three areas: local component Board participation, the percentage of local component’s membership who have invested in the PAC, and the total amount of money invested by the members of the local component.
Make your investment today at www.aiavapac.org
How AIA Virginia Addresses Procurement Violations through Violation Letters
AIA Virginia plays a critical role in advocating for fair and lawful procurement practices across the Commonwealth. Among its most effective tools for addressing questionable or illegal language in Requests for Proposals (RFPs) is the procurement violation letter – a discreet yet impactful mechanism for safeguarding the rights of architectural professionals.
The Problem: Procurement Violations in RFPs
AIA Virginia is routinely alerted by vigilant members (thank you!) to RFPs that appear to violate the Virginia Public Procurement Act (VPPA). These violations often involve:
Such language directly conflicts with Virginia law, which explicitly prohibits procurement of architectural and engineering services based on fee and renders indemnification/duty-to-defend requirements illegal and unenforceable.
Most violations stem from a misunderstanding of Qualifications-Based Selection (QBS). QBS mandates that professional services (like architecture) must not be procured based on fee. When fee becomes a factor, or when RFPs contain clauses requiring architects to indemnify or defend the client, AIA Virginia steps in.
Our Approach: Discreet, Effective Advocacy
When alerted to a problematic RFP, AIA Virginia prepares a procurement violation letter – sent without attribution to the reporting member. These letters are direct, legally grounded, and educational in tone. Their purpose is twofold:
Results: Compliance
In many cases, a violation letter is enough to trigger a quick correction. This most often takes the form of a revised RFP or an addendum. However, compliance is not always immediate, especially when it involves duty-to-defend clauses, which are more contentious and less understood by some procurement officers.
From Advocacy to Law: Legislative Wins
Our advocacy doesn’t stop with letters. The power of AIA Virginia’s advocacy is evidenced by real change, including the successful passage of legislation strengthening the enforcement of QBS principles and eliminating indemnification requirements in professional service contracts.
Thanks to these efforts:
Guidance to Firms: What You Can Do
If you receive or review an RFP that contains questionable language:
Final Word: Advocacy Works and It’s Ongoing
While violation letters may seem simple, they represent a powerful form of professional advocacy – one that protects firms, elevates the profession, and ensures public procurement adheres to the law. Thanks to AIA Virginia’s continued efforts, members can rest assured that their rights are being defended – one letter at a time.
Voting is one of the most powerful ways to make your voice heard and help shape the future of your community, your state, and your profession. Citizen-Architects vote. And every vote contributes to decisions that impact us all. If you’re eligible, take a few minutes to check your registration, learn about the issues, and make a plan to vote. Whether early, by mail, or on Election Day — your participation matters.
Key Dates for the 4 NOV 2025 Elections in Virginia
Additional information can be found here: https://www.elections.virginia.gov/registration/
The PAC Award Challenge continues for 2025. It’s time to celebrate the engagement and commitment of a local AIA component that supports the advancement and mission of the PAC; one of the sharpest tools in our advocacy toolkit.
Points are accrued in three areas: local component Board participation, the percentage of local component’s membership who have invested in the PAC, and the total amount of money invested by the members of the local component. Points are allocated as follows:
Current Leaderboard:
AIA Central Virginia – 60 points
AIA Coastal Virginia – 60 points
AIA Richmond – 30 points
AIA Northern Virginia – 0 points
AIA Blue Ridge – 20 points
Scoring will close on Friday, October 10, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. EST. The winning component goes home with $1,000 cash for Architecture Week/Month and the award trophy at Architecture Exchange East in November. AIA Central Virginia is the reigning champ, but it’s a new competition – we’ll see who prevails. And if you need additional inspiration, in this same issue of the newsletter, Patrick Cushing, our retained lobbyist, shares his perspective on the importance of the PAC.
Georgie Márquez-André, AIA of Andre + Marquez Architects, Inc., in Portsmouth was reappointed to the Secure and Resilient Commonwealth Panel. The Panel’s primary focus is emergency management and homeland security within the Commonwealth – to ensure that prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery programs, initiatives, and activities, both at the state and local levels, are fully integrated, suitable, and effective in addressing risks from man-made and natural disasters.
Congratulations Georgie. Thank you for your continued service.
With recent appointee Harry Falconer, FAIA, joining Helene Combs Dreiling, FAIA, and Tim Colley, AIA, members of AIA Virginia now occupy all three of the architecture seats on the APELSCIDLA Board. We are also happy to announce that Tim Colley, AIA, has been installed as Vice-Chair of the Board, and is anticipated to be promoted to Chair next year. Thank you, Tim, Helene, and Harry, for your dedicated service to the regulation of our profession.
We are further pleased to report that the recommendations of the APELSCIDLA work group appointed to develop a set of regulations related to the proposed alternate path to the architecture education requirements were approved by the full APELSCIDLA Board at its August meeting. Those regulations now advance to be incorporated into the forthcoming regulatory updates. The new path is expected to be fully established and available to aspirants in May 2026. We continue to receive appreciation, and eagerness, from those who will benefit from this change; and we look forward to their progress towards licensure and their beneficial impact on our profession.
The PAC Award Challenge continues for 2025. It’s time to celebrate the engagement and commitment of a local AIA component that supports the advancement and mission of the PAC; one of the sharpest tools in our advocacy toolkit.
Points are accrued in three areas: local component Board participation, the percentage of local component’s membership who have invested in the PAC, and the total amount of money invested by the members of the local component. Points are allocated as follows:
Current Leaderboard:
AIA Central Virginia – 60 points
AIA Coastal Virginia – 60 points
AIA Richmond – 30 points
AIA Northern Virginia – 10 points
AIA Blue Ridge – 10 points
Scoring will close on Friday, October 10, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. EST. The winning component goes home with $1,000 cash for Architecture Week/Month and the award trophy at Architecture Exchange East in November. AIA Central Virginia is the reigning champ, but it’s a new competition – we’ll see who prevails. And if you need additional inspiration, in this same issue of the newsletter, Patrick Cushing, our retained lobbyist, shares his perspective on the importance of the PAC.
AIA Virginia and ACEC Virginia Collaborate with DGS to Revise Contract Standards for A/E Services
ACEC Virginia and AIA Virginia have been actively working with the Virginia Department of General Services (DGS) to update and clarify the standards that govern the procurement and execution of Architecture and Engineering (A/E) services in the Commonwealth. This collaboration has resulted in key updates to the CO-3a Terms and Conditions of the A/E Contract, directly addressing concerns from the A/E community.
Key Revisions and Improvements Include:
Additional revisions pertain to requirements for additional insurance, HR training, etc. Members would do well to review the documents in their entirety. For your convenience, a comparative text document highlighting the recent revisions can be accessed here>>. To view the updated CO-3a Terms and Conditions in their full and official form, visit the DGS Forms Center at https://dgs.virginia.gov.
We appreciate the willingness of DGS leadership to listen and respond to the concerns of industry. We also appreciate the willingness of our members to voice their concerns, apply their expertise and experience, and propose, consider, and refine alternatives.
This successful collaboration highlights the value of continued dialogue between key stakeholders and the A/E industry. Through this work, ACEC Virginia and AIA Virginia continue to advocate for the interests of our members and our professions.
Please continue to keep us apprised of issues that affect our practice and industry. Alert us to issues and/or stakeholders that need to be addressed. We remain committed to the cause and are eager to advocate on your behalf.
The PAC Award Challenge continues for 2025. It’s time to celebrate the engagement and commitment of a local AIA component that supports the advancement and mission of the PAC; one of the sharpest tools in our advocacy toolkit.
Points are accrued in three areas: local component Board participation, the percentage of local component’s membership who have invested in the PAC, and the total amount of money invested by the members of the local component. Points are allocated as follows:
Current Leaderboard:
AIA Central Virginia – 60 points
AIA Coastal Virginia – 50 points
AIA Richmond – 30 points
AIA Northern Virginia – 20 points
AIA Blue Ridge – 10 points
Scoring will close on Friday, October 10, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. EST. The winning component goes home with $1,000 cash for Architecture Week/Month and the award trophy at Architecture Exchange East in November. AIA Central Virginia is the reigning champ, but it’s a new competition – we’ll see who prevails. And if you need additional inspiration, in this same issue of the newsletter, Patrick Cushing, our retained lobbyist, shares his perspective on the importance of the PAC.
