01 Oct 2021

The ACEN News Circular for October 2021 outlines significant updates on council elections, administrative matters, and ongoing initiatives impacting members and the consulting engineering industry in Namibia.

1. General and Membership Updates:

   • New council members Cilliers Mostert, Blanche Hanstein-Kaber, and Erastus Haludilu were welcomed following the AGM.
   • Outgoing member Inge Duvenhage was thanked for her service.
   • Office hours remain 8:00–13:00, Monday to Friday.

2. Procurement Act – Industry Sub-Committee (ISC):
   A task group from the Ministry of Works and Transport (MWT) is consulting with the Ministry of Finance on standardizing terms of reference and resolving ambiguities in the Procurement Act. ACEN is expected to participate in future meetings.

3. Contractual Documentation – PROCSA:
   Updated versions of Annexure C Fee Scales for Engineers and Project Managers were distributed in July 2021. These documents will also be available on the ACEN website.

4. Standardized Fee Claim Template:
   A new Fee Claim Template will be introduced to ensure consistency in claims submission across the industry.

5. FIDIC Africa:

   • ACEN and FIDIC Africa are considering appointing mediators to handle disputes in the engineering sector.
   • Discussions are ongoing about improving accreditation for training courses and webinars.

6. Internship Incentive Program:

   • Member firms hosting interns are eligible for reimbursement based on a percentage of supervising engineers' costs.
   • Firms must submit a detailed report on the internship by February each year to claim this incentive.

7. Website and Social Media Engagement:

   • The ACEN website is updated regularly and functioning well.
   • ACEN’s Facebook and Instagram pages are used for interactive communication and promoting member firms.

8. Communication with MWT:

   • Following a meeting with the Deputy Minister of Works, ACEN sent a formal letter requesting updates on overdue deadlines.
   • Meeting notes were shared with members in August 2021.

9. FIDIC Documentation:

   • The final draft of the Annexure C Fee Scale for FIDIC contracts was circulated to members in August 2021.
   • The final document will be published on the ACEN website.

10. Membership Fees:

    • Membership fees for 2021/2022 were fully paid, totaling N$ 369,564.
    • Memberships of two firms were terminated due to non-payment.

Description:

The October 2021 newsletter reflects ACEN’s ongoing efforts to standardize practices, address procurement challenges, and support professional development through initiatives like the Internship Incentive Program. The newsletter also emphasizes increased member engagement via social media and highlights ACEN’s advocacy for its members in discussions with government stakeholders.