true.  I don't know much about the business of heavy construction.  and naïve about the ins and outs, but it just irks me that big business - knife river is huge- just blatantly says we're gonna make someone else pay.  Knife river is a nationwide company - so to power play  one specific area is baloney.  that cost would be minimal in the scheme of things.  they want all the perks associated with getting contracts for big project construction and pay as little as possible letting mid size business carry the burden.    BTW,  the "2.5%" is  of  what ?  the whole contracted amount? or just the portion that impacts that specific business?  I am not doing any fact checking here (already starting work  - slowly obviously...) so am asking you who loves to "dig"  :) - what are the winning bids for some of our more noticeable civic projects that knife river has done?  overruns? +++as a consumer, my only power is who I spend my money.  it is the bottom line.  guess i can't for this project.