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Contractors prepare for tougher 2026 as tariffs, labour shortages and policy uncertainty converge. GlobeNewswire Published Jun 08, 2026 Article content Dodge Construction Network and CMiC survey finds firms tightening bids, rethinking growth as costs rise and demand softens Article content Toronto, June 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) - A new survey of U.S. contractors conducted by Dodge Construction Network in partnership with CMiC, a leading construction ERP platform, reveals widespread concern over the impact of policy changes on both costs and project demand. As uncertainty grows, firms are becoming more selective in bidding, tightening contract terms and prioritizing margin-focused growth strategies. Tariffs are already affecting the industry, with 91 per cent of contractors reporting cost increases, and many expect further disruption as government policies continue to evolve. Article content Advertisement 1 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content As pressures mount, contractors are increasingly turning to technology to maintain efficiency and profitability. Among firms adopting AI-enabled tools, reported effectiveness gains range from 50 per cent to 100 per cent over previous methods. Automated proposal generation is rated 92per cent effective, contract risk review 86 per cent, and progress tracking using site photos 92 per cent, marking a shift from incremental improvement to measurable performance gains. Article content Top Stories Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Article content "Construction firms today are operating in a far more complex and constrained environment, where the margin for error continues to shrink," said Gord Rawlins, President and CEO of CMiC. "With tariffs impacting 91per cent of contractors and project pipelines slowing, financial visibility and operational agility are no longer optional and they are essential. At the same time, only a fraction of firms are fully leveraging technology, which represents a major gap. As AI continues to reshape how construction projects are delivered, CMiC remain committed to providing technology that keeps pace with industry demands, both within the US and globally." Article content Advertisement 2 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Key findings include: Article content * 84 per cent of contractors cite aggressive pricing competition as a major challenge, while 62 per cent report increasingly unfavorable contract terms as risk shifts downstream. * 65 per cent report schedule impacts due to skilled labour shortages, and 76 per cent identify retirements as a key driver of workforce attrition. * 91 per cent report tariff-related cost impacts, and an average of 72 per cent expect negative effects from policy changes. * 84 per cent expect inflation to reduce overall construction volume in 2026. * More than 80 per cent report compressed schedules and post-bid cost increases, 72 per cent cite rising project complexity, and 67 per cent face material availability challenges. * While AI tools deliver strong results, only about one-third of contractors are aware of these capabilities, and adoption remains significantly lower. * Despite challenges, 74 per cent of contractors say they are optimistic about their company's performance in 2026. Article content The findings highlight a persistent gap between awareness and adoption of AI, driven by barriers such as limited understanding, access and resources. They also underscore the growing importance of unified, high-quality data to support more predictive, data-driven decision-making. Advertisement 1 This advertisement has not loaded yet. Advertisement 2 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content For contractors using integrated platforms such as CMiC's NEXUS, AI capabilities are increasingly embedded in daily workflows, enabling natural language queries, automating routine tasks and identifying risks earlier, helping firms improve both project execution and financial performance. Article content About Dodge Construction Network Dodge Construction Network harnesses data, analytics, and industry connections to be the leading source of insights and opportunities in the commercial construction industry. With five trusted solutions - DCC, The Blue Book, Sweets, IMS, and Principia - Dodge connects construction professionals across all stages of the building process. Designed for both small teams and large enterprises, these tools simplify complexity, empowering you to build thriving businesses and communities. With over a century of experience, Dodge Construction Network is the catalyst for modern construction. To learn more, visit construction.com. Article content About CMiC As an industry pioneer, CMiC delivers complete and unified Financials and Project Management software solutions for construction and capital projects firms. CMiC's powerful software transforms how firms optimize productivity, minimize risk and drive growth by planning and managing all financials, projects, resources, and content assets - from a Single Database Platform(TM). With customers throughout North America and overseas, CMiC serves one-quarter of ENR's Top 400 Contractors and hundreds of small and mid-sized construction firms, from general and specialty contractors to heavy/highway and project owners. Over $100 billion in construction revenue is handled by CMiC annually. Article content Advertisement 2 This advertisement has not loaded yet. Quick Picks

How Komatsu East Saved 10,000 Hours with custom data. May 6, 2026 Heavy equipment sales depend heavily on timing. Connecting with a general contractor after a project breaks ground often means missing out on the deal entirely. Sales teams need early visibility into emerging projects to position themselves as the ideal equipment partner right from the start. This post explores how Komatsu East transformed their sales workflow, saving thousands of hours and uncovering new contractor relationships using personalized construction intelligence. Overcoming regional sales challenges. Kim Voorhees, Sales Support & Marketing Administrator at Komatsu East, faced a complex hurdle. She supports over 60 revenue-facing professionals across multiple states and product lines. Giving her team basic access to project data was insufficient. Her sales reps needed a clear, actionable view of exactly who was building and bidding in their specific territories. Sales professionals are notoriously busy, and if a software tool slows them down, they simply ignore it. Kim needed a system that delivered immediate, hyper-relevant project intelligence so her team could plan equipment needs long before construction crews arrived on site. A tailored solution for equipment sales. To solve this visibility gap, Komatsu East partnered with Dodge to implement a deeply customized approach. Dodge built specialized reporting tailored to each sales rep and their unique role. This provided early visibility into project activity, active bidders, and contractors across five states. To further streamline the workflow, Dodge created a daily "click-and-go" email report. Key updates arrive automatically, showing reps exactly who to contact and where to focus their energy each morning. Proactive refreshers and direct, one-on-one support helped new hires ramp up quickly while enabling veteran reps to maximize the platform. Measurable efficiency and growth. As Kim Voorhees noted, the reporting was built around how their people actually sell. This alignment generated impressive operational and financial wins: * 10,000+ Hours Saved: Team-wide, Komatsu East saves over ten thousand hours annually thanks to automated project tracking and personalized daily email delivery. * Targeted Expansion: Each sales rep identifies approximately 10 net-new contractor relationships every year using this targeted project intelligence. * Strengthened Loyalty: The team successfully maintains and strengthens 90% of their active customer relationships by staying ahead of ongoing project needs. Empower your sales team for success. Providing your sales team with the right data at the exact right moment creates a major competitive advantage. Komatsu East proved that highly personalized reporting drives massive time savings and sustained growth across a large organization. Are you looking to equip your own reps with actionable construction intelligence? Review your current data delivery methods and consider partnering with an intelligence provider to build a workflow that fits how your team actually sells.