In spite of a major initiative to eliminate wasteful spending on technology and another effort to streamline procurement processes for IT projects, the federal government will likely spend at least $81 billion on information technology in 2012. That is a lot of taxpayer money, but even so, it is less than in previous years.

With a relentless focus on reducing technology spending, numerous procurement officials joined to create a report that should be of interest to state and local public officials as well as government contractors. The report outlined nine critical success factors found in IT procurement initiatives over the last two years. With outsourcing, privatization, consolidation and public-private partnerships becoming more common each week, success factors are of high interest.

Aimed at connecting housing with jobs, quality local schools, transportation

Shelley Poticha

Nearly $96 million in 2011 Sustainable Communities Grants through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) are headed to more than 50 communities and organizations throughout the nation. The grants are intended to assist communities and regions by helping improve their economic competitiveness by connecting housing opportunities with jobs, quality schools and transportation.

Among the recipients is the City of Boston, which will be awarded $1.865 million for its Fairmount Line Smart Growth Corridor Project. The project includes planning and land acquisition to facilitate mixed-use and transit-oriented development along the Fairmount Commuter Rail Line, in conjunction with the construction of four new stations and upgrades to existing stations. In Texas, the City of Austin Neighborhood and Development Office will be awarded $3 million for its Colony Park Sustainable Community Pilot, a proposed master planned, 208-acre development that will incorporate best practice strategies for energy-efficient building design, water conservation and zero-waste technology and standards to create a model sustainable and livable mixed-use, mixed-income community.

"The demand for sustainability grants is very high; we would have needed $500 million to fund all proposals we received this year." said HUD Office of Sustainable Housing Communities (OSHC) Director Shelley Poticha.

A sampling of the entities receiving grants include:

• City of Phoenix, $2.93 million Community Challenge Grant;
• Metropolitan Transportation Commission of Oakland, California, $4.99 million Regional Planning Grant;
• City of Seattle, $2.99 million Community Challenge Grant;
• Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, Economic Development Corp., $3.4 million Regional Planning Grant;
• City of Henderson, Nevada, Department of Community Development, $3.488 million Regional Planning Grant; and
• East Central Florida Regional Planning Council (Altamonte Springs), $2.4 million Regional Planning Grant.

To view the complete list of recipients, click here and look under "Recent Reports."

The Community Challenge Grants are awarded to both large and small communities to address local challenges to integrating transportation and housing. The Regional Planning Grant program encourages grantees to support regional planning efforts that integrate housing, land-use, economic and workforce development, transportation and infrastructure developments that will create jobs and economic opportunities. It places a priority on partnerships. The grants are expected to result in $115 million in matching and in-kind contributions. To view a complete summary of each grant, click here and look under "Recent Reports."

Three major organizations urge restoring $2.95 billion feds removed from program

Also wants new limit on purchases made without competitive bid process

Jeff Atwater

Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater is seeking more control over the billions of dollars spent on contracts. He has asked lawmakers for authority to approve or reject state contracts before they are signed and seeks to put a limit on what state agencies can purchase without a competitive bid process.

Atwater's request comes after Gov. Rick Scott earlier this year suspended all state contracts of more than $1 million until they could be reviewed by the Governor's Office. While most state agencies report to the governor and not the CFO, Atwater writes the checks and can block payments he finds questionable or illegal.

A spokesperson for his office alleged that some state contracts are ambiguous, are approved by state employees without having proper documentation and that there are not strong enough or strict enough penalties for work that does not meet the contract requirements. The spokesperson said Atwater wants stricter performance standards in sate contracts and also wants to see state employees undergo contract management training.

$4.6 million in construction projects planned for California school district

Several Rim of the World schools in California are the object of upcoming modernization programs. At a recent meeting, the schools' architect went over the status of current construction projects and gave an overview of work that is remaining at other schools. Among the projects on the drawing board are a $400,000 electric service upgrade at an elementary school, a $536,000 expenditure for playground upgrades at two elementaries and one kindergarten, approximately $745,000 for repaving a play area at an elementary school, about $300,000 for garage modifications and approximately $250,000 for a renewable energy project at Rim High School that would likely include both solar panels and wind turbines. Another major modernization project is a $4.2 million upgrade to an intermediate school. Other projects include installing a new fire alarm system for the school. Other upcoming modernization plans include $1.2 million for the Charles Hoffman Elementary, $1 million for the Grandview Elementary, $1.485 million for Valley of Enchantment Elementary and $2 million worth of technology upgrades districtwide. 

Miami-Dade shooting for wireless connectivity in schools throughout district

Alberto Carvalho

Officials of the Miami-Dade school district are hoping to have all the schools in the district wireless by the start of the next school year. Superintendent Alberto Carvalho has begun an effort to make sure all 350 of the district's schools have wireless access, a noble undertaking since only about 20 of the schools currently have the service. Carvalho plans to raise $7 million from the South Florida community and to also apply for a federal grant that would match the district's funds 10-1, which would mean as much as $70 million for the project. "This will go a long way to closing the digital divide," said Carvalho. The district previously built an online portal to allow students access to information and content. Another program provided laptops and Internet access for students. Wireless campuses will help complete projects officials feel will change the way students learn.

New York school district has list of upgrades following project approval

An $11.4 million capital improvements project has been approved by residents of the Pine Valley, New York, School District. As a result, many of the buildings in the district will soon undergo upgrades and rehabilitation. Included in the spending will be development of a new water well, construction of a water well building and development of a gas well. The junior and senior high schools and elementary schools will get driveways and parking lots. Other projects include upgrades in classroom and gymnasium lights at the elementary school to energy efficient lights, replacing the HV system in the high school gym, replacing outdated electrical systems and panels, replacing the pool pak and pool cover in the high school and converting the pool from chlorine to a salt system.

 

Pennsylvania university preparing for new $200 million student housing project

A $200 million student housing project will soon be under construction at Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania. The first phase of the project includes the development of three new on-campus buildings that will accommodate more than 900 students. The three-phase project is part of the long-range plan to update and upgrade existing housing options and provide more modern facilities for students. The first phase is expected to be completed in January 2013. The entire project is expected to be completed by summer 2015. The first phase includes two residential facilities, north and south. They will include semi-suite and full-suite floor plans. One of the north buildings will include a 13,000-square-foot wellness center and the southside building will be home of the university's Honors program. After those buildings are completed, older ones will be razed.

 

Ohio school district rejects bids for stadium renovations, will try again

Mark Knapp

For the second time, officials in the Wheelersburg (Ohio) Local School District have rejected all bids for a proposed $1.9 million renovation of Ed Miller Stadium. Ohio code provides that if bids exceed the construction estimate by more than 10 percent, they must be rejected. The school district rejected all bids for that reason in June and recently rejected all bids a second time. "The bids we received were 17 percent above estimates," said Superintendent Mark Knapp of the second rejection. The project includes new home bleachers, press box, field house, concession stand and public restroom renovations. The board has authorized the superintendent to again advertise for bids. Knapp said after the first rejection of bids, school officials looked closer at the scope of the project and tried to identify ways to cut costs. 
 

Oregon school district seeking to privatize transportation operation
Officials of the Willamina (Oregon) School Board have authorized their superintendent to seek proposals for privatization of its transportation operation. Officials are borrowing from neighboring Sheridan district, using the same request for proposal that district used as its model, to seek would-be contractors. Proposals will be accepted through Jan. 26 at 3 p.m. They will be evaluated by a committee, which will make its recommendation to the board. If a contract is awarded, the private sector provider would take over June 4, after the end of the current school year.

 

Massachusetts school district voters approve $128M school replacement project
Voters in Duxbury, Massachusetts, have approved a $128 million project that will mean replacement of the town middle and high schools. As a result, officials are now seeking to firm up the design for the facilities. They hope to have a construction contractor in place in time to break ground next July. An architectural firm has already come up with a schematic design. Final design of the interior - including furniture choices, electricity and plumbing - are the next step. Construction bids are expected to be sought in May. Officials are shooting for a fall 2014 opening date. The design includes a single connected building that shares core facilities in the middle with the classrooms for middle school students on one side and the ones on the other end for high school students. The core area will feature a 300-seat auditorium, a "black box" theater space, music practice rooms, a library, art rooms, a cafeteria with separate areas for the high schoolers and middle schoolers. The new facility will replace a 1960s-era high school and middle schools. 

 

John Mica

Lawmaker pushing for privatization of transportation security officers

U.S. Rep. John Mica is pushing for making transportation security officers who screen passengers and baggage at American airports employees of private sector companies. Mica, who chairs the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, says he does not think the United States government should employ those workers. Mica recently outlined a report he issued with Rep. Darrell Issa of California that calls for moving airport screening operations to private contractors who would be under the supervision of the federal government. Issa chairs the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.   

 

Oklahoma airports awarded grants for infrastructure projects

Two Oklahoma airports have been awarded grants administered by the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission. The funds will be use to help complete infrastructure projects. The McAlester Regional Airport will receive $1.9 million for its airport runway project. Another grant - $1.8 million from the federal government - and nearly $50,000 provided by the city make up the remainder of the funding. The Frederick Municipal Airport will receive a $9,225 grant to replace a regulator that controls the lights on the runway. The city will provide a little over $1,000 in matching funds for the project.

 

Variety of contracting opportunities available in El Paso area

Numerous contracting opportunities are available for a variety of services and products in the El Paso area. They include:

• El Paso Community College is seeking requests for qualifications for architectural services;
• The Texas Department of Transportation is requesting bids for local let maintenance contracts, Hudspeth County, janitorial/grounds maintenance;
• The David L. Carrasco Job Corps Center is requesting bids for security uniforms;
• The University of Texas at El Paso is requesting bids for biodiesel fuel fiscal year 2011-2012; and
• The Texas Department of Family & Protective Services is requesting bids for blanket contract - printing - custom No. 5746 9x12 white woven window envelopes.

Farmington officials list civic center upgrades atop capital improvement list

Rob Mayes

City officials recently presented the Farmington (New Mexico) City Council with its wish list of capital improvements, and atop the list is a remodel of the city's Civic Center. The aging building is said to turn away hundreds of possible bookings annually because the facilities are outdated and there are not enough technology options in its meeting rooms. Those same officials suggested using the city's 408 capital improvements fund. The fund balance currently is $3.7 million. City Manager Rob Mayes said the fund is the city's "capital improvements savings account" for "one-time capital expenditures." The proposed 15,000-square-foot remodel would make the facility more fit for technology-rich seminars and conferences. It would also include an updated ballroom-style facility for hosting events. "We want to transform the gym-like exhibit hall into more of a modern ball room," said Mayes. Another proposal for the facility is the addition of three new exhibit halls.

 

New Mexico has variety of contracts available for private sector

A number of contracting opportunities are available from government entities in New Mexico. They include:

• New Mexico Tech is requesting bids for role player support;
• New Mexico Tech is requesting bids for filters;
• Las Cruces School District is requesting bids for fertilizer, herbicide and grass seed;
• The Gadsden Independent School District is requesting bids for partial re-roofing at four schools; and
• Doņa Ana County is requesting bids for ammunition for the Doņa Ana County Sheriff's Office.

City, county in New Mexico to discuss mutual legislative funding priorities

Robert Garza

Las Cruces City Council and Dona Ana County commissioners were to have met this week to discuss mutual legislative funding priorities. Among the highest priority projects are a crisis triage center, a new facility for Mesilla Valley Regional Dispatch Authority and an East Mesa public safety complex. The triage center carries an estimated price tag of $2.5 million with operating costs estimated at $1.5 million. The Mesilla Valley facility, said Las Cruces City Manager Robert Garza, would "provide quality, reliable systems and protected communications linkages to ensure continued operation, especially during inclement weather." It would include construction of a new police station and a fire substation. The city has a $1 million budget to proceed with the design of the proposed complex in order to secure construction funds as the next step. Officials say the police and fire substations would be about $9 million.

 

Massachusetts looks forward to $3.4 billion in state capital spending

State capital spending in Massachusetts should reach $3.4 billion by next July, with the money dedicated to spending on new research centers and hospitals, campus improvements and new transportation projects. The money is in state bond funds allocated for the year and part of it will be used to help complete the $400 million, 440,000-square-foot Albert Sherman Center for life science research at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. The state also will soon go out for bids on the $140 million replacement bridge over Lake Quinsigamond on Rt.9; will pay $65 million toward completion of the $302 million Worcester State Psychiatric Hospital; pay $700,000 for design of a new Health Science and Athletic Center at Worcester State University that will lead to the construction of a $40 million to $50 million campus complex; and pay $127,000 to plan a new academic building at Quinsigamond Community College.

 

Want to know who your competition is? Who was awarded the contract on a particular project? Below are listed some recent winners of major government contracts: 

• Balfour Beatty Communities LLC was awarded a deal valued at $72.8 million in development costs as the highest-ranked bidder to privatize the military housing for 858 military families at Dyess Air Force Base in Texas and Moody Air Force Base in Georgia.
• Sterling Construction Co., Inc. was awarded a contract for $44.6 million by the California Department of Transportation for reconstruction of seven miles of road on I-5 in Syskiyou County.
• Horizon Group was awarded a $1.595 million contract by the City of Deer Park, Texas, for renovations and expansion of the Deer Park public library. 
• Hensel Phelps Construction Co. was awarded a $31.1 million contract to build a 57,000-square-foot building at Fort Benning, Georgia, to be used to repair and maintain battlefield vehicles and equipment and as a training facility.
• GSC Construction was awarded a $5.3 million contract to turn 3.5 miles of gravel road into a concrete tank trail at Fort Benning, Georgia.
• Wolfforth's Utility Contractors of America was awarded a $2,074,508 contract by the City of Lubbock for phase one of the utility duct system and putting utilities underground.
• Anthony & Gordon Construction Inc. was awarded a $7.9 million contract for construction of a 40,000-square-foot facility for issuing clothing and equipment to troops in basic training, advanced infantry and armor training at Fort Benning, Georgia.
• Michael Baker Jr., Inc. a unit of Michael Baker Corp., has been awarded a $12.26 million contract from the New Jersey Department of Transportation for the I-280/Route 21 Interchange Project in Newark that includes project management, roadway design, maintenance and protection of traffic plans, bridge design, geotechnical and foundation design, environmental permitting and utility engineering.
• Massaro Corp. has been awarded a $15.875 million contract for general construction of a new intermediate school for the South Fayette, Pennsylvania, schools.
• Eaton Corp. has been awarded a nine-year, $10.9 million contract by the New York Power Authority for a planned upgrade of the Niagara Power Project's Lewiston Pump Generating Plant.
• Allied Builders of Brockport, has been awarded a general contractor contract for $11.169 million for construction of facilities for the Holley, New York, schools, part of an overall $22.2 million construction project. 
• Kiewit-Turner Joint Venture was awarded a $580 million contract for construction of the new 182-bed Denver, Colorado, VA Hospital and medical center.

Florida lawmaker pushing passage of P3 bill for state as 'job creation' bill

Trudi Williams

Calling it a "job creation bill," Florida lawmaker Rep. Trudi Williams is once again trying to get her bill regarding public-private partnerships (P3s) through the Florida Legislature. Williams contends that her bill will make it easier for contractors to build and operate public projects by providing a template for cities and counties to navigate partnerships between the government subdivision and the private sector. With many local governments strapped for cash, P3s could be the answer to their revenue shortage. The bill would require municipalities to set up procedures for entering into P3s. The bill also discourages using cost as the deciding factor on whether a project goes forward. It rather encourages consideration of "nonfinancial benefits" of proposed projects. Williams has firmly noted that the bill does not allow unsolicited proposals, which many fear would result in less competition for projects.

City of Santa Fe relying on P3 for another solar energy project

The City of Santa Fe is planning another renewable energy project, thanks to a public-private partnership. The city plans the installation of photovoltaic panels on two more city-owned buildings - the convention center and a composting facility at the wastewater treatment plant. The panels will be constructed by a private sector firm under a funding scenario that is a little different from others in the city. The city will lend the private business $462,000, which represents 60 percent of the $770,000 cost, with plans for repayment of the funds with 2 percent interest in 15-20 years. The private firm and its financial partner will retain ownership of the structures and be responsible for their operation. The city's take is cheaper power. These projects differ from others in that the city will keep cash generated by payments for Renewable Energy Credits by Public Service Co. of New Mexico.

 

Mississippi city studies P3s after bond issue for city facilities proposal rejected

Parker Wiseman

Officials in Starkville, Mississippi, recently heard a consultant describe how public-private partnerships (P3s) work, after city residents said no to a municipal facilities bond vote in September. Officials are looking for a way to construct necessary buildings without raising taxes. Officials heard about P3s most commonly being used for water and wastewater projects and transportation, but also heard how P3s are becoming a growing trend with many benefits. In many cases, said the consultant, not only does the use of a P3 keep tax increases at bay, but also often results in a better quality end product that is often completed quicker. Saying there seems to be "a lot of upside" in P3s, Mayor Parker Wiseman said tax increases and multi-million-dollar facility price tags create a "monumental challenge" for the city to pass a bond issue. "We've got to strive to meet a need that's widely recognized as important," he said, and "seek a way to fund without a tax increase." P3s, he said, are a way to both lower the cost and offer economic development opportunities.

 

Pennsylvania looking at possible vote on P3 legislation before end of 2011

A bill in the Pennsylvania State Legislature that would authorize public-private partnerships for management and maintenance of transportation assets could be voted on by the end of the year. Two bills have been filed in the House and Senate that promote P3s for management, upkeep and fee and toll collection of the state's highways, bridges and mass transit. Both have been voted out of committee and passage by the full House and Senate is expected. Gov. Tom Corbett is expected in the next few weeks to announce his transportation funding proposals. He has in the past been supportive of P3s.

 

Some contracting opportunities from across the country 

 Are you a government official who has moved into a new position or to a new agency? Did you recently retire? Were you recently named to an executive-level position at a state-supported college, university or community college? Have you secured a new job as superintendent of a public school? If so, we'd like to hear from you - and so would your friends and colleagues - for our "Where Are They Now" column. Just drop us a line at editor@spartnerships.com and let us know about your previous job and where you are now. This week we feature Steve Emanuel.

Steve Emanuel

Steve Emanuel graduated from Eastern College with a bachelor's degree in criminology and sociology in 1976. In 1977, he took his first corporate job as unit supervisor and division supervisor in the Assigned Risk Branch of CNA Insurance in Reading, Pennsylvania, staying with the company for nearly eight years. In 1993, he was named network coordinator for JCP&L Morristown GPU. From there, Emanuel went to General Public Utilities (GPU) as a site support manager. He then spent nine years as chief information officer with Amtrak, from 1998 to 2007. For the past four years, Emanuel has been in the position of chief information officer for Montgomery County, Maryland. He was recently named CIO for the state of New Jersey, effective Dec. 5. Emanuel will lead the New Jersey Office of Information Technology, with a staff of 720 and a $100 million annual budget. 

 

Blufton, Indiana, Mayor Ted Ellis (top left), who has served on the National League of Cities (NLS) Board of Directors from 2005-2007 and was elected the organization's First Vice President in 2010, has been named president of the organization. Penn State's Vice President and Provost Rodney A. Erickson (top middle), who has been serving as interim president of Pennsylvania State University since former President Graham B. Spanier was terminated amid a recent athletic department scandal, has been named permanent president of the university. Steve Abraira (top right), who has served more than 26 years in the Miami Fire Department and five years as head of the Dallas Fire Department and as head of the Palm Bay, Florida, unit, has been named chief of the Boston Fire Department, succeeding Ronald Keating, who retired in October after 41 years of service. Devon Skeele, who has more than three decades of varied experience in the Library of Congress, San Juan College and the New Mexico Museum of Art, has been named New Mexico State Librarian. Jim Pelletier, who has worked in the San Diego County Auditor's Office for the last four and a half years, including two as chief of audits, has been chosen as the new city auditor for Palo Alto, California. Three of Kansas City Public Schools' core Cabinet members - MiUndrae Prince, chief academic officer; Rebecca Lee-Gwin, chief financial officer; and Mary Esselman, chief curriculum officer - have announced they are leaving the district. Rami Zakaria (middle right), chief of e-Government and Business Services for Sacramento County's Department of Technology, has been named the county's new chief information officer. Phoenix's soon-to-be-former Mayor Phil Gordon (middle center) will take a job with a billionaire's health-research, nonprofit group that is in talks with city staff to redevelop and inexpensively rent two city-owned properties. Lee College in Baytown has announced the appointment of Dr. Dennis Brown (middle left), a 40-year veteran of El Paso Community College and vice president of instruction and chief academic officer there for a dozen years, as its new president, replacing Dr. Michael Murphy, who has resigned. Mayor Alvin Brown of Jacksonville, Florida, has chosen retired Maj. James Cole Cartledge as the city's director of Intra-Governmental Services and will report to the chief of staff. Scott W. Huth, who has served as the Public Services Director of the City of Coronado since 1995, has been appointed city manager of Del Mar, California. Calvin Burney, former president and CEO of a consulting firm specializing in transportation and land use planning, has been named planning director for the City of Jacksonville, Florida. The Lincoln University (Pennsylvania) Board of Trustees has elected Robert R. Jennings (bottom left), former president of Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University in Normal, Alabama, as the school's next president. Dr. Frank Chong (bottom middle), currently the deputy assistant secretary for community colleges at the U.S. Department of Education, will succeed Dr. Robert F. Agrella as superintendent and president of Santa Rosa Junior College. Oakland City Hall veteran Anne Campbell Washington (bottom right), former chief of staff to former Mayor Jerry Brown, has been chosen by Oakland Mayor Jean Quan as her chief of staff, replacing Deputy Mayor Sharon Cornu, who resigned. Silas Clark of Omaha, a former assistant grant administrator for the city and former high school director of the attendance collaborative at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, has been selected as city administrator for Hickman, replacing Brett Baker, who resigned to become Seward's new city administrator. Edward A. Broussard, who has been city manager for the City of Hutto, Texas, since 2005, has been chosen city manager for the City of Missouri City, Texas. Hillsborough, California, has named Capt. Mark O'Connor as its new police chief, replacing former current Chief Matt O'Connor, his brother, who is retiring after 30 years on the force.