Public-private partnership (P3) engagements are the new norm! Governmental entities, lacking the funds needed to meet public needs, are reaching out to private sector contractors and bringing them along as partners for large projects.

A majority of the states (31 in all) have passed legislation enabling P3s and most of those states are aggressively courting potential private sector partners. The federal government chose not to establish a centralized system, but is instead allowing agencies to enact their own P3 processes. Because there is no standardized engagement process, P3 laws throughout the country are varied and diverse to say the least.

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Legislation geared toward ensuring more federal contracts for small businesses

Mike Coffman

With six contractor-friendly bills pushed out earlier this month, the House Small Business Committee is gearing up to debate another handful on Thursday. The bills address small business contracting and aim to ensure that more small businesses win federal contracts.

Rep. Mike Coffman of Colorado added to those bills this week with his bill that is intended to improve procurement training as a means of reducing fraud and ensuring that more cases are referred to the inspector general at the Small Business Administration. It increases the penalties for fraud involving companies that misrepresent their eligibility to compete for small business contracts.

One of the bills encourages partnerships between small businesses seeking to win federal contracts with others that have already been through the process and won awards. The Small Business Administration (SBA) would have oversight of more than a dozen federal mentorship programs, which it is hoped will allow small businesses to do business with multiple agencies.

Another of the bills seeks to expand the Women's Procurement Program that was designed to increase contracting opportunities for woman-owned businesses.

The appeals process for contract bundling - when a variety of small companies work together to bid on a contract to provide the goods or services sought - would be reworked by another of the bills to be taken up. Small businesses are often at a disadvantage when those that are bundled are subcontractors to large companies.

And finally, another of the bills would overhaul the SBA's reclassification of the standards it uses for determining if a company is indeed a small business. There are allegations that some smaller companies are being paired with larger companies that do not qualify as a small business, thus limiting some truly smaller companies from being able to compete for contracts.

The bills that pass out of committee will next head to the full House for debate. Chief among the previously passed bills was legislation that would increase the number of federal contracts awarded to small businesses. It would increase from 23 to 25 percent the contracting goal for small businesses. Supporters of that bill say that alone could result in $11 billion more in new work for small businesses.

Variety of back-office jobs could be bid out for private sector contracting

Chris Gregoire

Since giving Gov. Chris Gregoire authority to bid out back-office work, Washington State has been looking a lot closer at some of those jobs. State officials have until October to decide on whether more of the state's printing service should be contracted out to the private sector. The state also is considering whether to contract with the private sector for Web designers and state mail couriers. The new bill allows the governor to farm out up to six government functions every two years.

The print shop spends more than $8 million on printing that includes forms, business cards and other large orders. The debate is over whether the state print shop can complete the work there as efficiently as their counterparts in the private sector. The Web design accounts for $1.5 million. Taking over those duties will go out for bid in April and a decision is expected by July. Regarding state mail couriers, that service costs the state $700,000 per year. Bids will go out after late March and a decision is due in September.

Since the new authority was given to the governor, three state agencies already have been awarding competitive bids for printing needs - the Dairy Products Commission, the state lottery and the Secretary of State's Office. All but one of the bids went to private companies, with one being won by the state printer bid.

Mary Jane Saunders

Florida Atlantic University in line for new 600-bed residence hall

Florida Atlantic University's growing undergraduate population has resulted in the Board of Trustees approving construction of a new 614-bed residence hall. The $41.7 million project will be paid for through issuance of a bond that will be repaid with student rental fees. Not only are residence halls important for recruiting new students, said FAU President Mary Jane Saunders, but they also help with student retention. The facility could be as much as eight stories and is the university's ninth housing facility. It will up the number of beds available on campus to more than 4,200. The university's enrollment continues to grow in spite of frequent tuition increases, but university officials continue to look for ways to cut costs to make up for reduced funding provided by the state legislature.

 
New $50 million nursing facility approved for University of Michigan

A new $50 million facility has been approved for the University of Michigan. The facility will add approximately 75,000 square feet of space to the existing nursing school. The school currently operates out of a nearly 100-year-old building that is a former hospital. The new facility will include a clinical learning center with simulation and skill labs, simulated patient suites and some offices for faculty and administration. There will also be 125 parking spaces needed to support the facility, but officials are hopeful more students will use transit services to avoid adding to the parking dilemma.

Lower construction prices give North Carolina schools money for technology

Thanks to construction projects that have come in under budget, the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County school system in North Carolina has some extra funds to spend on technology. But the district is asking the campuses to invest in the technology as well through individual fundraisers. School officials have released $75,000 in funding for the project. Those campuses that receive federal Title 1 funding for schools in economically disadvantaged areas can use that funding toward their part of the cost-share. The system saved $5.6 million from a $250 million construction bond package approved in 2006. Officials expect the remainder of the funding after the technology funds are stripped out, to be used on a variety of other construction projects.

Kent State planning construction projects, upgrades to labs, facilities
At Kent State University, officials are planning to spend $170 million on projects that include upgrades to science labs and new facilities for the university's architecture, art and technology departments. The university's board of trustees voted to issue a $170 million bond to pay for the projects.

Northwest Ohio's crime forensics lab to be located at Bowling Green 

Mike DeWine

The new Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation laboratory will be built on the campus of Bowling Green University, announced Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine. The $1.7 billion funding in the state budget will be for construction projects statewide, including the lab. The lab will cost $11.9 million. No architectural plan has been conceived yet, but officials say they are looking at a space of about 35,000 to 40,000 square feet. The current space for the lab, which is leased, totals about 19,000 square feet. The facility will be built on campus property but state money that is backed by bonds would be funneled through the attorney general's office. There also is discussion afoot about adding a classroom setting in the facility. DeWine's vision is to have the state become a leader in forensic science. DeWine called the project a win-win situation to help train the next generation of forensic scientists and investigators. 
 

Ohio school district looking at five options for school construction
Middletown City Schools officials and taxpayers are looking at five possible options for construction or renovation of new middle schools and high schools. Option one is a $69 million effort to build a new high school and remodel the current high school for grades six through eight. Option two carries a $62 million price tag to build a new middle school for grades six through eight and renovate and expand the high school by 60,000 square feet. Option three would cost $49 million and would build a middle school for grades seven and eight while renovating and expanding the high school. Costing $54 million, option four would build a new high school and a new middle school for grades seven and eight. Option five would cost $55 million and would build a new school for grades seven through nine while renovating the high school. When the option to be used is finalized, 74 percent of the projects will be paid for by district residents and the remaining amount will be paid by the Ohio School Facilities Commission.

Fencing, International Sports Center to be built in San Antonio

A $3 million fencing center is being planned in San Antonio, to be paid for with $2 million from Bexar County's voter-approved Community Venues Program, which included $80 million for sports facilities. The remaining $1 million will come from the University of the Incarnate Word, which will operate the center. The center, which will be located at St. Anthony Catholic High School, is expected to be completed by late this year and available for NCAA fencing finals that have been awarded to the city in 2013 and 2014. The facility, as shown in the accompanying artist's rendering, will feature 20 fencing strips. It represents the 13th sports venue project funded through the Community Venues Program. Others that will benefit are baseball, softball, soccer, track and field, rugby, tennis and swimming.

City of Sacramento preparing to lease its parking system

The city of Sacramento is preparing to release a request for proposals to lease its more than 12,000-space parking system for up to 50 years. The city is seeking a minimum bid $245 million, although the assets are valued at only $185 million. The city is seeking the higher price to cover the majority of its $255.5 million contribution toward the $390.5 million cost of a new basketball arena in the city. The RFP should be released in the next five months. Thirteen firms responded to the request for qualifications and two of those were excluded because they were not qualified to bid. The city hopes to finalize a deal by the first quarter of next year. The parking system includes 7,200-space garage and 5,500 on-street metered parking spaces.

  

Variety of contracting opportunities available in El Paso area

A number of contracting opportunities are currently available in the El Paso area.

 

Some examples include:

• The Department of Veterans Affairs is requesting bids for warehouse lease in El Paso;
• The Department of Veterans Affairs is requesting bids for raise and realign project at Santa Fe National Cemetery;
• El Paso Community College is requesting bids for district-wide fire protection equipment and maintenance services;
• El Paso Community College is requesting bids for engineering services;
• Ysleta Independent School District is requesting bids for grounds equipment, tools and supplies;
• City of El Paso is requesting bids for ARFF safety equipment -- emergency triage shelters; and
• The Housing Authority of the City of El Paso is requesting bids for domestic appliances.

Ohio governor pushes for $1.74 billion in construction, repairs

John Kasich

Ohio Gov. John Kasich is pushing legislators to approve his proposal for $1.74 billion in new construction and repair projects throughout the state. In his two-year capital spending bill, Kasich calls for funding for new construction or upgrades to existing buildings on college and university campuses, as well as maintenance for the state's parks and roads and bridges. Approximately $400 million of the total would go toward higher education projects that have been prioritized by the various colleges and universities in the state. Another $675 million would be allocated to public school facility projects. The Ohio Public Works Commission would get $300 million for roads, bridges and other infrastructure and $290 million would be dedicated to state park repairs and other Department of Natural Resources facilities, state prisons and veterans homes. No local community projects are included in the plan. "We want to create a formula for community projects in the next capital bill," said Kasich.

 

Santa Clara approves finance plan to build new stadium

A $1.18 billion football stadium has been approved by the city of Santa Clara, California. The city plans to borrow up to $785 million in debt while the National Football Association will loan $200 million to the 49ers football team, which will lease the stadium. The team will then provide the balance of the cost. The 167.2-million square-meter stadium will seat up to 68,500 and will have 40,000 parking spaces. Construction is expected to begin in the second quarter of next year, with a completion date hoped for in time for the 2014 season.

 

 For information about these and other funding opportunities,

 contact Reagan Weil at 512-531-3900.

 

GOP paves way for states to retake road funding

GOP legislatures try to limit local government's power 

(To view these stories, click here and look under "Around the Nation.")

Check out these recent awards:

• LMI has won a five-year, $19 million support contract from the U.S. Department of Defense to provide the office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Maintenance Policy and Programs with policy, analytical, technical and program management support.
• L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC has been awarded a $21.1 million addition to a U.S. Navy helicopter maintenance repair contract to continue repairing and overhauling 119 Bell TH-57B and TH-57C helicopters, including their engines, avionics and related components.
• Sierra Nevada Corporation has been awarded a $56 million contract by the U.S. Army to manufacture SNC's Mobile Tower System, including the production of 10 Mobile Tower Systems, as well as engineering and logistics services.
• Northrop Grumman Corp. will modernize the U.S. Air Force's Air and Space Operations Center as the result of an eight-year contract that has a potential value of $504 million if all options are exercised.

• Media Works Media has been chosen by the Maryland state housing department to handle placement of a $2.25 million media campaign that includes a foreclosure prevention awareness program.

• The Middlesex Corp. has been awarded a contract for $89,764,770 for construction of the new Kenneth M. Burns Bridge on Route 9 over Lake Quinsigamond in Massachusetts, about $30 million below the estimated cost.

New primary-care health facility planned for New Orleans

Mitch Landrieu

A new primary-care facility is on the drawing board for the city of New Orleans. The Orleans Parish Hospital Service District has agreed to a proposal from the Daughters of Charity Services in New Orleans to build the facility in the eastern part of the city. The hospital district will lease the land that was the former Methodist Hospital site to the Daughters of Charity, who will build a 15,000-square-foot facility. Completion is expected late next year, with services to begin 60 days after completion. The hospital district plans to redevelop the Methodist building into an 80-bed community hospital. It will be the first full-service hospital serving the area east of the Industrial Canal since Hurricane Katrina ravaged the area in 2005. New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu says a full-service hospital in that area has been "a top priority," and called primary-care operations "critical to the operation of a full-service hospital." The primary-care facility will be funded with a combination of $2 million in public and private investments from Daughters of Charity, $2 million in federal Community Block Grant funds from the hospital district and the city and $1 million in settlement funds from a class-action lawsuit. The new center will offer primary care, pediatric care, pharmacy services, behavioral health and prenatal care for more than 20,000 area residents.

Eight teams submit proposals for P3 consulting contract for Yonkers schools
Eight teams have responded to a request for proposals for a consulting team to look into the possibility of using a public-private partnership in the Yonkers (New York) Public Schools. The winning team will conduct a study to determine if a P3 would be advantageous in helping finance the $700 million first phase of a capital construction campaign. That phase will be the first of a $1.7 billion plan for the school system. The P3 would be a design, build and maintain contract, with the school district retaining ownership of the buildings. A long-term plan to meet the district's growing population identified $1.7 billion in construction needs for renovations and new construction and $460 million for emergency repairs. Officials hope to have the study completed by the end of the summer. 

P3 could make hunting for parking spots obsolete task

Zia Yusuf

Searching for parking in Indianapolis could become a "thing of the past," according to Zia Yusuf, CEO of Streetline. Streetline and a public-private partnership between the city and Xerox called ParkIndy, are joining forces and have created a free smartphone app designed to help motorists find open parking spaces. Sensors in the pavement in parking areas detect when a space opens up. And once motorists park their vehicles, they can use the app's timer to monitor the time left on the meter where they parked. The app also allows a motorist to track where his or her vehicle is parked, provides information on rates, hours and time limits for metered parking and parking on the street and allows a motorist to get walking directions to his or her vehicle when returning to the parking space.

 

Some contracting opportunities from across the country

New Mexico

• New Mexico State University is requesting bids for warehouse materials and supplies.
• New Mexico State University is requesting bids for theatrical lighting instruments and accessories.

Nebraska

• The Nebraska State Purchasing Bureau is seeking bids on supply and delivery of light bulbs and ballasts for a thee-year period with option for two one-year extensions.
• The State of Nebraska is seeking bids for a contractor to provide a Problem Gambling Public Awareness campaign.
• The State of Nebraska is seeking a qualified contractor to provide Capitol Custodial Preservation Services.

Iowa

• The Iowa Department of Transportation is seeking bids for new construction of the Swea City Maintenance Garage.
• The University of Northern Iowa is seeking quotations for air charter for the 2012 volleyball team.

Connecticut

• The town of New Fairfield is seeking qualified housing rehabilitation contractors to perform housing rehabilitation activities. Funds for this program are available through a 2011 Small Cities Grant funded by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.
• The Board of Trustees of Connecticut Community Colleges has issued an open call for consultants in the fields of technology, science, engineering, manufacturing to recruit, retain and educate students for careers in manufacturing.
• The Connecticut Department of Social Services is seeking proposals for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) outreach.

Kansas

• Fort Hays State University is seeking bids for recommendations on upgrades to its existing CATV video distribution system to provide HDTV content.
• Wichita State University is seeking bids for window replacement in the Woodman Alumni Center, replacing wood casement windows with aluminum windows.

Cindy Nichol (top left), finance director of San Francisco International Airport since 2008, has been named the Port of Portland's new chief financial officer, replacing Vince Granato, who last month became the port's chief operating officer. Sean Hughes (top center), a fire department veteran and the city of North Richland Hills (Texas) emergency management coordinator, has been chosen fire chief of the city of Copperas Cove. Regina Dugan (top right), director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and former program manager for the agency, will be leaving that agency for a senior executive position at Google. University of Montana Dean of Students Charles Couture, who has served higher education for more than 40 years, will retire at the end of the school year, according to UM President Royce Engstrom. Greg Woodward, dean of the music school at Ithaca College and a member of the music faculty since 1984 will become Carthage College's new president this summer. James Martinez, Victoria (Texas) College's Police Academy director, has been chosen by Port Lavaca as the city's new police chief, replacing former Chief John Stewart, who retired last August. Alex Pietsch (middle right), head of economic development for the city of Renton, has been chosen by Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire to become director a new state Aerospace Office and will also serve as executive director of the Washington Aerospace Partnership. Robert J. Birgeneau (middle center), chancellor of the University of California at Berkeley since 2004, will step down from that position at the end of this year, but will return to the faculty at Berkeley to teach and conduct research. The North Dakota Board of Higher Education has voted to hire Hamid Shirvani (middle left), president of California State University - Stanislaus, as chancellor of the state's university system, succeeding William Goetz, who is retiring. Las Cruces (New Mexico) Public Schools Human Resources Director Terry Stuart has been assigned as an elementary school principal, replacing Joe Mestres, who will join the LCPS Department of Instruction. Having previously served as interim Huber Heights (Ohio) City Manager for 10 months before new City Manager Gary Adams was hired, Jim Borland will again take on that role, replacing Adams, who has resigned. Highland Park (Illinois) has hired David Knapp of Cupertino, California, as its new city administrator. Paul Prestwich (bottom left), president of Northwest College in Wyoming since 2008 and former vice president for academic affairs at Sussex County Community College in New Jersey, will resign his position when his current contract ends in June. Jodie Hanzlik (bottom center), interim vice provost for graduate affairs at Colorado State University since 2011 and head of the department of Occupational Therapy for 10 years, has been selected as dean of CSU's Graduate School, replacing Peter Dorhout, who has been named provost at CSU-Pueblo. Ray Martinez (bottom right), a veteran of 21 years with the Miami Police Department before retiring in 2001 and joining the Miami Beach Department, has been named Miami Beach police chief, with Hialeah Police Chief Mark Overton named deputy chief. Doug Paris Jr., interim city manager of Salisbury, North Carolina since August and former assistant city manager, has been appointed the city's new city manager, replacing David Treme, who retired last fall. Rebecca McFall, K-12 director of curriculum and instruction for the Wellesley public schools since 2006, has been selected as the new superintendent for the Lincoln (Massachusetts) School District, replacing Michael Brandmayer, who is retiring. Columbus, Ohio, Fire Chief Ned Pettus Jr., who joined the fire department in 1977 and has served as fire chief since 2002, has announced his retirement.