$1.6 billion in funding allocated for highway, bridge, high-speed rail, bus issues

$7 million will be allocated for PACE paratransit vehicles.

A list of projects that are part of recent legislation passed in Illinois has been released, and state officials that not only will the $1.6 billion in new transportation projects help relieve traffic congestion and improve the movement of vehicles and rail systems, but also will create 20,000 much-needed jobs in the state.

The list includes highway and bridge projects, high-speed rail and suburban bus service and other local transit projects. The new measure signed into law will authorize $1.6 billion in bonds for more than $818 million in highway projects. This bill comes on the heels of the state passing the largest capital construction program in its history three years ago. That bill, said Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, put people to work repairing roads, bridges and transit systems statewide. He said the new law "ensures that Illinois will continue moving forward."

Some of the funding is intended for projects that are aimed at relieving railway congestion in and around Chicago, where more delays are reported than any other area of the country.

The highway bill is expected to create 20,000 new jobs.

Among the projects funded are:

• $1 million for bridge rehabilitation at Lincoln Park Lagoon in Chicago;
• $35.9 million for additional lanes, interchange reconstruction and bridge replacement in Wadsworth on Highway 194 and US 41 from the Wisconsin state line to Illinois 173 (2.3 miles);
• $7 million to Pace suburban bus service for paratransit vehicles for various cities;
• $5 million for landscaping and noise barriers on Illinois 59 in Naperville from Ferry Rd. to Aurora Avenue;
• $1 million high-speed rail for a pedestrian underpass in Lake Forest;
• $392 million to the Chicago Transit Authority for Red, Purple and Blue Line rehabilitation in Chicago and contingency for the Red Line Dan Ryan;
• $23.8 million for Metra projects in various cities for yard improvements;
• $200,000 to Kendall for utility adjustments on Illinois 71 from Orchard Road to US 34 in Oswego;
• $34.4 million for grading, draining and a new bridge in McDonough on Illinois 336, US 136, Illinois 110 and Northwest Macomb Bypass from US 136 West to US 67 North;
• $2.1 million in Clinton for left turn lanes on US 50 at Shattuc Road;
• $2 million for an archaeological survey in St. Clair on the Illinois 3 relocation from St. Clair Avenue to River Park Drive.

To see the complete listing of projects for Illinois Jobs Now! click here.

Officials seeking approval for increased sales tax for transportation projects

Sam Williams

Atlanta officials are hopeful that residents will go to the polls on July 31 and approve the addition of one cent to the sales tax for 10 years. The proposal, if passed, would result in revenues of $8.5 billion that would be allocated to projects throughout the region for upgrades to road and rail systems.

 

The proposal would bundle more than 150 projects in 10 counties, and the vote allows residents to decide the fate of the tax for transportation projects specific to their region.

 

The vote could net more than $18.6 billion in new tax money, as well as leveraging federal funds, to make it one of the largest packages of its kind in the country.

 

The Metro Atlanta Chamber is pushing for passage of the referendum, but President Sam Williams admits it's not a good time to mention the word "tax." But officials also see it as a way to allow taxpayers to tax themselves, rather than have a tax levied without their input. Even so, infrastructure funds are a hard sell. However, officials who are pushing the issue say by being specific about the tax and what it will be used for and where it will be used increases the chances of it passing. There are 12 voting regions involved and 75-85 percent of the revenue from the tax would go to projects on a master list, with the remainder going for future transportation needs of cities and counties. Many businesses, from large national companies to small local shops have pledged their support, noting the condition of the state's infrastructure hurts business. They also argue that the projects will create local jobs.

 

To view the final project list, click here.

 

Maryland could face procurement process overhaul

Governor talking about possible need to move award process to another agency

Martin O'Malley

If Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley has his way, responsibility for state procurement processes could be removed from the authority of the state's Department of Budget and Taxation.

At a recent Board of Public Works meeting, the governor questioned what the Board of Contract Appeals called "fatal flaws" in the contract award process. O'Malley even hinted about possibly bringing in experts from outside the state to examine Maryland's procurement processes. He also suggested that maybe procurement officials from all state agencies should review their processes. He said it is obvious that many vendors dislike the state procurement policies and procedures and described the process as possibly becoming too rigid and without the flexibility needed to ensure the most bang for the buck for Maryland taxpayers.

Maryland school district, developer to build $33.5 million middle school

Bids are expected to be sought in January of next year for a new middle school near Elkridge, Maryland, in the Oxford Square development that will help alleviate some of the overcrowding in Howard County. The school is expected to be ready for occupancy in August 2014. The design development plans for the school were recently approved, with the construction phase next. The 600-seat school will carry a price tag of about $33.5 million. For the expense, some $34.6 million is available, including $4 million from Preston Capital Partners, developers of Oxford Square. The schools would be certified LEED Silver, with green features that include a rain water harvesting system for site irrigation and a geothermal HVAC system.

California school district seeking approval of $158.8 million bond

Cary Chen

School officials of the Rowland Heights Unified School District in California will put a $158.8 million bond issue before voter in November. Although a successful bond issue will increase local school taxes, Board Member Cary Chen said the tax would be "an investment in education." If approved, the bond funds would be used to construct facilities so that aging classrooms can be replaced and portable buildings replaced at Rowland High School, Nogales High School and the Stanley G. Oswalt Academy. Funds also would pay for repair, equipping and construction of multiuse facilities, sports facilities, libraries and science and technology labs. Officials also expect the school to increase property values in the area, which will also be a boon for the school district. The district is home to approximately 16,000 students. Officials feel now is the time to build, as construction costs and labor costs are favorable for the projects.

Ohio School Facilities Commission approves $471.8 million for projects

More than $471 million in state funding is being set aside by the Ohio School Facilities Commission for school construction in 26 school districts at the Dayton Regional STEM School. Local funding added to that amount means more than $1.1 billion in construction work in the future. "This is a critical step in ensuring that our children are in new or renovated facilities that help support academic achievement," said OSFC Executive Director Richard Hickman. A local share is part of the funding, and that amount must be raised within 13 months before the state funding will be released. To view the complete list of funding by school district, click here. 

 

Sam Houston State University has numerous projects in pre-planning stage

Keith Jenkins

A student center expansion, new health center and updates to Pritchett Field and the University Camp are all being considered by Sam Houston State University officials in Huntsville, Texas. The updates and new construction are in the pre-planning stage, according to Keith Jenkins, SHSU's Associate Vice President of Student Services. Expansion of the Lowman Student Center would better meet the needs of a growing student population, said Jenkins. A vote on the expansion is slated in October. Current estimated costs are $30 million, which the university would have to scramble to find. A new health center will also likely be voted on in October. Another project being discussed is a new special events center near the coliseum, which would house the alumni center, parts of the academic advisement center and a new ballroom. Some outside money in the form of grants and private donations would likely help defray the costs. Other possible construction projects include a new dining facility and residence hall on the south side of campus. Other small-scale updates to campus facilities also are being discussed. The University Camp, home to Bearkat Camp, will be under construction this fall and will be able to accommodate 200 people. It will feature a swimming pool, meeting rooms and an expanded dining hall. 

 

South Dakota city gets $1 million grant to upgrade bus facility

A $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation is headed to the city of Marty, South Dakota, for upgrades to its bus facilities. The local bus service serves resident of the lower part of Charles Mix County. The funds will be used to build a new bus garage at the Ihanktonwan Transit Facility, which provides bus service to residents of the Yankton Indian Reservation.

Bids being accepted for sports, tourism marketing for Tennessee city, county

Bids are being sought for a marketing contract from the city of Knoxville and Knox County, Tennessee, for sports and tourism events. The two entities released a joint RFP for the service and the bidding will close on Aug. 16. The current contract is valued at $3.2 million. This marks the first time for the entities to advertise for convention and visitor bureau services, according to Knox County officials. The contract is being bid as the Knoxville Convention and Visitor Bureau, formerly the Knoxville Tourism and Sports Corp. Once bids are received, they will be reviewed by a committee and recommendations made.

Solid waste transfer station on San Juan Island up for lease

Frank Mulcahy

San Juan County (Washington) has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for qualified vendors to lease the county's solid waste transfer station on San Juan Island. The RFP lists numerous services, proposed improvements, costs to the public, number of jobs created and other issues and also proposes financial capacity necessary to those seeking to lease the station. Public Works Director Frank Mulcahy said he is confident there will be numerous bidders. He said he is pleased with the response so far and is sure the county will find a qualified vendor to provide the services. The successful vendor will have the option of continuing with a self-haul operation for up to a year after a contract is signed, and would be responsible for the transport and disposal of solid waste. The vendor also would have the first year of the contract to repair and make improvements to the site and obtain necessary permits. The RFP was to be issued today, Wednesday, and interested vendors will have 72 days to submit their proposals and will be required to attend a pre-proposal meeting and site visit. 

Deadline extended for Virginia port operation proposals

The deadline for submitting proposals for the operation of some of the state of Virginia's port terminals has been extended until Aug. 13. The RFP was released by the state after an unsolicited proposal was received from APM Terminals Inc. Several group asked that the deadline be extended since they had not had enough time to complete their bids. The APM Terminals proposal includes a 48-year agreement to operate the state's ports in the Hampton Road region and the Virginia Island Port in Warren County. The value is $3.2 billion and $3.9 billion respectively. This marks the second time that the state has sought proposals for port operations. In 2009, solicitations were sought and three companies responded, one with a $3.5 billion value.

Who's winning government contracts?

Check out these recent awards:

• Pilkington Commercial Co. has been awarded a $10.03 million contract by the Pentagon for construction of a new Special Operations Forces free fall simulator facility at the Yuma Proving Ground.
• Asphalt Paving Co. has been awarded a $3.8 million contract by the city of Austin, Texas, for street overlay projects.
• Allan A. Myers LP was awarded a $4.2 million contract by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for improvements to Route 29 and its key intersections in Charlestown and East Whiteland.
• Tetra Tech has been awarded a $91 million contract to provide engineering services by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to investigate, design and implement remedial actions at the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida in an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract that has a five-year period of performance.
• DSV Builders Inc. was selected as the general contractor for a $1.102 million project to build a new Jackson-Milton library branch in Mahoning County in Ohio.
• Taurean Corp. has been awarded a third year in Defense Department $24 million contract for a five-year Enterprise Collaborative Operational Sensor contract in which Taurean will provide cyberdefensive strategy and support to the Defense Information Security Agency.
• Marine Natural Gas was selected by the state of Maine as the contractor to build a $20 million natural gas pipeline system in the Augusta, Maine area.
• Lobar Inc. won the $9.869 million from the Chester Hill, Pennsylvania, school district for trades and construction related to the new Philipsburg-Osceola middle school.
• Sausal Corp. won a $10.4 million contract from the city of Novato, California, to build new city offices in the downtown area.
• Paul Jackson & Son Inc. won a $3.4 million construction contract for a new regional transit facility in Natchez, Mississippi.

South Carolina P3 hopes to lead to new inland port at Greer

Jim Newsome

The first steps of a public-private partnership that will lead to development of an inland port in South Carolina have been taken with the authorized negotiation for a preliminary engineering contract. The South Carolina Port Authority (SCPA) authorized negotiations with Patrick Engineering to begin the quest for an inland port in Greer, and assess the cost and operational aspects of the project. Patrick Engineering and Davis and Floyd will work together on the project for which the SCPA has allocated $23.5 million in its 2013 capital plan. Land for the facility was purchased in 1982, but the 100-acre site has never been developed. "The successful growth of intermodal container movements in our state and the region requires the development of state-of-the-art container handling facilities in the interior able to ground loaded and empty containers, and leverage the efficiency and sustainability of rail transportation," said SCPA President and Chief Executive Officer Jim Newsome. The port executive also said the project has the potential to improve freight movement by converting all-truck container moves to more efficient multi-modal moves between the interior and the port. 

 

Nabers' book on P3s drawing national media attention; article posted by Forbes

Mary Scott Nabers

Mary Scott Nabers' newly published book, Collaboration Nation: How Public-Private Ventures Are Revolutionizing the Business of Government, is gaining national media attention. Nabers, president and CEO of Strategic Partnerships, Inc. and co-founder of the Gemini Global Group, spent a decade in the public sector as a statewide officeholder in Texas. For the last 16 years, she has turned that experience into a highly successful private sector firm that partners government with businesses in the private sector. As a result, her company's clients have won billions of dollars' worth of government contracts. The Great Recession has changed the way government does business. Officials at all levels of government and in all jurisdictions are turning to public-private partnerships (P3s) to take advantage of private sector funding and private sector expertise. That private sector assistance is helping many government entities to complete necessary projects that otherwise would not be taken up because of lack of funding. Nabers' book (available at Amazon.com) explores P3s, how they work, what they're being used for and how to make them successful. Forbes magazine is the most recent national media outlet to give space to Nabers for an article discussing public-private partnerships. To view the Forbes article, click here. Nabers also has an article posted on CNBC's Web site. She recently participated in a Q&A interview with her hometown newspaper, the Austin (Texas) American-Statesman, regarding P3s. Read more about Nabers' book and some of the other articles about the book and P3s at maryscottnabers.com.

 

Vermont

• The Vermont Department of Information and Innovation (DII) is soliciting competitive sealed proposals for development, maintenance and hosting support for the State of Vermont Web Portal Project.
• The Vermont Office of Purchasing and Contracting is seeking to establish purchasing agreements with one or more companies that can provide snow removal services at various locations throughout the state.

Iowa

• The Iowa Department of Transportation is seeking bids for fuel and fuel tanks for three DOT locations.
• The Iowa Department of Public Health is seeking bids for an anti-bullying and youth suicide prevention program.
• The University of Northern Iowa is seeking bids for lighting equipment to be used in the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center.

North Dakota

• The North Dakota Office of Management and Budget is seeking bids for printing of the 2013 North Dakota Travel Guide.
• The North Dakota Department of Commerce is seeking bids for research services to measure accountability through advertising and image benchmarks (ROI studies), visitor studies and economic impact/tourism satellite accounting.

Minnesota

• The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is seeking bids for herbicide application on selected state forest roads in the Hibbing, Littlefork and Sandstone Areas.
• St. Cloud State University is seeking bids for an assessment and accreditation database and reporting system.

New York

• The New York State Office of General Services is seeking bids for real estate services on behalf of the state to enhance staff resources managing the state's real estate portfolio.
• The New York State Division of Financial Administration is seeking bids for IT services to develop a Web-based application "Project Sunlight" database, the goal of which is to dramatically increase the amount of information available to the public regarding people and entities who are trying to influence state agencies and other government actors.

Dr. Quint Thurman (top left), formerly chair of the Criminal Justice Department at Texas State University-San Marcos, has been named the new Provost and Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs at Sul Ross State University, replacing Don Coers, who retired in January. Selma Botman (top center), president of the University of Southern Maine since 2008, has resigned and will take a new job with the University of Maine system, where she will lead efforts to expand the university's international programs. Florida A&M President James Ammons (top right) has resigned the same day parents of a drum major who died after being hazed added the university to a wrongful death lawsuit. Former Sedgwick County elections official and Wichita City Council member Bill Gale has been hired to fill a vacancy as inspector general for Kansas Medicaid programs.Michael Marceau was appointed as CFO and treasurer of Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, and is the city's first permanent CFO, after the position has previously been a part-time post. James Inman, who has been the city administrator in the city of Locust in Stanley and Cabarrus counties, has been selected as the new city manager in Bessemer City, North Carolina. Clark County (Nevada) Deputy School Superintendent Pedro Martinez (middle right) has accepted the position of superintendent of the Washoe County (Nevada) district, replacing Heath Morrison, who was recently named superintendent of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg district in North Carolina. Carlos Garcia (middle center) is retiring after five years as San Francisco school superintendent, ending a 37-year public education career. Former Mahoning County auditor and administrator George Tablack (middle left) has been offered a job in Birmingham, Alabama, as the city's new chief financial officer. Fortuna City, California, has hired Guadalupe City Administrator Regan Candelario as its new city manager, and former Humboldt County Administrative Officer Loretta Nickolaus will serve as interim city manager until he takes over in September. Grand Island, New York, School Superintendent Robert Christmann will retire from the school district on Oct. 1 to become executive director of the Western New York Education Service Council, but will continue on an interim basis until the Board of Education hires a successor. Rod Dykehouse, former chief information officer for both UCLA Medical Sciences and Froedtert Health System, has been selected as the new CIO for Penn State Hershey Medical Center. Former Laurel, Mississippi, School District Superintendent Maggie Griffin (bottom left) is the new superintendent of the Moss Point, Mississippi, schools, replacing Interim Superintendent Greg Ladner. Buffalo Grove, Illinois, deputy village manager Ghida Neukirch (bottom center) has resigned after 13 years with the village to accept a similar position in Highland Park. Samuel Ceballos Jr. (bottom right) was recently promoted after 10 years in the Pinecrest (Florida) Police Department and more than 20 years with the Hialeah Police Department to serve as Pinecrest's police chief. Pasco County (Florida) Administrator John Gallagher has announced that Heather Grimes, who managed the county's customer service division, has been named assistant county administrator for internal services. Mayor Jay Gillian recently promoted Ocean City, New Jersey, Fire Department Capt. Christopher Breunig, a 16-year veteran, to be the department's new chief. Chris A. Kaiser, professor and former chairman of the Department of Biology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), has been named the college's new provost, succeeding Rafael Reif, who recently was appointed MIT's president.