Category: Mary Scott Nabers’ Insights

We know that an infrastructure bill is coming, and the debate in Congress will likely begin in July. Industry leaders, public officials, think tanks, and economic development organizations have provided lots of input. They know that some of their messages have been heard. There is no consensus between Democrats and Republicans about how the bill […]

The House of Representatives laid out an infrastructure plan on June 18 – an expensive one with a price tag of approximately $1.5 trillion. It will not, of course, pass Congress in its current state, but it promises to start the critical and overdue conversation in Washington about infrastructure. But, there’s an omission that hopefully […]

COVID-19 hit the construction industry like a tsunami. Almost all medium to large construction projects were shuttered as government leaders scrambled to protect the health of Americans. Today, however, even though the pandemic has not been contained, there is renewed interest in construction and reason for optimism. The immediate future is considerably brighter today than […]

Transportation projects are almost always notoriously large and costly. But, infrastructure is critical to America and, with that in mind, a five-year, $494 billion surface transportation bill was recently released by the House of Representatives’ Transportation and Infrastructure committee. The final bill, which must gain approval from both the House and Senate, will likely have […]

To no one’s surprise, COVID-19 has pushed the country into a designated recession. While keeping a careful watch on public health and safety, government officials and economic leaders are now fervently seeking ways to boost America’s economy and to support job creation. The path out of this recession, according to many fiscal policy experts, is […]

Funding from the federal government is now coming to all 50 states as a result of various congressional actions. The largest amount of funding is currently flowing as a result of specific mandates in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. But, bills also are moving through Congress to allocate even more funding […]

It’s no surprise to anyone that cities and counties are quickly exhausting their budgets and depleting public funding. Local government officials have dealt with COVID-19 for months, and now they are contending with violence, protests, and property damages. Public safety expenditures are huge, and the coffers of local governmental entities are stretched to the limits. […]

In the current sad and chaotic midst of almost total negative press, some positive things are happening … and some of it is related to law enforcement. Throughout the country, law enforcement budgets have been stretched to the limit. First responders at every jurisdiction have worked overtime during the COVID-19 crisis and funding for operations, […]

As the country reopens for business and citizens strive to find normalcy, many critical issues must be addressed. Every region, citizen, and employer in America has been impacted by COVID-19, and getting back to normalcy and prosperity will require bold leadership. Decisions loom large, and how they are made will impact every region’s economic future […]

The demand for water has been on an upward spiral for years. And, municipalities have come to rely on utility fee revenue for big chunks of their budgets. In fact, water has provided funding for all kinds of citizen services in the past. Unfortunately, that revenue has been diminished significantly of late. Because of COVID-19’s […]

Airlines are ready to fly again! As states begin to open up for business, airport and airline officials are preparing for takeoff – but the trip may be a little different. At the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, both Southwest and American airlines are relaunching flights to Spain, the Caribbean, and Mexico. Scheduled flights will soon […]

Although the world is currently reeling from COVID-19, we can’t forget about other threats that jeopardize our safety. Hurricane season is almost upon us. On a worldwide scale, the danger of hurricanes begins on June 1 and continues through November. But, our chances of a hurricane are most significant the closer we get to mid-August. […]

Before COVID-19, there were discussions about other types of viruses – particularly digital viruses. While not deadly to people, the threat of any type of digital virus is disruptive, costly and difficult to contain. The displacement of people and the increased reliance on the Internet has only increased this type of risk. As the country […]

Will students go back to public school campuses this fall? Will charter schools reopen? Will colleges and universities bring students back on campus? Will testing be available? Will facemasks be required? How and when will educators spend the federal recovery funding that has been allocated? Will projects with previously approved funding be launched soon? These […]

The world as we know it has changed rapidly and dramatically in the last few months. Normalcy is but a memory at this moment in time. People are losing their jobs, businesses are closing, people are struggling, and some are dying. This is truly a sad time in history because of COVID-19. But, better days […]

With the COVID-19 pandemic still in full force, most government decisions are being made via teleconference. Public hearings, meetings, and conversations about business decisions must still meet all transparency statutes. Current conversations tend to revolve around whether to hold bond elections or postpone them a few months. Budget discussions are also very common. The SPI […]

State and local government contracting represented a multi-trillion dollar marketplace before the recent pandemic. That marketplace is now much larger … but its current size is insignificant compared to what it will be six months from now. To combat the virus, trillions of dollars are being spent on services and equipment supplied by private-sector companies. […]

Over the last few weeks, state leaders have been forced to mandate drastic actions in an attempt to halt the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Normally, state emergencies are declared when natural disasters strike – hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes, and floods. This time, however, the United States called on states to protect citizens and to help […]

The team of researchers at Strategic Partnerships, Inc. is known for its ability to point clients to upcoming opportunities long before public announcements are made about the projects. One way the team uncovers this type of valued information is by monitoring feasibility studies. A study of some sort is usually launched to determine potential positive […]

Public-private partnerships (P3s), or collaborative initiatives as they are sometimes called, are becoming more common – so common in fact, that it’s hard to find any state where collaborative partnerships that include funding options are not being used to deliver public projects. With limited budgets, public officials are being forced to seek alternative funding sources. […]

Often, little known facts can point companies to lucrative contracting opportunities. A good example is data related to the growth and expansion of U.S. ports. The movement of freight in the U.S. is growing at a staggering rate. But, the more riveting data stems from port projects and expansions that will be required over the […]

Looking for parking facility construction projects? Probably not! That’s because most construction firms are interested in larger projects. But, things are changing, and it may be wise to begin looking for parking garage projects. Here’s why. There is an abundance of demand for new parking facilities, and these projects are almost always tied to much […]

Clean and adequate water resources are essential components of human existence. For many years, government leaders had few problems providing this precious resource. That’s no longer the case, and companies interested in contracting with government to fix water problems will find an abundance of opportunities in 2020. In Washington state there has been no requirement […]

Over the next few months 33 state legislatures will approve funding for new budgets. The remaining states already have a budget for 2020. A quick look at funding requests indicates an extremely positive marketplace for companies that contract with government. The following overview outlines some of the interesting projects that will be launched in the […]