Photo: Rendering of the IndyGo Blue Line - Southeastern Station. Courtesy of IndyGo.
Last week, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced another $20.5 billion in federal funding to support transit projects this year throughout the U.S. The FTA had previously announced $9.9 billion in funding, and this new announcement includes those funds plus quite a bit more. The investment in America’s transit infrastructure will […]
Rendering of the $160 million USDA laboratory building and greenhouse facility. Courtesy of the University of Nebraska System.
Most people have heard about earmarks, but only a few citizens really pay attention to them. That should not be the case. The term earmark refers to federal spending for a specific project for a particular congressional district, locality or state. Members of Congress request this type of funding. In the most recent federal budget, […]
The Old Capitol Building in Olympia, Washington. Courtesy of RToes.
Historical preservation projects are being launched throughout America for two primary reasons: funding is abundantly available, and public assets are treasures that communities like to rescue. The projects create jobs, boost local economies, raise property values and please citizens. Dozens of federal programs provide ample funding support. The National Park Service, which oversees much of […]
Rendering of UW-Madison engineering building. Courtesy of Continuum SmithGroup and the College of Engineering at UW-Madison.
Current data continues to indicate significant increases in student enrollments at universities and community colleges throughout the U.S. Community college enrollment was hit especially hard by the effects of the pandemic, but by 2023 a noted increase of 5.3% in student transfers from community colleges to universities had occurred. That trend continues, and these small-sounding […]
A rendering of the planned Richardson Municipal Center.
Courthouses across America carry a rich history, with some dating back centuries. However, the upkeep of these aging buildings makes them extremely expensive to operate and maintain. The General Services Administration receives annual funding allocated by Congress, and this funding has recently been increased. Additionally, the recent infrastructure funding available through other programs has also […]
Rendering of the Allston Multimodal Project. Photo courtesy of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.
Last week, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced $3.33 billion in grant funding for 132 projects. The revenue will flow from the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program and the Neighborhood Access and Equity Program. This funding is allocated for projects that reconnect communities that were cut off and/or divided by transportation infrastructure decades ago. It is […]
Photo courtesy of the U.S. General Services Administration.
Here’s a fact that may be surprising – it surely was to me. The construction or renovation of buildings accounts for approximately 39% of the total global energy-related carbon emissions each year. Embodied carbon contributes another 11%. That category refers to the total greenhouse gas emissions generated over the lifecycle of a building, road or […]
In February of 2024, additional federal funding was announced for water and wastewater infrastructure projects. The funding is part of the government’s effort to ensure reliable water resources and safe drinking water throughout America. Almost $6 billion is now available for every state and territory for water projects. As a result, contracting opportunities for private […]
A federal program with a long name is in the process of allocating $5 billion to states for the installation of electric vehicle charging stations. The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program (NEVI), administered by the Federal Highway Administration, is creating hundreds of contracting opportunities. The funding comes from the $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill passed […]
Damage repairs from earthquakes in the U.S. typically cost taxpayers approximately $15 billion a year. Considering that, funding to stabilize or prevent as much damage as possible is a good and prudent effort. According to FEMA and a recent geological survey, the cost of post-earthquake repair can be as much as three times higher than […]
Photo courtesy of the University of North Texas at Dallas.
America’s fire infrastructure is very old, and government leaders are trying to remedy that situation. Approximately 20,000 U.S. fire stations are over four decades old. That is an alarming statistic because the estimated useful life of a police or fire station is between 20 and 50 years. That means thousands of fire stations in America […]
The Garrison Dam Spillway. Courtesy of the US Army Corps of Engineers.
It is somewhat challenging to list all the components of water infrastructure. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines the term as “all man-made and natural features that move and treat water.” And because it takes all types of systems and networks to deliver clean drinking water and preserve water resources, it is difficult to identify […]
Rendering of Franklin High School. Courtesy of Macon County Schools.
Congress appropriated an extremely large amount of funding for school projects, and the final round allocations totaled $122 billion. That’s a huge amount – about $380 per person in the U.S. This revenue came through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief program and was delivered with a mandated deadline: It must be obligated by […]
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided approximately $11.3 billion for projects designed to rehabilitate land where old coal mines were located. Since Congress passed the law, funding has been allocated through the Abandoned Mine Land reclamation programs – about $725 million annually. The objective is to support communities and encourage them to clean up dangerous environmental […]
Following a near-total collapse of air travel during the COVID-19 pandemic, early 2024 marks a significant milestone as North American air travel is finally returning to normal. Normal, however, may not be the appropriate word because many airports are experiencing significantly higher passenger demand. The demand is driving a huge need for expansion and renovation, […]
Federal research and development are critical to global competitiveness, so Congress is committed to supporting and encouraging both. Federal programs prioritize funding for almost every type of research. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) allocated a little more than $20 billion through 61 research programs. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) dedicated another $2.5 billion […]
The Columbia Canal Power Plant and Canal Races. Courtesy of Jack Boucher.
Demand for renewable energy resources has never been more robust, and billions of dollars in federal funding are now available to support projects designed to meet the demand. Projects that qualify for funding include ones designed to harness energy from water, wind or solar sources. Some technology projects are also eligible. The deployment of renewable […]
Photo courtesy of Maximillian Conacher on Unsplash.
Some people know about Public Facility Corporations (PFCs), but only a few, it seems. Public officials, however, are very familiar with PFCs because affordable housing and essential housing facilities are at the top of their priority list. PFCs are commonly involved in delivering housing options throughout the country. A PFC is a non-profit organization that […]
There is no argument – everyone agrees technology is changing our world! Technological evolution and innovation trends are rampant. Changes are happening so fast that it’s simply not possible to keep up with everything. However, because taxpayer dollars fund much of what is happening in the government marketplace, the innovation is interesting to note. The […]
Rendering of the North Canal Project in Houston. Courtesy of the city of Houston.
Every $1 spent on flood mitigation before disaster strikes yields $6 to $7 in saved recovery costs, according to the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA. Meanwhile, the number of properties in the U.S. that suffer from repeated flood damage is rising at a staggering rate, the Natural Resources Defense Council says. That’s surprising because abundant […]
Aging tunnels in America, coupled with the country’s continued growth, have created an extremely high demand for attention. The imminent repair and replacement will result in significant growth in the tunnel construction market in North America over the next several years. Thousands of tunnels are in dire need of attention because every state has hundreds, […]
Rendering of the McCain National Library. Courtesy of Arizona State University.
There is a sector of a federally funded program that I fear is not getting enough attention. This program supports many of the local projects I know public officials want to launch. The Facilities Grant Program, administered through the Treasury Department, is awarding grant funding to support the expansion of broadband accessibility in public centers. […]
After working for the past 25-plus years to help companies be successful in selling to government, I get questions daily about what it takes to be successful in the public sector marketplace. This column’s objective is to provide some “Best Practices for Success” because I firmly believe it is in the best interest of all […]
The Borman Expressway. Courtesy of the Indiana Department of Transportation.
Large funding grants for surface transportation projects are available from the federal government’s Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant Program. This program, actively overseen by the U.S. Department of Transportation, is especially focused on funding projects that hold regional or national significance. Applications that were approved in 2023 will provide between $5.45 billion and $5.58 billion for […]
The I-83 South Bridge in Pennsylvania. Courtesy of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
It is shocking to realize that more than 42% of America’s 617,000 bridges are more than half a century old, and one-third of them are in dire need of repair or replacement. Even more sobering is the fact that 46,000 U.S. bridges are considered structurally deficient or in poor condition, given that 178 million trips […]
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