Category: Mary Scott Nabers’ Insights

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

In the United States, there are over 6,000 hospitals, approximately 1 million hospital beds and thousands of small clinics. The physical healthcare infrastructure includes buildings, research labs, costly mechanical systems, leading-edge technology and medical equipment of all types. America’s hospital infrastructure is designed and expected to function under a daunting array of circumstances, including providing […]

The Federal Transit Administration has about $4.5 billion available in 2024 for transit projects of all types. This includes bus rapid transit projects, light rail and commuter rail initiatives. While most of the projects involve state departments of transportation, the projects are local and require collaboration between the jurisdictions. The upcoming projects will all be […]

Here’s something that will be easily missed… but hopefully not by our readers. In December, the Federal Highway Administration announced $110 million in grant funding for 19 wildlife crossing projects in 17 states. That may sound like these projects will be small, but that is not the case. This funding is available now through a […]

Last week, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) announced $8.1 billion in funding for passenger rail projects. The funding is a part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act that Congress passed several years ago, but the funding now is flowing aggressively. This type of historic support is facilitating an abundance of rail projects throughout America. The opportunities […]

Two years after the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also called the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), an estimated $492 billion remains in federal funding for American infrastructure projects. However, it is crucial to note that there’s a ticking clock because the remaining funding is allocated solely for use between 2024 and […]

Cities and counties throughout the U.S. are currently planning to launch new facilities to house fire and police stations. A significant number of these new projects will be designed to consolidate fire and police operations. Others will consolidate not only police and fire services but all other emergency management services as well. With strict budgets […]

Several years ago, government officials began investing in large projects designed to increase tourism, attract conventions and events to their region and monetize existing public assets. Economic vitality in every part of the country is a high priority, and the competition is extremely keen. Now, federal programs are supporting these types of initiatives because of […]

America’s coast hosts more than 300 ports, which are vital to the U.S. economy. Annually, the ports contribute more than $5 trillion to the country’s GDP. Although port traffic was disrupted significantly by COVID-19, it is greater now than ever. Before the pandemic, port officials rushed to dredge deeper channels to accommodate new mega-ships. At […]

America has a waste problem – not only is it expensive, but it is a daunting issue for all. Public waste-management operations in many cities cannot absorb population growth, urban expansion and the overwhelming increase of industrialization. New systems, locations, equipment and technology are required. Public officials work overtime to control waste management throughout the […]

The effort to electrify vehicles is a growing trend sweeping through America. The task is expensive enough to keep it from ever being quick. Still, funding is available from numerous sources and the commitment to accomplish what would once have seemed impossible is obvious. One of the largest vehicle fleets in the country is the […]