Expert Insights

Many new contracting opportunities are moving quickly to the launch stage throughout the country. Planning documents and feasibility studies provide early insight into details contractors will want to know when making pursuit decisions. This year promises to be a...

The year 2020 will forever be remembered as one that created havoc, disruption, and financial chaos for U.S. colleges and universities. Institutions of higher education were hit with devastating financial losses, the need to furlough some employees and instructors,...

Law enforcement officials throughout the country will be front and center in 2021 as large projects are launched. City officials and county commissioners, in an effort to provide better citizen services, including public safety, are announcing project plans for every...

A new year is dawning and while the Strategic Partnerships Team (SPI) is brimming with excitement about a few upcoming announcements, the team is also pausing to acknowledge appreciation, gratitude, respect, loyalty and a renewed commitment to clients and friends who...

Industry leaders throughout America are sounding alarms about the dire state of water infrastructure in the U.S. A new report warns that too many public officials are ignoring repercussions that can be anticipated because of underinvesting in drinking water resources...

Even though the world is dealing with a horrific pandemic and travel has been discouraged for months, on November 29, a record was set for the number of people who passed through U.S. airports during a single day in 2020. The Transportation Security Administration...

Citizens and taxpayers throughout the country supported extremely large bond packages for all types of projects in 2020. Most of the planning, citizen outreach, and preparation is underway, and project launches are expected to begin early in 2021. Examples follow …...

Planned technology purchases point to an abundance of identity tracking cameras in 2021. Surveillance cameras, tracking devices, monitoring, recording, and capturing data - that’s the future. The purchase of camera tracking technology is a very large and strong trend....

It is next to impossible to find any governmental entity with technology systems that do not desperately need to either be replaced or modernized significantly. Although they are costly, technology upgrades are necessary, and, in spite of budget constraints, it...

As public officials begin to look at 2021, many are preparing to launch large infrastructure projects. Several of these efforts may be delivered through public-private partnerships (P3s). Most infrastructure-related projects are complex, diverse, critical in nature,...

Many cities and counties have funded feasibility studies related to large public projects scheduled for 2021. This analysis serves as a tool for governments to assess the viability and need for a significant capital investment. Based on the multitude of studies...

In government today, every large public project has technology components. The delivery of citizen services, law enforcement, mobility, health care, education, and even economic development all rely heavily on technology. And, because public officials must continually...

Throughout the country, many critical and long-overdue law enforcement capital projects are underway. Most of the projects are a result of either regional growth or dilapidated facilities that are in dire need of replacement. However, along with the construction...

Water and wastewater systems are critical components of sustainability for communities throughout America. However, most of the country’s water infrastructure is either at, or very near, the end of its useful life. At a time when funding is scarce and public officials...

The federal government funds public transportation projects throughout the U.S. and the process is designed around an abundance of planning. Once plans are finalized, it’s possible to monitor upcoming projects of all types. Today, there are few projects, if any, that...

Taxpayers, citizens, and industry leaders may not be totally familiar with Public Facility Corporations (PFCs), but that should change, especially now since public funding for critical projects is at an all-time low. PFCs are becoming somewhat common in many regions...

People often believe that bond elections only fund construction projects. Although it’s true that construction opportunities do occur when bond packages are approved, sales of certificates of obligation or general obligation spawn hundreds of other contracting...

Motorists and automobile lovers are already noticing rather rapid change. Sustainability goals adopted by elected officials at cities and counties are continuing to promote projects that support walking, biking, and using public transportation. Housing density,...

In spite of a decline in contracting opportunities in state and local government, public officials are announcing dozens of new, large projects each week. The announcements usually include upcoming solicitations for new construction projects as well as renovation and...

Cities, counties, and states are being forced to upgrade or purchase new technology. The old legacy systems are now inadequate, inefficient, and somewhat dangerous because of their vulnerability to hacking. Many of the old systems are almost completely obsolete. They...

Change is definitely in the wind. It’s almost impossible to find any industry sector that is not undergoing some degree of change, and many are experiencing historic change. Governmental entities are in the same situation. Predicting what normalcy will look like this...

Developers, engineers, and contractors who are interested in municipal projects should consider monitoring grant funding that is currently being awarded to communities for brownfield projects. A large percentage of the most recent grant funding is being awarded for...

Another round of funding from by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will guarantee the launch of numerous projects at airports throughout the U.S. This particular grant program provides smaller funding amounts, but the funding can augment projects that are part...

This time last year, I would have been preparing to travel to the upcoming P3 Conference to discuss public-private partnerships. Now, I am planning to engage audiences virtually at this year’s P3 Conference dubbed the ‘Sports, Entertainment and Facilities Conference.'...

Bridges, a critical part of America’s infrastructure, need immediate attention. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s 2019 National Bridge Inventory database shows that 81,000 bridges should be replaced and more than 46,000 are structurally deficient. In spite of...

Wastewater is an integral part of public infrastructure, and contracting opportunities related to wastewater projects often represent multi-million-dollar efforts. However, because of their very nature, wastewater projects are often overlooked by companies. The...

While congressional leaders work diligently to develop the next COVID recovery bill, other interesting legislation also is being discussed. Many of the conversations focus on public funding options after COVID-19. There are no disagreements when it comes understanding...

As the country battles to recover from COVID-19, transit leaders are calling for the next federal relief package to appropriate substantial funding to allow public transit to play its critical part in the economy’s recovery. In the interim, many of these transit and...

There is great angst related to every aspect of reopening of schools in the U.S. What to do? How to do it? When to do it? The questions are numerous, and there is little certainty about anything. However, one thing is not in question – schools and our education system...

The CARES ACT (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) passed by Congress created a sprawling, multi-faceted plan to combat COVID-19 and its debilitating effects on the U.S. economy. Signed into law in March, the $2 trillion relief package allocated funding...

COVID-19 continues to take its toll on America. Students of all ages will soon begin fall classes, and school officials are scrambling to ensure safety. Education leaders appear to be in total agreement about how to deliver instruction. Students will be taught through...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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,...

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...

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...