Expert Insights
Expert Insights
As President and CEO of Strategic Partnerships, Inc., Mary Scott Nabers has decades of experience working in the public-private sector. A well-recognized expert in the P3 and government contracting fields, she is often asked to share her industry insights with top publications and through professional speaking engagements. Get an exclusive look at upcoming trends and insider tips from Mary herself on the SPI blog.
There’s a roadmap for regional growth and prosperity after COVID-19
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....
Projects related to water infrastructure will be abundant for decades
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...
Air travel in the ‘new norm’ creates an abundance of contracting opportunities
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...
Disaster recovery services – always in high demand
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...
Struggle to contain digital viruses remains amid COVID-19 rise
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...
COVID-19 has transformed the norm for education in America
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...
COVID-19 inspires world-changing technology
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...
COVID-19 has not shut down government contracting
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...
Public and private collaboration will be the norm as COVID-19 is contained and America’s economy is revitalized
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,...
Public-Private Sector Partnerships – Successfully Confronting the COVID-19 Pandemic
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....
No slowdown in sight for contracting opportunities on college, university campuses
At a time when every country is worrying about unemployment, colleges and universities throughout the U.S. are aggressively planning and launching initiatives designed to prepare students for jobs that will be in high demand in the coming decades. Education officials...
Here’s one more way we identify upcoming opportunities
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...
Changes in government procurements should be recognized
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...
This large marketplace could easily be overlooked
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...
Upcoming 2020 contracting opportunities can be found here
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...
Large water projects of every kind coming in 2020
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...
States plan for big spending in 2020
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...
Billions authorized for military base projects in many states
Looking for a massive funding document that describes hundreds of upcoming opportunities? Look no further than the new National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) document that President Trump signed on December 21. For 59 years there has been a NDAA appropriations...
High-dollar projects on the cusp will be announced soon
Renovate or replace - these are the options government entities must decide between constantly. The tools, systems, facilities, programs, and technology necessary for efficient operations in cities, counties, schools, and state agencies are high priorities. Aging...
New Types of Public-Private Partnerships are Evolving
State and federal governments are providing significant funding for collaborative land deals that boost economic development. While some of this activity has occurred in the past, it was definitely not on the scale that is now evident. And, most of the current funding...
New year will provide thousands of opportunities for government contractors
By all accounts, 2020 is shaping up to be a banner year for government contracting. Following years of growth since the last recession, the year has begun with gusto. Earlier fears that the marketplace might be fragile because of government uncertainty seem to have...
Billions will be spent on public school campus projects in coming months
Public school campuses are always busy places, but in about five months many of them will experience a different kind of activity. That’s because numerous school districts will launch major construction projects in the few summer months when students are not on...
Planning documents offer insightful information for government contracting firms
Most citizens find planning documents a little boring. That’s not the case, however, for government contractors. For them, such documents are extremely interesting. In fact, savvy contracting firms know there’s gold to be found in planning documents. Almost every...
Interested in 2020 contracting opportunities? Follow government studies underway now!
When public entities commission a study, it’s safe to assume that one or more, usually large, projects will follow. For some companies, following government studies is how they manage to get ahead of their competitors. Most large government projects require a study of...
Cities will launch hundreds of expanded and diversified park projects in 2020
Most citizens appreciate parks, and many are regular visitors. However, the public at large rarely contemplates the economic impact of parks. And, too many companies overlook hundreds of contracting opportunities associated with parks. Parks are responsible for...
Change is rampant on university campuses
Government funding continues to shrink for public colleges and universities. At the same time, there is a public outcry for lower tuition, on-line courses, and easy access to education. Education officials seek relief and many are finding it through collaborative...
Technology is changing government exponentially
Technology has altered our lives. It consumes us as individuals and impacts almost everything in the world around us on a daily basis. Emails, texts, instant news, apps of every kind, GPS, Google searches, and Siri are part of everyday life. Technology also has become...
Government officials bringing broadband and high speed internet to all citizens
It’s difficult and costly to deliver broadband or high-speed internet to rural communities. And, there’s no way to generate enough revenue to make it worth the effort for private sector companies. Yet, broadband is a critical component of education, economic...
Urgency needed in advancing water infrastructure projects
How frightening is it to imagine a day without adequate water? Or, a time when drinking water is no longer safe? Although adequate water is not an immediate threat in the U.S., water resources are becoming scarce in too many regions. The luxury of clean, safe drinking...
Don’t Discount National Shift to Public-Private Partnerships
Public-private partnerships (P3s) are being launched somewhere in the U.S. every day. Public officials with critical project needs are seeking alternative funding sources, and almost any version of a P3 is attractive to them. Since the trend appears to be the future,...
Public transportation – changing lives and offering thousands of contracting opportunities
Transportation congestion is surging. Demand for roadway access exceeds capacity, and something must be done. Time is lost, air quality is compromised, and motorists are frustrated to the point of exhaustion. Messages delivered by public officials in the past have...
November bond elections expected to generate billions in revenue for projects
When bond elections are as abundant as they are this year, there’s no doubt thousands of new opportunities will be available for companies to interact with governmental entities. The demand for services of all types will be huge. Government leaders at every...
Interested in upcoming contracting opportunities?
Strange as it sounds, budget documents are always interesting reading. That’s especially true when they come from public entities. Government officials, at every jurisdictional level of government, are required to prepare and approve budgets. That’s not an easy or...
Smart city innovations are the future and should be monitored
Changes are occurring at warp speed, and it’s extremely difficult for busy individuals to stay abreast of what is happening in every area of business. But, it is important to know about government changes because lifestyles and business practices are being impacted in...
Funding is slow but always available for disaster recovery projects
Looking for a diverse and lucrative public-sector marketplace? If so, don’t overlook upcoming opportunities related to natural disaster recovery in regions that were ravaged by floods, fires, and other weather-related disasters. Demand for private-sector firms to...
Hundreds of campus projects launching throughout the U.S.
Student enrollment in colleges and universities throughout the U.S. continues to grow. Data tells us that no matter what the economy does, young men and women realize the importance of getting a degree. Statistics from the Institute of Education Services point to the...
Local governments launch repurposing projects to develop revenue sources
Significant changes are taking place in local communities at the various jurisdictional levels of government. And, a majority of the changes are related to revenue generation efforts by public officials. That’s because public funding, although stretched to the limit...
Access to public information is critical to a free society
We live in a world of smartphones, computers, and 24-hour news cycles. We can obtain information and data on almost anything with a few clicks on a computer. Not much is hidden, or difficult to obtain, or out of reach – except occasionally public information. In a...
Public procurement takes a turn worthy of note
Some seasoned government contracting firms have spent decades studying ‘best practices’ associated with winning new business. They know exactly what it takes, and because of that, they incur less risk when pursuing projects. These firms also win lots of government...
New quality-of-life facilities in demand throughout the U.S.
Municipal leaders have stressful and difficult jobs. Elected officials and tenured public servants struggle to provide more citizen services with less funding and fewer municipal resources. Public leaders at the local levels of government are guided by mandates that...