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.
Thousands of upcoming healthcare opportunities are planned as a result of billions in federal funding
An abundance of federal funding was made available to health-related organizations at the outset of the COVID pandemic. There is no clear determination about whether that emergency funding will expire in early 2023 or not. Even if it does, billions more in funding...
A new, fast-moving trend that deserves immediate attention
Transit authorities throughout the country are quickly becoming big-time developers…and in more ways than one might have ever thought possible. Many citizens and contractors may not be aware of how large this trend has become…and how fast it is moving. The mixed-use...
America’s roadways are changing
Officials at every level of government are committed to making roadways safer for vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians. The enthusiasm along with available funding is restructuring roadways throughout the country. Contracting firms of every type will be in high...
Ongoing economic vitality is the goal for hundreds of upcoming projects
Governing bodies throughout the country build event centers, meeting halls, and arenas each year, but currently there is an abundance of new projects of this type. These large projects require private sector contractors of all types making the demand for construction,...
Recent successful bond elections approve $37 billion in new funding
Earlier this month, voters in the U.S. responded to bond packages that amounted to $66 billion in total debt. More than half of the bond packages were approved and a combined $37 billion in municipal funding became available for a diverse array of projects. This...
America is upgrading its infrastructure and opportunities are abundant
Infrastructure funding is flowing, and the majority of regional connectivity projects involve numerous stakeholders and therefore demand intensive coordination. Under normal circumstances, these multi-jurisdictional projects would be difficult, if not impossible, to...
An overlooked industry offers too many opportunities to ignore
Prisons throughout the country have been struggling to support inmate populations for decades. Overcrowding has forced detainees to sleep on floors, in passageways, and in common areas that lack basic amenities. Understaffing has led to more violence which has...
Green infrastructure requirements will impact future construction projects
Green infrastructure is a construction trend worth watching. It is gaining momentum rapidly and support for the trend is evident at every level of government. There’s a noticeable difference in green construction projects. These types of initiatives encourage, or...
Massive funding allocations available for museum projects
It is often surprising to realize how many diverse sectors receive government funding specifically earmarked for the preservation of American assets. Companies that contract with government are advised to watch new activity that is just beginning to crest around...
America’s ports are enhancing resiliency, upgrading access, and ensuring safety
There are more than 300 seaports in America supporting trade and economic development. They contribute approximately 26 percent of the country’s total GDP and create millions of jobs. That’s why a historic amount of new funding is flowing to projects designed to...
Officials rush to launch water projects designed to ensure future resources
There is great concern about America’s water resources. Throughout the country, public officials are focused on water resources and sound water management practices because of the scarcity of this resource. As of October 18, 2022, a total of 43 states were...
University campuses are becoming extremely active construction sites
Now that students are flocking back to university campuses, new initiatives to enhance recruitment competition are creating an abundance of contracting opportunities. New student housing projects are extremely common, but university officials are also launching...
Federal funding creates new opportunities at U.S. border crossings
There are 167 land ports of entry (LPOE) in the U.S. that provide border crossing security for both people and trade. Those crossings generate billions of dollars in goods and services for the country. Every year an average of 160,000 motorists, 72,000 pedestrians,...
New funding will launch airport expansion and enhancement projects throughout America
Airport operations throughout the U.S. have been chaotic in the past several years. Turbulent weather has created havoc along with other operational issues such as staff shortages and new federal mandates. Now, airports have also encountered frightening cyberattacks...
New funding for state and local projects that will launch in 2023
Federal programs that provide funding for state and local projects are so numerous it’s difficult to understand them all. A new program has recently been reopened and eligible projects are already being announced in numerous states. America's Byways is an umbrella...
Public funding for transit projects is now flowing to most states
When Congress passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, it allocated $102 billion for rail-related projects in America. Another $50 million was authorized for annual disbursement to incentivize smaller transit-oriented projects. That’s a lot of available funding...
Best not to overlook these upcoming opportunities
Thousands of large public projects that will require private sector expertise are in final planning stages. When solicitation documents are released, these projects will grab the attention of private sector contractors and competition will be fierce. Regrettably,...
Innovative use of an old funding program now delivers new benefits for public projects
Public officials and contractors know about redevelopment districts, special tax benefits and alternative funding available through the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) program. But the program has morphed somewhat, and the coveted funding and tax benefits are even more...
Shocking data and available funding will ensure water treatment plant projects throughout the U.S.
Water that is clean, safe, and adequate is essential to human existence. It’s also a critical component of industry and economic development. And yet, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced that 53 percent of river and stream miles, 71 percent of...
Billions now available for infrastructure projects
Last week the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) disbursed $1.5 billion for upcoming projects designed to make highway, multimodal freight and rail infrastructure safer, more efficient and resilient. More will follow and it is important to note that while state...
Funding just waiting for collaborative initiatives – available now
Congress has several funding programs designed to incentivize private sector firms to help preserve America’s history, but the historic tax credit (HTC) program is the largest one. This particular program has leveraged more than $102 billion in private investment to...
Historic level of federal funding now flowing for economic development initiatives throughout America
Another $3 billion in federal funding is now available for state and local governmental entities. This funding was allocated in the American Rescue Plan (ARPA) legislation that passed in 2021 but it took this long to design the allocation process and the funding has...
School districts throughout the country are purchasing security equipment and new technology at a rapid pace
School districts throughout the U.S. are launching initiatives to keep students safe in classrooms. Millions of dollars are being spent but, relief is not coming quickly enough for most parents, students, teachers, and administrators. Campus comfort is hard to find...
Billions in electric vehicle infrastructure funding will be released within weeks
A deadline is looming for an important announcement by the federal government. On September 30, state leaders throughout the country will learn whether or not their electric vehicle infrastructure plans were approved. If the news is good, funding will be immediately...
New funding for safe streets is available now and allocations will continue for the next several years
The federal government recently made large amounts of funding available for street projects that are designed to make roadways safer. The funding is available now for public entities throughout the country. The Complete Streets Program is a federal initiative that was...
Billions in funding for bus rapid transit systems is spurring large transportation initiatives nationwide
Hundreds of millions in federal funding flowed to bus rapid transit (BRT) systems last month…and there is more to come. Expanding and improving rapid transit systems in America is a high priority for members of Congress and also local government officials. The goal is...
Check out spending plans for the launching of $125B in connectivity projects throughout the country
‘Bridging the Digital Divide’ initiatives are being launched throughout the country and as projects are completed, America will be forever changed. The connectivity efforts will result in thousands of new opportunities, more efficient government, better education,...
New funding is now being allocated to Regional Infrastructure Accelerators throughout the U.S.
Public officials about to launch large infrastructure projects need to know as much as possible about Regional Infrastructure Accelerators (RIAs). Private sector companies interested in participating in infrastructure projects should also understand this relatively...
Billions in funding now available for resilience projects
Here’s something worthy of note. The federal government has awarded over one billion dollars to a nationwide slate of resilience projects since the start of August this year. FEMA’s recent grants—totaling $1.2 billion—are available for communities ready to launch...
Government contracting is making significant moves to include intelligent technology in upcoming projects
Just months ago, the U.S. Senate authorized the largest five-year research and development budget in U.S. history. The $250 billion investment marks a monumental increase in federal support for projects that deploy smart city technology. To no surprise, state and...
Some may be surprised by these multi-million dollar initiatives occurring in every state
Bike trails and greenway projects no longer represent inconsequential amounts of funding. In fact, these types of projects now represent a spending impact that exceeds $10.6 billion annually. Data indicates trail development projects that encourage hiking, biking, and...
Private sector firms may qualify for attractive tax incentives with certain types of redevelopment projects
As construction, engineering, and development firms consider the impact of inflation and the increasing cost of capital, some are beginning to embrace projects designed to provide tax incentives. These types of projects fall into the category of ‘adaptive reuse’ and a...
New funding is flowing to local governments for upgrading public safety infrastructure
We are living in historic times, and we are fortunate to be able to participate in the rebuilding of America’s infrastructure. The funding that has been made available and the projects that are being launched will be written about and studied for decades to come. All...
Demand is high and funding is available for library construction projects throughout the U.S.
Libraries are critical public assets for communities and a recent study confirmed that most are funded locally. Currently there are hundreds of modernization, expansion, and technology upgrade projects occurring in libraries throughout the country. This is a very...
Historic funding amounts now available to modernize and upgrade American ports
American ports are currently receiving massive amounts of funding from the federal government for much-needed and long-overdue upgrades. The country’s port infrastructure is a critical component of America’s global competitiveness, and the funding will target critical...
Eleven U.S. cities are aggressively launching large projects in preparation for the upcoming World Cup and Olympic Games
The two largest international sporting events, The World Cup and Olympic Games, will be hosted in a few U.S. cities in 2026 and 2028. Both events require massive work by host cities, and new development projects will be large and expensive. This effort is already...
Funding is available, in abundance, for electric vehicles and EV charging infrastructure
Electric vehicles (EV) should never again be considered ‘futuristic.’ They are the ‘here and now’ and investment funding for electric vehicles is now flowing abundantly from both public and private sector coffers. Billions of dollars are available for electrification...
Changes to citizen services create challenges and new opportunities
Changes are occurring rapidly at the local levels of government and the changes will likely be noticed first by citizens and businesses because of fee increases. Citizen services are critical components of local government and while public officials work diligently to...
A new area of rapid growth with numerous opportunities for collaborative initiatives
As America fights to preserve its economic leadership globally, universities are critical partners. A skilled and trained workforce is the required component of economic stability and because of that prosperity cannot be preserved without a strong education...
Innovative projects that generate revenue for cities and counties are in high demand
In spite of all the new federal funding and dozens of new grant programs, city and county officials are still scrambling to launch projects designed to generate revenue. There are many reasons for this. The primary reason is that the new federal funding has a short...