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.
New funding sources spur hundreds of alternative power projects
As environmental concerns force us to rethink how we power our urban centers, the massive losses sustained from sudden natural disasters expose the need for us to initiate change sooner rather than later. The future of our energy supply must face the dual challenges...
Local governments planning numerous federally funded projects
Federal funding continues to flow, and it is available now to government officials throughout the country. Just weeks ago, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced yet another $272 million that is available for rural drinking water and wastewater...
Bond funding produces thousands of construction opportunities
School districts throughout the U.S. are on the verge of letting large construction projects with new funding from citizen-supported bond elections. Some school districts already have secured their funding, and others will ask voters to approve bond packages in...
Surprising news about EV projects
There are, of course, some people who know about what follows … but not the public at large. And, very few taxpayers, large companies, media outlets, and citizens have heard the news. Strange as it may sound, even many public officials appear to have little knowledge...
Airport modernizations offer unique partnering opportunities
Airports in America are undergoing significant changes as focus has shifted to long-overdue, critical needs related to modernization. Finally, there is funding for these efforts. Public officials are preparing to launch thousands of projects with objectives related to...
America’s ports are preparing large projects for launch
Ports throughout the U.S. have extremely critical infrastructure needs, and port officials in numerous states are readying projects for launch. America’s ports are in desperate need of modernization, expansion, upgrades, and repairs if they are to remain viable....
‘Adaptive reuse’ leads to innovative partnering opportunities
As public assets become weathered over time, repair and maintenance costs accumulate. Without attention, the assets lose value and eventually become inefficient and unsafe. With local government budgets stretched to the breaking point, thousands of public assets...
Federal ARPA funds launching various projects
The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) appropriated $350 billion to state, local, territorial, and tribal governments. After the bill was signed, the U.S. Department of Treasury released a Compliance and Reporting Guidance document that outlines provisions...
Green bond funding a perfect catalyst for infrastructure reform in America
There’s a trend gaining strength that is worth watching. Private sector investors are beginning to seek investment opportunities that provide more than good returns. There is great appeal for investments focused on sustainability. Nowhere is this trend more clearly...
Government to spend billions on software upgrades in 2022
With so much buzz about the pending infrastructure bill, it would be easy to assume that most upcoming opportunities for government contracting will be centered on roads, bridges, water, and power. Or, with the potential passage of the Jobs Act, one could predict that...
City leaders announce major public safety initiatives for 2022
Federal funding and community supported bond packages will provide funding for new public safety projects in the very near future. It appears that almost every state in the U.S. will launch projects similar to the ones that follow. Nevada The city of Henderson plans...
Delayed maintenance and public asset upgrades soon will launch renovation projects of all types
After long overdue attention to maintenance, repair, upgrades, and expansions, public officials throughout the country are preparing to launch projects to reverse the trend of deferrals. The inattention in the past resulted because there was simply no available...
Seeking opportunities to partner with government? Don’t overlook airports!
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced in August that $766 million in grant funding is available to airports for improvement projects. But, there’s much more. Funding is flowing to airports from numerous sources, and the types of projects ready for launch...
Municipal officials are budgeting for tech upgrades in 2022
Technology firms offering software and related services will find an abundance of upcoming opportunities in local government next year. Municipal leaders throughout the country have announced plans to upgrade old technology, and software purchases are imbedded in...
Homelessness prompts large P3s throughout America
At least 580,000 people experienced homelessness on a given day in January 2020. That number has increased significantly since then. Today, reporting organizations say there is no recent accounting and gathering the data will be more difficult in the months to come....
Rail construction surges with influx of transportation funding
Funding for rail projects will be significant in the new infrastructure bill, but even now before new allocations are available, upcoming rail projects are being announced on a weekly basis. The diversity of projects is evidence of public officials at various levels...
Interior Department commits funds to $22B parks maintenance backlog
New funding is available for upcoming projects related to parks and outdoor activities. The Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA), a program overseen by the Department of the Interior, has $900 million to be used for projects at government facilities on public lands and...
Schools to use $122.7B in ARPA funds for technology, other projects
Elementary and secondary schools were allocated $122.7 billion in the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The law stipulates that funding is to be distributed as Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) grants, and education leaders have until the end of...
Increase in airport opportunities mirrors rebounding passenger travel
Earlier this week, I was in California to participate in a large public-private partnership (P3) conference that focused on airports. It was rewarding to feel the energy and excitement as well as hear from aviation officials. The industry sector is alive and well, and...
Follow the money for transportation contracting opportunities in America
People are on the move again, and many are relying on public transit. In fact, transit ridership is up more than 80 percent since 2020, according to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and other grant programs have provided...
Upcoming conferences shine spotlight on public-sector opportunities, trends
Industry leaders and public officials are gathering for a July 19-20 conference in California to work on ‘best practices’ related to infrastructure and collaborative initiatives. The objectives of the P3 Airport Summit will be to provide information, guidance, and...
Nation’s aging water infrastructure thirsts for faster action
America’s water infrastructure may soon get the attention it deserves now that funding is available. Billions of dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) are on the way to public officials throughout the U.S. Most states are allocating additional funding as...
This digitization trend will impact individuals and offer opportunities
The world is changing rapidly, and technology is morphing so quickly that individual lives are being impacted in ways that may have escaped notice. Staying abreast of life-changing trends has never been harder. One more recent trend is worthy of note – a steady shift...
Visionary municipalities lead way for Smart City contracting opportunities
Smart City competition continues, and benefits are coming not only to citizens at the local level of government but also to the entire country as new initiatives are launched, tested, and perfected. Recognition for exemplary effort is now more prevalent than ever as...
More federal funding available for disaster mitigation projects
At a time when an abundance of federal funding is already aiding state and local governments, even more is about to be released. This new funding will be allocated to public entities to support critical projects related to disaster mitigation. The funding will come...
Cybersecurity rising among America’s infrastructure priorities
Less than a month ago, President Biden released his proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2022 that includes $9.8 billion in funding for cybersecurity enhancements. Cyberbreaches are making the headlines too often – almost on a weekly basis – and those are only the attacks...
Federal relief funds continue to flow to school districts
Public schools have been granted approximately $190.5 billion in new funding from the federal government. In 2020 and 2021, Congress passed three stimulus bills that provided funding to the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund. It came in...
Drive to replace lead pipes leads to many contracting opportunities
We rarely stop to consider how difficult it is to be a government leader. The responsibility to identify critical needs, focus on eminent dangers, ensure public safety, and provide citizen services are monumental tasks. Consider this: An estimated 400,000 schools and...
Local officials addressing infrastructure needs as federal plan stalls
Earlier this month, the country celebrated another annual Infrastructure Week. For the last nine years, leaders have convened from across America to highlight the critical role infrastructure plays in the economy, job creation, public health, and national security....
ARP funding to boost school safety, technology upgrades across the U.S.
Congress sent some rather clear messages with passage of the American Rescue Plan (ARP), and the importance of education is undoubtedly top of mind. Based on the sheer volume of school safety allocations, protecting our nation’s students is a high priority with the...
Successful bond elections signal stabilizing government activity
Try to read a newspaper or listen to a newscast without being reminded that the country is beginning to return to normalcy. Activity can be found everywhere. Projects, initiatives, and opportunities are being announced daily. The activity level in government...
Shifting trends noticeable in forthcoming government projects
The government marketplace is changing rapidly, and strong trends point to a future environment that is quite different. The evolution that is occurring will impact all industry sectors as well as government. America leads the world with 16 percent of the global green...
What to expect in late 2021, early 2022
Public officials at the state and local jurisdictions of government have overcome the first quarter of 2021, but with so many looming problems and issues, most are struggling to establish their highest priorities. Which problem needs the most immediate attention? Is...
Details continue to emerge on ARP funding uses
Cities, counties, school districts, colleges, universities, health-care facilities, and public transit authorities are all on stand-by awaiting billions in new funding from the American Rescue Plan (ARP). Surprisingly, a few states are still holding federal revenue...
America is bordering on a water infrastructure crisis
There is no disagreement — water is a precious asset. Without water, there is no path to survival or sustainability on the planet. Cities, counties, states, industry, trees, plants, crops, animals, and individuals cannot survive without adequate water resources. In...
States take up infrastructure gauntlet as debate mires Congress
President Biden’s proposed infrastructure bill is front and center in Congressional offices, but it is the American Jobs Plan that is getting more attention. This proposed bill from the Biden administration also includes an abundance of funding for infrastructure....
Proposed infrastructure bill would stimulate capital energy projects
President Biden recently introduced a massive infrastructure bill designed to reshape the U.S. economy while addressing infrastructure reform. Biden’s stated goal is to achieve 100 percent carbon-free power by 2035. The proposal also includes $100 billion in funding...
Moving from difficult days to a brighter economic outlook
When Harvard and other major universities begin offering courses to students and professionals focused on public-private partnerships (P3s), it is worthy of notice. When Wall Street announces programs designed around building revenue models for collaborating with...
Billions in education contracting opportunities flowing from ARP
The much-anticipated funding made available by the American Rescue Plan (ARP) is now moving. The U.S. Department of Education (ED) has released $81 billion in funding that is destined to reach public school districts in every state. This first release of funding...
ESG – a trend destined to impact government contracting
Industry leaders, investors, regulators, rating agencies, and governmental entities are all watching a strong trend that will likely become a competitive factor in government contracting in the future. The significance of the trend’s impact cannot yet be calculated,...