Austin Business Journal 2008

• Texas government to launch large technology projects in 2009 – 12/12/2008
  The state of Texas spends billions each year to buy, implement, operate, upgrade and maintain complex technology systems. The systems are needed for critical government operations such as finance, human resources, case management, federal reporting and more. Despite the amount spent each year, Texans will see funding increase significantly for complete system upgrades, overhauls and replacements. [more]
• Government trends can translate into private-sector opportunities – 11/28/2008
  Evolving trends in government almost always spawn opportunities for private-sector government contractors. Here are some significant trends to watch. [more]
• Look for new opportunities in government facilities – 11/14/2008
  Many governmental agencies as well as cities, counties, and school districts in Texas contract with private firms for professional services related to facilities. Companies offering such services will find hundreds of opportunities in the coming year. Primarily, governmental entities contract for services that include maintenance, security, planning, inspections and assessments as well as total outsourcing of all facility-related operations. [more]
• State agencies ask for big increases in funding – 10/31/2008
  The next legislative session is less than three months away and state agencies have been submitting funding requests for the last few months. A quick glance at the requests submitted by the state’s largest agencies denotes significant increases. Approval of even half the spending requests will result in abundant opportunities for companies that contract with governmental agencies. [more]
• Strong demand for digital technology from government – 10/17/2008
  Local governments are investing heavily in digital video technology. There are many reasons for this national trend. [more]
• Some quick ways to shorten government sales cycles – 10/03/2008
  Traditional government solicitations are often lengthy, costly and frustrating. However, that does not have to be the case. Government decision-makers are also interested in a quicker process. [more]
• 2009 looks like a good year for government contractors – 9/19/2008
  Cities, counties and school districts throughout Texas are winding up budget planning and approval processes for 2009. Those who closely follow the budget process are noticing some interesting trends. [more]
• Funding flows to contractors with communication solutions – 9/05/2008
  Most public entities in Texas have new budgets in place and spending for 2009 has already started. One noticeable trend is that public safety concerns and increasing expectations from citizens are causing cities, counties and public agencies to allocate large sums of money for more robust and secure communications systems. [more]
• Government agencies to spend $1 trillion on health care – 8/22/2008
  State and local governments are on track to spend more than $1 trillion for the first time in 2008…about 13 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product. Much of that money goes to private sector contractors who offer goods and services to the healthcare sector of government. [more]
• Don’t overlook governmental entities with lot of facilities – 8/08/2008
  Governmental entities with numerous facilities, campus operations or large buildings should be considered prime targets for government contractors. Public facilities, real estate and office buildings require continual maintenance, all kinds of products, specialized professionals and numerous diversified services. Facility services can range from small contracts for fire alarm inspections to millions of dollars for full facilities management outsourcing.. [more]
• State’s public sector remains healthy despite nation’s woes – 7/25/2008
  Texans are well aware of the economic downturn that is impacting the entire country. No industry sector is exempt – all have been impacted. One sector that is always somewhat immune, however, is the public sector, and it is interesting to take a look at what is happening in governmental environments in Texas. [more]
• Don’t overlook the education marketplace in Texas – 7/11/2008
  Educational institutions in Texas are a huge marketplace for vendors and service providers. Billions of dollars are spent each year by schools, colleges and universities. This marketplace is only going to get larger as enrollment grows and technology becomes more important to educational excellence. [more]
• Billions being spent each year on public sector security – 6/27/2008
  Texas governmental entities in the past have spent millions each year to protect facilities, property, employees, students and the general public from harm. Since the terrorist attacks on 9-11, security spending has climbed to billions of dollars. The government security marketplace, just in Texas alone, is a billion-dollar marketplace and there is lots of diversity. [more]
• More Texans means more parks, libraries, entertainment facilities – 5/16/2008
  As Texas grows, so does the need for libraries, jogging trails, performing arts centers, parks, athletic facilities, theaters and museums. And while the private sector slows as the result of an economy that is less than stellar, governmental entities announce large new projects on a weekly basis. There are literally thousands of opportunities for companies positioned to sell to the public sector. [more]
• Billions expected to be spent on school construction in May – 4/18/2008
  In a matter of weeks, voters will go to the polls and could approve $7 billion dollars in new funding for school districts in Texas. Construction, engineering, design, technology and security firms should pay close attention. [more]
• Agency execs listen when talk centers on efficient operation – 4/4/2008
  In highly competitive private sector environments, information management systems are critical components that allow firms to operate efficiently and effectively. The same types of… [more]
• Criminal justice system is reaching out to private sector – 3/21/2008
  A number of converging trends in criminal justice systems throughout the country have produced unique contracting opportunities for private sector firms. Trends that are changing the face of criminal justice operations include large prison population growth, restricted funding from state and local governments, adverse court decisions and increasing demands for accountability. Texas now has the largest prison system in the country, with about 172,000 people incarcerated in state and county facilities. Additionally, the Texas Youth Commission has more than 5,000 young men and women in custody. The sheer volume cries out for new and creative ways to produce better results. [more]
• Don’t overlook public safety opportunities in your area – 3/7/2008
  One of the key missions at every level of government is security — ensuring the safety of citizens and the entire homeland. In fact, the largest part of city and county budgets is almost always allocated for costs associated with public safety. And, it is not only cities and counties that spend heavily for security solutions; security is now a large budget item for public schools, community colleges, and public universities. [more]
• Look beyond TxDOT for transportation opportunities – 2/22/2008
  Texas is known for its wide-open spaces, and most people think about road building projects when considering government contracting opportunities related to transportation. Because of that, too many vendors focus only on TxDOT, the state’s transportation agency. TxDOT definitely hands out an abundance of transportation contracts, but vendors who limit their focus to road-building opportunities will miss out on thousands of other transportation-related opportunities throughout the state. [more]
• I in new markets? Look at TxDOT opportunities – 2/8/2008
  Driving down any road or highway, one might be thinking about ways to grow a business. If so, it’s highly possible the driver is sitting on top of the answer. Transportation in Texas is so large it offers almost every conceivable type of contracting opportunity for private sector partners. [more]
• Talks of recession may slow future construction projects – 1/25/2008
  As the housing market and construction in general slows in the commercial sector, the public sector is ramping up in a big way. Governmental entities — cities, counties, state and federal agencies — have millions of dollars to spend in ’08 and ’09 for all types of construction and infrastructure projects. [more]
• University contracting opportunities are often overlooked – 1/11/2008
  An abundance of often overlooked contracting opportunities can be found on the campuses of Texas colleges and universities. Enrollments at the state’s higher education institutions are projected to grow by almost one-third from the current 1.1 million to 1.5 million students by 2015. That growth has the state scrambling to expand campuses and build facilities to house and educate all the students. [more]
• Colleges geared up to offer big contracting opportunities – 1/4/2008
  Political leaders and the business community in Texas have joined forces to face the reality of a large potential problem. Texas is in danger of having its economic prosperity slip if efforts are not successful to increase the number of students entering institutions of higher education. Simply put, it has become painfully apparent that more students must be channeled into colleges and universities if we are to maintain the economic standards that exist in Texas today. [more]

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