Jan 31st 2022 | Posted in Trends by Texas Government Insider

Institutional construction spending in the U.S. is projected to rebound by 4.4 percent in 2022 and 6 percent in 2023, according to a new report by the American Institute of Architects (AIA). With a 5 percent decline in construction spending on buildings last year, only retail and other commercial, industrial, and health-care facilities managed spending […]

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Dec 14th 2020 | Posted in Trends by Government Contracting Pipeline

Virginia – The city of Richmond is taking public comment on what residents want it to consider in a proposal for a potential resort casino in the city. Richmond will issue a request for qualifications (RFQ) or proposals (RFP) to select an operator and site. Following the city’s selection of a preferred operator and site, the […]

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Dec 6th 2019 | Posted in Trends by Texas Government Insider

Humble ISD (HISD) is moving forward on plans to build a $28 million flood gate system to protect Kingwood High School after receiving a $25 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Kingwood High School suffered $63 million in damages from Hurricane Harvey. During the restoration, students and staff shared a campus with […]

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May 23rd 2019 | Posted in Trends by Government Contracting Pipeline

The National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), along with the Natural Resources Defense Council and Delivery Associates, will work in close concert with transportation departments in five cities to design and implement high-quality bike and transit corridors by the end of 2020. This work is expected to help the cities of Atlanta, Boston, Denver, Minneapolis and […]

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May 3rd 2017 | Posted in Trends by Kristin Gordon

There is a population of space savers who enjoy being boxed in where they live and work. Tiny homes and shipping containers seem to be showing up more in cities as people look for lower costs, easy upkeep and a smaller environmental footprint. But standard building codes have made it difficult to legally build a […]

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Apr 19th 2017 | Posted in Trends by Kristin Gordon

“Transparency” has been a fairly popular word for government, businesses, non-profits and other agencies as they describe their openness regarding finances, transactions and decision making. A similar word is making its way into the mainstream, but it focuses more on the journey that a company’s product or service went through to get where it is […]

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Nov 2nd 2016 | Posted in Trends by wpengine

Cities across the country are rushing to embrace smart city connectivity in a variety of ways. The internet of things (IoT) makes it possible to connect municipal services to citizens in ways that enrich their lives – using data and connectivity to improve efficiency and quality of life. From smart trash cans to sound-sensing streetlights to parking space […]

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Aug 26th 2016 | Posted in Texas Government Insider, Trends by wpengine
unmanned aerial system UAS

Government entities are using drones in a variety of ways, from checking roof leaks to patrolling parking lots to providing a visual assist during emergency situations. McAllen Independent School District’s board president, Sam Saldivar, Jr.,  recently announced the district’s intention to purchase state-of-the-art drones, or unmanned aerial system (UAS), to patrol all campuses. Saldivar said the drones […]

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Aug 24th 2016 | Posted in Transportation, Trends by wpengine
Image of one of the various types of autonomous vehicles
Photo By Grendelkhan, CC BY-SA 4.0,

Self-driving cars have been so long on the horizon that some people may be surprised to see them popping up all over the county. Though research and testing on modern autonomous vehicles has been going on since the 1980s, seeing a car with no steering wheel in the adjacent lane on the highway could be […]

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Apr 22nd 2016 | Posted in Trends by wpengine

Masterson says that a project’s term varies according to the community’s needs, but developing a comprehensive plan can take more than a year — the first simmer for preparatory work and data collection, two semesters of course work and then another summer to finish the plan and design the final report. “Smaller projects, like a landscape architecture conceptual design might take only a few months. We are bound by semesters, and projects are executed and completed with that in mind.”

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Dec 11th 2015 | Posted in Trends by wpengine
The logo for Gregg County, a county in East Texas that has helped form a purchasing assocation to foster cooperation with other entities in the area

Gregg, Smith county officials form purchasing association When Kelli Davis was named Gregg County purchasing agent in July 2014, County Judge Bill Stoudt asked her to consider the possibilities of joining with neighboring counties and other governmental entities to take advantage of joint purchasing association opportunities. Stoudt says he didn’t really have much knowledge of […]

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Apr 29th 2015 | Posted in Trends by Government Contracting Pipeline
Photo by Jamie McCaffrey is licensed under CC BY 2.0

As local and state populations continue to expand throughout the country, America’s transportation infrastructure is deteriorating because of increasing traffic and decreasing funding. As a result, transit projects are growing and becoming increasingly important to help more Americans reach their jobs, education and day-to-day necessities such as health care, recreation and nutrition needs. All of […]

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Jan 30th 2015 | Posted in Trends by Mary Scott Nabers
Photo by Matthew Rutledge is licensed under CC BY 2.0

In the past, downtown was either a busy area – the thriving heart of business and commerce – or a largely unpopulated section where windows and doors were boarded up and crime was rampant. The increase in suburban malls, grocery chains, restaurants, recreational areas and apartment complexes lured citizens away from downtown. The exodus left […]

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Jan 16th 2015 | Posted in Infrastructure, Legislation/Policy, Mary Scott Nabers' Insights, State, Transportation, Trends by Mary Scott Nabers
Photo by Chris (LA Wad) is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Texans may be somewhat calmed by the knowledge that transportation infrastructure problems are nationwide. No state is exempt. Citizens won’t, however, be happy to know that transportation-related costs are destined to increase in Texas and in every other state in the near future. The nation’s transportation infrastructure needs have become too critical to ignore any […]

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Jan 7th 2015 | Posted in State, Transportation, Trends by wpengine
Photo by NC3D is licensed under CC BY 2.0

On Tuesday, Jan. 6, in Fresno, California’s high-speed rail project became the nation’s first project to break ground. Within seven years, the Fresno to the Burbank airport segment should be operational. Within 14 years, the system will be built out more than 500 miles in two directions, linking downtown San Francisco to downtown Los Angeles. Ultimately, it will stretch from Sacramento to San Diego at 200 mph.

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Jan 2nd 2015 | Posted in Infrastructure, Public-Private Partnerships (P3), State, Trends, Water Projects by Mary Scott Nabers
SPI President & CEO Mary Scott Nabers

Know what green bonds are? You probably do if you are a public official. But, otherwise, this may be an unfamiliar term. Because they are relatively new, it’s important to take note of green bonds. They are another alternative funding source for public projects. And, they are called green bonds, of course, because each project […]

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Dec 31st 2014 | Posted in State, Trends by Government Contracting Pipeline
Photo by Ken Teegardin is licensed under CC BY 2.0

The effects of the Great Recession in 2008 are still being felt at the local and state levels of government. In fact, the federal Government Accountability Office (GAO) notes in a recent report that those governments’ budget crises are long-term and, without policy changes, tax revenues will not return to pre-recession rates as a percentage […]

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Dec 31st 2014 | Posted in State, Technology, Trends by Mary Scott Nabers
SPI President & CEO Mary Scott Nabers

Consolidation is a word that often strikes fear in the heart of a public servant. In the past, consolidation usually meant fewer full time employees (FTEs). Today, however, consolidation doesn’t always mean fewer workers. The basic concept behind consolidation is that by combining public agencies or entities that are performing similar functions, costs can be […]

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Dec 19th 2014 | Posted in Legislation/Policy, State, Trends by Mary Scott Nabers
SPI President & CEO Mary Scott Nabers

“Rebuilding” is a common word in state government these days. Nationwide, states are tasked with finding more efficient ways for rebuilding transportation, water resources, low-income housing, educational facilities and social service programs. But, nowhere has the term “rebuilding” been used more than in the realm of fiscal rebuilding. According to the recently released 2014 Fiscal […]

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Dec 17th 2014 | Posted in Trends by Mary Scott Nabers
SPI President & CEO Mary Scott Nabers

Public officials at the local levels of government struggle with budget cuts, debt issues and finding ways to fund critical projects. Fortunately, there are some interesting options. Historically, bonding has been the most popular way to finance public projects.  However, another option is becoming more common – Certificates of Participation or COPs. This type of […]

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Dec 12th 2014 | Posted in Infrastructure, Transportation, Trends, Water Projects by Texas Government Insider
ReBuild Houston logo

Here’s a novel idea for government – don’t approve a project you can’t pay for. It’s served the city of Houston well over the last couple of years in its pay-as-you-go ReBuild Houston program. Like many other cities nationwide, Houston is experiencing major growth. And, with that growth, the city’s street and drainage repair and […]

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Dec 10th 2014 | Posted in Public-Private Partnerships (P3), State, Trends by Mary Scott Nabers
SPI President & CEO Mary Scott Nabers

Local, state and national parks have great value and are recognized as high-dollar public assets.  Parks are attractive aspects of any economic development effort and they draw tourists, local residents and the traveling public at-large. Their appeal is often the “tipping point” for corporations making relocation decisions and parks attract families to housing or retail […]

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Dec 5th 2014 | Posted in Federal, Mary Scott Nabers' Insights, Public-Private Partnerships (P3), Trends by Mary Scott Nabers
SPI President & CEO Mary Scott Nabers

At a time when budgets are stretched thin, funding for social programs is available to local governmental entities through a new and innovative program. The new funding comes from a Social Innovation Fund and monetary awards are based on successful accomplishment of pre-determined social outcomes. According to a report from the Social Innovation Research Center, […]

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Nov 21st 2014 | Posted in News, Trends by Texas Government Insider
TCPN logo

Procurement through cooperative purchasing among public entities has enjoyed double-digit growth since last year. Government officials – from public schools to cities, counties, nonprofits and institutions of higher education – are leveraging the purchasing power of thousands of government entities through shared contracts that allow them to cut costs significantly and stretch taxpayer dollars.

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