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 government, it is a bellwether of change. And, when organizations hold conferences structured around P3s and thousands of public officials and industry executives attend, it is an indication of what the future holds.

Unless something unforeseen happens, private-sector involvement and investment in public projects will become more common every month of every year in the near future. America’s infrastructure is in dire need of attention, and the ‘fixes’ that are needed are too expensive for government coffers and too complicated to ignore private-sector expertise.

It's important to note that the term infrastructure encompasses much more than transportation. In fact, infrastructure should be thought of as the ‘social and economic foundation of a country’. It includes basic physical and organizational structures such as public buildings, roads, power grids, water resources, airports, health-care systems, educational facilities.

Infrastructure today encompasses even more. Technology networks, broadband, public safety facilities, and resources – these are all are critical components of life in America.

As Congress considers an infrastructure bill, both political parties agree that the need exists to address infrastructure reform. The public at large also agrees that the country’s needs are great.

Washington – The Grant County Public Utility District signed an agreement on April 1 to establish a public-private partnership (P3) to support the development and commercial demonstration of the first advanced nuclear reactor in the U.S.

Estimated to cost $2.4 billion, the project will take seven years to complete and will be online by 2027-2028.

Through the TRi Energy Partnership, the parties will evaluate each step of the project and identify the best approach to licensing, permitting, construction, operation, and ownership.

A proposed location north of Richland would be the site of an Xe-100 advanced nuclear power plant capable of generating up to 320 megawatts using a TRISO fuel, which stands for “TRi-structural ISOtropic particle fuel.”

Each TRISO particle consists of a uranium, carbon, and oxygen fuel kernel that is encapsulated in three layers of carbon and ceramic-based coating that prevents radioactive fission products from being released. TRISO particles are extremely small and will be fabricated into tennis ball-sized spheres called “pebbles” that are ideal for a high temperature gas reactor.

TRISO has great structural strength and durability, as well as the ability to withstand high temperatures. With triple-coated layers, each particle is its own containment system and retains fission products under all reactor conditions and temperatures.

Washington, D.C. – Airport improvement projects across the country will benefit from more than $627.7 million in grants from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The FAA selected 390 facilities to receive Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grants that will support projects promoting safety, efficiency, environmental stewardship, infrastructure, and security.

Some of the projects awarded grants are:

Historically, the AIP grant program receives approximately $3.2 billion in Congressional funding annually. The FAA will award more than 1,500 grants this year.

Montana – The Montana State Library issued a request for information (RFI) regarding integrated library systems (ILS) and related software to serve people through public, school, academic, and special libraries.

Library officials seek product information from library automation vendors delivering library automation and support services. Experience with large library systems, library consortia, and libraries of all types is essential. Vendors must have experience in successfully migrating large sites’ automation systems.

The state is interested in receiving information from vendors who have experience migrating bibliographic, authority, item, patron, bills, holds, and acquisition data.

A primary design feature of the system will be the accessibility of meaningful, effective support for the state's existing Montana Shared Catalog (MSC) and library staff members. This will take the form of an intuitive user interface with interactive help, tutorials, prompts, and responses to user errors, and end-user documentation.

The MSC provides centralized technical support, training, and documentation for ILS and for committees and sharing groups that administer how the ILS is used. MSC service locations include 102 public libraries, 67 school libraries, eight special libraries, and six academic libraries across Montana.

 RFI responses are due by 2 p.m. MST April 29.

Washington, D.C. – The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) will award $187 million in federal funding to four Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) infrastructure projects through the agency’s Capital Investment Grants (CIG) Small Starts Program.

San Bernardino County Transportation Authority will receive an $86.75 million allocation for the West Valley Connector BRT project in California. The 19-mile zero-emission BRT line will connect Pomona to Rancho Cucamonga and will operate as part of Omnitrans’ sbX BRT service. The project includes the purchase of 40-foot, zero-emission buses, and construction of 21 new bus stations.

The city of Seattle Department of Transportation will receive a $59.9 million allocation for the Madison Street BRT project, a 2.3-mile east-west BRT line operating diesel-electric buses along Madison Street spanning from downtown Seattle in the west to the Madison Valley neighborhood in the east.

Community Transit will receive a $37 million allocation for the Swift Orange Line BRT project, an 11.3-mile BRT corridor with 13 stations in Everett, Washington. Swift Orange Line service is scheduled to begin operating by March 2024.

Utah Transit Authority will receive a $3.2 million allocation for the Ogden/Weber State University BRT Project. The 5.3-mile BRT will run electric buses from the Ogden FrontRunner Station, through downtown, along dedicated bus lanes in the center of the road on Harrison Boulevard and through the Weber State University campus, and to McKay-Dee Hospital.

The CIG Program provides funding for major transit infrastructure capital investments nationwide. Projects accepted into the program must go through a multi-year, multi-step process to be eligible for consideration to receive program funds.

Michigan – Holland Public Schools will ask voters on May 4 for authorization to renew a portion of its debt from a previous bond sale to generate an estimated $74.65 million for construction projects.

The school district would use the revenues to build new instructional space at two elementary schools, complete remodeling projects and other unfinished initiatives, make health and safety improvements, and upgrade instructional technology.

If the referendum were to pass, the district would issue Build 2021 bonds in three series. The first series for $25.95 million would be available in July to purchase district technology and maintenance equipment, remodel Holland High School and Holland Middle School, build a new storage facility, and install elementary school playgrounds.

A $41.35 million bond issuance would be scheduled for July 2023 to fund partial reconstruction of Holland Heights and West elementary schools and purchase more buses.

The final series would be available in July 2025 for $7.3 million to finance the remodeling of Jefferson Elementary School and the district’s Administration Building and purchase additional technology, maintenance equipment, and buses.

Colorado – In preparation for the November 3, 2023 coordinated election, the Colorado Department of State (CDOS) is gathering input on voter registration systems.

In a request for information (RFI), the department is seeking feedback on available information technology companies and software consultants as it considers replacing its voter registration system with a newer system that incorporates technological and cybersecurity advancements.

The state desires a more accessible and transparent system that is developed and operational by the November 3, 2023 coordinated election.

Other required functionalities are:

RFI responses are due by April 20.

Illinois – The newly renamed Quad Cities International Airport is planning $20 million to $40 million in improvements over the next three to five years.

Terminal upgrades will include new ticketing areas and security checkpoints combined with wider concourses, new floors, relocated baggage screening equipment, and renovated restrooms.

Travelers will be welcomed with modern renovations including a new canopy, raised ceiling, and added glass to flood the terminal with natural light. Updates include new wayfinding signage and crosswalks realigned with entrances.

A viewing area and garden will provide space for visitors to watch air traffic activity. Covered parking and a canopied curbside drop-off area are among the planned amenities.

Federal funding from the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2020 (CRRSA) helped the airport offset lost revenue and provide operational and payroll support. The airport has experienced some early signs of stabilization and recovery, with passenger numbers hovering around 20,000 to 23,000 passengers per month.

Nebraska – The state’s budget division released a request for information (RFI) for input on a new budget request system.

Such a system must increase and improve access to use and present budget request information by elected and appointed leaders to facilitate decision‐making. The system must make budget request information readily accessible to citizens and should create opportunity for greater participation in the public budget process.

Additional requirements are for the budget request system to interface with existing state systems to aggregate financial data and personnel data. This data would become the basis of the budget request. The budget system should have a dynamic reporting capability and the ability to export data from the existing state system.

The budget request system must present the operational and capital construction budgets as separate documents. The budget request system should be able to produce a report that includes the original request, the recommendation, and the differences on a year-over-year and biennial basis.

RFI responses are due by 2 p.m. CST May 5.

Utah – State legislators authorized $14.5 million for the construction of a foreign-language center at Utah State University.

Among the assets at the Mehdi Heravi Global Teaching and Learning Center will be expanded conversational, teaching, and computer writing labs, as well as centralized student advising, study, and tutoring.

The college’s Intensive English Language Institute, a program that supports students and faculty members who seek to improve their academic skills, will be relocated to the new center.

Connecticut – The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) unveiled a statewide strategic plan for connected and automated vehicles (CAV) to support emerging transportation technology and mobility trends.

The strategic plan explores ways connected and automated vehicles or CAV technologies could become a tool in helping meet key CTDOT goals to:

In the next five years, CTDOT will focus actions on CAV technology advancements by both industry and public sector such as deployment of pilot projects, early policy coordination and development, assessments of workforce and infrastructure readiness, and other activities.

Beyond 2025, the department will maintain a timely feedback loop to adapt and engage with the pace of advancements in CAV technologies, policies, and readiness. Transportation officials will look for opportunities to implement infrastructure programs and services at a larger scale to support advances in CAV technologies.

Join more than 600 public agency and industry representatives virtually April 21-23 for three days of project delivery discussions and networking.

The P3 Water Summit is an opportunity to learn, discuss, and share evolving concepts and state-of-the-art techniques in delivering water partnerships. The annual program focuses on drinking water, green infrastructure, wastewater, sanitation, stormwater, resiliency, and more.

This year’s Summit is designed to help public utilities and water managers plan and procure successful public-private partnership (P3) initiatives, understand documentation, discover industry best practices in selecting and negotiating with prospective partners, and take steps to ensure project success.

Register now to become part of the conversation. Advanced registration ends April 9.

Florida – Daytona Beach city commissioners approved Deric Feacher as the next city manager, pending contract approval. He will take over from Jim Chisholm who retired in March. Feacher is currently the city manager for Haines City, Florida. Prior to that, he was city manager and assistant city manager of Winter Haven, Florida.

Mississippi – The Mississippi Transportation Commission named Jeffrey Altman as acting executive director of the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT). He succeeded Executive Director Melinda McGrath who retired. Altman most recently served as assistant to the executive director. Before that, he was director of MDOT’s Local Public Agency Division.

Michigan – Effective May 10, Lisa Frace is set to become the first senior vice president and chief financial officer of Michigan State University, pending board approval. Most recently, Frace served as the senior associate vice chancellor and chief finance and budget officer for the University of California Davis. Prior to that, she was associate vice president for planning and budget and chief budgeting officer at Arizona State University.

Nebraska – Gov. Pete Ricketts appointed Eric Dunning as the next director of the Nebraska Department of Insurance (NDOI), effective April 19. Dunning has been the director of government affairs for the state division of a major health insurance provider. Prior to that, he was an attorney at NDOI and for the Colorado General Assembly.

California – The Mojave Air & Space Port selected Todd Lindner as chief executive officer. Lindner most recently worked for the Jacksonville Aviation Authority as director of Cecil Spaceport. He previously held the positions of senior manager of aviation planning and development and administrator of planning, grants, and environmental programs.

Colorado – Pitkin County named Dan Bartholomew as the new aviation director for the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport, effective in May. Bartholomew previously served as vice president of planning, engineering, and environmental management at the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority. Prior to that, he was director of planning and environmental for the Broward County Aviation Department.

Mary Scott Nabers, Publisher

Devin Monk, Editor

Government Contracting Pipeline, a publication of Strategic Partnerships, Inc., is a free, weekly newsletter detailing important happenings nationwide and the premier source for federal, state, and local government news and contracting opportunities.