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 funding. That inactivity is changing, and citizens, students and taxpayers will benefit.

Demand over the next two years may test the capacity factor for companies that specialize in renovation projects. The surprising number of planned projects already announced indicates a sweeping trend that could escalate quickly. A few examples of what to expect follow.

The governor of Kentucky recently announced an award of $75 million to Kentucky school districts for renovation of Vocational Education Centers. The Commonwealth of Kentucky approved nine more funding allocations for other renovation projects in school districts where vocational training is administered. These include school districts in:

The projects will all include upgrades of various types such as HVAC equipment, roof repair, expansions, renovations, and/or rebuilding.

Maryland – The state’s Department of Transportation (MDOT) released its Draft FY 2022 – FY 2027 Consolidated Transportation Program (CTP) on September 1, which details MDOT's $16.4 billion six-year capital budget with a focus on system preservation, major projects, and planning and engineering.

Investments will go to each of MDOT’s transportation business units including aviation, port, transit, motor vehicle, and state highway administrations and The Secretary's Office. More than half of the $16.4 billion is budgeted for preserving aging infrastructure to bring roads, bridges, rail, port and airport facilities, and other infrastructure into a state of good repair.

Major projects continue to move forward with funding in the Draft CTP as well, including the Purple Line, American Legion Bridge, Howard Street Tunnel, the A/B Connector at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, the Interstate 695/Interstate 70 Triple Bridges, and I-695 Traffic Relief Plan.

Planning and engineering for future projects comprises another significant portion of the Draft CTP. Those projects cover every region and mode of travel across the state, including:

The Draft CTP reflects a $1.2 billion increase compared to the $15.2 billion Final FY 2021-FY 2026 CTP released in January. The largest drivers of the revenue increase in the Draft CTP include COVID-19 relief funds totaling $841 million and revenue growth totaling $488 million.

California – The Sites Project Authority is facing a January 1, 2022, deadline to remain eligible for $836 million in voter-approved funding for the construction of the $3.9 billion Sites Reservoir.

The project is one of several drought mitigation and water storage efforts approved by voters in 2014 with the passage of Proposition 1, but its significant cost delayed the start of construction. As the state suffers one of its worst droughts, the impetus to complete the project has intensified.

By next year, feasibility studies must be completed and a draft Environmental Impact Review/Environmental Impact Statement must be issued for public review. In addition, the project is required to obtain 75 percent funding commitment for non-Proposition 1 costs, and the California Water Commission must find that the project is feasible.

The Sites Reservoir Project would utilize existing infrastructure to divert unregulated and unappropriated flow from the Sacramento River at Red Bluff and Hamilton City and convey water to a new off-stream reservoir west of the community of Maxwell.

New and existing facilities would move water into and out of the reservoir, with ultimate release back to the Sacramento River system via existing canals and a new pipeline near Dunnigan. Construction of the reservoir would necessitate construction of a bridge or bypass road to connect Maxwell with the community of Lodoga. Additional components would include future development of new recreation facilities at the reservoir.

A preliminary description from February presented a no build option and three action alternatives to implement the project. Action alternatives include:

Construction may start as early as spring 2024, depending on the timing of funding, design, and permitting. Initial activities would include developing the Sites Reservoir inundation area, constructing the access roads, and realigning/constructing the Sites Lodoga Road or South Road.

Full operations could begin in 2030.

Colorado – Denver voters will determine the future of several capital projects that form a $450 million bond referendum set for November 2 after councilmembers approved all five categories of Mayor Michael Hancock’s proposal.

Leading the list of projects is the proposed $160 million National Western Center Arena. Located near Interstate 70 and Brighton Boulevard, the 10,000-seat arena will be designed for live music, family entertainment, sporting events, and more. Another $30 million would go to renovate the Historic 1909 Building.

Nearly $93.7 million in new library construction, facility improvements, renovations, and other deferred maintenance projects comprise a facilities proposition.

If approved, the city would purchase the 48th Avenue Shelter for $7.4 million as well as acquire and make improvements to shelter facilities for $30 million to address housing and sheltering needs.

Transportation projects amount to $61.22 million in neighborhood transportation safety and pedestrian improvements, trail development, bike infrastructure implementation, Peoria multimodal improvements, and Morrison Road reconstruction.

More than $52.7 million would go toward construction of two new city parks and a maintenance facility in addition to pool reconstruction, and athletic field and court replacements.

Illinois – The city of Chicago extended its deadline for submissions to 4 p.m. CDT September 30 on a request for information (RFI) that opened this spring regarding a new franchise agreement for electric utility service. In an earlier addendum, Chicago extended the deadline to July 30.

Through the RFI process, for the first time in nearly 30 years, the city will evaluate information from the electricity industry, including its current provider, regarding a new franchise agreement with the city as it plans for electrified transportation and building sectors and a decarbonized economy.

The RFI issuance does not sever the relationship with the city’s existing provider or represent a decision to move forward to negotiate a franchise with another utility provider. Instead, it serves as a due diligence effort. After evaluating responses to the RFI, the city may choose to propose a new franchise agreement with its current provider, or it may consider additional steps to evaluate other franchise options and partners.

New Jersey – The Gateway Program Project Partners submitted an updated financial plan for the Hudson Tunnel Project to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) with the goal of obtaining $5.6 billion in grant funding.

The project includes the construction of a new two-track rail tunnel beneath the Hudson River, the comprehensive rehabilitation of the existing 110-year-old North River Tunnel, and the completion of the third and final section of the Hudson Yards Concrete Casing.

Major construction on the new tunnel is estimated to begin in August 2023, and the project’s construction cost is estimated at $12.3 billion, including $10.1 billion for the new tunnel and $2.2 billion for full rehabilitation of the existing tunnel.

The project’s construction cost estimate is down from the $12.7 billion cost in 2017; however, it represents an increase from 2020 due to time-driven escalation and the continuing need to push back the calendar for beginning major construction.

Overall, the project partners have taken more than $2 billion out of the cost estimate, including $1.4 billion based on advanced design work in the 2019 filing and more than $900 million in property acquisition estimates.

The plan seeks approximately $5.6 billion in FTA Capital Investment Grant (CIG) funding. It is supported by more than $6 billion in commitments towards estimated construction costs by the states of New York and New Jersey and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

The Gateway Program is a comprehensive set of rail investments that will improve commuter and intercity services, add needed resiliency, and create new capacity for the busiest section of the Northeast Corridor (NEC). The NEC is the most heavily used passenger rail line in the country hosting more than 2,200 train movements and 800,000 passenger trips daily.

Strategic Partnerships, Inc. (SPI) consultant Brian Woodbeck brings an abundance of experience in the areas of public safety and emergency management.

Brian retired after 37 years of service in California in emergency management, most recently as deputy chief of operations for Northern California in the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (OES).

In this role, Brian performed complex, hazardous, and sensitive emergency management work and held numerous leadership positions related to fire and rescue services operational programs.

He participated in the oversight of the State Fire and Rescue Plan, developing local, area, and regional fire and rescue mutual aid plans and managed the FEMA Project Impact grant program. He also participated in the development of the California State Mutual Aid Pre-Incident / Mobilization Preparedness guidelines.

Brian held leadership roles with the Northern and Southern Operations Center Predictive Services and the CA High Speed Program Fire & Life-Safety and Security Committee. His years of working with agencies and communities and public officials have provided him a unique understanding of government at myriad jurisdictional levels.

Matthew Cubberley’s 30-year career in law enforcement will serve as an asset to Strategic Partnerships, Inc. (SPI) clients interested in expanding their networks in public safety.

Matthew has been involved in numerous aspects of law enforcement. He served as a corrections officer, a deputy sheriff, and a detective in a Criminal Investigations Division. After becoming the lead detective, he assumed responsibilities for day-to-day operations and an advisory role for other detectives.

He later served as evidence custodian and lieutenant before being promoted to oversight of the Street Crimes Unit, which was a coalition of all the police agencies in the area working together. While serving as the unit’s director, Matthew oversaw and assisted the Meth Task Force, Dangerous Drugs Task Force, and many federal agencies. He moved up to the role of captain before retiring.

Matthew is a graduate of Tennessee’s National Forensic Academy where he worked with the National Forensic Academy and the Law Enforcement Innovation Center. He also is a graduate of Leadership of Tomorrow.

Ohio – To obtain vendor input on Learning Management Systems (LMS), the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS) issued a request for information (RFI).

OPERS is seeking feedback on LMS that allow for a local and remote method of providing training classes to its staff.

Some desired features include the ability to upload content, assign content by due date, create learner teams, customize pages, and manage, track, and schedule live trainings with the ability to enroll and withdraw. Other capabilities of interest are the ability to provide reporting and help systems, individual learner record profiles, and printable certificates of completion.

With approximately $114.3 billion in assets, the system provides retirement, disability, and survivor benefit programs for public employees throughout the state who are not covered by another state or local retirement system.

Responses to this RFI are due by September 15. They will be used to better understand the various available solutions and to evaluate OPERS’ next steps including possible procurement approaches. The RFI will allow qualified vendors an opportunity to propose their solutions to OPERS.

Florida – The Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX) expects to begin advertising for bids in October and November for the 13-mile widening of State Road 429 from Tilden Road to SR 414.

Anticipated to be complete by late 2024, the widening will be broken into three segments to minimize impact to motorists. The authority will add a travel lane to SR 429 in each direction between Tilden Road and SR 414 as well as sound walls along several locations of the expressway.

CFX is implementing a new design element of wider median shoulders that can temporarily accommodate additional traffic during emergency response events, such as traffic accidents or hurricane evacuations.

Construction is scheduled for completion in late 2024 on the $387 million project.

Washington, D.C. – The Federal Railroad Administration will make nearly $362 million available through its Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Grant Program.

CRISI funds projects that reduce congestion, improve short-line and regional railroad infrastructure, relocate rail lines, enhance multi-modal connections, and facilitate service integration between rail and other modes such as at ports or intermodal facilities.

These grants will help build resilience across America’s supply chains, in support of the Biden Administration’s ongoing Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force.

CRISI is authorized by the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act to assist in funding projects that improve intercity passenger and freight rail transportation safety, efficiency, and reliability. Certain funding amounts are set aside for:

Grants will be awarded to projects that: foster safety and equitable economic strength; improve core assets and ensure racial equity and economic inclusion; address climate change and resilience; and modernize the nation’s transportation infrastructure.

New Hampshire – Harwood Union School District trustees are scheduled to finalize the scope and cost of expansions to the district’s high school and Crossett Middle School at their September 15 meeting.

Renovations to Harwood Union High School are projected to cost $53.51 million and include a ninth-grade wing, learning commons, larger gym space, a wellness center, and an Innovative Lab for agricultural and natural resources, medical careers, and building trades.

Updates to Crossett Brook Middle School will allow the district to bring seventh- and eighth-graders together on one campus and expand the school’s capacity by about 100 students. For an estimated $6.03 million, the district would construct a new addition with team space, applied academic and student support spaces, and community gathering and learning space. Other proposed improvements include expanded parking, walkways, and relocated fire road.

Bidding would begin in August 2022 with construction scheduled from October 2022 to August 2023.

South Carolina – The state’s Department of Health and Human Services released a request for information (RFI) seeking input on a technology solution for incident management.

Additional information on capabilities of the system to integrate claims data for incident detection is requested.

Essential components include reporting and notifications, incident reviews, investigations, corrective action recommendations and implementation, and trend analysis.

The department also wishes to determine whether this scope of services would require separate systems for individual agencies or whether a multi-agency platform with firewalls to ensure appropriate protection of data is feasible.

RFI responses are due by 3 p.m. September 30.

New Mexico – Los Alamos County plans to issue a request for proposals (RFP) soon for design services for a new gymnasium at Los Alamos Middle School.

Originally conceived as a basketball court in a 10,000-square-foot facility, the scope and project cost have expanded to a 20,000-square-foot to 30,000-square-foot venue estimated at $7 million to $12 million.

Additional amenities would include bleacher seating for about 300 spectators, four home and visitor locker rooms, spectator restrooms, concessions, a multi-purpose room for meetings or activities, a staff office, and storage space.

The county anticipates releasing the RFP for design services this fall, developing design and bid documents by summer 2022, and bidding the project in fall 2022. Construction would begin in 2023.

A shared-use agreement with Los Alamos Public Schools is likely.

Iowa – The Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) named Tim McClung as aviation director for its Modal Transportation Bureau. McClung has been part of IDOT since 2003 and has over 25 years of aviation and transportation professional experience that includes airport management, airport commissioner, and flight instructor. 

Tennessee – The Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) appointed Bacarra Mauldin as its chief of staff. Mauldin is a senior executive with 16 years of diverse experience in public transit, public administration, municipal government, grants administration, and business operations. She most recently served as chief executive officer of Chatham Area Transit. 

Oklahoma – New Oklahoma State University President Kayse Shrum recommended the appointment of Jerome Loughridge as senior vice president of operations. Loughridge’s career includes key positions in higher education, the energy sector, and Wall Street private equity. He also served as the Oklahoma Secretary of Health and Mental Health and at the Pentagon as a special assistant to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. Loughridge’s appointment is pending board of regents approval September 10. 

North Carolina – The Wilmington City Council unanimously approved Tony Caudle as its city manager on September 7. Caudle has served as interim city manager since June. Before that, he was Wilmington’s deputy city manager. Prior to his posts in Wilmington, Caudle served as town manager for the North Carolina communities of Black Mountain, Wrightsville Beach, and Topsail Beach, and as city manager of Woodruff, South Carolina.

Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs selected Dr. Neil Evans as acting chief information officer. He will take over from Dominic Cussatt who accepted a position with the U.S. State Department. Evans most recently served as chief officer for the Office of Connected Care in the Veterans Health Administration.

Alabama – The Jefferson County Commission named Cal Markert as the new county manager, effective October 1. He will succeed Tony Petelos who is retiring. Markert currently serves as deputy county manager over infrastructure and previously served as director of roads and transportation. 

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.