Expert Insights

Most citizens find planning documents a little boring. That’s not the case, however, for government contractors. For them, such documents are extremely interesting. In fact, savvy contracting firms know there’s gold to be found in planning documents. Almost every...

When public entities commission a study, it’s safe to assume that one or more, usually large, projects will follow. For some companies, following government studies is how they manage to get ahead of their competitors. Most large government projects require a study of...

Most citizens appreciate parks, and many are regular visitors. However, the public at large rarely contemplates the economic impact of parks. And, too many companies overlook hundreds of contracting opportunities associated with parks. Parks are responsible for...

Government funding continues to shrink for public colleges and universities. At the same time, there is a public outcry for lower tuition, on-line courses, and easy access to education. Education officials seek relief and many are finding it through collaborative...

Technology has altered our lives. It consumes us as individuals and impacts almost everything in the world around us on a daily basis. Emails, texts, instant news, apps of every kind, GPS, Google searches, and Siri are part of everyday life. Technology also has become...

It’s difficult and costly to deliver broadband or high-speed internet to rural communities. And, there’s no way to generate enough revenue to make it worth the effort for private sector companies. Yet, broadband is a critical component of education, economic...

How frightening is it to imagine a day without adequate water? Or, a time when drinking water is no longer safe? Although adequate water is not an immediate threat in the U.S., water resources are becoming scarce in too many regions. The luxury of clean, safe drinking...

Transportation congestion is surging. Demand for roadway access exceeds capacity, and something must be done. Time is lost, air quality is compromised, and motorists are frustrated to the point of exhaustion. Messages delivered by public officials in the past have...

When bond elections are as abundant as they are this year, there’s no doubt    thousands of new opportunities will be available for companies to interact with governmental entities. The demand for services of all types will be huge. Government leaders at every...

Strange as it sounds, budget documents are always interesting reading. That’s especially true when they come from public entities. Government officials, at every jurisdictional level of government, are required to prepare and approve budgets. That’s not an easy or...

Changes are occurring at warp speed, and it’s extremely difficult for busy individuals to stay abreast of what is happening in every area of business. But, it is important to know about government changes because lifestyles and business practices are being impacted in...

Looking for a diverse and lucrative public-sector marketplace? If so, don’t overlook upcoming opportunities related to natural disaster recovery in regions that were ravaged by floods, fires, and other weather-related disasters. Demand for private-sector firms to...

Student enrollment in colleges and universities throughout the U.S. continues to grow. Data tells us that no matter what the economy does, young men and women realize the importance of getting a degree. Statistics from the Institute of Education Services point to the...

Significant changes are taking place in local communities at the various jurisdictional levels of government. And, a majority of the changes are related to revenue generation efforts by public officials. That’s because public funding, although stretched to the limit...

We live in a world of smartphones, computers, and 24-hour news cycles. We can obtain information and data on almost anything with a few clicks on a computer. Not much is hidden, or difficult to obtain, or out of reach – except occasionally public information. In a...

Some seasoned government contracting firms have spent decades studying ‘best practices’ associated with winning new business. They know exactly what it takes, and because of that, they incur less risk when pursuing projects. These firms also win lots of government...

Municipal leaders have stressful and difficult jobs. Elected officials and tenured public servants struggle to provide more citizen services with less funding and fewer municipal resources. Public leaders at the local levels of government are guided by mandates that...

Transportation infrastructure will stimulate the U.S. economy significantly over the next few years. Hundreds of large projects have been announced; so many in fact, it should be possible for almost every type of contracting firm to find attractive opportunities....

Very often the SPI Team receives inquiries from public officials about an upcoming project. Their questions are almost always about alternative funding sources or public-private partnerships (P3s). These officials usually are trying to determine whether a particular...

Civic outreach plans are critical components of success for large public projects. In spite of data that proves it, public officials often neglect to develop or implement these types of plans. And, experienced contractors often fail to insist on them. Why is that?...

Occasionally, change occurs so rapidly it seems the world is spinning faster than ever. Technology changes occurring in roadways and bridges today are amazing, to say the least. Motorists will soon experience roadway technology never imagined in the past. The...

City leaders throughout the U.S. have made commitments to renewable energy. Most have aggressive goals and plans to rely completely on renewable power sources by a specific year. Community leaders who are not pushing for clean energy sources are out of step with their...

Throughout America, there is a robust effort underway to find the best way(s) to ensure the safety of students, teachers, and administrators. Yet, there is no agreement on how to accomplish that goal. Ensuring school safety has become a very difficult and complex...

There are many ways to identify upcoming contracting opportunities in the public sector marketplace, but one of the most reliable ways is to track feasibility studies. Environmental impact statements also are precursors to the launch of large projects. Here are some...

Upcoming public sector opportunities can be found in almost every area of the public sector marketplace. But, at the moment, the sheer number of upcoming opportunities related to law enforcement facilities is enough to make one ponder. Has every incarceration facility...

At a time when the U.S. Congress cannot agree on an infrastructure plan and funding at the local levels of government is at an all-time low, it’s heartening to see that visionary elected officials continue to find ways to move forward with projects of all types. There...

County courthouses, city halls, and government buildings of all types are being renovated, sold, or replaced. Most public facilities of this type are old, inefficient, costly to maintain, and unable to accommodate new technology. Some are unsafe and no longer meet...

The American Water Works Association has estimated that $1 trillion will be required to maintain and expand water services over the next 25 years. Here’s why: Americans get their water delivered through approximately one million miles of water pipelines. Most of the...

Parking has become a critical consideration for governmental entities throughout the country. In the next 18 months, there will be thousands of upcoming opportunities related to planning, designing, engineering, and constructing new parking facilities. Not only is...

Although large airport projects dominate the news, smaller regional airports are announcing numerous immediate upcoming projects.  Record growth at regional airports along with projections that the growth will continue for decades is driving expansion, upgrades, and...

Upcoming transportation projects are abundant throughout the country.   Projects of every size and type can be found, but a sweeping trend is for larger projects to be collaborative in nature. Delivery methods may be called public-private partnerships or comprehensive...

Cities with vibrant cultural assets attract tourists, retail establishments, hotels, real estate developers, and appreciation from local citizens. Cultural facilities also boost a region’s economic engine. The 2002 redevelopment of Millennium Park in Chicago, for...

Student housing is a critical component when it comes to recruiting students and retaining them through graduation. Young men and women want to live in modern, purpose-built housing within walking distance of campuses. Some will settle for nothing less - and that is...

Economic development is the highest priority for a majority of America’s mayors. And, within that category, parks and recreation is the No. 1 redevelopment priority throughout the country. There are several reasons, not the least of which is the fact that parks...

According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, America’s schools are in dire need of attention.  That’s obviously a significant understatement because the report explains that the needs of K-12, the U.S.’ second-largest infrastructure sector, will exceed...

There are often dire predictions about the U.S. housing marketplace. Experts in the commercial sector worry about interest rates, construction labor shortages, and declining demand. In the government housing marketplace, however, the concerns all center on the great...

New trends and contracting opportunities related to public safety all seem to revolve around technology and construction. Thousands of immediate contracting opportunities exist, and they may be found throughout the country at every jurisdictional level of government....

Opportunities continue to be abundant in the health care sector. Because the demand for services is great, competition between health care providers is extremely keen. Every company or system is eager to capture more market share, and that is generating thousands of...

The 1,051 community colleges in the United States - more than 900 of which are public - are no longer viewed as stepping stones for students on the path to a degree from a four-year institution. Because of the country’s growing economy and the immediate need for...