Expert Insights

For years, state governments affected by the opioid epidemic were locked in intense litigation with pharmaceutical companies, some of which are the most powerful corporations in the world. The years of legal battles are now paying off and approximately $54 billion in...

Before environmental concerns became a staple of urban planning, industrial sites dominated waterfront properties in American cities. For decades, factories used urban waterways to dispose of pollutants. As environmental awareness grew, however, those sites were...

A 2019 study pointed to an interesting trend. The data provided very compelling insights into America’s libraries. It revealed that, as libraries digitize books, magazines and services, their reach and impact become significantly greater. The number of citizens using...

Project delivery methods have been debated for years. Which one is best? Which is most efficient? Which reduces risk? Which delivers a project the quickest? Some argue that infrastructure projects are delivered faster and with greater cost-effectiveness when the...

Recent changes to federal funding programs are dramatically widening the scope of airport expansion plans throughout the U.S. In the fall of 2022, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced the availability of $1 billion during 2023 for airport expansion...

Public safety is front and center with public officials today. Big changes are coming as historic amounts of federal funding pour into cities, counties, states and special purpose districts for projects to improve public safety that will be launched in 2023. One...

The federal government is using an interesting combination of well-funded grant programs and attractive tax incentives to ensure that America’s historical legacy is preserved. The plan is working… and hundreds of historical renovation and enhancement projects are in...

Inflation fears linger, supply chain issues drag on, construction costs continue to rise… and those factors have created significant issues for public officials who were poised to launch new initiatives. Even bond packages that passed supporting local projects are now...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rang in 2023 with a new program designed to provide funding for critical water infrastructure projects. Now, the EPA is providing loans to state financing authorities which are also known as state revolving fund programs....

Last year, Congress allocated $1 billion in funding to support technology modernization projects. States, counties, cities and educational institutions are now receiving funding and $100 million flowed to modernization projects at the state and local levels of...

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) passed by Congress in 2022 allocated $1 billion for efficiency upgrades to state and local government buildings. The funding gave public officials new cause to examine the conditions of their public facilities, and many are...

The time has come to stop thinking about port projects in the same way we once did. Everything has changed and with an abundance of funding, port projects in 2023 will include many new components. Over the last several years, shifting economic and environmental...

A somewhat overlooked marketplace in years past is now one that should be monitored regularly. Billions of dollars in federal funding, designated specifically for tribal lands, are flowing to Native American communities throughout the U.S. and, projects of all sizes...

In 30 states, the cost of booking a hotel room usually includes a specialized tax purposed for tourism. The revenue collected from hotel guests becomes available for state or local projects that enhance existing venues or deliver new tourist attractions. Sports...

Mobility is now a major focus of local infrastructure planning. It is a critical component of almost everything public officials want and need to accomplish. Many of the objectives cannot be accomplished, however, without the inclusion of new technology designed to...

It should be noted that both state and federal officials are funding projects to remedy environmental and safety issues that have persisted for many years. New funding will also recycle many public assets and make them revenue-producing in the future. Federal and...

America’s rural regions have never been as high a funding priority as the country’s urban areas. That’s understandable considering the population delta. However, that scenario is changing somewhat. Recent federal funding programs are reversing decades of neglect in...

Much of the initial attention from infrastructure funding was focused on broadband and electronic vehicle deployment. But now, other funding sources are getting lots of attention and bridge repair and replacement is occurring throughout the country. The bipartisan...

Earlier this month, the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) released its list of the top IT-related priorities for the upcoming year. The five strategies topping this year’s annual list are already visible in almost every state and local...

In September, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of $6.5 billion for Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loans. The funding is intended to incentivize private sector funding and the plan is to deliver a...

Last week, the Administration announced that, by 2025, all new and recently renovated federal buildings will be required to reduce their energy consumption by 90%. These same facilities will also have to fully decarbonize. This will make energy efficiency measures...

Currently, one of the most popular federal funding sources is a program that supports transportation alternatives. Many cities and counties are launching projects using this funding that has been allocated specifically for local governmental entities. The funding...

An abundance of federal funding was made available to health-related organizations at the outset of the COVID pandemic. There is no clear determination about whether that emergency funding will expire in early 2023 or not. Even if it does, billions more in funding...

Transit authorities throughout the country are quickly becoming big-time developers…and in more ways than one might have ever thought possible. Many citizens and contractors may not be aware of how large this trend has become…and how fast it is moving. The mixed-use...

Officials at every level of government are committed to making roadways safer for vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians. The enthusiasm along with available funding is restructuring roadways throughout the country. Contracting firms of every type will be in high...

Governing bodies throughout the country build event centers, meeting halls, and arenas each year, but currently there is an abundance of new projects of this type. These large projects require private sector contractors of all types making the demand for construction,...

Earlier this month, voters in the U.S. responded to bond packages that amounted to $66 billion in total debt. More than half of the bond packages were approved and a combined $37 billion in municipal funding became available for a diverse array of projects. This...

Infrastructure funding is flowing, and the majority of regional connectivity projects involve numerous stakeholders and therefore demand intensive coordination. Under normal circumstances, these multi-jurisdictional projects would be difficult, if not impossible, to...

Prisons throughout the country have been struggling to support inmate populations for decades. Overcrowding has forced detainees to sleep on floors, in passageways, and in common areas that lack basic amenities. Understaffing has led to more violence which has...

Green infrastructure is a construction trend worth watching. It is gaining momentum rapidly and support for the trend is evident at every level of government. There’s a noticeable difference in green construction projects. These types of initiatives encourage, or...

It is often surprising to realize how many diverse sectors receive government funding specifically earmarked for the preservation of American assets. Companies that contract with government are advised to watch new activity that is just beginning to crest around...

There are more than 300 seaports in America supporting trade and economic development. They contribute approximately 26 percent of the country’s total GDP and create millions of jobs. That’s why a historic amount of new funding is flowing to projects designed to...

There is great concern about America’s water resources. Throughout the country, public officials are focused on water resources and sound water management practices because of the scarcity of this resource. As of October 18, 2022, a total of 43 states were...

  Now that students are flocking back to university campuses, new initiatives to enhance recruitment competition are creating an abundance of contracting opportunities. New student housing projects are extremely common, but university officials are also launching...

There are 167 land ports of entry (LPOE) in the U.S. that provide border crossing security for both people and trade. Those crossings generate billions of dollars in goods and services for the country. Every year an average of 160,000 motorists, 72,000 pedestrians,...

Airport operations throughout the U.S. have been chaotic in the past several years. Turbulent weather has created havoc along with other operational issues such as staff shortages and new federal mandates. Now, airports have also encountered frightening cyberattacks...

Federal programs that provide funding for state and local projects are so numerous it’s difficult to understand them all. A new program has recently been reopened and eligible projects are already being announced in numerous states. America's Byways is an umbrella...

When Congress passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, it allocated $102 billion for rail-related projects in America. Another $50 million was authorized for annual disbursement to incentivize smaller transit-oriented projects. That’s a lot of available funding...

Thousands of large public projects that will require private sector expertise are in final planning stages. When solicitation documents are released, these projects will grab the attention of private sector contractors and competition will be fierce. Regrettably,...

Public officials and contractors know about redevelopment districts, special tax benefits and alternative funding available through the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) program. But the program has morphed somewhat, and the coveted funding and tax benefits are even more...