Expert Insights
Expert Insights
As President and CEO of Strategic Partnerships, Inc., Mary Scott Nabers has decades of experience working in the public-private sector. A well-recognized expert in the P3 and government contracting fields, she is often asked to share her industry insights with top publications and through professional speaking engagements. Get an exclusive look at upcoming trends and insider tips from Mary herself on the SPI blog.
Available funding for airport modernization projects exceeds $1T
America’s airports are some of the country’s most powerful economic engines. They contribute more than $14 trillion in economic activity annually and support approximately 11.5 million jobs. Congress, after years of underfunding airport infrastructure projects,...
As America invests in its infrastructure, sustainability is the goal
Sustainability has become an extremely hot topic because of the billions of dollars in federal funding available for projects that will protect and extend America’s infrastructure. Congress and government leaders at every jurisdictional level of government realize...
Influx of federal funds spurring rail improvements nationwide
Rail projects are being launched in states throughout the country. Much of the funding requires a focus on projects that improve safety while also enhancing and/or upgrading rail infrastructure so the projects reflect that mandate. The much-needed rail project funding...
Funding flowing to local governments for affordable housing construction
Billions of dollars in public funding and tax enrichments are currently available to support the construction of affordable housing throughout the U.S. The impetus behind these incentives is the country’s affordable housing shortage which has reached near-crisis...
Large development projects around U.S. waterways – a growing trend fueled by new funding
Thousands of communities throughout the country owe their origins to a nearby waterway. The value of regional water resources has never been in dispute, and the coveted assets have never been underestimated. Now, there is a noticeable growing trend for community...
Work to upgrade America’s bridges will result in thousands of bid opportunities
Millions of motorists cross bridges daily, and every driver assumes that these bridges are safe. That safety, however, comes at an extremely high price – high enough to have prohibited hundreds of bridge maintenance projects over the past decade. With new funding,...
Courthouse upgrades are evolving as high-priority targets for infrastructure funding
New federal infrastructure funding is beginning to reach local officials, and while the revenue will be spent in many ways, some commonalities are obvious. Many public officials will allocate the funding to refurbish roads or upgrade water systems. Others will use it...
Big changes lie ahead … best to watch them carefully
America’s shifting social, political, economic, and environmental conditions have created rapid change. Leaders in industry and government are scrambling to respond. Their immediate focus appears to be on worker shortages, increasing costs, supply chain disruptions,...
Funding for broadband expansion now available throughout the country
For entirely too many years, millions of U.S. citizens have struggled with little, if any, access to broadband. However, plans are evolving quickly now to resolve that problem. Congress has approved dozens of funding programs that allocate billions for broadband....
Federal Authorities now launching programs to promote Public Private Partnerships
Someone asked me recently if public-private partnerships (P3s) are just a fad or a delivery method that will ultimately be the country’s future. There’s no doubt about the answer. Public-private partnerships are here to stay. The federal government, realizing that...
New government budgets feature significant increases in tech allocations
Technology has altered the way individuals participate in work, travel, entertainment, and health care. It also has changed the way government provides services. Technology purchases of upgrades and enhancements are required, and that will not change. The value of the...
New funding options spurring economic development initiatives
In past years, economic development initiatives often required funding that governmental entities were not able to provide. Now, however, many projects to stimulate the economy are delivered through public-private partnerships (P3s) taking advantage of funding and tax...
Massive federal funds accelerating improvements to U.S. interstates
For generations of Americans, the interstate system has been an icon representing infrastructural achievement. However, over the decades, the network of roadways has faced continuous use and declining upkeep and maintenance. After decades, the skeletal fiber of...
This trend will significantly impact public and private-sector leaders
Public officials in government are asking difficult questions about how to deliver critical infrastructure projects. Their concern is real, and their questions are valid because the trend of delivering large projects through public-private partnerships (P3s) is...
Weather-related disasters creating need for public, private-sector services
Climate change has been the cause of immeasurable damage over the last few decades, and there is no end in sight. In addition to the tragic loss of lives, natural disasters have impacted at least some part of the infrastructure in every region of the country. To halt...
Historic amounts of funding flowing to K-12 school campuses
As students file out of classrooms for summer break, school campuses will become the epicenter for an abundance of seasonal construction projects. This summer the projects are likely to be large. School officials were recently notified that the federal government has...
A nationwide focus on enhancing public safety provides collaborative opportunities of all types
Public safety is an extremely high priority for government officials, and a renewed focus on improving it has resulted in large funding allocations. Public safety assets throughout the country are outdated and long overdue for modernization. With funding now...
A multi-trillion-dollar marketplace offers opportunities for every type of business
The government marketplace is huge – so large, in fact, that it is almost impossible to identify any one product or service that is not purchased by public entities. Unlike the commercial sector, the government marketplace is transparent, and upcoming opportunities of...
New P3 models are energizing revenue-generating projects, delighting citizens
What an interesting moment of time Americans are experiencing today in the government marketplace. The abundance of available funding is so new, some public officials are hesitant to spend it. But, in other jurisdictions, innovation is rampant and visionary leaders...
New wave of funding available for border crossing projects
America faces a new chapter in border security as federal mandates and border restrictions are lifted that have been in place since the outbreak of COVID. If the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is correct, daily border crossings will soon surge by thousands. To...
Freight rail infrastructure stands to gain from new federal funding
Railways — once the backbone of timely freight shipping — are now strained by bottlenecks, congestion, labor shortages, supply disruptions, and what some classify as exorbitant costs. However, there is change in the wind. When freight shipping is stalled, it results...
Billions in new earmarks producing noteworthy opportunities
After more than a decade, Congress is again allowing federal earmarks, and when the recent omnibus appropriations bill was passed, billions became available for new, upcoming projects. While highly populated areas of the U.S. received large funding allocations, rural...
Guidance to consider and changes to recognize when collaborating with governmental entities
Here is something no one expected! Public officials throughout the country are struggling with the task of managing large amounts of federal funding currently flowing to them. The revenue is conditioned on rules, compliance, and often a requirement to submit an...
Another source of federal funding will launch new opportunities for public-private collaborations
Public officials and economic development organizations throughout the country are now eligible to receive large amounts of federal funding which have been allocated for projects related to tourism, recreation, and revenue-generating venues. The new funding available...
As cybersecurity fears lead to increased compliance, impact will be widespread
The White House just released a list of stepped-up guidelines related to cybersecurity. The alert is an indication of how genuine the Administration’s concern is about cyberbreaches. The latest communication is likely tied to evolving intelligence indicating that...
Modernizing America’s ports will require all types of expertise
Port operations throughout the world were damaged when the pandemic occurred. The effects of COVID were significant and the problems have lingered. Supply chain disruptions, port congestion, cruise ship restrictions, budgets stretched to the limit, and limited...
Transportation contracting alert – changes to expect soon
Roadway contracting over the next several years will be noticeably different. The most common new components to anticipate are various types of innovative technology. Demand also will be high for multimodal enhancements such as walking and biking lanes, environmental...
Billions in funding now available for resilience projects
Companies with service offerings and/or capabilities associated with resilience projects would be wise to check their current registration status with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Small and minority firms should definitely reach out to check their status...
Airports among the first to receive federal infrastructure funding
Funding allocations from the $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are arriving early for airport improvement projects relative to other federal tranches, and now there is visibility into planned upcoming opportunities throughout the country. Companies that...
Bounty of large parks projects available to contractors
Citizens and taxpayers may be surprised to learn that massive amounts of funding are now available for upgrading parks, planting trees, creating additional bike trails, and developing all types of areas for cultural events and community gatherings. Land values will be...
Funding is flowing for cybersecurity efforts in every government jurisdiction
Cybersecurity, cyberbreaches, attack agents, global threats – these words are frightening to IT professionals throughout the country. Every media outlet, however, reminds us that these words signal an alarm to citizens, taxpayers, non-profits, and private-sector...
Understanding the ever-expanding federal CDBG program is vital
A program that has been in existence for decades is currently attractive enough to be called ‘a hot commodity.’ The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) oversees the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program that invests federal revenues in...
Changing trends require new paths to successful government opportunities
A changing world is never completely predictable … but it is not hard to identify a few emerging trends that have already resulted in massive change - change destined to impact the future. Success for individuals, businesses, and governmental entities will depend on...
Tunnel and bridge projects gaining traction in every state
Tunnel construction, a lynchpin for many critical infrastructure projects, will be front and center for the next several years. Bridge work will be just as abundant. Tunnels enable seamless transportation, contribute to the efficiency of wastewater treatment...
Accessibility compliance – a requisite for billions in infrastructure funding
A law that people know well, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), was passed by Congress more than three decades ago. Now, however, it has moved to center stage in the public arena because of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). A significant portion of the...
Infrastructure law complexities slowing funds to local governments
Massive amounts of information have been disseminated about the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – but perhaps the volume and variety of messages have been overwhelming. For whatever reason, there is a troubling amount of confusion and a lack of clarity about all the new...
Public transit projects provide efficient travel, spur economic development
An abundance of funding has been allocated to public transit authorities … and more funding is on the way courtesy of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Interestingly, a trend has emerged that indicates a common practice throughout the country. Public officials at the...
Funding is flowing to new library projects throughout the country
Modern and well-run libraries have been treasured public assets for communities for decades. These unique public facilities serve many purposes – they are bastions of educational materials, home bases for creative inspiration, and repositories of equitable learning...
Renewable energy projects racing clock before government tax credits expire
The interest in renewable energy is destined to escalate. Recently, the federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) program enhanced the appeal for these types of projects while also expanding the scope. The ITC program encourages private investment in renewable energy...
Funding influx heading for ferry service projects
Not everyone knows that the federal government’s infrastructure bill includes a $1.6 billion funding allocation for projects related to ferry services. Private-sector contractors should take a moment to check out some of the upcoming projects designed to amplify ferry...