Austin Business Journal 2006

• Don’t be fooled by talk of surplus; privatization still in style- 12/15/2006
  As the 80th session of the Texas Legislature approaches, the state’s booming economy has provided a 14 percent increase in state sales tax collections over last year. Equally optimistic news is provided by other important economic benchmarks: Texas’ gross state product has increased by 5 percent this year. [more]
• Bond projects yield ‘playground’ for contractors – 12/01/2006
  The word “park” conjures up images of leisure activities: children on swings, adults jogging or reading on a bench, dogs catching Frisbees. But a growing body of research demonstrates that parks aren’t just about play. Parks are a hardworking component of a city’s infrastructure, paying strong dividends in terms of economic development, increased property values, lower crime and a healthier citizenry. [more]
• Companies of all types are helping gov. maintain safety – 11/17/2006
  Since the days of our Founding Fathers, Americans have been in firm agreement that law enforcement is an essential role of government. So much value is placed on public safety that it is now considered a fundamental measure of our quality of life. [more]
• Attending vendor conferences a good practice for contractors – 11/03/2006
  Companies hoping to reach government buyers often have a hard time reaching decision makers. Even the largest, most successful firms struggle constantly to get their messages heard in a very noisy marketplace. Marketing experts agonize over decisions about how to get the most from promotional budgets. How much should be spent on branding, Internet visibility, ad placement, personal contacts, mass mailings and sponsorships of industry conferences? It’s a puzzle that continues to get more complicated. [more]
• ACC’s growth projections will require private-sector help – 10/20/2006
  Texas community colleges play an important role in fueling our state’s economic engine. Operating as open-enrollment institutions with affordable tuition, community colleges make higher education available to any motivated student and contribute enormously to our state’s educated workforce. [more]
• UT’s new emphasis on science, math equals big opportunities – 10/09/2006
  Sometimes, a single stark statistic can break down a complex economic trend to an unmistakable and often startling fact. Consider this one: In 1956 — 50 years ago — the United States graduated twice as many individuals earning physics degrees as it did in 2004. Knowing what we do now about the importance of an educated workforce and its relevance to sustained economic growth, that simple fact speaks volumes about the direction our educational communities must take if we are to remain a strong economic force in a competitive global economy. [more]
• Public schools offer many contracting options – 9/22/2006
  With responsibility for educating 4.3 million children, Texas public schools are a major economic engine in our state. In the 2003-04 school year, Texas elementary, middle and high schools spent $38.3 billion, creating jobs and demand for a variety of goods and services. [more]
• Transit agencies teeming with opportunities – 9/11/2006
  All types of businesses, from seasoned government contractors to firms new to local-government contracting, should watch transportation district developments throughout Texas. [more]
• Surveillance systems in high demand among governments – 8/25/2006
  Surveillance systems are in high demand at all levels of government. There are hundreds of upcoming contracting opportunities for all types of products — from courtroom cameras to sophisticated red-light monitoring equipment with license plate recognition. [more]
• Homeland security funds flowing to Texas firms – 8/11/2006
  Most Texans are aware that the state has received hundreds of millions of dollars in homeland security funds during the past couple of years. What most Texans don’t know is how the money was used. [more]
• Technology vendors ought to consider going ‘back to school’ – 7/28/2006
  Texas voters, in the past year, have approved billions of dollars in funding for school districts throughout the state. Almost every bond issue that passed had some allocation for technology products and services and most had extremely large allocations for technology. [more]
• State, local governments provide Texas firms with a variety of vehicles to chase contracts – 7/14/2006
  Texans are notorious for loving good vehicles. Sophisticated government contractors also appreciate fine vehicles, but most especially love contracting vehicles. [more]
• State funding requests can be a good source of biz leads – 6/30/2006
  Contractors are always interested in finding potential business opportunities before the public hears the news. In the public sector marketplace, that is something that can definitely be accomplished, thanks to public records statutes, freedom of information laws and public meetings. [more]
• Contractors should also begin preparing for hurricane season – 6/2/2006
  Hurricane season is upon us, and government officials at all levels have made commitments to be more prepared this year. Contractors that can offer goods and services during the next disaster should be just as prepared. [more]
• Higher education construction in Texas could reach $2 billion – 5/26/2006
  A late vote near the end of the Texas Legislature’s special session has resulted in an unprecedented bill that paves the way for Texas universities to spend $1.8 billion on new campus projects. [more]
• Homeland security spending focused on state’s border issues – 5/12/2006
  Due largely to its size and proximity to the border of Mexico, Texas has become a premiere destination for homeland security money — and with more funding than ever on the way to the state, contracting opportunities have never been so prevalent. [more]
• Local districts offer wealth of possibilities for companies – 4/28/2006
  The inevitable Texas heat has returned, and that can only mean one thing: summer is approaching. For most, the summer months conjure up thoughts of empty and idle school buildings, but the fact is, many school campuses in Central Texas will be very busy places — teeming with contractors trying to wrap up improvements and handle expansions before pupils return to classes. [more]
• Texas seeks variety of businesses for government contracts – 4/14/2006
  New state data indicates that 2005 was a good year for contracting with the state government in Texas. [more]
• State’s growing medical market a healthy option for contracts – 3/17/2006
  State agencies and public universities in Texas spent more than $635 million dollars on medical supplies and services last year. That is an eye-catching amount when one realizes that this represents only two governmental sectors in the state. [more]
• Recovery from 2005’s devastating hurricanes far from over – 2/24/2006
  Recent media reports might lead one to believe that either no funding is flowing to alleviate problems caused by last year’s hurricanes, or that all cleanup and rebuilding contracts have already been awarded. The fact is, however, that there is an abundance of money flowing and contracts are still being let weekly for new work. [more]
• Millions in transportation dollars will fund variety of community projects – 2/10/2006
  Congress recently passed a mammoth transportation bill that allocated $669 million to road projects in Texas. The funding will allow hundreds of road projects in the state to move forward. Contractors should be pleased. [more]
• State agency opens up a land of business opportunity – 1/20/2006
  The Texas School Land Board, a division of the General Land Office, recently made a momentous policy decision that merits the full attention of real estate professionals and developers throughout the country. [more]
• State’s budget board a ‘gold mine’ of contract possibilities – 1/6/2006
  Interested in finding new business in the public sector marketplace? Interested in knowing about opportunities before any announcement is made? Companies serious about public sector contracting will find that there are few informational tools more valuable than the Texas Legislative Budget Board’s annual contracts report. [more]

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