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 every size and type may be found at any time.
One of the most valuable sources of information about upcoming contracting opportunities comes from master planning documents that are available for viewing at any time. These documents are created and updated regularly by public officials at every jurisdictional level of government.
The documents offer a revealing window into how executives will spend massive amounts of public funding. Goals and objectives also are outlined in the documents. The opportunities that follow were all identified in planning documents from throughout the U.S.
In Ohio, board members representing Parma City Schools approved a plan to spend approximately $450 million for construction of four elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school. Near-term projects are forecasted to break ground in 2024.
Parma High School
Earlier this month, in Johnston, Rhode Island, citizens approved a bond election that authorized up to $210 million in general obligation bonds to finance numerous large projects. The funding will be used to construct a large new facility to accommodate four existing elementary schools, which will be demolished. Construction work also is scheduled for the Nicholas A. Ferri Middle School and the Johnston Senior High School. Officials have announced that work on the new elementary school facility could begin later in 2022.
Commissioners in Florida’s Sarasota County approved a master plan that lists an estimated cost of $30 million that will be required to consolidate several recreational and athletic amenities. The plan is to locate them all into a regional park. The first projects to be launched will include new soccer and softball fields.
Hawkins County in Tennessee is operating under a master plan that features park projects carrying an estimated cost of $20 million. County commissioners have prioritized projects that improve accessibility, ensure more parking space, provide additional restroom facilities, develop walking trails, and install wayfinding signage across at least 10 parks in the area.
City officials in Los Angeles recently approved a master plan that will shift funds for municipal vehicles that are all electrical. The City Council’s approval of the Electric Vehicle (EV) Master Plan directs funding for more than 10,000 EVs. Charging stations will be located throughout the city limits. Plans call for city leaders to electrify all of the largest city fleets, such as those of the Bureau of Street Services, LA Sanitation and Environment, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Recreation & Parks. The city’s Department of General Services will oversee installation of the charging stations across 600 city-owned facilities, and there are plans for 97,000 charging stations by 2030.
In Santa Monica, California, city officials recently affirmed a long-term investment in health and wellness. A plan now directs funding to the second phase of work in the expansion of the Providence Saint John’s Health Center campus. There will be multimodal improvements to facilitate patient access, add more local health-care resources and construct a new child and family development center with 10 units of affordable housing.
A major state park in Jackson, Mississippi, has received $13.2 million in funding from state lawmakers for work to enhance a cornerstone of the region’s natural resources, known as LeFleur’s Bluff. The funding will enable construction work on an adventure trail, a bridge linking four prominent museums in the area, an outdoor pavilion, and development of a golf course.
Officials at Crystal River City in Florida recently announced a final draft for a master plan that outlines numerous upcoming projects that are all designed to keep the city’s downtown region vibrant with retail centers. Projects will include the building of safe streets, preserving historical sites, and improving access to more resilient natural resources. A new city hall facility also will be constructed at a downtown location.
Quincy, Illinois, officials already are working on projects listed in the city’s most recent master plan. Immediate goals include floodproofing a local park, building a dock to service cruise boats, and installing a riverfront stage and accompanying playground. The riverfront redevelopment projects are estimated to cost a cumulative $50 million, and construction could begin by the end of this year.
A master plan for Granbury, Texas, outlines various types of public art-related projects. There is approved funding for annual events, sculptural installations, municipal landscaping features, and digital marketing efforts.
The El Paso City Council has announced upcoming projects outlined in a master plan that include reimagining streets, not only as mobility corridors but also as public spaces. Other projects include physical changes in infrastructure such as creating new bike lanes, upgrading sidewalks, increasing street lighting, and funding additional public safety projects that contribute to broader community health.
Examples such as these are indicative of the vast and almost immeasurable range of upcoming contracting opportunities that may be found in government planning documents. This type of public information offers a roadmap to companies interested in providing goods and services to the multi-trillion-dollar government marketplace.