More stimulus funds close to being released to region - Dallas Business Journal:

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The first monies to make it into the Lone Star statweare “programmatic” funds money that’s going to established programs and mapped-ouft projects. That fits the “shovel-ready” criteria, but in most the hands on the shovel had alreadybeen picked. Stimuluas funds for Medicaid, $250 checks to Sociaol Security recipients and unemployment insurancefunds (despitee Gov. Rick Perry’s objections) have made theidr way to Texas pockets. For businesseas not already plugged into those the interesting part of the federal stimulus packages has yet tobegin flowing.
“Most of that moneu is waiting to be but we’re getting very close,” said Mary Scott president and CEO of , an Austin-based business whicy helps businesses find government contracts. That money is tied to competitivee grant programs administered by an alphabet soup of federal andstate agencies. Most of those agencies are refininy the criteria bywhich they’ll pick projectx to fund and should soon have applicatiomn deadlines set. For example, the U.S. Department of Energy is set to finalized its criteria for electricity grid upgrade projects byJune 17.
At this at least $18 billiojn is slated for Texas — $15 billio to state agencies and $3 billion directly to local governments andregional That’s only a starter number. Other funds awarderd by federal agencies could also flow to Texas and loan guarantee programs could add to that The City of Dallas is in line toreceive $32.54 million in stimulus money for energy community development and other projects. It also is applyinb for competitive grants that could add tothat total. at least $615 million has been dedicated to specific regional roadway and transit according to the North Central Texa Councilof Governments.
That includeds $250 million for the D-FW a new interchange reconfiguring the awkward intersection of StatreHighway 121, Interstate 635 and State Highway 114 north of Dallas/Forgt Worth International Airport as well as $16.7 million for the planned Woodall Rodgers deck park abovr Woodall Rodgers Freeway between downtown and Uptown Both those are instances of projects that were already on the drawing board, said Mike executive director of the counciol of governments, an association of governments in the Dallas-Fort Wort h region. “These were projects that were ready to he said.
The stimulus money has “just expedited the projectsx during a time that construction prices are On anational scale, about 7% of the stimulu s funds have been put into said Nabers, whose Austin-based business focuses on informing businessexs about government contracting opportunities. Many watchers generallgy would have hoped to see more moneyy inthe marketplace, but given the magnitude of the stimulusw package, government agencies are moving cautiously. “As much as it’s got to be fair and it’s got to be Nabers said. “It’s probably fair (that) it’s goinvg a little slower.
” In fact, a slow pace at the outseyt ofthe two-year, $787 billionn package was broadly said Ken Simonson, chief economist of the Associatedf General Contractors of America. “When we heard the we knew there would be a lot of spacee between the video opportunity and the actua lcontracting opportunity,” he said. “But I’lol be disappointed if we don’t see a big pickupo over the nextseveral weeks.” In the construction companies and any business interestef in getting engaged in stimulus-funded work should be on the lookourt for potential opportunities. “The best thinyg is to keep your eyes andears open,” Simonsonm said.
“These (stimulus project) announcements have been coming fromall There’s no single channel you can tune in Nabers suggests that businesses looking to land government work begin zeroin in on the projects that best fit theie skills. After that, pick the communitie where they would like to work and get to know the end userw ofthose funds. “The first thinf you need to realizew is those are taxpayerdollars — you’rw entitled to know how they’re goinfg to use it,” she said. “Shy peoples need to get over it and askquestions — be “The one with most information will be the most competitive.
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