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Local Government G-News August 25, 2023

August 25, 2023
Federal Funding Opportunities

U.S. Department of Commerce; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience Grants Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act applications due November 17, 2023

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) seeks habitat restoration projects that enhance coastal resilience. This solicitation will fund projects that demonstrate high priority and transformative potential within the geographic region where restoration actions are proposed. A variety of habitat types are eligible within this funding opportunity, ranging from marine, estuarine, and coastal ecosystems at the land-sea interface (including coastal rivers), to the freshwater coastal ecosystems of the Great Lakes. Applicants should address the following set of program priorities: 1) sustaining productive fisheries and strengthening ecosystem resilience; 2) enhancing community resilience to climate hazards and providing other co-benefits; 3) fostering regionally important habitat restoration; and 4) providing benefits to tribal, indigenous, and/or underserved communities, including through partnerships.

U.S. Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention FY 2023 Building Local Continuums of Care to Support Youth Success Grants.gov deadline September 28, 2023, and Justgrants deadline October 10, 2023

With this solicitation, OJJDP seeks to support communities in conducting planning and assessment activities that will inform the development of a community-based continuum of promising and evidence-based prevention and intervention services that will serve as a strong foundation for preventing youth from entering the juvenile justice system, diverting them from moving deeper into the system (i.e., detention and corrections) and ultimately providing them with the skills they need to lead productive, safe, healthy, and law-abiding lives. The Building Local Continuums of Care to Support Youth Success initiative will provide funding to state and local jurisdictions that have high rates of youth incarceration to develop a continuum of care that includes a focus on positive youth development, prevention, diversion, and treatment services.

National Endowment for the Humanities Digital Humanities Advancement Grants applications due January 1, 2024

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Office of Digital Humanities is accepting applications for the Digital Humanities Advancement Grants program. The program supports innovative, experimental, and/or computationally challenging digital projects leading to work that can scale to enhance scholarly research, teaching, and public programming in the humanities.

August 2023 – Vol. 12; Issue 8

Prepare Your Social Disadvantage Narrative to Help Weather the 8(a) Storm

SBA’s Response to Court Ruling on 8(a) Program

A storm is brewing on the horizon following the Ultima Services Corporation v. U.S. Department of Agriculture case where the Eastern District of Tennessee ruled that the use of the “rebuttable presumption” in the 8(a) program violated the 5th Amendment’s due process clause and, thereby, enjoined the SBA from future use. The SBA has since placed a “temporary pause” on accepting new entrants pending program and application process revisions. However, the SBA has released an interim program update requiring all future applicants and current members (excluding Native organizations) whose status was determined using the “rebuttable presumption” to provide a social disadvantage narrative with substantiating evidence that must be approved by the SBA to receive 8(a) certification. While there is still uncertainty regarding the path and severity of this storm, firms should continue monitoring program updates.

Tracking Potential Storm Damage

As we track this storm, there are many possible scenarios for how it could unfold. One scenario is an increased likelihood that awards can be protested, and one’s 8(a) status could be challenged. Using § 124.103 (b)(3), competitors can challenge the status of current members presumed to be socially disadvantaged by providing sufficient contradictory evidence, which may result in defending 8(a) members having to evacuate from the program or vacate awards.  Now is the time to create and submit your social disadvantage narrative that will solidify your status and ability to bid on, win, and retain awards as an 8(a). As with all historic storms, the full extent of the ruling’s implications may not be felt for years, but with the removal of the “rebuttable presumption” and consequent program changes, the future landscape of the 8(a) program and GovCon industry will be permanently altered.

Tracking Hurricane SBA infographic

Who’s in the Storm’s Path?

If you relied on the “rebuttable presumption” to secure 8(a) status, you cannot outrun this storm – you will be impacted and need to prepare. Prior to the court ruling, a company could claim social disadvantage using self-evident or self-certified criteria and it was assumed to be true, leading to unquestioned admission into the 8(a) program. Now, those who depended on the “rebuttable presumption” must prove their social disadvantage through written narratives in accordance with this guide / section § 124.103(c), which requires providing specific evidence that their social disadvantage was personally experienced and directly impacted the firm’s ability to progress in the GovCon industry. A recent update from the SBA clarified that individual 8(a)s who have already provided evidence proving their status will not be hit by this storm. Further, recent SBA communication to all current 8(a)s informed them whether they have met the requirements and can continue, or if they now need to prove their social disadvantage. As we near the end of FY23, it is important for everyone in the storm’s path to start gathering evidence to prove their social disadvantages.

Weather Preparedness: Writing a Successful Narrative

A strong social disadvantage narrative will be critical to surviving this storm and gaining or sustaining membership as an 8(a) company. Narratives must include personal relevance and avoid any generalizations and/or group experiences. These experiences must also show longevity and continued struggle – single strikes of lightning or isolated events of hardship may be discredited. Evidence should validate your claims and demonstrate a direct effect on opportunity, revenue, contracts, and other losses that have proven to limit your ability to grow and excel in the industry. Further, the supporting evidence should be detailed and specific, and not drawn from widely available data sources. By the end of FY23, the SBA will likely be flooded with applications, which will make their process of granting 8(a) entrance much longer. While we may not know how this storm will unfold, following these recommendations and using this guide / section §124.103(c) will better prepare your 8(a) status defense in the midst of this unpredictable environment.

10 Best Practices for Writing Your Social Disadvantage Narrative

Jessica Butturff
703-786-1841
jessica.butturff@dwpassociates.com

Robb Wong
301-996-8696
robb.wong@dwpassociates.com

Etienne Reche-Ley
206-484-9059
etienne.reche-ley@dwpassociates.com

IHE G-News August 18, 2023

August 18, 2023
Federal Funding Opportunities

U.S. Department of Commerce; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience Grants due November 17, 2023

The goal of this funding opportunity is to support transformational habitat restoration projects that restore marine, estuarine, coastal, or Great Lakes ecosystems, using approaches that enhance community and ecosystem resilience to climate hazards. Funding will prioritize habitat restoration actions that: demonstrate significant impacts; rebuild productive and sustainable fisheries; contribute to the recovery and conservation of threatened and endangered species; promote climate-resilient ecosystems, especially in underserved communities; and improve economic vitality, including local employment.

U.S. Department of Education; Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education Perkins Innovation and Modernization Grant Program for Career-Connected High Schools applications due October 13, 2023

The purpose of the Perkins Innovation and Modernization grant program is to identify, support, and rigorously evaluate evidence-based and innovative strategies and activities to improve and modernize career and technical education (CTE) and ensure workforce skills taught in CTE programs align with labor market needs. Specifically, this funding opportunity will support projects that will build capacity among secondary education, postsecondary education, and workforce development systems to expand access to career-connected high school programs for more students. Career-connected high schools are those that offer systematic postsecondary counseling and career advising, dual or concurrent enrollment, work-based learning, and programs that offer opportunities to earn an industry-recognized credential.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; National Institutes of Health releases Personal Health Informatics for Delivering Actionable Insights funding opportunity announcement

The purpose of this funding opportunity is to advance the development of novel informatics and data science approaches that can help individuals understand and improve their health through actionable insights. Applications will further the science of personal health informatics by providing meaningful and actionable insights to individuals through innovative personal health data collection, integration, analysis, and personalized risk assessments and interpretation. Applications seeking to advance the understanding of how informatics tools, systems, and platforms can best present the results, interpretation, and limitations of personalized assessments for the benefit of individuals are encouraged. Applications should include end user engaged approaches and real-world evaluation to inform the design of generalizable, reusable, and scalable personal health informatics tools, systems, and platforms for the benefit of individuals in understanding and improving their health.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; National Institutes of Health reissues Alcohol and Other Substance Use Research Education Programs for Health Professionals funding opportunity announcement

The goal of this program is to support educational activities that foster a better understanding of biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research on alcohol and other substance use disorders and their implications. To accomplish this goal, this funding opportunity will support creative educational activities with a primary focus on outreach. Specifically, this funding opportunity will support projects designed to engage practicing health care professionals in education about current and emerging knowledge derived from scientific research on the neurobiology, epidemiology, prevention, and/or treatment of alcohol and other substance use disorders and related health conditions, with the ultimate goal of improving care for individuals who use alcohol and other substances.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; National Institutes of Health reissues Alcohol Health Services Research funding opportunity announcement

This funding opportunity will broadly focus on closing the treatment gap for individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD). Within this focus, there are five major areas of emphasis:

  • Increasing access to treatment for AUD;
  • Making treatment for AUD more appealing;
  • Examining cost structures and insurance systems;
  • Conducting studies on dissemination and implementation of existing evidence-based approaches to treating AUD; and
  • Reducing health disparities as a means of addressing the treatment gap in AUD for health disparity populations.

U.S. Department of Labor; Employment and Training Administration Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants due November 14, 2023

The purpose of this grant program is to build community colleges’ capacity to meet the skill development needs of employers and equitably support students in obtaining good jobs in in-demand industries. Proposed projects should enhance sector-based career pathways programs using strategies rooted in evidence and designed to build further evidence on the effectiveness of sector-based career pathways programs in leading to positive employment outcomes. Successful applicants will use the diverse strengths of their partnership members to accomplish and sustain systems change, and enhancements funded by this grant program will ultimately benefit a broad range of current and future students at participating institutions, including dislocated workers, employed workers, and new entrants to the workforce.

Institute of Museum and Library Services National Leadership Grants for Museums applications due November 15, 2023

This program is designed to support projects that address critical needs of the museum field and that have the potential to advance practice in the profession to strengthen museum services for the American public. Projects are expected to:

  • Generate results such as models, new tools, research findings, services, practices, and/or alliances that can be widely used, adapted, scaled, or replicated;
  • Reflect a thorough understanding of current practice and knowledge about the subject matter and an awareness of and support for current strategic priorities in the field;
  • Use collaboration to demonstrate broad need, field-wide buy-in and input, and access to appropriate expertise;
  • Articulate intentional impact across one or more disciplines within the museum field; and
  • Employ novel approaches to the project area, as may be appropriate.

Institute of Museum and Library Services Museums for America applications due November 15, 2023

The Museums for America program supports museums of all sizes and disciplines in strategic, project-based efforts to serve the public through exhibitions, educational/interpretive programs, digital learning resources, professional development, community debate and dialogue, audience-focused studies, and/or collections management, curation, care, and conservation.

Institute of Museum and Library Services Museums Empowered: Professional Development Opportunities for Museum Staff applications due November 15, 2023

This program is designed to support projects that use the transformative power of professional development and training to generate systemic change within museums of all types and sizes. Projects are expected to involve multiple levels of staff, leadership, and volunteers in a set of logical, interrelated activities tied directly to addressing a key need or challenge; reflect a thorough understanding of current practice and knowledge about professional development; and generate measurable results.

National Endowment for the Humanities Spotlight on Humanities in Higher Education applications due October 18, 2023

The Spotlight on Humanities in Higher Education program supports the exploration and development of small projects that would benefit underserved populations through the teaching and study of the humanities at small and medium-sized colleges and universities. The program supports activities including but not limited to curricular or program development, expert consultations, speakers’ series, student research, creation of teaching resources, and community engagement. Projects may benefit students, faculty, the institution or organization, and/or the community.

National Endowment for the Humanities Collaborative Research applications due November 29, 2023

This program supports groups of two or more scholars seeking to increase humanistic knowledge through convenings, manuscript preparation for collaborative publications, the creation of scholarly digital projects, or the planning of an international collaboration. Projects must pursue significant research questions and lead to a tangible interpretive product. The collaborative work can be rooted in a single field or cross disciplines. Collaboration with scholars working in the natural or social sciences is encouraged, but projects must focus on humanistic content and employ humanistic methods.

National Science Foundation Artificial Intelligence Research Institutes preliminary proposals due October 31, 2023

This solicitation expands the nationwide network of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Research Institutes by inviting proposals for institutes that have a principal focus in one of the following three new themes aimed at transformational advances in a range of economic sectors, and science and engineering fields:

  • Theme 1: AI for Astronomical Sciences;
  • Theme 2: AI for Discovery in Materials Research; and
  • Theme 3: Strengthening AI.

National Science Foundation Smart Health and Biomedical Research in the Era of Artificial Intelligence and Data Science proposals due November 9, 2023

The purpose of this program is to support the development of transformative high-risk, high-reward advances in computer and information science, engineering, mathematics, statistics, behavioral and/or cognitive research to address pressing questions in the biomedical and public health communities. Transformations hinge on scientific and engineering innovations by interdisciplinary teams that develop novel methods to intuitively and intelligently collect, sense, connect, analyze and interpret data from individuals, devices and systems to enable discovery and optimize health. Solutions to these complex biomedical or public health problems demand the formation of interdisciplinary teams that are ready to address these issues, while advancing fundamental science and engineering.

Local Government G-News August 9, 2023

August 9, 2023
Federal Funding Opportunities

U.S. Department of Energy; Golden Field Office 2023 Funding Opportunity Announcement for Energy Future Grants (EFG) Creating a Community-Led Energy Future applications due September 30, 2023

The Energy Future Grants (EFG) provides financial assistance to support local, state, and tribal government-led partnership efforts that will advance clean energy program innovation. EFG seeks to enhance energy affordable and access for communities, ensuring the broad benefits of a clean energy economy—including heath, economic development and jobs and emissions reductions—flow to disadvantaged communities.

U.S. Department of Energy; National Energy Technology Laboratory BIL – Carbon Utilization Procurement Grants under Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Section 40302 Concept papers accepted on a rolling basis and full applications due April 30, 2024

With funding provided from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Section 40302, the Carbon Utilization Procurement Grants program will help offset 50% of the costs to states, local governments, and public utilities or agencies to procure and use products developed through the conversion of captured carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide emissions. The commercial or industrial products to be procured and used under these grants must demonstrate a significant net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to incumbent products via a life cycle analysis (LCA).

U.S. Department of Transportation Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Stage I Planning and Prototyping grant applications due October 10, 2023

The Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) program was established to provide grants to eligible public sector agencies to conduct demonstration projects focused on advanced smart community technologies and systems in order to improve transportation efficiency and safety. The purpose of this notice is to solicit applications for Stage 1 Planning and Prototyping applications for demonstration projects focused on advanced smart city or community technologies and systems to improve transportation efficiency and safety.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency National Grants: Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) applications due December 1, 2023

To address these diesel emissions and protect public health and air quality, authorized under Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA), this funding opportunity provides assistance to accelerate the upgrade, retrofit, and turnover of the legacy diesel fleet.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Administration for Children and Families – Office of Refugee Resettlement Support for Trauma-Affected Refugees (STAR) applications due October 2, 2023

The goals of the Support for Trauma-Affected Refugees (STAR) Program are the integration and successful achievement of sustained physical, social, emotional, and economic well-being of those underserved refugees and other newcomers eligible for Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) services (hereafter referred to as “newcomers” for simplicity) whose experience of trauma is impeding their ability to function effectively at home, school, work or in social settings. Using STAR funds, recipients will provide eligible newcomers with holistic and integrated case management services, including health, psychological, and social adjustment services directly. Through project-related activities, recipients will simultaneously enhance their capacity to serve such populations.

WSW Special Report: The Importance of In-Person Meetings

As reported last week, the US Congress is now in recess. Senators and Members of Congress will be visiting with constituents, touring workplaces, marching in Labor Day parades and participating in numerous civic and cultural events throughout the country. Elected officials actually thrive on the interplay with constituents.

But how can your organization plan for continued engagement, now that our society has reopened following two dreadful years of uncertainty?

Over the past seven months, WSW has facilitated over a dozen advocacy days and events on behalf of clients. Although we have all grown accustomed to Zoom and Teams meetings, the US Congress is now (re)open for business. Just this last month, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was seen high-fiving young school students visiting the US Capitol. The imagery was not coincidental. Republicans took pride in the steps taken to resume normal operations.

Organizations and individuals should be thinking about how to resume normal advocacy operations as well. There is no substitute for face-to-face engagement. One example to share: Earlier in 2023, one of our trade association clients brought their Board of Directors meeting to Washington, DC. Tacked onto the end of the program was an opportunity for Board Members to visit the offices of their Senators and Representatives. As a result, this August, a Member of Congress will be visiting the business of one of those Board Members and touring their workshop. This is a relationship that did not exist in January. But now, due to the interest generated by the meeting, this CEO and Congressperson will be fused at the hip, touring a work site and mixing it up with the employees.

Point being, it is time to begin planning your next advocacy day. Relationships are like gardens – they need to be tended and nurtured. But it is worth every effort and expense. Now that Congressional offices are fully open – forget about Zoom– and do that next meeting in person.

Now is the time to begin conversations with your WSW team lead and start the budgeting and logistics conversation for your 2024 visit to the nation’s Capital. We can’t guarantee a high-five from the Speaker of the House – or that your Member of Congress will be stopping by later this year. But as the saying goes, “If you don’t ask, the answer is always – NO!”

Have a great summer, and we look forward to planning your next visit in the weeks ahead.

IHE G-News July 31, 2023

July 31, 2023
Federal Funding Opportunities

U.S. Department of Education; Institute of Education Sciences Education Research applications due September 21, 2023

The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) supports field-initiated research to build knowledge and understanding of education practice and policy that will help improve education experiences and outcomes for all learners across the lifespan in the U.S. Through this program, IES supports both basic and applied research that contributes to scientific knowledge and theory of teaching, learning, and organizing education systems; yields outcomes and products that are useful to learners and the educators and education institutions that serve them; and informs stakeholders about the cost and practical benefits and effects of programs, practices, and policies on relevant outcomes. IES will consider applications that address one of the following topics:

  • Career and Technical Education
  • Civics Education and Social Studies
  • Cognition and Student Learning
  • Early Learning Programs and Policies
  • Improving Education Systems
  • Literacy
  • Policies, Practices, and Programs to Support English Learners
  • Postsecondary and Adult Education
  • Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education
  • Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Context for Teaching and Learning
  • Teaching, Teachers, and the Education Workforce

U.S. Department of Education; Institute of Education Sciences Special Education Research applications due September 21, 2023

This program supports rigorous special education research that addresses practical problems and issues facing learners with or at risk for disabilities, their families, practitioners, and policymakers. IES encourages a broad range of research, including studies that may have more than one research focus, such as reading and behavior, and may focus broadly on students with disabilities or on a particular disability, such as autism spectrum disorders. The range of research supported through this program includes, but is not limited to, programs to improve child development and school readiness; academic and/or behavioral interventions; instructional practices and/or professional development programs for teachers and other school-based personnel; strategies for improving the family support and engagement critical to the success of students with disabilities; policies and systems-level interventions and programs to address school finance, school-community collaborations, or school structures that affect educational progress for students with disabilities; transition from secondary school to postsecondary education, career, and/or independent living; as well as access to, persistence in, and completion of postsecondary education.

U.S. Department of Education; Institute of Education Sciences Research Training Programs in Special Education applications due September 21, 2023

This program prepares researchers to conduct rigorous and relevant early intervention and special education research. The intention is to support investigators in the early stages of their academic careers who have an established interest in special education research and to prepare them for an independent research career focused on learners with or at risk of disabilities. Under this program, investigators complete an integrated research and career development plan with guidance from experienced mentors.

U.S. Department of Education; Office for Postsecondary Education Postsecondary Student Success Program applications due September 25, 2023

The purpose of this program is to equitably improve postsecondary student outcomes, including retention, transfer, credit accumulation, and completion, by leveraging data and implementing, scaling, and rigorously evaluating evidence-based activities to support data-driven decisions and actions by institutional leaders committed to inclusive student success.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; National Institutes of Health Helping to End Addiction Long-term Initiative: Novel Targets for Opioid Use Disorders and Opioid Overdose applications due February 1, 2024

This opportunity is part of the National Institutes of Health Helping to End Addictions Long-term (HEAL) initiative to accelerate the development of novel medications to treat all aspects of the opioid addiction cycle, including progression to chronic use, withdrawal symptoms, craving, relapse, and overdose. This specific funding opportunity will support research focusing on the identification of druggable new targets and discovery of optimizable probes for development of safe and efficacious medications to prevent and treat opioid use disorders, opioid overdose, and opioid-polysubstance use comorbidities.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; National Institutes of Health Blueprint and BRAIN Initiative Program for Enhancing Neuroscience Diversity through Undergraduate Research Education Experiences applications due February 15, 2024

The overarching goal of this program is to encourage individuals from diverse backgrounds, including those from groups underrepresented in the biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research workforce, to pursue further studies or careers in research by supporting creative educational activities with a primary focus on courses for skills development, research experiences, and mentoring activities. The fully integrated educational activities should prepare undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds to enter Ph.D. degree programs in the neurosciences. To accomplish this institutional awards will be provided to develop neuroscience research education programs comprised of collaborative partnerships integrated across different educational institution types. Each partnership must include:

  • one or more institutions that either have a historical and current mission to educate students from any of the populations that have been identified as underrepresented in biomedical research or have a documented track record of recruiting, training and/or educating, and graduating underrepresented students, which has resulted in a historically documented contribution by the institution to the national pool of graduates from underrepresented backgrounds who pursue biomedical research careers;
  • a research-intensive institution that has an established neuroscience or neuroscience-related program;
  • integrated curriculum/academic enhancement and research experience activities designed to increase participants’ preparation to enter doctoral programs in the neurosciences; and
  • well-described plans to provide early communication and interaction between participating students and graduate neuroscience programs across the country.

National Endowment for the Humanities Dangers and Opportunities of Technology: Perspectives from the Humanities applications due October 11, 2023

This program supports research that examines technology and its relationship to society through the lens of the humanities, with a focus on the dangers and/or opportunities presented by technology, broadly defined. The National Endowment for the Humanities is particularly interested in projects that examine the role of technology in shaping current social and cultural issues.

National Science Foundation Dynamics of Integrated Socio-Environmental Systems proposals due November 17, 2023

The Dynamics of Integrated Socio-Environmental Systems (DISES) Program supports research projects that advance basic scientific understanding of integrated socio-environmental systems and the complex interactions within and among the environmental and human components of such a system. The program seeks proposals that emphasize the truly integrated nature of a socio-environmental system versus two discrete systems (a natural one and a human one) that are coupled. DISES projects must explore a connected and integrated socio-environmental system that includes explicit analysis of the processes and dynamics between the environmental and human components of the system.

Congress Heads into August Recess with a Long “To Do” List

GDP Numbers Remain Strong; Fed Raises Interest Rates

Members of Congress head into August recess after today and will return to a long “to do” list, with the end of the current fiscal year looming on September 30th. The House Appropriations Committee approved ten of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 bills out of Full Committee in June and July and passed one bill on the House Floor. That leaves two bills for the House Appropriations Committee to consider when they return to Washington after Labor Day: Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies as well as Commerce, Justice, Science and Related agencies, both of which are expected to be difficult to pass out of Committee. Before the House adjourned, the Military Construction, Veterans and Related Agencies appropriations bill passed the House floor. However, the Agriculture and FDA funding bill, which was also scheduled for a vote on the floor, faced pressure which divided moderates from House Republicans in the Freedom Caucus who demanded additional spending cuts beyond what was agreed to. Meanwhile, the Senate Appropriations Committee did something they haven’t done in years — they approved all twelve FY2024 bills out of Full Committee before the August Congressional work period. The Senate FY2024 Appropriations bills will likely see Senate floor action after Labor Day.

Looking forward to Congress’ return to session after Labor Day, the Senate returns September 5th and the House returns September 12th. That leaves about 15 or so legislative days until the end of the fiscal year on September 30th. Many in Congress, especially the House and Senate Appropriators, will work behind the scenes through the August Congressional recess to try and reconcile what is shaping up to be a massive budget fight. Keep in mind, the House and Senate proposed spending levels are more than $100 billion apart. The Congressional schedule does not leave much time before the September 30th end of the fiscal year, so a Continuing Resolution (CR) is all but assured to give the House and Senate Appropriators time to move the twelve Appropriations bills across each Chamber’s floor. A CR would fund the government at current FY 2023 levels and the timeframe at this point is unclear. Look for this legislation to come before both chambers in mid-September.

Here’s what else you may have missed this week:

The Federal Reserve raised interest rates to a 22-year high amid continued inflation fears. After a brief pause to rate hikes in the previous month, Fed Chair Jerome Powell on Wednesday announced another rate increase of a quarter of a percent in an effort to continue to tamp down inflation. Powell told reporters that if inflation did not cool to the projected 2% annual rate, that he would raise interest rates even higher. Although inflation has not been evenly felt across all products and services, on average it is currently sitting at about a 3% annual rate, nearly half of what it was a year ago. Despite these concerns and the Fed’s tightening of the economy, second-quarter growth of the GDP exceeded expectations yet again, outpacing some speculation of an impending recession.

UPS and Teamsters have reportedly reached an agreement, averting nationwide strike. After more than a month of building tension around the strike which could have impacted some 6% of the U.S. economy, Teamsters President Sean O’Brien announced a tentative agreement with UPS on Tuesday which includes higher pay, more union jobs, and A/C in all delivery vehicles. This victory mints the new Teamsters President as a force in organized labor, especially after he specifically directed President Biden to not get involved in the negotiation process. It remains to be seen if this development could have further reaching impacts in workforces around the country, perhaps where other companies have engaged in union-busting or unfair labor practices.

Congressional priorities in September will likely include more investigations and possibly impeachment. September will be a busy month in Congress, and spending bills will likely take up the majority of floor time, but you should expect committees charged with investigations and oversight to still dominate the limelight like they have these past months. There is growing pressure, especially among House Republicans, to charge somebody with something, whether that be the president’s son, Hunter Biden, or the president’s cabinet, like Attorney General Merrick Garland or Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, or maybe even President Biden himself. The calls for impeachment or indictment will likely only grow louder as news broke yesterday that former President Trump is being charged with additional crimes in the classified documents case which include efforts to delete security camera footage.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell causes concern after apparent health scare. Capitol Hill was abuzz on Wednesday after McConnell froze mid-sentence for an extended period during his weekly press briefing. He eventually was escorted away before returning minutes later to continue his remarks. Aides later said that the Senator felt lightheaded, but some have speculated that a more serious health concern is underlying the incident. McConnell has reportedly fallen several times this year, including one time in March which landed him in the hospital with a concussion. Similar health concerns have been shared about Senator Dianne Feinstein, the Senate’s oldest member.

July 2023 – Vol. 12; Issue 7

Tending the Campfire: Igniting the Flame of Market Intelligence

Preparing for the Camping Adventure 

The implementation of market intelligence on businesses has become a familiar tactic to improve numerous aspects of organizations. However, market intelligence needs to be properly planned for, just like a camping trip. Organizations need to beware of common market intelligence mistakes, as it can be easy to stray down the wrong trail. Common mistakes include only using one source, assuming inconsistencies to be trends, basing decisions on data alone, using out-of-date data, attempting to gather data at the last minute when it should be consistently tracked, and collecting information without an end result in mind. Learning and fully understanding what both market research and market intelligence are and the proper steps to take to be successful with market intelligence will prevent an organization from repeating known misconceptions. This will better position an organization for future operations, as forgetting your raincoat and running out of water are mistakes you will not make twice.

Navigating Market Intelligence

With the increased accessibility and ease of interpreting data, market research has become a standard practice and a growth-accelerator for an organization’s strategic decision-making. However, in the deep woods of today’s highly complex and competitive federal market, raw data and information alone will not keep you from going astray or missing your mark. Organizations need to not only plot the collection of data, but also evaluate, understand, and apply data outcomes in a way that is meaningful and tailored to a desired goal. Without these navigation skills, organizations may find themselves lost without a compass ‒ feeling overwhelmed and wasting hours wandering aimlessly through a dense forest of data, facts, and figures with no actionable results. Bearing the load of insights and analysis is what transforms market research into market intelligence, a differentiator for hiking through the federal market wilderness. The true trail guides of market intelligence are subject matter experts (SMEs), individuals with varying expertise who can read between the lines, pointing out the paths worth taking and providing crucial color and context to a vast landscape. Known as “the consultants of the consultants,” market intelligence SMEs leverage their expertise and industry knowledge to guide organizations on their path, bringing mundane quantitative data to life by providing a qualitative perspective and providing organizations with additional tools for using information.

Market intelligence infographic

Cooking up a Culture of Market Intelligence  

While the benefits of market intelligence are vast, they are only felt when market intelligence is used organization-wide to complement other business offerings and drive company goals through data-driven, expert-informed decision-making. Too often, market intelligence gets left alone in the woods, finding itself delegated to a few individuals and disconnected from the larger organization. Operating in a vacuum such as this is not an effective use of market intelligence resources. Instead, market intelligence must be connected to all aspects of the broader business and guide strategic initiatives (e.g., key hires, mergers and acquisitions, etc.) and offerings. Companies must create and adopt a “culture of market intelligence,” ingraining the best practices and consistent utilization across business lines and into the very fiber of the organization. This culture fosters collaboration throughout the organization and ensures individuals from each line of business are aligned to the greater goals and targeted outcomes and allows for market intelligence SMEs to set appropriate parameters, acquire appropriate data, and provide expert knowledge to help move the organization forward.

Lighting the Campfire: Operationalizing Market Intelligence for GovCon Strategies 

True market intelligence is much more than warmed-over empirical spending data, market sizing, and organization charts. When operationalized, market intelligence has a transcendent impact on strategy at the GovCon corporate, group, and bid opportunity level – delivering tangible value that informs and rationalizes decision-making. In the GovCon space, best practices include “Company X” blackhat role playing, “solution to win” analysis (not your grandparents’ outdated “how low can you go” price to win assessments) and ferreting out credible info on cure notices and award fees rather than relying on bloviations from competitors seeking to unseat incumbents. Useful market intel leverages non-obvious event correlation (e.g., business developer migration paths are a reliable early warning indicator of companies that are in trouble) to inform analysis, develop compelling win themes, and validate the tendentious rumors spread around the campfire. Well-run companies know that there is no true “white space” in the GovCon market. Market intelligence helps identify the sweet spot for any firm – the intersection of market attractiveness and the ability to compete. The best market intel doesn’t just confirm what you already knew…it unveils actionable insights you didn’t know to ask about.

10 Market Intelligence Elements That Can’t Be Ignored

Ted Milone
202-744-1363
Ted.Milone@dwpassociates.com

Meredith Aurora
703-362-7737
Meredith.Aurora@dwpassociates.com

Jessica Butturff
703-786-1841
Jessica.Butturff@dwpassociates.com

Local Government G-News July 24, 2023

July 24, 2023
Federal Funding Opportunities

U.S. Department of Agriculture; Rural Utilities Service Powering Affordable Clean Energy letters of interest due September 29, 2023

As part of the Inflation Reduction Act, The Powering Affordable Clean Energy (PACE) program PACE helps make clean, affordable, and reliable energy accessible to the people of rural America. PACE will forgive up to 60 percent of loans for renewable energy projects that use wind, solar, hydropower, geothermal, or biomass, as well as for renewable energy storage projects. The PACE program is available to eligible applicants that generate electricity for resale to residents in both rural and nonrural areas. However, at least 50 percent of the population served by the proposed renewable energy project must live in communities with populations of 20,000 or fewer.

U.S. Department of Commerce; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration FY2023 Ocean-Based Climate Resilience applications due September 11, 2023

The Ocean-Based Climate Resilience Accelerators funding opportunity seeks to fund develop business accelerators that provide specific programming and opportunities for small businesses and entrepreneurs aligned with identified marine-based climate resilience theme areas: ocean renewable energy; coastal and ocean carbon sequestration monitoring and accounting; Hazard Mitigation and Coastal Resilience; and ecosystems services, including change detection, change analysis, and change adaptation/mitigation. The accelerators will support entrepreneurs and startups with training, resources, mentorship, and funding to bring ocean-based climate resilience solutions to market. This funding opportunity announcement addresses Phase One of what will be implemented as a two-phase process. In Phase One, NOAA seeks proposals from qualified accelerator entities that define an approach for scoping, planning, and designing climate resilience accelerator activities according to the requirements defined in this announcement.

U.S. Department of the Interior; National Park Service Historic Preservation Fund- African American Civil Rights- History Grants applications due October 10, 2023

The National Park Service’s (NPS) African American Civil Rights Grant Program (AACR) will document, interpret, and preserve the sites and stories of the full history of the African American struggle to gain equal rights from transatlantic slave trade forward. The Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) will fund a broad range of history projects including survey and planning, research and documentation, interpretation and education, and collections conservation.

U.S. Department of the Interior; National Park Service Historic Preservation Fund- African American Civil Rights- Preservation Grants applications due October 10, 2023

Under the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF), Preservation Grants will fund a broad range of preservation projects for historic sites including architectural services, historic structure reports, preservation plans, and physical preservation to structures.