Community Based Partnership
A Community Based Partnership Model is where a local government or public utility aggregates multiple improvement projects together into single, integrated procurement, creating one point of private sector accountability for linear type projects that support environmental, social and governance goals for a community through-out its lifecycle. It uses a performance-based contract, linking the partner’s payment to specific, measurable goals. The private partner assumes both short and long-term budget and schedule risks, incentivizing best value and a whole life compliance solution. The public sector can also require its private partner to achieve specific Key Performance Indicators to create jobs and engage with minority and women owned enterprises to create resilience solutions that create green space and achieve other community and economic development goals. Additionally, the private partner can also source best fit capital to invest “at risk” portion of development work to provide an earlier start to a program which the government partner can refinance with lower cost of capital upon completion and certification of the projects that make up the program.
AMERICA’S NEGLECTED WATER SYSTEMS FACE A RECKONING
Clean, safe drinking water has been available for so long in the U.S. that no one thinks twice about filling a glass of water at the kitchen sink or flushing a toilet. Indeed, for most people the shock would be if any of these conveniences failed to function. But the very longevity that has bred such faith in America’s water systems now threatens its future. Vast networks of underground pipes, often dating back to the 19th century, are nearing or are already past the end of their useful lives. But unless a water main breaks or a street caves in, it is all too easy to ignore the invisible infrastructure slowly crumbling beneath our feet.