As you’re developing your smart cities plans, it’s sometimes helpful to see what other cities — perhaps your neighbors — are doing. Each month, Onvia gives us an inside look at what cities are doing through the largest contracts they award and the proposals they request.
From emergency management to communications, here are the biggest areas of interest this month. — Kevin Ebi
By Nick Schiffler, Onvia
As more government agencies begin investing in the smart cities movement, companies in the business-to-government (B2G) marketplace have the chance to take advantage. And, identifying qualified vendors and researching comparable bid specifications from agency colleagues is easy with the Onvia Exchange, available for free to city and government officials.
Here are 10 smart city projects from the past month that were awarded to a vendor, recently put out to bid or included in an agency’s future spending plan:
Recent contract awards
Onvia’s B2G Intelligence System (B2GIS) tracks government projects through their entire lifecycle, including contract award announcements. Here’s three examples of the kinds of “smart” projects that have recently been awarded to vendors by cities across the U.S.
Zero Waste Franchise System – City of Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles recently signed a 10-year, $900M contract with Republic Services for solid waste collection and handling for the city’s Zero Waste Exclusive Franchise System.
Station Modernization Project – San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District, CA
The Bay Area Rapid Transit district gave Clark Construction Group a $23M award to modernize El Cerrito Del Norte transit station, including new lighting, new elevators and the addition of bike racks and storage.
Radio Tower and Radio Equipment – City of Portsmouth, VA
The City of Portsmouth awarded a $6.2M contract to Motorola Solutions for the installation of a radio broadcasting tower and associated radio equipment.
Open bids and RFPs
Bids and RFPs are the bread and butter of government contracting. These smart city projects are a few examples of the kinds of contracts agencies have recently put out to bid.
Disaster Debris Services – City of Houston, TX
Houston’s Solid Waste Management Department has an open invitation to bid for the removal and disposal of post-hurricane/disaster debris removal from public property and public rights of way.
Electric Vehicle Service Equipment – City of Santa Monica, CA
Santa Monica is seeking a service provider to install, operate and maintain electric vehicle equipment, like public charging stations, as well as provide real-time data to the city.
Fiber Network Expansion – City of Cambridge, MA
Cambridge, home to Harvard University, is looking for qualified bidders for the expansion of the city’s fiber network and associated radio sites.
Records Management System – City of Wichita, KS
Wichita’s Police Department is seeking a data management system that can be customized and integrated with other internal systems, for the purposes of evidence management, field-based reporting and more.
Budgets and spending plans
Companies interested in selling smart products or services can get the most foresight by finding potential projects within agency budgets and capital spending plans. These projects were found in Onvia’s B2GIS and provide vendors with forward visibility to make more strategic decisions. For agencies, the same information offers a look into the spending areas that local officials are beginning to budget for over the coming months and years.
Water Meter Installation – City of Tampa, FL
The City of Tampa has budgeted $26M through the next five years for the citywide installation of water meters and valves, to provide new service and mitigate the effects of a potential water main break.
Public Safety Emergency Training Complex – City of Miramar, FL
Miramar has included $18.5M in its budget between 2019 and 2021 for the construction of a five-story training complex for its fire and rescue department, including simulation rooms and training courses.
Wireless Network Infrastructure – City of Sioux Falls, SD
Sioux Falls updated their Capital Improvement Plan to contain $1.1M for the upgrading of their wireless network infrastructure and computer networking equipment.
Nick Schiffler is a business-to-government (B2G) market analyst and content marketer for Onvia, leading commerce intelligence at the core of the B2G marketplace. Follow Onvia on Twitter and LinkedIn to stay up to date with the latest government market insights.
