Week of June 19, 2023
GSA Announces $975 Million from Climate Act to be Used on Sustainable Upgrades for Federal Buildings
The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced plans to spend $975 million from the Climate Act funds on environmental and energy-efficiency upgrades for federal buildings.
The improvements include achieving net-zero emissions in 28 federal buildings and converting 100 buildings to be all-electric.
The Ronald Reagan Federal Building in Washington, D.C., the second-largest government building in the U.S., will receive $13.5 million from the Climate Act funds for upgrades.
The GSA expects to leverage an additional $1.9 billion in private-sector investment through energy-saving contracts and retrofit programs, to reduce energy usage, carbon emissions, and water consumption while achieving cost savings.
$930 Million in Grants Announced in Biden’s Effort to Expand Internet Access to Every Home in the US
The Department of Commerce announced $930 million in grants to improve internet connectivity in remote areas of Alaska, rural Texas, and other underserved locations in the U.S.
The grants, known as middle mile grants, aim to create large-scale networks that connect retail broadband providers to subscribers, similar to how the interstate highway system connected communities.
The funds will support the laying of 12,000 miles of new fiber across 35 states and Puerto Rico, with the largest grant of nearly $89 million awarded to an Alaskan telecommunications company.
These grants are part of President Biden's efforts to expand high-speed internet access across the country, with the aim of connecting every home to affordable and reliable internet service. The grants were made possible by the $65 billion broadband allocation from the infrastructure measure signed into law in 2021.
June 21, 2023
Accenture, an Ireland-based global professional services company offering a wide range of services in strategy, consulting, technology, digital transformation, and operations, has entered into an agreement to acquire Anser Advisory (Anser), a California-based ENR Top 50 Program Management firm offering advisory, compliance, and management services for infrastructure projects, and portfolio company of Sterling Investment Partners (Sterling). Through the acquisition, Accenture aims to strengthen its ability to efficiently execute these significant, long-term projects and expand its capital project capabilities. As part of the transaction, Markon -- Anser's federal consulting business -- will remain a Sterling portfolio company.
EFCG was pleased to advise Anser on its planned sale to Accenture. Congratulations to Anser's CEO, Bryan Carruthers, and the Anser management team, shareholders, and employees on building such an exceptional brand within the engineering space, and to James Soldano, Bill Macey, and the Sterling Investment Partners team.
This is EFCG's 16th successful deal in the last two years, having also recently advised Gafcon Digital on its sale to Anser, as well as Littlejohn & Co. on its recent investment in Ardurra.
June 19, 2023
TranSystems Corp. (UTRS), a Missouri-based transportation consulting firm providing engineering, architectural, planning, and construction solutions and backed by Sentinel Capital Partners, has acquired Whitney Bailey Cox & Magnani, LLC (WBCM), a Maryland-based engineering consulting firm delivering projects to public and private clients throughout the Mid-Atlantic region and across the U.S. The acquisition of WBCM will strengthen TranSystems’ presence in the Mid-Atlantic Region and enhance its overall talent and service capabilities.
June 19, 2023
SAM Companies (SAM), a Texas-based provider of professional Geospatial and Inspection solutions across the utility, transportation, and broader infrastructure industries backed by Peak Rock Capital, has acquired AXIS GeoSpatial and AXIS GeoAviation (AXIS), a Maryland-based full-service professional mapping firm utilizing remote sensing and measurement technologies to provide geospatial data for integration into civil engineering and geographic information systems (GIS) applications. SAM’s acquisition of AXIS advances its strategic growth plan, particularly its Airborne Geospatial Data Acquisition, Mapping, Inspection, and Geospatial capabilities across the United States. Additionally, AXIS’ diverse client base across a broad spectrum of industries, including the utility, transportation, forestry, environment, and federal and state government sectors, complement SAM’s own, expanding the Company’s capacity, experience, and geographic presence.
June 21, 2023
Terracon Consultants, Inc. (Terracon), a Kansas-based consulting engineering firm, specializing in environmental, facilities, geotechnical, and materials services, has acquired Ferguson Risk Management, LCC (FRM Risk), a Georgia-based environmental, health, and safety (EH&S) consulting firm. The acquisition of FRM Risk will help to expand Terracon’s EH&S services capabilities with the addition of FRM Risk’s six full-time engineers/scientists. “FRM Risk brings a wealth of expertise in environmental and occupational health and safety risk services to our client offerings,” Terracon CEO Gayle Packer said in the release. “We are excited to welcome them to our team and look forward to solving our clients’ project challenges together.”
June 22, 2023
GAI Consultants, Inc. (GAI), a Pennsylvania-based planning, engineering, and environmental consulting firm and portfolio company of Comvest Partners, has acquired Eland Engineering, LLC (Eland), a Florida-based provider of engineering consulting and field maintenance services for Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) and traffic signal systems. The acquisition combines Eland’s ITS expertise and capabilities to further strengthen GAI’s position in the transportation engineering and consulting market.
AEC Cares partnered with DLR Group, Stantec, CRB, and Gensler to donate time and resources to renovate one of Larkin Street Youth Services’ emergency overnight shelters in California. The Lark Inn provides a temporary home and safe space to homeless youths, ranging from 18 to 24 years old, in the Bay Area. Throughout the months of design and documentation, the partners worked together to create a space that is not only safe, warm, and inviting for youths, but also one where they can feel a sense of belonging and protection. The feat required five months of design and documentation, one week of site preparation,140 volunteers, and one day to build. The volunteers shared their efforts to renovate the space based on the design vision in under 10-hours. They provided fresh coats of paint to help renew and brighten the space, along with wall graphics to bring in pops of color and movement.
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