Government-Enabling IT Ranks 4th in List of Public-Sector Contracting Hotspots for 2017

Government-enabling IT services, fiber-optic cable and medical equipment are among the fastest-growing areas of government spending, according to Onvia.

The market research firm put together its list of the top 10 “hotspots” in government contracting for 2017 using bid and request for proposal data across federal, state and local entities in the U.S. The hotspots are:

1. Better medical equipment for government-run medical centers — 21 percent growth in bid and RFP volume from 2015 to 2016
2. Education innovation and technology — 20 percent growth from 2015 to 2016
3. Connectivity improvements, including fiber and wireless — 20 percent growth
4. Government-enabling IT, including cloud purchasing and cybersecurity — 17 percent growth
5. Smart lighting — 15 percent growth
6. Disaster and emergency management — 14 percent growth
7. Construction site preparation — 14 percent growth
8. Serving people with disabilities, including ADA compliance — 13 percent growth
9. Clean water infrastructure and services — 14 percent growth
10. School buses, including service and privatization — 10 percent growth

Several of the areas involved would likely receive a boost from President Donald Trump’s infrastructure spending plan, including construction and clean water. Trump has shown some movement in the area with an executive order aimed at easing a path for “high-priority” projects to bypass environmental review, but an Axios report shows that the overall spending plan is likely on hold for at least a year.

Confidence among public officials in increased infrastructure spending under Trump appears mixed. According to a January e.Republic survey of 146 government officials responsible for transportation and infrastructure, half said they either didn’t expect the administration to increase such spending or weren’t sure. E.Republic is the parent company of Government Technology.