The U.S. Infrastructure Bill has significant implications for technology

The $1.2 Trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, formally named the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, has passed the U.S. Congress, and will soon be signed into law by President Joe Biden.

This bipartisan Infrastructure legislation appropriates $550 billion in new federal spending while redirecting other federal funds to improve the nation’s infrastructure. The overall spend for the bill is less than the $2.3 trillion the President asked for in the spring, but it is still a significant amount of funding for the next five years – and critically, holds a number of implications for technology-related spending in a range of sectors.

Government officials refer to the infrastructure bill as a $1.2 trillion package because they are also counting funding that is normally allotted each year for highways and other projects. The bulk of the funding for this bill comes from repurposing unspent coronavirus relief money and tightening enforcement on reporting gains from cryptocurrency investments.

SHI, working with our partners at the Grants Office, has created the below initial assessment of where the Infrastructure bill funds will be used to support the procurement and implementation of technology. It is important to note that these proposed infrastructure funds will be allocated towards existing grant programs like the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Program. In many cases, new programs will be developed and implemented across several different federal agencies, including the Department of Transportation, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Energy.

Areas where the Infrastructure Bill funds technology

• Roads, Bridges & Major Projects
  • Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grants – $7.5B
  • National Infrastructure Project Assistance Grant Program – $5B
  • Infrastructure for Rebuilding America(INFRA) Grant Program – $3.2B
• Public Transit
  • Transit Accessibility for Seniors and Persons with Disabilities – $2B
• Safety & Research
  • Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grant Program – $500M
• Energy Infrastructure
  • Smart Grid Investment Matching Grant Program – $3B
  • Rural and Municipal Utility Advanced Cybersecurity Grant and Technical Assistance Program – $250M
  • WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grants – $400M
• Water Infrastructure
  • Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds – $23.426B
  • Advanced Drinking Water Technologies Grants – $10M
  • Clean Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability Program – $25M
• Airports
  • Airside Projects (Runways, Taxiways, etc.) & Terminal Projects (Including AIP) – $20B
  • FAA Facilities and Equipment Program – $5B
• Broadband
  • Grants to States for Deployment – $42.45B
  • Additional Support for Rural Areas (Including ReConnect Program) – $2B
  • Middle Mile Infrastructure – $1B
  • Tribal Grants – $2B
  • Digital Inclusion and Equity – $2.75B
• Ports and Waterways
  • Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) – $2.25B
• Resiliency
  • FEMA Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Program – $1B
• Cybersecurity
  • State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial (SLTT) Grant Program – $1B
• Transportation Resiliency
  • Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-saving Transportation (PROTECT) grant program – $8.7 billion

It’s definitely early days in determining where and how federal funds will be allocated in this new infrastructure bill. SHI’s grants specialists monitor government funding announcements every day and we will continue to provide insight on technology opportunities pertaining to the Infrastructure Bill (soon to be law) as they become available.

We are always available to assist IT, procurement, and grants professionals in identifying funding for technology and assist in generating winning proposals when needed. For more information about our grants capabilities, visit www.shi.com/grants.