Woolpert, Centric Consulting Helping Local Governments Access and Maximize CARES Act Funding

Woolpert and Centric Consulting are working together to help local governments access, maximize and expedite funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The longtime partners will provide CARES Act Advisory and Implementation Services to enable municipalities to track, process, utilize and benefit from resources related to COVID-19.

In March, the CARES Act established the $150 billion Coronavirus Relief Fund to financially assist state, local and tribal governments as they work to preserve jobs and protect people from the public health impacts of COVID-19. The much-needed funding is being allocated within strict timing and eligibility guidelines, and governments have been given a short window in which to determine, assign and execute eligible projects. Funds must be obligated by Dec. 31, 2020.

“Local governments do many things well, but they aren’t built to move and spend money this quickly,” said Shane Imwalle, Woolpert senior vice president. “This opportunity is moving faster than the speed of business, and governments want to ensure they are serving their constituents equitably and effectively at a time when they need it the most. This pandemic caught us all off guard, but we need to react quickly, pool our resources, help businesses survive and ensure communities thrive.”

Woolpert and Centric Consulting have been partners for 15 years. They developed their CARES Act program to provide comprehensive support where it is needed most. Woolpert has contracted with local, state and federal governments for projects across multiple architecture, engineering and geospatial (AEG) markets for decades. The firm is familiar with the mechanics and demands of federal funding and understands the operations and needs of local and state governments.

Centric Consulting has been operating virtually for 20 years, advising clients on the best practices for coordinating, communicating and executing projects within a remote climate. The firm recently released “Office Optional: How to Build a Connected Culture with Virtual Teams,” a highly rated guidebook to how businesses and governments can successfully implement infrastructure and culture in socially distanced environments.

Specific to the CARES Act program team, Woolpert is helping governments match needs with funding by defining which projects are eligible for reimbursement, what is required for submission and what infrastructure modifications ensure compliance. The firm has been retrofitting buildings to adjust to social distancing, making HVAC adjustments to ensure clean air flow, developing water management programs to protect the water supply and providing technical support. In April, Woolpert worked with GIS software mapping firm Esri to develop an application that helps airports enter, track and submit reimbursable expenses to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

In addition to helping governments drive adoption of remote work technologies that encourage social distancing, Centric Consulting is helping governments track expenses and resources, automate transactions, identify trends and anomalies, enable reporting of key remote workforce measures and metrics, and implement process automation and change management processes, specific to CARES Act funding.

“This is about helping communities adapt to the new post-COVID world, allowing them to adjust quickly and effectively,” Centric Consulting Government and Public Sector Practice Lead Linda Stevens said. “Governments have the money to spend but don’t know where to start, and they have to move within a short, tense, vitally important window. We are supporting their efforts so they can set up their communities for success moving forward.”

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