Assisting Municipalities with Implementing Stormwater Community-Based Public-Private Partnerships in Washington State
Community-based partnerships (CBPs) are an innovative form of alternative procurement and delivery in which a government agency and private entity partner seek to improve both water quality and quality of life for a community through green stormwater infrastructure projects. CBPs capitalize on the strengths of public- and private-sector participants by unlocking financial resources, reducing the risks of project failure, expediting project delivery, and providing cost savings. Further, CBPs can address environmental justice concerns and efficiently provide a range of co-benefits, from job creation to new recreation opportunities.
Project Scope
- Research and Analyses
- Scale up of GSI Program
- Equity Considerations
- Water Quality and Ecosystem Health
- Private and Public Sector Partners
- Technical Assistance
The State of Washington has made important investments to advance CBPs across the state. First through the “Washington State Stormwater Community-Based Public-Private Partnership Feasibility Assessment” (Feasibility Assessment) and then through the development of guidance in “Is a Community-Based Public-Private Partnership Right for your Community? A Guide for Municipal Stormwater Managers in Washington State” (Guidebook) and CIS is proud to have supported the state in both these efforts. Despite this important investment, CBPs have not yet proliferated in Washington. This is because CBPs take more than guidance—they require dedicated funding, local champions, political leadership, community support, experienced partners, and more.
Anticipated Results
CIS is part of a team, led by Environmental Incentives, providing technical assistance to municipalities to implement CBPs. The project team will start by providing broader education and outreach to local governments across the state, including engaging local governments that may not have thought about or even heard of CBPs before.
Through this process, the team will identify a subset of local governments interested in pursuing a CBP or performance-based contract. They will work with these local governments one-on-one to identify pilot projects and produce a recommended plan for procurement. Finally, the team will work with a handful of local governments with ready pilot projects to submit CBP grant funding applications.
Partners
Washington State Department of Ecology
Timeline
2023 – 2025