One of President Trump’s stated goals is to initiate significant investment in U.S. infrastructure — bridges, roads, airports, seaports, pipelines, fiber optic cables and water projects. As with any major spending measure — and the most common number being tossed around for this one is $1 trillion — there will be political hurdles. However, the U.S. House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee just launched its #building21 campaign effort to promote its vision for 21st Century American infrastructure, calling for significant investment.
Infrastructure spending of such magnitude will bring many opportunities for construction and infrastructure companies. Organizations need to be strategically positioned to capitalize on the opportunity, well-prepared to engage in the heightened competition facing the industry and flexible enough to absorb an increasing level of risk.
Infrastructure Plans
In December 2015, Congress passed and President Obama signed the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (the FAST Act), which increased the collection of gasoline taxes to pay for transportation infrastructure projects. The FAST Act authorized $305 billion for highway and motor vehicle safety, public transportation, motor carrier safety, hazardous materials safety, rail and research, technology and statistics programs. Although FAST Act funds are to be allocated to rehabilitate the country’s transportation network, there remains a significant infrastructure deficit in the country.
During his campaign, Trump called for $1 trillion in infrastructure investment in transportation, telecommunications, water, power and energy. Before his inauguration, Trump’s transition team circulated a list of 50 priority emergency and national security projects. Since then, Trump has given every indication that he plans to continue pushing to enhance infrastructure. For example, on Jan. 25, he signed an executive action related to one of the more controversial project proposals, a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border that many experts suggest would cost $15 billion to $25 billion.
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Against the same funding challenges the Obama administration faced, Trump’s plan calls for much of the infrastructure investment to be driven by the private sector through a series of tax credits and private funding as a means to encourage infrastructure investment in a revenue-neutral fashion. Trump’s plan also calls for the relaxation of various regulations to accelerate project delivery times and reduce cost.
Challenges and Headwinds
Most Democrats and Republicans agree on the need to improve this country’s infrastructure. A key difference, however, is how to pay for the upgrades.
On Jan. 24, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer introduced a $1 trillion infrastructure plan that relies heavily on direct government funding rather than on tax credits and private investment. Democrats generally argue that, although tax breaks may encourage investment, they will not necessarily bring about those infrastructure projects that are most needed, because the underlying economics may not make such projects profitable.
Despite these political differences, it is likely that some form of Trump’s plan will secure support as infrastructure renewal is a common interest. If an infrastructure spending bill is passed by Congress, organizations in the construction and infrastructure industries will be affected in a number of ways, including:
- Increased competition: With an economic slowdown in some areas of the world and with increasing volatility, a large inflow of foreign capital will likely occur as international contractors seek opportunities to invest in and build U.S. infrastructure projects. Consolidation of market share in the sector is also likely.
- Talent and labor shortage: Already facing a shortage of skilled professionals, the construction industry will need to compete with other industries to attract and retain talent.
- Private investment: Regardless of which infrastructure plan takes hold, public-private partnerships will be a pivotal model to deliver infrastructure in the immediate future. Consider that more than 30 states have enabling legislation in place and are poised to act immediately on already-identified projects.
- Increased risk: We are witnessing an ever-increasing trend of infrastructure projects being delivered through complex delivery methods, including design-build; design, build, operate and maintain; and integrated delivery. All such contracts result in increased risk being assumed by contractors. With competition expected to heat up, contractors will be expected to have greater risk-bearing capacity. Another consideration is that infrastructure and construction companies are increasingly tied to the “Internet of Things” through operational technology, electronics, software and network connections; this brings significant cyber exposures. And infrastructure itself is increasingly a target of cyber criminals.
- Risk financing: Insurers and others continue to develop new risk consulting and risk transfer products and services. Not only do insurers absorb performance and hazard risks associated with infrastructure development, they are increasingly becoming infrastructure investors, as well. It remains to be seen how this level of infrastructure exposure will lead to new products and services or new alternative risk structures.
