ARPA Management
Managing American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funding
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 has opened funding opportunities for state, county, municipal, and private agencies during this unprecedented time. If you want to read more about the law, it can be found in full here. ADG|Blatt is appreciating this unique time to help our clients manage their ARPA funding. Here are a few of the things that we have learned so far.
How ARPA Federal Funding Can Be Spent
ADG|Blatt and our partners can help your agency decide how to best allocate, spend, and report your ARPA funding. We have over 20 years of experience assisting clients manage funds for construction projects. This service is often called Owner’s Representative (Owner’s Rep), Project Management, or Program Management. Including an experienced Owner’s Rep or Program Manager on your team can be a huge benefit. There is a big distinction between firms that offer Owner’s Rep services versus those who offer comprehensive Program Management.
how arpa federal funding can be spent
These non-recurring funds are typically recommended to be spent on non-recurring expenditures. Municipalities can use funds in a few ways.
Revenue Replacement
Contractor/Vendor Projects
Grants to Beneficiaries
Funding to Sub-Recipients
Funds not spent on Revenue Replacement must fall within one of the following categories:
Public health
Negative economic impact
Services to disproportionately impacted communities
Premium pay for essential workers
Infrastructure
Administration
Any funds used have compliance documentation requirements. Many state, county, and municipal agencies are looking to third-parties to help navigate these new waters by administering their ARPA funding.
owner’s representative (project management) versus program management
Sometime the terms “Owner’s Rep” and “Program Manager” get used interchangeably, but there is a distinction between the two. An Owner’s Representative coordinates between design or construction teams and the Owner. They may advise the Owner and provide recommendations to design or construction teams. A Program Manager offers the same services as an Owner’s Rep, but they also provide financial analysis, peer review services, an expanded team of support, and help manage larger programs with multiple individual projects within it.
ADG|Blatt is proud to offer both Owner’s Rep and Program Management services to our clients. Our team is the largest in the Oklahoma City area and has provided services for over two decades managing over $3-Billion in construction costs. Our team is comprised of folks with backgrounds in Architectural, Interior Design, Engineering, Construction, Urban Planning, Landscape Architecture, and other technical areas.
managing multiple arpa funded projects
ADG|Blatt, as a Program Manager, understands how to navigate managing multiple projects with multiple funding sources. One of our longest served clients currently has over 80 projects being managed by our team. We are uniquely positioned to help your agency manage your ARPA funded projects – whether it is one project or multiple projects.
help with your arpa projects
ADG|Blatt would love to help your agency manage your ARPA funding. Our diverse team is great at thinking outside the box and helping our clients handle a single special project and multiple projects that are part of a larger program. Please reach out to us today.