The National Stakeholder Initiative for American Infrastructure

Fast-tracking infrastructure delivery to advance our economy and sustainability

NYU's INTERCEP and the IDC Innovation Hub jointly call for targeted stakeholder engagement and collaboration to streamline and accelerate the delivery of infrastructure projects across the nation. A national stakeholder initiative could address the following:

The Opportunity:  The Largest Investment in Infrastructure in U.S. History

Our nation is investing over $1.2 trillion under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law plus nearly $400 billion under the Inflation Reduction Act. Communications, power, transportation networks, water supply, housing, and other infrastructure form the vital ecosystem for our society to thrive and our enterprises to flourish. In addition to accomplishing their core functions, infrastructure projects can serve as “catalysts” for powerful wide-ranging impacts:

• Bolstering our economy & global competitiveness

• Advancing sustainability (environmental & climate resilience, social & governance imperatives)

The Challenge:  Process Complexity, Stakeholder Resistance, & Other Issues

Infrastructure projects can be highly complex endeavors with a variety of elements that can delay the project delivery - spanning planning, environmental review / permitting, design, engineering, contracting, construction, operations and maintenance.  

• Most federal infrastructure funds are being distributed to individual state governments with their own distinct processes and great latitude to determine how those funds are spent.  Additional funds will be distributed directly from federal agencies also with distinct processes.

• Recipient local governments & other entities have varying levels of project delivery expertise.

• Outdated practices in design, permitting, and procurement can impede progress.

• Efficient strategies and innovative approaches are frequently not shared widely whether from other government agencies or construction and engineering experts.

• Many key stakeholders often become aware of projects only late in the process which can lead to resistance and elongated permitting delays.

• The opportunity is often lost to efficiently “bake-in” / integrate wider imperatives such as sustainability and resilience.

The Strategy:  Engage Stakeholders Early, Integrate / Share Insights Widely, and Form Ongoing Coalitions to Expedite Project Delivery

• Engage key stakeholders in advance and obtain input on infrastructure delivery including priorities, concerns, challenges, and opportunities as well as insights on process streamlining.

• Distill stakeholder input into “actionable” criteria for infrastructure decision-makers via direct engagement of funding recipients in forums and in a centralized Infrastructure Resource Hub.

  • Impactful approaches to bolster the economy and advance sustainability

  • Strategies to “fast-track” project delivery

  • Tactics to leverage coordination and achieve synergies for greater impact

• Form ongoing coalitions of key stakeholders from business, labor, construction & engineering, economic development, sustainability, and state & local agencies to actively advance projects

  • Provide insights / expertise and serve as a catalyst for innovation in project delivery

  • Provide community support and advocacy to maintain a sense of urgency in project delivery

Operation Fast-Track Products / Deliverables

• Infrastructure Stakeholder Forums encompassing federal/state/local governments, organized labor, the business community, sustainability advocates, developers, urban planners, construction and engineering firms. and other parties.

  • Produce a national prototype for regional / topical forums to be held throughout the country based on lessons learned & stakeholder input from initial forums

• A National Independent Resource Hub on resilient, sustainable, and economically empowering infrastructure

  • Objectives and actionable criteria from key stakeholders for infrastructure development, construction, and ongoing operations

  • Strategies for streamlining infrastructure delivery

• Ongoing Stakeholder Engagement and Coalitions to actively advance a coordinated, informed and “fast-track” approach to infrastructure delivery

Our Perspective

NYU is an internationally recognized research university with a diversity of expertise as well as a proven track record of leveraging the neutral ground of a leading university to:

• convene key stakeholders from targeted domains in a constructive, action-oriented, and time-sensitive manner with adept conveners focused on clear timelines and deliverables;

• distill clear and actionable insights;

• serve as a channel to subject matter experts that may help both better define some of the key imperatives as well as inform strategies to implement them in infrastructure – especially in the realms of sustainability, resilience, and economics; and

• host ongoing collaborative alliances with real world impact.

The two centers at NYU championing this initiative each bring unique expertise, capabilities, and insights from robust stakeholder communities.

• The Institute of Design & Construction (IDC) Innovation Hub: The IDC Innovation Hub promotes innovation in construction, engineering design, and management. Member firms leverage the IDC Innovation Hub’s resources to improve efficiency, control costs, and help identify innovative solutions that emphasize sustainability, fiscal responsibility, and safety. The IDC Innovation Hub aims to play a long-term, instrumental role in helping industry leaders create vibrant and sustainable communities where people want to live and work. The IDC Innovation Hub is led by Dr Michael Horodniceanu, a Professor at NYU Tandon School of Engineering, the Co-Director of Operation Fast-Track, and the former President of MTA Capital Construction in New York City.

• NYU’s International Center for Enterprise Preparedness (INTERCEP) The Center has over 18 years of stakeholder engagement experience in convening diverse stakeholders, facilitating consensus-based strategies and supporting follow-on implementation activities. It has a proven track record of having advanced the development of both national and international guidance and standards and economic incentives to support them. William G. Raisch is the Director of the International Center for Enterprise Preparedness (INTERCEP) at NYU Tandon School of Engineering and the Co-Director of Operation Fast-Track.