Specifications include, but are not limited to: The Contractor’s responsibilities and deliverables include the following: • Collaboration and Communication a. Collaborate with JFO to meet deadlines and incorporate feedback in the development of the final report. b. Ensure all deliverables and communications are clear, concise, and effectively convey complex economic concepts to non-technical stakeholders. • Report development a. Briefly summarize existing State and federal entities and programs in Vermont offering funding for public infrastructure and the amount of funding available for each. Examples include: i. Tax Increment Financing (TIF); ii. Clean Water and Drinking Water Revolving Loan Funds; iii. USDA and USDA Rural Development loan and grant programs; iv. Northern Border Regional Commission; v. Economic Development Administration; vi. Vermont Community Development Program (VCDP) Implementation Grants; vii. Community and Recovery Revitalization Program (CRRP). b. Compare historical trends of Vermont's public infrastructure spending to that of other states, particularly rural and New England states. c. Issue recommendations for aligning State and federal assistance for public infrastructure. d. Conduct a thorough assessment of public infrastructure development programs in other states that could be implemented in Vermont, including: i. Grant programs; ii. Revolving Loan Fund programs; iii. TIF programs designed for smaller infrastructure projects; iv. Public-private partnerships; v. Other holistic state-level programs supporting infrastructure development in rural areas and small towns that do not utilize the funding mechanisms listed above. e. Discuss advantages, disadvantages, and challenges of implementing selected programs from other states in Vermont. f. Issue overall recommendations for harmonizing or expanding existing infrastructure improvement programs in Vermont and the distribution of funding. g. The report could also explore other issues related to public infrastructure development, such as: i. The multiplier effect of state and federal infrastructure spending; ii. Defining who could benefit from public infrastructure and principles for thinking through who should pay for improvements; iii. Potential property tax and revenue changes caused by public infrastructure development.
