Established civil Engineering firms like W&A Engineering play an important role in economic development, a process that starts well before any sites are surveyed or foundations laid.
Information Powers Development
A crucial role W&A plays is to help local economic development boards and their directors gather the information they need to get their sites ready for industries to move in and quickly get up and running.
For example, in Georgia we work closely with our partners to get sites qualified for GRAD status where applicable. GRAD, named for the Georgia Ready for Accelerated Development (GRAD) Sites Program, is a critical project status as it demonstrates to businesses considering a move to Georgia that the surrounding community is ready, willing, and eager to work with them.
States with programs like GRAD help ensure a rapid and headache-free development process, and are at a competitive advantage in terms of attracting jobs. Here’s more information about GRAD:
Established by the Georgia Allies, the Georgia Ready for Accelerated Development (GRAD) Sites Program prepares available sites for accelerated industrial development through advance due diligence. To qualify for GRAD status, available sites have been submitted by a local community or economic development organization to the Allies and reviewed by a third party. Categories of due diligence and review include minimum acreage (50), ownership security, zoning designation, road and rail accessibility, utilities service, and wetlands and stream delineation. Surveys already conducted for these sites include topographical, geotechnical, and environmental (Phase I), and investigations for cultural resources and endangered species.
Fostering Connections Through Events
Engineering firms also have a role to play as a liaison between local economic developers and state officials that support their efforts.
From our work spearheading projects across Georgia, W&A has numerous local and state-level connections that sometimes small county economic developers have a hard time making.
Helping make connections around the state is partly why W&A hosts and sponsors numerous industry socials and other events throughout the year. Though always a great time, these events also provide a great opportunity to make local-state introductions necessary for moving Georgia forward.
Decades of Combined Experience and Expertise
The most important way civil engineering firms facilitate economic development is through human talent and experience.
Communities across Georgia rely on our skilled staff to accurately analyze and evaluate economic development opportunities across the state in a variety of areas.
Taking Experience into Our Communities
Overall, our main priority is to ensure that community assets are adequate and ready to be developed.
Through our own Community Economic Development Program, W&A helps local economic development organizations long before businesses scout their area, which often catches communities flat-footed.
By working together through information gathering, fostering connections, and bringing decades of experience and knowledge to the table, civil engineering firms like W&A Engineering play an important role facilitating Economic Development.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions you may have about how we support local communities with economic development.