(Note: This post of Feb 9, 2009 refers to the 2007-8 stimulus package) We have been trying to figure out the kind of opportunities that might come up from the stimulus package – particularly in the B2B and Supply Chain areas. I think there will be plenty of opportunities in these areas if you start looking at what the stimulus is planning to do. For example, in the procurement space as towns and communities start re-building infrastructure purchasing skills should be in demand. Now the question is whether ongoing contracts will be expanded i.e. existing contractors will be given more work and they would hire or there might be more new contractors entering the infrastructure. A friend in the purchasing community thinks that new bids will have to be prepared, in record time, but there may not be new supply management jobs in the public sector, although some additional hands may be needed to develop and execute the contracting of all this work. If you are a professional looking for work in these areas checking with the local Government- may be a good idea.
Then there is the construction supply chain and herein lies an opportunity for all those sub-contractors out there. They should really start gearing up their B2B marketing with both towns and well established contractors so that they are ready to execute projects. There are a whole lot of displaced professionals (IT , finance) who have taken up temporary work like painting etc. and this is the time to put your name out there and start lining up your work force.
The stimulus funds would probably be spent at the town level and there is some talk of a deadline of spending the money say within one year and this calls for a speedy effective local project selection ( which school to renovate ? – probably a separate blog on this ), contractor and subcontractor selection and off course the direct workers on these projects. Probably discussion will move to execution aspects of the stimulus as we move forward…..