Jacobs will deliver sewage treatment planning and design services to Urban Utilities, under a joint venture with Aurecon, throughout a three year program, the company announced on Thursday.

Urban Utilities is a distributor-retailer responsible for delivering vital water and sewage services to households and businesses in South East Queensland, Australia. The department has managed approximately $3.76 billion in assets, including 29 sewage treatment plants, and provides water and sewerage services to a population of 1.5 million.

“The global water expertise of our team will support Urban Utilities in effectively planning and delivering affordable, reliable, resilient and sustainable services for future generations as this growth continues,"  said Jacobs People & Places Solutions senior vice president of Operations Patrick Hill.

Jacobs and Aurecon formed a joint venture, AJile, will deliver the planning and design services. The sustainable management of infrastructure in Queensland requires an integrated and human-centered approach to planning across the full water cycle. 

The joint venture team will leverage its global experience working with biological treatment technologies and supporting renewable energy and waste-to-resource projects to deliver catchment and system-based solutions that achieve positive environmental outcomes and value. The project team is co-located with Urban Utilities in its corporate office in Brisbane, Australia.

"Like many of our clients, Urban Utilities is responding to a complex mix of economic, environmental and social pressures… The state of Queensland has experienced sustained population growth above the national average and around 90% of this growth is concentrated in the urban areas of the South East,” added Hill. 

The project has just passed the first six-month milestone and has delivered market ready documentation for $51.7 million of infrastructure upgrades and deferred more than $13.4 million of capital investment, helping drive greater value for Urban Utilities customers.

"Water security, water use efficiency, climate resilience, sustainable sanitation and reduced risk from floods are all central to how we think about the future of water. But it's more than just about engineering. We'll focus on the human experience of our customers and the communities we serve, aiming to make a difference and realize the true value of water for Queensland," said Aurecon client manager, David Thomas.

About Jacobs

At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good. 

With $13 billion in revenue and a talent force of more than 55,000, Jacobs provides a full spectrum of professional services including consulting, technical, scientific and project delivery for the government and private sector.

Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc. (SPA), has been named a Top Workplace by The Washington Post on Tuesday for the Washington D.C. Area, marking the company’s seventh year of achieving the honor.

“On behalf of the tremendous team we have at SPA, I am incredibly honored to accept this recognition from the Washington Post as a Top Workplace for the seventh year in a row,” said SPA President and CEO Dr. William Vantine.

“Our high quality staff, opportunities for individual growth, professional work environment, and top tier benefits are keys to our success and we are extremely proud of our team and the value they provide to our clients,” he added.

SPA secured the award based on the company’s employee feedback gathered through an anonymous third party survey which measured several aspects of workplace culture, including alignment, execution, management and connection.

The recognition has also noted the workforce’s employee engagement, analyzing the level to which workers are devoted to their jobs based on their opportunity for advancement and how they are treated.

According to the Washington Post, there were a record number of employees participating in the survey this year, “making it clear that these organizations have made cultivating an atmosphere of support and respect a priority.”

“Our entire leadership team thanks our employees for their expertise, dedication and unwavering commitment to our clients’ missions and our nation’s security,” added Vantine.

About SPA

Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc., provides knowledge-based solutions integrating technical, operational, programmatic, policy, and business factors in support of important national security objectives. Our employees have expertise in many domains, including: Land, Undersea, Surface and Air Warfare Operations; Radar and Sensor Systems; Unmanned Systems and Counter Systems; Nuclear Deterrence Policy, Safety and Security; Defense Industrial Base; Space Systems; Ballistic Missile Systems; and Hypersonics. Our capabilities include: Advanced Analytics; System Engineering and Safety Analysis; Strategy, Policy and Compliance; Program and Acquisition Management; Software Tool Development.

The Air Force Research Laboratory partnered with the University of Dayton School of Law to develop an online training initiative that will work to help government employees mitigate the loss of data rights and intellectual property.

The training effort utilizes visual thinking guides and animation to present the application of contractual agreements, negotiations, intellectual property and data rights laws, the U.S. Air Force said Tuesday.

The initiative builds on a three-year educational partnership agreement signed by UDSL and AFRL for the provision of intellectual property legal training to the laboratory's engineers and scientists.

The National Crime Prevention Council cited in a report that 45 percent of U.S. businesses reported losses due to IP theft. The Commission on the Theft of American Intellectual Property also noted that estimated annual costs in pirated software, trade secrets and counterfeit goods have reached more than $225B.