GOVERNMENT RELATIONS & PUBLIC POLICY

Established a federal program with the government for use during a national crisis for citizen communications. Concurrently, created a project with an international call center to fulfill this need. 

Prepared a national telecommunications corporation to engage in federal sales. Managed procurement strategy, resulting in both multimillion-dollar military and civilian contracts. 

Represented a foreign based supply chain software company, which resulted in federal homeland security projects and public/private sector partnership, thus raising the company’s corporate value for eventual acquisition. 

Helped to secure a specific Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) reimbursement code for a pharmaceutical client's drug as well as a higher rate of reimbursement from Medicare & Medicaid. 

Assisted the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in its fight against cuts in medical assistance payments and limitations on reimbursement to hospitals, preventing the loss of tens of millions of dollars in state funding. 

Assisted a small business in applying to the General Services Administration's Schedules Program. 

Aided a major organ transplant center to regain its provider approval and funding from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). 

Assisted a California biotechnology client in creating a federal strategy resulting in nearly $100M in grants from the Department of Health and Human Services and helped to position the company for an anticipated high-level procurement. 

Guided a client in efforts to prevent a Department of Agriculture/APHIS mandate for a single national frequency for pet microchips under the Animal Welfare Act. 

Through strong collaboration with the House and Senate tax-writing committees, our team assisted a large financial services client in warding off enactment of legislation that would have imposed a substantial tax liability on the institution. Our efforts allowed the client to negotiate with the IRS for a favorable settlement of many of the claims involved in this issue. 

Assisted in the removal of legislative language that would have injected DEA involvement into the Food and Drug Administration approval process for scheduled drugs, which, among other things, would have delayed market entry by up to a year for the client. 

Represented a defense-related emerging technology corporation during its entry into the federal marketplace, resulting in numerous security pilot projects with federal agencies, partnerships with prime contractors and a multimillion-dollar contract on a high visibility project. 

Assisted in securing an extended contract with the Department of Defense for a client whose protective armor product is used by the U.S. Army and Marine Corps. Our efforts included developing a synergized plan that better acquainted relevant Congressional members and their staffs with the pertinent issues surrounding the enhanced protection provided to soldiers by this product. 

Secured millions of dollars in much-needed modernization funding for one of America's leading shipbuilding contractors. 

Enabled a technology company to have its computer assisted cognitive training program to be included as a health related benefit in a Medicare Advantage program. 

Represented a top legal research company as it expanded multiple government contracts. 

Represented a national nonprofit organization seeking federal grants for the expansion of services. 

Worked closely with a large financial services client to carefully monitor and evaluate patent reform legislation including a particular provision that would have had a direct and substantial impact on the institution's financial welfare. We provided key political intelligence advising counsel that the relief contained in the legislation was not going to be enacted. As a consequence of this effort, the institution was able to settle a suit with highly satisfactory terms. 

Worked with the pharmaceutical and managed care communities to prevent the Department of Public Welfare from implementing a prescription drug "carve-out" within the Medicaid Managed Care Program. This proposal would have negatively affected nearly one million Medicaid patients. 

Assisted an international construction company, which was not in the U.S. market, to obtain funding for a pilot project for the construction of more than 500 new homes on the Gulf Coast. Led the firm through the entire process from identifying the opportunity and obtaining funding to garnering local support and regulatory/zoning approval. 

Assisted a small biodefense company to secure more than $100 million in a variety of federal government contracts, up from zero in previous years. 

Represented major defense companies as they worked with the federal government. 

Attained passage of legislation that modernizes the important fee-for-service hospital payment system, establishes enhanced hospital payments through Medicaid MCOs and secures additional federal matching Medicaid funds through the establishment of the Quality Care Assessment. 

Represented a biotechnology company that has been awarded a large government contract for use in the Strategic National Stockpile. 

Represented a biotechnology firm, resulting in multiple noncompetitive contracts with the federal government from early discovery to advanced development funding. 

Represented an international biopharma corporation in managing high dollar vaccine program for inclusion in the Strategic National Stockpile. 

Coordinated the economic incentives for an innovative sustainable energy company that matched first round investment. 

Assisted a nursing home chain to regain full payment for several of its institutions, which had been cut off from regular funding.  

Obtained $25 million in grant commitments from various state programs on behalf of the Multi-purpose Stadium Authority of Lackawanna County to renovate PNC Field in Moosic, Pennsylvania. 

Secured funding totaling $175 million for the expansion of the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. 

Assisted in passing the Mortgage Property Insurance Coverage Act. The law prohibits mortgage lenders from requiring borrowers to insure their property in excess of the value of structures on the land. Previously in Pennsylvania, lenders often required insurance on the full loan value. However, in the event of a loss, a homeowners' insurance policy would only restore the value of the structures. 

In less than 45 days, we worked with state government to change the Pennsylvania Crimes Code to allow nonprofit 501(c)(3) consumer credit counseling service providers to continue providing a mechanism for debt-burdened clients to repay financial obligations while keeping their dignity and self-respect. 

Assisted in the creation and implementation of legislation legalizing slots gaming. 

Represented an international investment bank engaged by the City of Harrisburg and the Harrisburg Parking Authority as financial advisor for a long-term lease of the Harrisburg Parking Authority's assets. 

Secured the enactment of an amendment to the Public School Code to provide school district superintendents with additional administrative authority over management employees. Additionally, we assisted in the enactment of a $10 million special appropriation to help the Pittsburgh School District to implement its school "rightsizing" program. 

Helped to secure funding totaling $9 million to assist in financing the Smithsonian Traveling Exhibit Gallery and the Western Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame at the Heinz Regional History Center, as well as an ongoing annual operating assistance appropriation averaging $600,000. 

Assisted Williams' Transco natural gas pipeline with Pennsylvania government relations and environmental counseling during the expansion of the Transco pipeline in Eastern Pennsylvania, which will add approximately 12 miles of 42-inch pipeline and modify other Tansco facilities in New Jersey. 

Assisted in the creation and implementation of legislation creating the Allegheny Regional Asset District, a unique, award-winning approach to secure funding aimed at reducing local property taxes and financing important regional assets in Southwestern Pennsylvania. We also designed the legislative strategy, which led to enactment of legislation to initiate a process to restructure Allegheny County's government, resulting in the election of the county's first chief executive and county council. 

Pursued legislation to create a statewide bond issue to finance county prison construction. As a result of the enactment of this legislation by the Pennsylvania General Assembly, Allegheny County received the largest grant for new jail construction of any county in the Commonwealth; in excess of $50 million. 

Obtained swift passage of legislation to create a Strategic Development Area for the retention and expansion of Westinghouse Nuclear in Pittsburgh, which ultimately ensured that 2,500 research and development jobs stayed in the region. 

Represented Pennsylvania's Public Television Stations in securing $16.5 million in state funding to assist in paying the costs of station digital conversion. 

Represented the Public Parking Authority of Pittsburgh with respect to the long-term lease of the Authority's parking assets. 

Represented a variety of business interests, including a national financial services firm, professional sports teams and commercial building maintenance companies in preventing the expansion of Pennsylvania sales tax to services. 

Obtained $5.5 million in program grants for the non-profit Susquehanna Art Museum in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. 

Designed the legislative plan for the Strategy 21 Economic Development Initiative, a coalition of business, government, higher education and community leaders, which resulted in the acquisition of state funding for economic development and transportation efforts in Allegheny County exceeding $750 million. Included in the projects funded were the new Pittsburgh International Airport, the Carnegie Science Center, Pittsburgh Technology Center, the Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center, the North Shore Development, a number of Pittsburgh Cultural District facilities, rehabilitation of various abandoned industrial sites in the Mon Valley, the Airport Southern Expressway, the Port Authority of Allegheny County West Busway and East Busway Extensions and a variety of other projects. 

Assisted in securing $40 million for ASSET Inc. for "Science, It's Elementary," which provides science teacher professional development programs in elementary schools for well over 150 school districts throughout Pennsylvania. The purpose is to improve the teaching and learning of science in K-6 classrooms. 

Assisted in securing a special appropriation of $10 million to help the Pittsburgh School District implement its school "rightsizing" program and gaining the enactment of legislation for the district, amending the Public School Code to provide the administration with additional authority of the personnel management of school principals. 

Assisted St. Vincent College in securing the release of $1 million in state capital budget funding for the Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children's Media as well as $5 million for the new Boyer Science Center. 

Strategically coordinated the steps involved with competing for a contract to provide professional services/engineering for the design of a $90 million bridge with the Pennsylvania Turnpike on behalf of a prominent engineering firm. 

Developed the initial policy arguments to prevent the U.S. Secretary of Defense from deactivating the 111th Fighter Wing of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard. Buchanan lawyers then used that argument as the foundation for a successful lawsuit to challenge a base closure recommendation made by the Department of Defense to the BRAC Commission. 

Coordinated and negotiated a multimillion-dollar incentive package on behalf of a national retailer to establish its corporate headquarters in Pennsylvania. 

Developed the strategy and legislation that resulted in the acquisition of state support totaling $150 million to assist in financing PNC Park and Heinz Field - the current stadiums of the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

Assisted the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority, as well as the 3 Rivers Wet Weather Demonstration Program in securing more than $25 million in federal Environmental Protection Agency Grants to address Sanitary Sewer Overflow remediation in Allegheny County. Additional funding of $6 million was secured to match federal appropriations. 

Assisted in the creation and implementation of legislation authorizing school districts to permit the transfer of the state basic school subsidy, which helps students within their jurisdiction defray the cost of tuition at charter schools. 

Obtained a $7.754 million loan from PENNVEST for Bion Environmental Technologies, Inc. to construct a nutrient waste treatment facility in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. 

Obtained a $2 million grant commitment from the state for the Hershey Center for Applied Research for its facility in Hershey, Pennsylvania. 

Directed the effort on behalf of the City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Port Authority, the Pittsburgh Pirates and Pittsburgh Steelers to acquire funding for the extension of the Light Rail Transit Line (North Shore Connector) and various highway improvements to enhance the development of Pittsburgh's downtown and North Shore. 

Collaborated with the pharmaceutical and managed care communities in preventing the Department of Public Welfare from "carving out" pharmaceutical services as a covered benefit from the Health Choices program or the voluntary managed care program. 

Gained the enactment by the General Assembly of the Tax Increment Financing statute which is being used by communities through the Commonwealth as an important tool in economic revitalization efforts. 

Secured the largest one-time grant (worth in excess of $6 million) within the Commonwealth Financing Authority's Wind / Geothermal program and assisted a developer of utility grade wind projects in obtaining necessary approval from the Department of Environmental Protection and other state agencies. 

Played an important role in the enactment of legislation in the Pennsylvania General Assembly's Special Session on Crime, including a statute expanding arrest powers for City of Pittsburgh police and relieving police of legal liability while in pursuit of criminals. 

Secured for LaSalle University, $1 million from the capital budget for the construction of the Hugh and Nancy Devlin Center for Science and Technology. 

Represented the Sports and Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County in obtaining taxable and tax-exempt financing for the construction of the $321 million CONSOL Energy Center. This was financed with a combination of funding from the state's Gaming Economic Development Fund, the Rivers Casino, the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the City of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. 

Obtained $800,000 in funding for a north central rural county for an additional pump engine to provide and sustain delivery of emergency services. 

Obtained $679,271 in funding for rural northwest county to repair building that was damaged during Hurricane Michael. 

Obtained $2 million in funding for rural northwest county for administration building/extension office.  

Obtained $2 million in funding obtained for a north central rural county for construction of a wastewater treatment plant spray field to handle discharge from industrial park. 

Obtained $500,000 in funding for a north central rural county to provide a commercial-grade rail crossing that can sustain exposure to increased truck traffic to and from the industrial park. 

Obtained $2 million in funding for a north central rural county for construction of one-million-gallon elevated water storage system to provide water for businesses located within and residents in proximity of an industrial park. 

Obtained $250,000 in funding for a north central rural county to provide an expansion of the water distribution infrastructure for existing water treatment plant and extension of infrastructure. 

Obtained $6 million in funding for a state college in a rural western county to provide an on-campus facility to house education for next generation technology. 

Obtained $2 million ($1 million recurring) to fund an advanced manufacturing and machining program in rural western county to train and certify individuals for high-tech industrial jobs. 

Obtained $3 million in funding for a public university to acquire a functional MRI with 3T capability to meet minimum technical requirements of existing and future Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease research and treatment. 

Obtained $980,000 in funding for north central county sheriff’s crime lab and maintenance facility to complete the construction of the department’s crime lab, evidence room and fleet maintenance facility.  

Obtained $5,716,000 appropriation for north central county industrial water plant to construct two production wells and water treatment plant as well as the associated construction items to provide potable water at industrial park for future industrial clients. 

Obtained $1.9 million in funding for north central county to construct a new fire station living quarters and administrative offices along with new truck bays already being built.  

Obtained $4 million in funding for west coast county business accelerator funding to provide seed funding for an incubator located in a fiscally constrained area to spur economic development.  

Functioned as lead on HB 1209 Rural Development legislation passed in 2023 that changed the provision to allow agencies of the state to provide payments directly instead of needing to be reimbursed. Also made statutory changes so the Rural Infrastructure Fund could pay for 100% of projects and waive local match while no longer requiring a project.  

Obtained $6 million in Rural Revolving Loan funds that were made available to rural north central county through the Department of Economic Opportunity to finish construction of a wastewater treatment facility. 

Obtained $1,901,000 Florida Job Growth Grant Fund for water infrastructure at rural north central county catalyst site. 

Obtained $9,600,000 Rural Infrastructure Fund award for rural north central county to construct a wastewater treatment facility. 

Collaborated with clients to spearhead state government relations and lobbying initiatives, navigating complex legislative and executive landscapes to advance the interests of clients. 

Worked with smart city company to provide strategic Florida government relations services, leveraging expertise to engage effectively with both legislative and executive branches on behalf of the client. 

Provided targeted government relation services to rural Florida county, advocating before the legislative and executive branches to address specific needs and priorities. 

Represented a county in southeastern Florida in legal procurement matters, offering adept representation during an upcoming solicitation process. 

Provided extended government relation services to the United States government on behalf of a rural Florida county, ensuring effective representation of client interests at the federal level and advocated before the legislative and executive branches, tailoring government relation strategies to address the unique priorities of the client. 

Provided specialized government relation services to a rural Florida county, strategically engaging with the legislative and executive branches to achieve favorable outcomes for the client. 

Delivered targeted government relation services on behalf of a rural Florida county before the legislative and executive branches, addressing the specific needs and concerns of the county. 

Contributed to supporting a consortium, encompassing the three Rural Areas of Opportunity, in their lobbying endeavors before the legislative and executive branches of the Florida government.