Work | AKA Urban

Sample Projects

Name

Description

Reforming Procurement Code

We worked with the New York City Economic Development Corporation to enable the City to responsibly purchase from startups more effectively.

Context

In New York City, most technology pilots are run through “no-cost,” “micro-purchase,” or “demonstration project” procurement pathways. These procurement methods allow for relatively fast testing, but they lack transparency and do not create a pathway to scale successful technologies. In effect, this perpetuates a chronic issue of “pilot purgatory” and leaves the City over reliant on expensive, legacy vendors with poor service delivery.

Outcome

Published the results of our analysis, including a procurement reform plan, in Pilot: New York City. The City’s Procurement Policy Board formally voted to adopt “challenge-based procurement”—a hallmark of the plan—as a new procurement pathway. This new mechanism has since been used on five procurements, totaling over $50M in contract value.

NYCEDC: Pilot: New York City

Approach

We analyzed Mayor’s Office of Contract Services data to develop a comprehensive view of New York City’s procurement process and identify the points in which the system appeared to produce unintended outcomes (e.g., over reliance on micro-purchases). We then interviewed peer government agencies pursuing procurement innovation and identified a set of tools—like California’s RFI2—that New York could potentially adopt to responsibly procure from a wider array of vendors.

Unlocking Office to Residential Conversions

We worked with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to help cities navigate the office-to-residential conversion landscape.

Context

Coming out of the pandemic, many U.S. cities were concerned by rising office vacancy, and a shortage of affordable housing. Yet actual office-to-residential conversion projects were slow to pick up. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development commissioned a study to understand the conversion landscape, and the economic and policy incentives that might spur conversion activity.

Outcome

Published a series of ten articles, including a Community Guide to Office to Residential Conversion, intended for state and local governments. The Community Guide includes an itemized list of policy and financial tools localities have successfully used to convert offices into housing and identifies the scenarios in which a given tool may be appropriate. It also includes recommendations for how the Federal government might spur more conversion activity.

Brookings: A community guide to office-to-residential conversion

Approach

We managed a mixed-methods research study, in collaboration with The Brookings Institution, HR&A, and Gensler. We selected a representative sample of six U.S. markets and conducted semi-structured interviews with government officials and developers in each. We then triangulated that input with quantitative analysis of real estate trends using CoStar data, and architectural analysis of the conversion feasibility gap of 25 buildings per market.

Insuring the Energy Transition

We worked with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to launch the first government program focused on insurance for the energy transition.

Context

Over the last two decades, government-backed “green banks” have helped provide financing to energy transition projects across the country. However, transition projects often still face a limited range of insurance options, slowing deployment. NYSERDA aimed to structure a first-of-a-kind green insurance program, to incentivize new insurance market entrants.

Outcome

Developed a Market Insights Report and launched the NYSERDA Insurance Innovation Prize, the first U.S. government program focused on insurance for the energy transition. The program yielded 100+ LOIS, 50+ applicants, and 8 winners. Winners have 18 months to launch a new insurance product, the standard product development cycle for industry.

Financial Times: Why insurance is key to speeding up the energy transition

Approach

We curated two roundtables on energy and insurance with top U.S. government officials from the White House, Treasury, and the Department of Energy, and executives from the top 10 U.S. insurance companies. We paired this qualitative input with quantitative market sizing of unmet insurance needs, in relation to key energy transition sectors. We used this input to identify a target applicant profile and develop key program terms.

Industrializing Construction

We worked with the Defense Innovation Unit and the U.S. Navy to design and deliver resilient preschools at domestic bases faster and more affordably.

Context

The Navy runs over 40 bases across the United States, each of which functions as its own “mini city,” including daycares and homes for the enlisted. Each year, billions are earmarked for new facilities through the National Defense Authorization Act. The Navy wanted to explore how it could use industrialized construction techniques to deliver resilient buildings faster and more affordably.

Outcome

The first preschool is designed and will be built at Little Creek Naval Base. It received bi-partisan support at a recent congressional hearing. The 3-Year Plan is in its first phase of execution, including significant engagement with industry.

House Comittee on Appropriations: Innovative Techniques in Military Construction

Approach

In conjunction with Gensler and Layton Construction, AKA was selected to manage the design and delivery of a pilot preschool, using a prefabricated, mass timber kit-of-parts. AKA was then hired by the Navy to develop a plan to roll-out industrialized construction across its bases. Work included identifying necessary policy changes, estimating cost and regional impacts, benchmarking to other public agencies, and creating a procurement strategy.

Creating Opportunity in Artificial Intelligence

We worked with Empire State Development to ensure the benefits of AI accrue to all New Yorkers, including disadvantaged students and small businesses.

Context

New York is home to 38 AI “unicorns” — startups valued at over $1 billion — and that number continues to grow. Empire State Development—the State’s economic development agency—wanted to launch a set of programs to ensure the benefits of the sector’s growth were accessible to all New Yorkers.

Outcome

Programs include (1) AI Prep, an applied training program to help students from disadvantaged backgrounds access AI jobs, (2) a new AI training program delivered to small businesses through the State’s Entrepreneurship Assistance Centers, and (3) a venture fund developed in conjunction with industry, focused on providing support to AI founders across the State.

Smart City Expo: New York State of AI Panel with Commissioner Hope Knight and Mayor Walsh

Approach

We drafted a set of possible workforce development, investment, and technical assistance programs for the State to support. We then developed and priced leading program contenders, based on input from numerous State agencies, and external examples. Finally, we packaged three programs into a plan for the Governor’s 2025 State of the State announcement.

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