What Katz & Associates does

Katz & Associates (K&A) is a privately held professional services consulting firm founded in 1986 in San Diego, California, specializing in strategic communication, public involvement, and community relations for infrastructure and environmental projects. The firm serves government agencies, public utilities, military branches, transportation authorities, and private developers across the Water, Military, Transportation, Energy, Development, and Creative Services markets. K&A's client roster includes major California public agencies such as the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC $4.8B Water System Improvement Program, 83 projects since 2009), the City of San Diego (Pure Water San Diego), the City of Fresno ($500M Recharge Fresno), Denver Water, the Port of Long Beach, Caltrain, SANDAG/MTS, VTA, OCTA, and the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, alongside engagement on international projects. In August 2023, K&A joined Southwest Strategies Group, and as of February 23, 2026, the combined entity rebranded to Bodewell Group.

The firm delivers a comprehensive suite of core services — Strategic Communication Planning, Program Management, Community Outreach & Public Participation, Construction Relations, Crisis Communications, Media/Presentation Training, Facilitation, Creative Services, and Social Media/Online Engagement — alongside specialty services including Water Reuse Programs, EIR/EIS public participation under CEQA/NEPA, Hazardous Waste/Remediation, Risk Communication, Rates & Cost of Service, Community & Transportation Planning, and Stormwater. K&A's methodology is anchored in the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) Seven Core Values and pillars, and the firm provides on-site placement of skilled communications practitioners who operate as extensions of client teams. The offering is professional services rather than a software platform; there is no proprietary AI or technology stack disclosed, and differentiation rests on human expertise, codified methodology, and 37+ years of public-sector relationships.

K&A operates a relationship-based business development model with revenue generated through professional service contracts with project-specific, quote-based pricing; no public pricing tiers or self-service channels exist. The firm maintains offices in San Diego, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, with the parent organization (Bodewell Group, formerly Southwest Strategies Group) also operating in Arizona and Washington. A 40+ person California-based team executes on multi-year, multi-million-dollar infrastructure programs, supported by deep participation in industry associations (IAP2, AWWA, ACWA, WaterReuse, PRSA, SAME, WTS, American Planning Association) and a portfolio of 40+ documented case studies.

Name

Katz & Associates

Legal name

Katz & Associates

Website

https://katzandassociates.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Katz & Associates is a California-based professional services consulting firm specializing in strategic communication, public involvement, and community relations for public infrastructure, environmental, and development projects. The firm serves government agencies, utilities, military branches, and private developers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Outreach and Strategic Communications Consulting

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Sector & Policy Consulting (BPAHACAN)

Keywords

• Public outreach consulting
• Community engagement services
• Strategic communications
• Public participation planning
• Construction relations consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Professional Services - Strategic Communications Consulting: On-site communication practitioner placement, strategic counsel, and program management for infrastructure and environmental projects. Revenue generated through professional service engagements with public agencies and private developers.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Katz & Associates (K&A) is a professional services consulting firm that provides strategic communication, public involvement, and community relations for public agencies and private developers. The firm places skilled communications practitioners on-site at client workplaces and delivers engagement programs—incorporating IAP2 public participation methodology—for large-scale infrastructure, water, transportation, military, energy, environmental, and development projects across California and the broader United States.

Product overview

Katz & Associates (K&A) offers a comprehensive suite of public outreach and communications consulting services organized into core services and specialty services. The core service offerings include Strategic Communication Planning, Program Management, Community Outreach & Public Participation, Construction Relations, Crisis Communications, Media/Presentation Training, Facilitation, Creative Services, and Social Media/Online Engagement. Specialty services focus on specific sectors including Water Reuse Programs, Environmental Impact Reports/Statements (EIR/EIS), Hazardous Waste/Remediation, Risk Communication, Rates & Cost of Service, Community & Transportation Planning, and Stormwater. The firm operates across six primary markets: Water, Military, Transportation, Energy, Development, and Creative Services. K&A is a services-based consulting firm, not a software platform, providing professional expertise and project execution rather than self-service software products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Strategic Communication Planning

Quantifiable outcome

• K&A's Pure Water San Diego outreach program won numerous awards for communications and outreach, achieving public support for controversial water reuse initiative
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Southwest Strategies GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2023In August 2023, Katz & Associates joined Southwest Strategies Group, expanding the practice across California and the western United States. Southwest Strategies Group is now one of California's most respected public outreach and communications firms. As of February 2026, the combined entity rebranded as Bodewell Group.
• International Association for Public Participation (IAP2)coreOthersK&A incorporates IAP2's Seven Core Values and pillars for effective public participation when designing and implementing community engagement programs. The firm adheres to IAP2 methodology as a core practice framework.
• American Water Works Association (AWWA)majorOthersProfessional organization for water professionals that K&A actively supports and participates in.
• WaterReusemajorOthersProfessional organization focused on water reuse that K&A supports, with expertise in potable reuse communication programs spanning over 20 years.
• Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA)majorOthersStatewide water agency association that K&A actively supports and participates in.
• Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)majorOthersProfessional organization for public relations professionals that K&A supports.
• Society of American Military Engineers (SAME)majorOthersProfessional organization supporting military engineering and defense community, relevant to K&A's military client work.
• Data InstinctsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-principal investigator with K&A on WateReuse Research Foundation project (13-02) for Model Communication Plans for Direct Potable Reuse, along with University of Arizona.
• University of ArizonaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner with K&A on WateReuse Research Foundation DPR communication research project.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Southwest Strategies Group: Parent firm of Katz & Associates since August 2023, operating as a California-based public outreach and communications consultancy with deep overlap in water, transportation, and energy infrastructure client work. Most directly comparable peer given shared methodology, client base, and ownership.
• Rincon Consultants: California-based environmental and public involvement consultancy delivering CEQA/NEPA outreach, community engagement, and environmental planning services to the same public agencies and private developers that K&A serves.
• Circlepoint: Bay Area public outreach and community engagement firm specializing in transportation, water, and development projects for public agencies — closely aligned with K&A's on-site practitioner placement and construction relations model.
• Tripepi Smith: California-based public affairs and communications firm serving cities, special districts, and public agencies — overlapping with K&A on stakeholder engagement, rates communications, and public-sector client base.
• The November Group: California public involvement consultancy focused on transportation and infrastructure projects, providing community outreach and public participation services directly comparable to K&A's transportation practice.
• JNA Consulting: California-based public affairs and outreach firm serving public agencies and private developers on community engagement, entitlement, and infrastructure communications — similar client mix and methodology to K&A.

Broad incumbents

• ICF International: Large global consulting firm with a substantial public sector practice spanning transportation, water, energy, and federal clients — competes with K&A on large infrastructure communications and stakeholder engagement procurements as part of a broader portfolio.
• Fleishman-Hillard: Global public relations and public affairs firm with infrastructure and public sector practices; overlaps with K&A on government communications, crisis communications, and stakeholder engagement for high-profile projects.
• Ogilvy Public Relations: Global communications and public affairs network with public sector and infrastructure engagement capabilities; competes indirectly with K&A on community outreach and strategic communications for major public projects.

Emerging players

• EMC Research: Public opinion and policy research firm serving public agencies and ballot campaigns with survey-based community input — adjacent offering to K&A's stakeholder assessment and public participation work, particularly in California.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KatzAssociates

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Katz & Associates