What Regional Planning Commission does

The Regional Planning Commission (RPC), legally the New Orleans Regional Planning Commission and operating as NORPC, is a federally mandated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and designated Economic Development District for Southeast Louisiana. It serves as the regional planning agency coordinating transportation, environmental, economic development, and general planning across eight parishes: Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. John, St. Tammany, and Tangipahoa. The organization is governed by a 54-member voting board with representation from each parish and is supported by a professional planning staff of 11-50 employees headquartered at 10 Veterans Memorial Blvd in New Orleans.

RPC's core products are statutory planning documents defined under federal law (23 USC 134 and the EDA Partnership Act), including the Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP)—a 30-year regional transportation blueprint—and the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), a four-year project implementation schedule. These are supported by a Performance-based Planning methodology, the Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP), and supplementary programs covering brownfield redevelopment, watershed and flood risk reduction, clean fuel coalitions, freight, bicycle/pedestrian planning, and the SS4A Path to Zero safety initiative. RPC is also the designated FTA recipient for federal transit funds (Section 5307 and 5339) distributed to Regional Transit Authority, Jefferson Parish Transit, and River Parishes Transit Authority.

RPC's revenue model is government funding and grants, not commercial sales. The organization receives Urban Attributable Funds from FHWA and FTA as a Transportation Management Area (TMA), competitive EDA grants via its Economic Development District designation, and EPA Brownfield grants. Local match of up to 20% is provided by governmental entities on federal-aid projects. Ancillary income is generated from fee-based map printing services. As a government agency, RPC distributes services through public access channels: website, public meetings, public hearings, and direct engagement with member parish governments. No traditional product pricing or commercial sales motion exists.

Name

Regional Planning Commission

Legal name

New Orleans Regional Planning Commission

Website

https://norpc.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Regional Planning Commission (NORPC) is the federally mandated Metropolitan Planning Organization and Economic Development District for Southeast Louisiana, coordinating transportation, environmental, and economic development planning across eight parishes (Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. John, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa) and managing federal transportation funding allocation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Transportation Planning Services

NAICS

Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (925120), Regulation and Administration of Transportation Programs (926120)

SIC

Transportation Services (4700), Non-Operating Establishments (9995)

akta.pro primary industry

Urban Planning & Master Planning (BPAHAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Transportation & Infrastructure Planning (BPAHAKAF), State/Provincial Transportation, Roads & Public Works Administration (BPAIABAK), State/Provincial Housing, Urban/Regional Planning & Community Development (BPAIABAM)

Keywords

• Regional transportation planning
• Metropolitan planning organization
• Economic development planning
• Environmental planning services
• Federal funding administration

Headquarters

HQ city

New Orleans

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Federal Transportation Funding: As a Transportation Management Area (TMA), RPC receives Urban Attributable Funds from Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration. Governmental entities provide up to 20% local match on federal-aid projects.
2. Economic Development Administration Designation: Designation as Economic Development District enables the region to apply for competitive federal funds for planning and infrastructure as well as technical assistance
3. Map Printing Services: RPC provides map printing services to the public for a fee, with costs varying by size
4. Federal Transit Administration Funding: RPC acts as designated recipient for federal transit funds, proposing annual program of projects. FY26 proposal seeks $21,913,944 from FTA under 49 USC Section 5307 and $1,756,431 under 49 USC 5339

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Regional Planning Commission is a federally mandated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) that conducts regional transportation, environmental, and economic development planning across eight Southeast Louisiana parishes. It produces the long-range Metropolitan Transportation Plan, the short-term Transportation Improvement Program, and related planning documents; manages the allocation of federal transportation funds (FHWA and FTA); and delivers environmental programs such as brownfield redevelopment, watershed/flood risk planning, and the Southeast Louisiana Clean Fuel Partnership.

Product overview

The New Orleans Regional Planning Commission (RPC) operates as a regional planning agency and Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) providing a portfolio of interconnected planning products and services. The core offerings include the Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) as the long-range 30-year transportation blueprint, and the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) as the short-term implementation plan. These are supported by Performance-based Planning methodologies. The RPC also offers environmental services including the Brownfield Redevelopment Program, Watershed and Flood Risk Reduction Services, and operates the Southeast Louisiana Clean Fuel Partnership coalition. Additional services include the Unified Planning Work Program, SS4A Path to Zero safety initiative, and various advisory committees including the Complete Streets Working Group and Freight Roundtable.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) Long-range regional transportation blueprint developed by RPC as the MPO, guiding transportation investments and policies over a 30-year horizon. It is produced through a comprehensive, cooperative, and continuing planning process and serves as the foundation for the shorter-term TIP.
• Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Short-term implementation plan listing specific transportation projects scheduled for federal funding and implementation over a four-year horizon. TIP projects are derived from the MTP using data and consultation, and the program is cooperatively prepared with LADOTD.
• Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) Planning document describing the federally funded planning activities RPC conducts and the specific products to be produced during the fiscal year. Used to govern the use of federal planning funds.
• Brownfield Redevelopment Program Environmental program providing EPA-funded grants, environmental site assessments, cleanup plans, and technical assistance to facilitate the redevelopment of underutilized sites with environmental contamination across the region.
• Watershed and Flood Risk Reduction Services Regional planning service developing watershed planning frameworks, goals, strategies, and projects to address ongoing and future flood risks, including watershed-scale flood risk analysis supporting regional and parish-level flood risk reduction strategies.
• Southeast Louisiana Clean Fuel Partnership Coalition program that works with local transportation fleets to increase use of cleaner fuels and alternative fuel vehicles, diversify transportation fuel sources, and reduce regional fuel consumption.
• SS4A: Path to Zero Action Plan Safety program focused on achieving zero fatalities on regional roadways through action plan development, implementation tracking, and stakeholder coordination.
• Map Printing Services Fee-based service providing printed maps to the public, with pricing based on the size of the print. Available through the RPC's mapping resources.
• Federal Transit Fund Administration Designated recipient service administering federal transit funds (FTA Section 5307 and Section 5339) and proposing annual programs of projects for Regional Transit Authority, Jefferson Parish Transit, and River Parishes Transit Authority.
• Economic Development District Services Service offering as a U.S. EDA-designated Economic Development District for the eight-parish region, enabling access to competitive federal economic development funds for planning, infrastructure, and technical assistance to local economic development organizations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Managed approximately $34 million in federal transportation funds in 2009 as a TMA

Named customers9 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Louisiana Watershed Initiative (LWI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRPC works in conjunction with the state Louisiana Watershed Initiative to establish regional watershed planning frameworks, goals, strategies, and project development to address the region's ongoing and future flood risks. Conducts watershed-scale assessments and flood risk analysis supporting regional and parish-level flood risk reduction strategies.
• Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LADOTD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperatively prepares Transportation Improvement Programs (TIPs) with RPC in its legal capacity as MPO. Both local TIPs and State TIP contain a common set of projects proposed for federal funding.
• Local Parish GovernmentscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRPC coordinates with local governments across eight parishes (Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. John, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa) for transportation planning, economic development, and environmental initiatives.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Regional Plan Association: Independent regional planning organization for the New York-New Jersey-Connecticut metropolitan region. Comparable in producing long-range regional plans and coordinating transportation, housing, and economic development across a multi-state, multi-county footprint.
• Houston-Galveston Area Council: Regional council of governments serving as the MPO for the Houston-Galveston region across 13 counties, with a comparable scope of transportation planning, environmental, and economic development programs. Functionally the closest analog to NORPC in scale and mandate.
• Sacramento Area Council of Governments: Association of local governments and MPO for the six-county Sacramento region. Directly comparable MPO with similar transportation planning, environmental, and regional coordination responsibilities.
• North Central Texas Council of Governments: Voluntary association of local governments and the MPO for the Dallas-Fort Worth region across 16 counties. Directly comparable as a multi-county MPO managing large federal transportation allocations and regional planning programs.
• Atlanta Regional Commission: State-designated regional planning agency and MPO for the 10-county Atlanta region, coordinating transportation, environmental, and community development programs. Operates under the same federal MPO framework as NORPC with similar board governance.
• Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission: Regional planning commission and MPO for the Columbus, Ohio region. Direct namesake and structural peer, covering transportation planning, environmental, and economic development across central Ohio counties under the same federal MPO framework.
• East-West Gateway Council of Governments: Regional planning agency and MPO for the St. Louis bi-state region across Missouri and Illinois. Comparable in coordinating transportation planning, environmental, and economic development across multiple jurisdictions.
• Denver Regional Council of Governments: Regional planning body and MPO for the Denver metro area, coordinating transportation, environmental, and aging services across member governments. Mirrors NORPC's blend of MPO functions with broader regional planning scope.

Others

• Greater New Orleans Foundation: Regional philanthropic institution in Southeast Louisiana that funds community and economic development initiatives intersecting with NORPC's planning priorities. Adjacent ecosystem participant rather than direct planning competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development: State-level transportation agency that cooperates with NORPC on TIPs and statewide transportation planning. Comparable as the broader incumbent covering planning at a statewide rather than regional level.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Regional Planning Commission