David Donahue
Analyst · SunTrust
Thanks, Brian, and good morning, everyone. Our GEO Corrections & Detention business unit achieved several important operational milestones during 2017. Our combined GEO facilities achieved operational excellence with a successful completion of more than 50 audits by entities such as the American Correctional Association or ACA, the National Commission on Correctional Health Care and several other entities. During the year, 25 of our facilities company-wide received accreditation from ACA, with an average accreditation score in excess of 99.8%. And 18 of these facilities received a perfect accreditation score of 100%. Looking at our State segment, our 8 State Correctional customers have stable budgets and our facilities have been able to provide high quality services without being impacted by budgetary constraints. Across these 8 state customers, we have been expanding the delivery of our GEO Continuum of Care programs which have now been launched at 14 GEO State Correctional facilities. We are excited about the opportunity to expand our relationships within those states and we also remain optimistic about the opportunity to partner with new states across the country. Several states continue to face capacity constraints and many of our state customers are facing challenges related to older prisons, which need to be replaced with new and more cost efficient facilities. In the states where we operate, the average age of state prisons range from approximately 30 to 60 years. The State of Kansas recently awarded a contract for the development of a new 2,400-bed facility to replace the state's oldest prison facility. Similarly, the State of Wisconsin has discussed the potential development of a new facility to replace one of the state's oldest prison facilities located in the Green Bay area, as well as other potential replacement facilities with some of the state's oldest prisons. And the State of Vermont is also exploring a privately developed and financed option for a new Correctional facility with up to 1,000 beds. In Idaho, the Department of Corrections has issued a solicitation for up to 1,000 out of state beds. Proposals were submitted earlier this month and we expect an award decision during the second quarter. The State of Idaho has also recently entered into an emergency contract with GEO for the ability to house up to 250 inmates at our company-owned Karnes Correctional Center in Texas in the immediate term. Moving to our Federal segment, we have enjoyed a three decade long partnership with the federal government and we currently provide services for the BOP, ICE, and U.S. Marshal Service. In Texas, we are developing a new 1,000-bed ICE Processing Center in the Houston area under a new 10-year contract we were awarded by ICE last year. The new center is expected to cost approximately $120 million and will be completed in the fourth quarter of this year with expected annualized revenues of $44 million. As it relates to new opportunities, the BOP has two pending procurements for the housing of criminal alien populations. Under the CAR 19 procurement, the BOP expects to award up to 9,500 beds at existing facilities. The proposals were submitted last July, with an award decision expected in late 2018. Under the CAR 18 solicitation, the BOP is rebidding the management contract for the government-owned, 2,355-bed Taft, California facility. We previously operated the facility for 10 years until 2007 and submitted our proposal late June to manage the facility under a new 10-year contract. And award decision is expected from the BOP by the middle of this year. We are encouraged by a recent DoJ directive regarding the increasing population levels in private Correctional facilities in order to relieve overcrowding in BOP operated facilities. GEO has 7,000 idle or underutilized beds and as well positioned to compete for future BOP opportunities. Turning to ICE, 2017 was a transition year for the agency with a number of enforcement policy changes and a decline in border apprehensions during the first half of the year compared to 2016. During the second half of the year, crossings and apprehensions along the southwest borders steadily increased and have currently normalized consistent with historical levels. ICE has a pending procurement for the management of their government-owned 700 beds Florence to Arizona processing center. Proposals were submitted last year and we are currently awaiting that award decision. ICE also has the solicitation for secure transportation services in the San Antonio, Texas area. Proposals were submitted last year with an expected award decision in the near future. Last year ICE also issued a request for information for facilities, which could be existing on new sites to be located in the Detroit, Chicago, Saint Paul and Salt Lake City areas. On a combined basis, these facilities are expected to have up to 3,000 beds. We have submitted our proposed solutions and are awaiting additional guidance from ICE at this time. We believe that the timing of these ICE opportunities have been delayed in part due to the uncertainties surrounding the federal budget and appropriations process. As you may be aware, the U.S. Congress has passed several short-term continuing resolutions, this fiscal year, starting last September. Last week, the Congress approved the two-year budget plan, which increases the overall spending caps for non-defense, discretionary funding, by $131 billion over fiscal years 2018 and 2019. While there is a positive step towards bringing budget certainty for all federal agencies, the U.S. Congress has not yet approved the individual department and agency appropriations bills required to fund the government through the balance of the fiscal year. Last week in tandem with a two-year budget agreement, the Congress also approved an additional short-term continuing resolution, which funds the federal government through March 23. As with prior versions, the continuing resolution provides funds consistent with the prior fiscal year spending levels for ICE, but does not yet provide any additional new funding for the agency. As we've reported in the past, the House of Representatives had previously approved an appropriations markup for the Department of Homeland Security, which included funding for 4,400 detention beds and 1,600 additional ICE officers’ agents and support staff, the previous House Appropriations markup for the Department of Justice, including an increase of approximately $82 million for the U.S. Marshals and an increase of $61 million for the BOP. As Congress works toward approval of the appropriations bills that will fund the government for the balance of fiscal year 2018, which ends on September 30, earlier this week the President released his budget, request for the fiscal year 2019, which begins on October 1. The President's proposed budget for fiscal year 2019 includes the funding requests for ICE to support the hiring of 2,000 additional ICE law enforcement officers and 750 border patrol agents as well as a total of $52,000 detention beds, an increase of almost 13,000 beds over the funding levels under the current continuing resolution. Moving to our international markets, we're pleased to have completed the development and activation of the 1,300 bed Ravenhall Correctional Center in Australia on November 1 of last year. The $700 million project inclusive of a $90 million investment by GEO is expected to generate approximately $75 million in annual revenues, based on the 1,000 bed occupancy level under a 25-year contract with Corrections Victoria. This important contract to provide for quarterly fixed payments for the operation of the facility plus a service-linked payment tied to the delivery of rehabilitation, reentry and recidivism reduction outcomes. Growing in May populations, have created the need for additional capacity and other state jurisdictions in Australia. Two of our facilities in New South Wales, the Junee and Parklea Centers are undertaking expansion projects totaling 680 and 650 beds respectively, which are expected to be completed later this year. Finally, our joint UK venture submitted a proposal to the Scottish government for the provision of court custody and prisoner escort services, and we are awaiting the contract decision. At this time, I’ll turn the call over to Ann, for a review of our GEO Care segment. Ann?