Tampa International Airport Plans Master Plan Subcontractor Outreach Fair
(June 5, 2014) - Tampa International Airport will host an Airport Master Plan Subcontractor Outreach and Opportunities Fair on June 26 from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the airport Marriott Hotel. The event is intended to encourage networking with design/build contractors hired to work on airport master plan projects and potential subcontractors.
The Master Plan projects, scheduled to be completed by 2017, include a consolidated rental car facility and automated people mover, the main terminal expansion and concessions redevelopment, roadway improvements and a reconstruction of Taxiway J. Representatives from the design/build firms selected to work on the $943 million airport expansion – Austin Commercial, Kimmins Contracting, Cone and Graham, Hensel Phelps, and Skanska – will participate in the fair along with a consultant who can assist with bonding for the projects.
One of the goals of the outreach fair is to help the design/builders connect with disadvantaged, women- and minority-owned subcontractors, particularly those within the Tampa Bay area.
“As we enter the biggest construction period in airport history, it is a top priority for Tampa International Airport to have strong participation of woman- and minority-owned subcontractor businesses,” said Elita McMillon, the airport’s Director of Ethics, Diversity and Compliance. “We hope this and other outreach efforts will make it easy for us to exceed our diversity goals.”
The airport expects more than $120 million will be paid to disadvantaged, minority- and woman-owned businesses as part of the Master Plan projects.
The airport has paid more than $131 million to local and national disadvantaged, woman- and minority-owned businesses for design and construction work. More than $175 million in revenue has been earned by disadvantaged business owners through the airport’s concessions program, and another $129 million was paid to disadvantaged business owners through rental car contracts. That means a total of $435 million has been paid to disadvantaged, minority- and woman-owned firms over the past 10 years.
While the airport has had a disadvantaged business program for such businesses for decades, the airport added a new program in 2009 that accepted more types of certification and expanded the pool of qualified woman- and minority-owned businesses. Since then, the airport has paid $32 million to local companies as part of that program. In 2011, airport CEO Joe Lopano created the office of Ethics, Diversity and Administration to focus more effort on the contractor diversity programs.
“We live in a diverse community and it is essential that we engage all business sectors in airport projects,” said Lopano.
Austin Commercial will oversee the rental car facility and 1.3-mile people mover with a design/build budget of $736 million. Skanska will oversee the main terminal transfer level expansion and reconfiguration, as well as concessions space expansion on the airsides, at a cost of $122.5 million. Cone and Graham will reconstruct the Taxiway J bridge at a cost of $30.7 million. Kimmins Contracting will oversee various projects in the South Terminal Support Area, which will include pavement reconstruction, lighting, signage, landscaping and other elements at a cost of $21.4 million.
The airport estimates the construction projects in the first phase of the Master Plan will create more than 9,000 temporary jobs that will have a $370 million economic impact on the community over the next four years.
To register for the Outreach and Opportunities Fair, visit www.TampaAirport.com. For more information about Tampa International Airport’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program and Woman & Minority-Owned Business Enterprise programs, visit http://www.tampaairport.com/minority-and-disadvantaged-business-contracting.