PORT OF SEATTLE
MEMORANDUM
COMMISSION AGENDA
Item No.
5d
Date of Meeting
July 26, 2011
DATE: July 11, 2011
TO: Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer
FROM: David Soike, Director, Aviation Facilities and Capital Program
SUBJECT: Additional Contracted Maintenance Coverage to Support the Renewal and
Replacement of Escalators at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
Amount of This Request: $650,575 Source of Funds: Airport Development Fund
State and Local Taxes Paid: $61,000 Jobs Created: 3
Total Maintenance and Repair Budget: $3,965,891
ACTION REQUESTED:
Request Port Commission authorization for the Chief Executive Officer to issue a Contract
Amendment to the Port of Seattle’s existing Elevator and Escalator Maintenance Contract for the
balance of the 2011 calendar year. This amendment provides additional repair and maintenance
workers to be on duty to respond to escalator outages during the construction project and will
increase the monthly cost of the existing contract by $130,115 for the five remaining months of
2011 beginning in August. The amount of this request is $650,575, which makes the total
estimated cost of the work $3,965,891. Commission previously authorized $3,315,316 of the
total in the 2011 budget.
SYNOPSIS:
This memorandum requests approval to execute a Contract Amendment to the existing Elevator
and Escalator Maintenance Contract presently in service. This Amendment has been requested
to support the Escalator Renewal and Replacement Project that is getting underway in August.
As that project proceeds with the replacement of escalators, a significant increase in passenger
loading on adjacent elevators and escalators is anticipated. As a result the criticality of keeping
those adjacent elevators and escalators in continuous operation increases.
In an effort to ensure appropriate customer service, staff is requesting that additional repair and
maintenance staff be provided to be able to respond more quickly to events that cause escalator
outages, and to have workers available to perform maintenance and repairs immediately or
during the next available less congested times of the day or night.
COMMISSION AGENDA
T. Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer
July 11, 2011
Page 2 of 5
BACKGROUND:
The escalators included in the replacement project have been in daily use since their installation
in the early 1970’s and have reached the end of their useful service life. Several of the escalators
have failed over the past few years causing passenger disruptions and requiring costly emergency
repairs. In an effort to lessen the impact of further failures, a significantly higher level of repairs
and maintenance has been necessary, resulting in increased maintenance expenses.
The Commission previously authorized the use of the “Design-Build” contracting method in
accordance with RCW 39.10.280 and 300-330 for the renewal and replacement of the 42 oldest
escalators in the facility and the addition of two new escalators. As this project moves forward
into the construction phases, a significant portion of the escalators serving the terminal areas will
be taken out of service for their renewal or replacement.
While these units are out of service, adjacent skybridge escalators and elevators in the vicinity
will see significantly increased usage. The escalators and elevators will also become more
critical to our customers, including Airlines, tenants and passengers as we work to move
passengers and staff around the terminal with limited vertical conveyance.
At the request of Port staff and our customers, Aviation Maintenance staff have determined what
additional level of service would be most appropriate, and thus what work should be added by
amendment to the existing maintenance provider’s ongoing service contract with the Airport.
The results of the customer service considerations have lead to this request.
CONTRACT AMENDMENT DESCRIPTION AND JUSTIFICATION:
The following information relates to the pending Contract Amendment scope and cost:
Scope of additional services:
Addition of one (1) Elevator and Escalator Maintenance Technician from 8:30AM to
5:00PM Monday through Friday.
Addition of two (2) Elevator and Escalator Maintenance Technicians from 8:00PM to
4:00AM Monday through Friday.
Extension of on site coverage on Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays from 1 hour and 45
minutes per day to 10 hours per day from 5:00AM to 3:00PM.
Justification:
As the Escalator Replacement project has moved forward, Port staff and our Airline customers
have been engaged in a review of the impacts of this project. In an effort to mitigate the impacts,
Aviation Maintenance was asked to increase the staffing level and hours of coverage for the
Elevator and Escalator Maintenance Contractor.
COMMISSION AGENDA
T. Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer
July 11, 2011
Page 3 of 5
Presently, the Maintenance Contractor provides services from 4:00AM to 12:00 Midnight
Monday through Friday. In addition, the Contractor provides services from 6:00AM to 7:45AM
on Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays.
The first phase of construction calls for the replacement of all escalators at Sky Bridges 2 and 4
with a duration of almost 4 months. During the closures, higher levels of passengers will be
diverted to adjacent escalators that are aged with higher tendency for failures. The requested
additional preventive maintenance and repair will improve the reliability of the impacted
escalators. Additional maintenance will also be performed on adjacent impacted elevators which
in many cases are also aged and targeted for replacement. Further, the additional maintenance
staffing will provide greater coverage during the weekdays and weekends to respond to outages
and undertake repairs. Airlines have raised as their primary concern the potential for outage of
adjacent escalators and elevators during construction due to the amplified impacts resulting from
the construction closures.
With additional staffing, maintenance on the units in operation can be more readily scheduled
during off-peak times of the day, or days of the week. With 24-hour-per-day coverage, responses
to falls and other equipment shutdowns can occur in a more timely fashion, and repairs, if
necessary, can be executed more quickly.
Additional weekend coverage again provides additional support during peak travel hours in an
effort to support our customer needs. With heavy passenger travel, equipment shutdowns occur
for a number of reasons. Having staff available to respond during those peaks has proved
beneficial when utilized on a case-by-case basis in the past. This addition to the contract for the
remainder of this year will formalize this action.
Consequences of not proceeding:
Providing easy access into and throughout the terminal is critical for passenger circulation and
customer service. The Escalator Project requires closure of escalators in sky bridges and other
location to ensure replacement in a timely manner with manageable levels of disruption.
Airlines have expressed their concerns regarding the reliability of the impacted escalators and
elevators that will need to absorb the increased traffic levels. To maintain the schedule in the
construction contract for replacements and avoid potentially costly change orders, acceptable
levels of disruption must be maintained to avoid rephasing the project and extending the contract
duration.
Aviation Maintenance has worked to support the needs of the project within the confines of their
existing maintenance budget. If the choice is made to not proceed with these additional
resources, the Elevator and Escalator Maintenance Contract staffing will remain the same as it is
today. This will likely result in equipment outages for longer periods of time, and equipment
outages at more impactful periods of time, as work will be performed according to the more
limited schedule in the present contract.
COMMISSION AGENDA
T. Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer
July 11, 2011
Page 4 of 5
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
Budget/Authorization Summary
Original 2011 Maintenance and Repair Budget
$3,315,316
Proposed 2011 Contract Amendment
$650,575
Proposed 2011 Maintenance and Repair Budget Total
$3,965,891
Budget Status and Source of Funds:
This work was not included within the 2011 annual budget that was prepared during the latter
half of 2010. Construction phasing planning and airline customer outreach during the first half
of 2012 indicated that if would be necessary to have additional contracted repair and
maintenance staff on hand during the construction work to assure that nearby escalators are
working properly to minimize disruption of service to travelers moving through-out the airport.
Additional coverage will also be necessary next year during 2012 and will be included in the
budgeting effort this fall.
ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY:
This project is consistent with the Port’s goal of improving the long term sustainability of its
facilities and operations. The new escalators will be 20% more energy efficient than the existing
escalators. This request for authorization is supportive in that it enables the new escalators to be
installed with fewer disruptions to passenger flows at the Airport.
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES:
The project provides enhanced reliability and performance for critical vertical transportation in
significant areas of the Airport, which facilitates use of the Airport by the traveling public.
BUSINESS PLAN OBJECTIVES:
This authorization supports the overall Port objective to ensure Airport vitality, and it supports
the Airport’s objectives to maintain a world class airport by anticipating the needs of its
customers while also striving to be recognized as one of the top ten airports in the world with
regard to customer service.
TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE SUMMARY:
This project will reduce the overall maintenance costs by reducing the high costs of emergency
repairs. This effort reduces the Airport’s exposure to liability by supporting the replacement of
escalators that are beyond their useful life. Ensuring that the Airport’s vertical transportation
system is safe and reliable promotes efficient Airport operations that benefit the traveling public,
while improved energy efficiency benefits the environment.
COMMISSION AGENDA
T. Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer
July 11, 2011
Page 5 of 5
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS:
Various alternative staffing levels were analyzed in conjunction with Operations Department and
Project Management staff. Two are presented below:
Alternative 1: Minimal Additional Support: Add one or two FTE positions only at certain times
of workdays, and at limited levels during weekends.
Alternative 2: Full Support: Based upon peak traveler demand in the late summer, Labor Day
weekend, Thanksgiving, and December holiday periods; customer service needs dictated that
staff provide a fuller level of coverage as presented earlier in this memo. Depending upon actual
experience in the first months, staff may determine to reduce coverage if ample customer service
levels can be maintained. This is the recommended alternative.
OTHER DOCUMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS REQUEST:
None.
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTION:
On February 1, 2011, the Commission authorized the award of the Design Build contract and the
construction of the project.
On June 22, 2010, the Commission authorized the issuance of a Request for Proposals under the
Design-Build contracting procedure.
On May 4, 2010, the Commission tabled a request to issue an RFP pending further information
concerning the need for revenue bond financing for this project.
On April 13, 2010, the Commission authorized the advertisement of the RFQ under the Design-
Build contracting procedure, and the application of a PLA. The project scope was changed to
include a second new escalator in the South Satellite.
On September 22, 2009, the Commission was briefed on the Airport’s “Facility Functionality
and Readiness”, which included a discussion of the escalators and elevators.
On July 22, 2008, the Commission authorized $3,183,000 to prepare the performance
specifications and preliminary design for the Renew/Replace 42 Escalators and 1 New Escalator
project at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
