Template revised April 12, 2018.
COMMISSION
AGENDA MEMORANDUM
Item No.
6f
ACTION ITEM
Date of Meeting
October 27, 2020
DATE: October 5, 2020
TO: Stephen P. Metruck, Executive Director
FROM: James Jennings, Director, Aviation Business and Properties
SUBJECT: Airline Technical Representative Contract
Amount of this request:
$3,000,000
ACTION REQUESTED
Request Commission authorization for the Executive Director to execute a contract for Airline
Technical Representative (ATR) services for an amount not to exceed $3 million for a duration up
to six years (three-year base with three one-year options) at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
(SEA).
Executive Summary:
The Airline Technical Representative (ATR) Contract is a Port of Seattle (Port) consulting contract
to support the SEA signatory airlines in appropriately engaging in SEA capital project planning
and business/operational issues. Besides Alaska Airlines, most airline corporate properties
representatives are not local to Seattle, and an ATR contract allows them to have an in-person
liaison to represent their interests and support them in staying abreast of issues of interest to
the SEA Airlines. The current ATR contract expires in 2021, so this contract is anticipated to
replace the current.
Justification:
The Seattle region is one of the fastest growing in the country. The region’s growth continues to
drive the rapid airline growth at the Airport. That growth has and continues to outstrip existing
operational and passenger processing capacity and is exacerbated by the continued deterioration
of aging facilities and infrastructure needing significant renewal and replacement. These growth-
related challenges generate the need for additional capital investment and associated projects
in advance of the proposed Sustainability Airport Master Plan (SAMP) Near-Term Projects and
beyond. In order to have a successful capital program, airline engagement is critical. An effective
ATR Contract is vital to ensure airline appropriate engagement and involvement as the airline
business (especially during a COVID-19 crisis) pulls airline attentions away from longer term
initiatives like future SEA capital projects.
Scope of Work
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 6f Page 2 of 2
Meeting Date: October 27, 2020
Template revised September 22, 2016; format updates October 19, 2016.
The Consultant will be responsible for serving as a single point of contact for both the Airlines
and Airport as it relates to coordinating the Airline Industry’s input and involvement during the
facility planning, design, construction, and activation/commissioning phases of those projects
that are to be implemented as part of SEA’s Capital Improvement Program. Additionally, the
Consultant may be requested to facilitate airline/Port input on key business and/or operational
issues. In the capital support capacity, the ATR Office will facilitate communications between the
Airlines and Airport, coordinate Airline industry review of various program-related technical
submittals (i.e. pre-design white papers, scoping documents, project technical requirements, in-
progress design drawings and specifications, reports, cost estimate and schedule summaries,
etc.) and provide input on behalf of the Airlines to the Airport staff and consultants for their
review, consideration and approval to incorporate into the program.
In the business and operational support, the Consultant may work to supplement and collaborate
with both local and corporate airline representatives to work through areas of conflict or
challenge between the Port and airlines. Some representative examples would be engagement
of relevant airline/Port staff to mediate area of conflict or desired collaboration, research
approved business and/or operational issues, identify alternatives and ensure appropriate
stakeholders are engaged or represented. Ultimately, the purpose of the Consultant is to serve
as representatives, on behalf of all SEA Airlines, to participate in various discussions to offer an
airline perspective when airline representatives themselves are unable to participate directly.
Schedule:
• Advertisement scheduled for November 4, 2020
• Anticipated award Q1 2021
Financial Implications:
• Consistent with the 2020 budget, $200K is budgeted in the 2021 expense budget and
$200K is anticipated to be capitalized in 2021 and directly charged to projects.
Attachments:
None.
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS
• April 26, 2016 – authorization approved, item 4d, contract for Airline Technical
Representative services up to five years.
