Template revised January 10, 2019.
COMMISSION
AGENDA MEMORANDUM
Item No.
8e
ACTION ITEM
Date of Meeting
August 13, 2024
DATE : June 4, 2024
TO: Stephen P. Metruck, Executive Director
FROM: Brendalynn Taulelei, Senior Manager, Aviation Maintenance, Asset Management and
Logistics
Tae Stacy, Manager, Aviation Maintenance Logistics
SUBJECT: Purchase of Liquid and Solid Pavement Deicers for the Airport and Seaport
Amount of this request:
$5,000,000
Total estimated project cost:
$5,000,000
ACTION REQUESTED
Request Commission authorization for the Executive Director to execute a contract for the
purchase of liquid and solid pavement deicing agents, for use at Seattle-Tacoma International
Airport (SEA) and waterfront locations during snow and ice weather conditions. The estimated
value of this contract is $ 5,000,000.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Aviation Maintenance uses a combination of snow removal equipment and deicing agents during
snow and ice conditions, to maintain surfaces for arriving and departing aircraft and vehicle
traffic that uses the airport roadways. The deicing chemicals used on the airport runways and
roadway surfaces have a low impact on the environment and approved by the Department of
Ecology. The Port has a competition waiver (2018-005-PP) in place with supplier Cryotech, to
manufacture and deliver these products until November 2028. In a typical snow season at the
Seattle-Tacoma International airport, it is necessary to execute multiple high dollar-value
purchases of liquid or solid deicer in a short notice to prevent impacts to Airport operations on
the runways and roadways. Executing procurement of liquid and solid deicer will allow the
Aviation Division to be well prepared for the winter weather conditions, and still provide
operational airport to our passengers. Additionally, any contracts created under this request can
be utilized by the Maritime Division for use on waterfront properties.
JUSTIFICATION
This contract authorization will allow Aviation Maintenance to keep the airport open for public
travel and regional commerce by providing the deicer chemical needed for operations during a
winter weather event. The Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circular 150/5200-30D
requires as follows: “If the runway pavement temperature is warm enough for snow to compact
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 8e Page 2 of 5
Meeting Date: August 13, 2024
Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).
and bond, or if freezing rain is forecasted, approved anti-icing chemicals and/or heated sand
should be applied prior to the start of precipitation or as soon as precipitation starts.” Heated
sand is not utilized at the airport since it is less effective than deicer products, the sediment runoff
impacts the performance of stormwater best management practices and requires a storage and
warming facility. Deicer availability is critical during a winter weather event; therefore, the ability
of contracted suppliers to provide timely delivery of deicer products when requested either
before or during an active snow event prevents significant negative impacts to airport operations.
If deicer is not available, snow and ice accumulation will lead to unsafe runway and roadway
conditions, and an airport closure is likely.
Diversity in Contracting
Since only products manufactured by Cryotech are authorized for use on the airfield according
to the environmental permit issued by the Washington State Department of Ecology there is no
opportunity for sourcing this product from small, woman and minority business enterprise
(WMBE) businesses.
Cryotech understands the Port’s commitment to supporting WMBE businesses and is committed
to utilizing WMBE businesses for shipping when practicable.
DETAILS
For almost 30 years, the Port of Seattle at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport has used liquid
and solid runway and roadway deicing products manufactured by Cryotech Deicing Technologies
when snow and ice control efforts are required. We currently have an approved contract (S-
00319560) that is currently in effect until November 24
th
2024.
Deicing chemicals have the potential to impact water quality as they degrade and wash off with
stormwater runoff. To address this concern, the Port uses acetate-based deicing products which
have a lower biochemical oxygen demand as it degrades in the environment better than glycol-
based fluids. In addition, over the past twenty years, Port Environmental has completed many
studies demonstrating that Cryotech potassium acetate and sodium acetate products do not
impact water quality. The study results have been reviewed and approved by the Department of
Ecology.
The provider of the deicing chemicals must also have a proven track record and is expected to
remain or be in business for the foreseeable future. In addition, the provider must have the
required infrastructure, have demonstrated their local production and storage capabilities, and
have the capacities to meet delivery requirements of these mission-critical chemicals even during
significant regional snow and ice events.
Due to the environmental and operational reasons given, we received a competition waiver
(2018-005-PP) for the procurement of the Cryotech deicer products E-36 ® liquid potassium
acetate and NACC ® solid sodium acetate.
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 8e Page 3 of 5
Meeting Date: August 13, 2024
Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).
To ensure safe operating surfaces, control chemicals must be applied to prevent snow and ice
from bonding to our pavement surfaces, or to melt and break the bond of ice that has adhered
to the surfaces. To accomplish these requirements, Aviation Maintenance stocks both liquid
potassium acetate and solid sodium acetate as snow and ice control chemicals at the airport.
Scope of Work
This contract is for the purchase of liquid potassium acetate and granular deicer sodium acetate
to support runway and roadway deicing operations located at Seattle-Tacoma International
Airport. The liquid deicing product shall be Potassium Acetate and must meet requirements of
the Society for Automotive and Aerospace Engineers (SAE) Aerospace Material Specifications
(AMS) 1435. The solid deicing product shall be Sodium Acetate and must meet requirements of
SAE AMS 1431.
Schedule
The current contract expires in November 2024. Therefore, we are requesting authorization to
execute a new contract to cover the 2024-2025 snow season by no later than end of October.
The new contract shall be for a 5-year term.
ALTERNATIVES AND IMPLICATIONS CONSIDERED
Alternative 1 – Do not execute a new long-term contract for deicer but purchase deicer as
needed from multiple suppliers during a snow event.
Cost Implications: Estimated contract amount - $5 million dollars over 5 years.
Pros:
(1) Flexibility to go with any company who has product available and best current price.
Cons:
(1) Product quantity needed for a single event would exceed direct-buy purchase limit of
$50,000. A purchase of between $50,000 and $150,000 would require three quotes
before issuing a purchase order. A purchase of over $150,000 would require a formal
bid, which would take longer. These processes take too long for such critical operations.
(2) Liquid deicing products outside of those already tested and approved from different
companies may have different environmental impacts that are unknown to Port staff.
If we went with another product, we would have to update our NPDES (National
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) Permit and get approval from the Washington
Department of Ecology. This process could take a year and a half, cost over $300,000
for testing, and may result in other corrective actions having to be implemented, or
possibly, our request may be denied outright.
(3) Liquid deicing products from different companies may react unpredictably when mixed
in the same storage tanks. It is possible to create a transition plan to switch from one
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 8e Page 4 of 5
Meeting Date: August 13, 2024
Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).
product to another, but it would be dangerous to frequently add different products to
the same tanks.
(4) Suppliers may not store enough quantities of the product locally unless obligated by
contract requirements. Required quantities may not be available during an event, which
is a great risk to airport operations.
(5) Suppliers would fill orders for customers who they have contracted obligations for
before filling requisitions from the Port.
(6) The Port would likely have to pay a premium for delivery charges.
(7) Purchasing deicer without a contract leads to variable and unpredictable cost per gallon.
This is not the recommended alternative.
Alternative 2 Execute a new contract for the purchase of liquid and solid pavement deicing
agents, for use at SEA Airport and waterfront locations.
Cost Implications: The contract to purchase liquid and solid deicer products for the airport is
estimated to cost $5 million dollars in total over a five-year period. Over the past five snow
seasons (between 2018 and 2023), we have spent over $8 million dollars for deicer, but each year
is highly variable and difficult to predict. Costs may range from $300,000 to over $1 million dollars
in a single season.
Pros:
(1) This approach will allow us to take advantage of the favorable terms of the existing
contract. The current contract would have language to allow us to negotiate a new
contract.
(2) The contract may be able to specify the vendor’s use small businesses in their supply
chain.
Cons:
(1) Executing annual contracts would limit our ability to re-negotiate mid-year and take
advantage of price drops due to market conditions.
(2) Locking into a price at the beginning of each season could subject us to disadvantageous
timing related to price volatility.
This is the recommended alternative.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
Annual Budget Status and Source of Funds
Annual expenditures under this contract for the airport will be charged to the Aviation
Maintenance operating budget.
ATTACHMENTS TO THIS REQUEST
None
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 8e Page 5 of 5
Meeting Date: August 13, 2024
Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS
November 8, 2022 Commission authorization for the Executive Director to execute contracts
or amend existing contracts, for the purchase of liquid and solid pavement deicing agents,
for use at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and waterfront locations. Estimated value
$5,000,000.
November 12, 2019 Commission authorization for the Executive Director to execute a
contract revision for the purchase of liquid and solid pavement deicing agents for use at
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Revision added $1,020,000.
September 11, 2018 Commission authorization for the Executive Director to execute a
contract for the purchase of liquid and solid pavement deicing agents for use at Seattle-
Tacoma International Airport. Estimated value $2,200,000.
