Template revised January 10, 2019.
COMMISSION
AGENDA MEMORANDUM
Item No. 8d
ACTION ITEM Date of Meeting February 11, 2025
DATE: December 18, 2024
TO: Stephen P. Metruck, Executive Director
FROM: Steve Osmek, Wildlife Biologist
Krista Sadler, Director, ICT Technology Delivery
SUBJECT: Avian Threat Assessment System (CIP #C802011)
Amount of this request: $4,000,000
Total estimated project cost: $1,970,000
ACTION REQUESTED
Request Commission authorization for the Executive Director to 1) proceed with the Avian Threat
Assessment System (ATAS) refresh project; 2) execute contract(s) for software, equipment,
vendor services and ten years of support and license fees and 3) use Port staff for
implementation. The amount requested for capital project cost plus ten-year total contract
authorization is $4,000,000.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This project will replace the current avian (bird) detection system that has proven to reduce
aircraft-wildlife strike risks at SEA. The existing radar-only hardware has been in use since 2008
and last updated in 2019. Given a single bird is an aircraft-collision threat, improved technologies
are needed to better detect, visualize and rank the avian threat level on and near the airport. The
existing avian radar system scans only a relatively small slice of the sky compared to what is
available today in more advanced bird detection and alerting systems. Aircraft wildlife strikes
cost airlines at SEA $1.8 million annually from 2019 – 2023.
Earlier contracts were paid primarily with grant funding originating from the FAA
William J. Hughes Technical Center, through the Center of Excellence for Airport Technology
(CEAT), University of Illinois, Champaign–Urbana. In 2019, the POS assumed full responsibility for
the contract when all equipment was updated. That 7-year sole-source contract expires at the
end of 2026, necessitating a competitive procurement to replace the aging system. The primary
goal is to maintain continuity of operations by continually keeping SEA aware of emerging bird
threats to aviation safety through vendor transitioning. A contract extension into 2026 will be
executed to provide time to achieve a smooth transition to the new vendor.
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 8d Page 2 of 6
Meeting Date: February 11, 2025
Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).
Airport Operations, Aviation Maintenance (AVM), Information & Communications Technology
(ICT), and Port Construction Services (PCS) will be involved in this project. We believe we will
receive several purchase options from the different competing vendors. The amount requested
for project cost plus ten-year total contract authorization is $4,000,000. This amount includes
both the implementation costs and recurring costs. How these costs will be apportioned will not
be known until after Request for Proposal (RFP) evaluation and selection. The procurement will
also set a standard for system expansion if additional features are identified in future projects to
increase ATAS functionality.
JUSTIFICATION
The ATAS project provides the following benefits:
(1) Ensures avian detect and alert system continuity of operations is maintained by
continually keeping SEA aware of emerging bird threats to aviation safety.
(2) Expected system improvements will increase geo-spatial awareness of bird hazards,
behavior, and near-miss events.
Diversity in Contracting
Project staff will work with the Diversity in Contracting Department to determine if a direct
women-and-minority-owned business enterprise (WMBE) aspirational goal should be assigned.
DETAILS
Scope of Work
(1) Procure and implement a new ATAS to replace the existing avian radars with an
improved avian detect and alert system.
(2) Utilize the existing three sites on the airfield to reduce costs and hasten solution
delivery.
(3) Install, test and tune the system for the most frequent bird hazards and complete
system integrations with the Surface Area Management System and ADS-B.
(4) Utilize vendor services for system configuration and deployment assistance.
Schedule
Activity
Commission authorization 2025 Quarter 1
Procurement begins 2025 Quarter 1
Planning complete 2025 Quarter 3
In-use date 2026 Quarter 3
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 8d Page 3 of 6
Meeting Date: February 11, 2025
Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).
Cost Breakdown This Request
Total Project
Hardware, software and vendor services $3,360,000
$3,360,000
Port labor $640,000
$640,000
Total $4,000,000
$4,000,000
ALTERNATIVES AND IMPLICATIONS CONSIDERED
Alternative 1 Solicit a fully functional ATAS instead of using a phased approach as
recommended.
Cost Implications: $8,000,000 - $12,000,000 over ten years (or more depending on locations)
Pros:
(1) A fully functional ATAS system will provide wildlife type (risk ranking) information and
much improved hazard detection capabilities in the air and on the ground for large
perching birds and other large animals that are known to be of concern.
(2) Multi-user camera technology would be available 24/7/365 to all departments and
potentially other Port partners out to distances of more than 8 miles from the airfield.
(3) Air traffic control tower integration would be possible with high quality information
provided to them and possibly flight crews if hazard certainty were known via cameras
or other sensors so a human in the loop could identify hazard type and emerging risk
level.
Cons:
(1) Adding target visualization now will delay the procurement and project by at least a
year and greatly increase costs.
(2) Assessing the best locations and determining network infrastructure for each sensor in
this multiple sensor system will require a substantial amount of Port resources and
sensor optimization which will vary by vendor and each new location. Once a long-term
vendor relationship is established, Airport Operations will have the vendor’s expertise
to inform further improvements for the ATAS at SEA.
This is not the recommended alternative.
Alternative 2 – Do not replace the avian radar system.
Cost Implications: $0
Pros:
(1) Capital dollars are available for other projects and Airport Operations would save nearly
$200,000 annually.
Cons:
(1) Many hazardous bird events will go unnoticed to Airport Operations personnel as was
the case before there was an avian radar at SEA. When these events occur responders
will not be notified, and threats will not be mitigated as quickly, which can lead to more
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 8d Page 4 of 6
Meeting Date: February 11, 2025
Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).
wildlife habituating and spending more time on the airfield environment. Consequently,
there will be increased safety concerns as it’s likely more birds will congregate at SEA,
more wildlife strikes will occur, and airlines may have increased costs due to wildlife
collision damages.
(2) Losing bird detect and alert capabilities at SEA will not be responded to favorably by
airlines. Alaska Air Group has been very supportive of the Port of Seattle taking the lead
on utilizing avian radar for detecting and dispatching the Qualified Wildlife Patrol to
mitigate persistent bird issues on the airfield. They are aware of the Port’s tactical and
strategic uses of avian radar that dates to 2008. They are encouraged by the POS
pushing to improve our bird hazard reduction capabilities.
(3) It won’t be possible to conduct high quality empirical studies of hazardous wildlife
attractants as was done before. One avian radar study resulted in the POS saving
millions of dollars by not having to expend money needlessly on constructing more
costly underground vaults or floating covers to store stormwater. Airport Operations
proved that our existing mitigation measures of nets and ponds liners were highly
effective at keeping hazardous waterfowl away.
(4) Loss of forensic examinations of strike events and emerging wildlife population trends
of hazardous wildlife flying on and near the airfield.
This is not the recommended alternative.
Alternative 3 Replace the existing avian radar system with a new system that has expanded
altitudinal coverage and can highlight geographic locations of aircraft-bird near-miss events.
Cost Implications: $4,000,000 over ten years
Pros:
(1) Ensures continued continuity of operations of bird hazard detection and alerting
capabilities will be maintained.
(2) Expected sensor improvements will help Qualified Wildlife Patrol respond more
efficiently to a greater number of identified threats resulting from more airspace being
continually monitored.
(3) Expanded airfield coverage will result in a better understanding of bird activity patterns
that can be used more predictively for prepositioning personnel to areas experiencing
a history of frequent hazardous wildlife activity prior to events.
(4) Improved capabilities of advanced sensors are expected to improve forensic
investigations of bird-aircraft collisions.
(5) Provides a platform for a fully functional ATAS with capabilities of integrating other
detection sensors.
Cons:
(1) A protracted approach towards a fully functional ATAS constructed in phases will likely
result in a slower integration of advanced target information (video, photos,
vocalizations) and therefore bird hazard type into the data stream. Knowing bird type
greatly aids in prioritizing a mitigation response as species is highly correlated with
aviation safety risk level.
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 8d Page 5 of 6
Meeting Date: February 11, 2025
Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).
This is the recommended alternative.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
There will be different purchasing options that will impact the breakdown of costs between
capital and expense. While the total is not expected to exceed $4,000,000, the final cost
breakdown will not be known until after the procurement.
Cost Estimate
/Authorization Summary Capital
Expense
Total
COST ESTIMATE
Original estimate $1,970,000
$2,030,000
$4,000,000
AUTHORIZATION
Previous authorizations $0
$0
$0
Current request for authorization $1,970,000
$2,030,000
$4,000,000
Total authorizations, including this request $1,970,000
$2,030,000
$4,000,000
Remaining amount to be authorized $0
$0
$0
Annual Budget Status and Source of Funds
The Avian Threat Assessment System (C802011) was not included in the 2025-2029 capital
budget and plan of finance. The capital budget of $1,970,000 was transferred from Aeronautical
Reserve (C800753) resulting in no net change to the Airport capital budget. The annual operating
expense will be included in the department’s annual budget. The funding source is Airport
Development Fund (ADF).
Financial Analysis and Summary
Project cost for analysis $4,000,000
Business Unit (BU) Airfield Movement Area
Effect on business performance
(NOI after depreciation)
NOI after depreciation will increase due to inclusion of
capital (and operating) costs in airline rate base.
IRR/NPV (if relevant) N/A
CPE Impact $0.02 in 2027
Future Revenues and Expenses (Total cost of ownership)
Initial training, and annual maintenance and support costs are currently estimated at $2,030,000
for the ten-year term and will be budgeted in Airport Operations operation expense budget. If
leasing options are offered through the procurement process and they are best value for the
Port, this cost could be higher but would be offset with lower capital costs.
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 8d Page 6 of 6
Meeting Date: February 11, 2025
Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).
ATTACHMENTS TO THIS REQUEST
(1) 2018 CPO-5 Policy waiver for leasing avian radar and support services from Accipiter
Radar Technologies Incorporated
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS
None