Template revised January 10, 2019.
COMMISSION
AGENDA MEMORANDUM
Item No.
8j
ACTION ITEM
Date of Meeting
August 11, 2026
DATE: August 4, 2026
TO: Stephen P. Metruck, Executive Director
FROM: Leslie Horton, Program Manager & Data Analyst for Aviation, Workforce
Development
Anna Pavlik, Director, Workforce Development
A Boungjaktha, Managing Director, Economic Development
SUBJECT: Two-Year Contract Extension for Employment Center Management and Workforce
Development Services
Amount of this request:
$563,739
Total Requested Project Cost:
$11,298,739
ACTION REQUESTED
Request Commission authorization for the Executive Director to extend Port Jobs’ contract to
operate the Airport Employment Center (AEC) for 2 optional years, per contractual allowance.
Port Jobs’ base contract period is 1/1/2022 through 12/31/2026 and was for $9,990,000. The
planned 2-year extension would extend the contract to 12/31/2028 and the total contract value
would be $11,298,739.
Extending Port Jobs’ contract for an additional 2 years will allow for the preparation of a
comprehensive scope for the services and continuation of high quality, impactful workforce
development services for near-port community members, SEA employees, and SEA employer
tenants.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Port’s partnership with Port Jobs to operate the Airport Employment Center advances key
goals of Workforce Development Policy Directive 3776, reinforcing that workforce development
is essential to the Port’s mission as an economic development agency and is required to operate
a world class airport.
Port Jobs serves to advance the Port’s commitment to workforce development by acting as a one
stop shop where individuals interested in working at SEA may find out about job openings within
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 8j Page 2 of 6
Meeting Date: August 11, 2026
Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).
the airport and existing SEA employees may upskill through Airport University training
opportunities in aviation-related careers. Additionally, Port Jobs serves as an important recruiting
resource for SEA employers, providing businesses with a single point of contact for recruiting,
interviewing, and hiring assistance. Furthermore, in the five years since the current contract
began, Port Jobs has undertaken a Commission-supported amendment providing childcare
navigation services for SEA employees—an essential resource helping families with children to
remain in the workforce.
Beyond supporting individual job seekers and SEA tenants, Port Jobs works closely with
community-based organizations and fundraises public, private and philanthropic dollars to
strengthen holistic community support. Port Jobs and these CBO partners rely on each other to
ensure near-port, historically marginalized communities have access to getting and retaining
employment at SEA airport. Port Jobs often acts as a convener, regularly inviting CBOs and other
community partners and providers to visit them at their SEA airport location. Additionally, Port
Jobs leverages $1,148,174 annually to expand services beyond what the Port is able to fund.
JUSTIFICATION
The Economic Development Division recommends a 2-year extension of Port Jobs’ services for a
number of reasons:
1) Aligns with the Port’s Century Agenda to increase equitable access to quality wage jobs.
2) Since the start of this current contract, Port Jobs has supported a total of 6,519 job
placements for 5,438 people.
3) Cost per participant is $324, which is low when compared to other Port of Seattle funded
employment services.
4) The Airport Employment Center supported 154 SEA employer tenants in 2025.
5) 90% of the participants served in 2025 identified as BIPOC and 41% were female.
6) 86% of the participants served in 2025 reported living in a ZIP code that fell under the
category of being “economically distressed.”
7) People with limited English skills benefit from Port Jobs’ SIDA badge training, allowing
them to access open positions at SEA airport; in 2025, Port Jobs offered a total of 844
trainings to 736 people.
8) Port Jobs supports three aviation-related, Port-funded career pathway training programs:
Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT), Ground Support Equipment Training (GSE), and
now the Aviation Security Training (AST), launching August 12
th
. In 2025, a total of 34
students completed ATM or GSE classes.
9) Port Jobs maintains countless relationships with community-based organizations,
schools, and support service entities. These connections help broaden their reach to
underrepresented communities to ensure that diverse populations are informed about
airport employment and services available through the AEC. In Q4 of 2025 alone, Port
Jobs participated in 15 different outreach events with/for partner organizations.
10) Port Jobs is continuing to grow the childcare navigation program. In just two quarters of
2025, 14 individuals secured childcare subsidies because of meeting with the childcare
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 8j Page 3 of 6
Meeting Date: August 11, 2026
Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).
navigator and 26 families were in the process of filling out applications and/or visiting
childcare sites.
11) In 2025, Port Jobs was chosen as a contractual partner for Nelson/Nygaard, the Prime for
the SEA Moves transportation program. Port Jobs was chosen for their ability to
operationalize the outreach plan on the ground, leveraging their existing
networks, communications channels, and staffing resources.
12) Port Jobs augments Port dollars with over $1.1M leveraged in 2025 in philanthropic,
private and public funds; these include funding from Alaska Airlines, Boeing, Annie E.
Casey Foundation, DSHS, and King County. Port Jobs’ ability to leverage and bring in more
flexible dollars allows for critical services such as additional training courses (food
handlers card for food workers, general career and education preparation, keyboarding,
etc.), food and hygiene support, WIOA Out-of-School Youth Services, etc. which the Port
is unable to fund.
Scope of Work
The operator of the Airport Employment Center is responsible for the administrative oversight,
management, and implementation of day-to-day operations of the center. The AEC is the primary
recruiting source for SEA Airport employers, providing businesses with a single point of contact
for recruiting, interviewing, and hiring assistance. The center also provides services, technology,
resources, and training that job seekers need to search, secure, and retain their job at SEA airport
and improve job-related skills. A brief but not exhaustive summary of scope duties include*:
• Employer Services and Engagement
o Maintaining a website dedicated to the services available at the AEC and up-to-
date online job postings
o Performing targeted recruitment, applicant screening, and referrals to SEA
employers
o Assisting SEA employers with new training and/or assistance for new hires
o Hosting and/or participating in job fairs, resource fairs, and hiring events
• Job Seeker Services
o Provide airport-related job information and requirements to job seekers
o Provide online and in-office information to job seekers about job requirements of
airport job opportunities
o Connect job seekers to community resources
o Provide wraparound support to job seekers (per Port guidelines)
o Support other Port funded workforce development programs
• Training Services: Pre-Employment and Job Search
o Provide workshops and airport-related training to prepare new hires and
incumbent SEA airport workers (ex: SIDA Badge Training, Aviation Career
Pathways)
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 8j Page 4 of 6
Meeting Date: August 11, 2026
Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).
• Aviation Career Pathway Training Services
o Perform targeted recruitment and applicant screening for the aviation pathways
programs
o Manage the cohort formation for AMT, GSE, and AVS cohorts, each operating one
time per year
o Provide on-going support to cohort throughout the training duration; partner with
the training provider to ensure smooth logistics for all parties
• Engagement with Community Based Organizations and Support Services Entities
o Maintain linkages and relationships with Community Based Organizations serving
underrepresented communities, and public and non-public entities to ensure that
diverse communities are informed about opportunities at SEA Airport
In Q3 of 2025, Port Jobs’ base contract acquired Amendment 4, which added scope to develop
and implement a multilingual, culturally appropriate, hands-on technical assistance program to
help SEA workers identify available childcare solutions (for children age 0-5, including prenatal)
that support continued employment at SEA as well as additional resources that can help
individuals afford and access these opportunities. Port Jobs satisfied early scope to develop a
program design, create marketing materials, and hire a childcare navigator. Current scope
includes:
• Conduct outreach to SEA employees and SEA employers as part of the pilot program;
understand any unique aspects of SEA employee childcare needs and the existence of any
available childcare supports already provided by their employer.
• Include childcare findings in reporting; reports will include employees served, including
services provided and outcomes
• Provide services that are tailored to language and digital literacy needs with cultural
sensitivity
• Evaluate services provided, including satisfaction survey opportunities
With the implementation of Amendment 5, the Port will be refining the goals and outcomes of
the childcare navigation work.
*Summary does not show tasks divided up by airport and non-airport funds; please refer to actual
contract for specific details.
Schedule
The Workforce Development team plans to have this Amendment executed by 9/30/2026.
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 8j Page 5 of 6
Meeting Date: August 11, 2026
Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).
ALTERNATIVES AND IMPLICATIONS CONSIDERED
Staff has considered an alternative, however it does not meet the Port’s overall interests of
ensuring an adequate workforce for hiring employers at SEA.
Alternative 1 – The Port conducts a new solicitation (to be executed by 12/31/2026) for the
Airport Employment Center operator.
Cost Implications: No cost implications.
Pros:
(1) The Port could develop new strategies for services and new performance goals in a new
solicitation.
Cons:
(1) Due to the time it would take to develop a community and industry-informed
solicitation, the Airport Employment Center would likely need to pause services in Jan.
2027 until the new contract was executed resulting in employers, jobseekers and SEA
employees losing critical services.
(2) This could result in a poor outcome due to the limited time. Because this would be a
very difficult and timely solicitation to execute, there is little time before the end of the
year and the end of Port Jobs’ base contract to execute.
This is not the recommended alternative.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
Cost Estimate/Authorization Summary
Capital
Expense
Total
COST ESTIMATE
Original estimate
$0
$10,485,000
$10,485,000
AUTHORIZATION
Previous authorizations
$0
$10,735,000
$10,735,000
Current request for authorization
$0
$563,739
$563,739
Total authorizations, including this request
$0
$11,298,739
$11,298,739
Remaining amount to be authorized
$0
$563,739
$563,739
Annual Budget Status and Source of Funds
The annual budget is $1,652,543 with a combination of Airport Revenue and Tax Levy funds.
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 8j Page 6 of 6
Meeting Date: August 11, 2026
Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).
ATTACHMENTS TO THIS REQUEST
(1) Original contract with Port Jobs
(2) Amendment 1 of contract
(3) Amendment 2 of contract
(4) Amendment 3 of contract
(5) Amendment 4 of contract
(6) Presentation
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS
May 11, 2021 – Authorization for the Executive Director to execute a contract for the
administrative oversight, management and implementation of the Airport Employment Center
Management and Workforce Development Services for an amount of $10,485,000, and a Five-
year Contract Term Plus Two One-year Options to Renew at the Port’s discretion.
November 8, 2022 - Authorization for the Executive Director to execute an amendment to the
Airport Employment Center Management and Workforce Development Services contract to add
additional Navigation and Retention Services to participants in the Aviation Career Pathways
Program.
February 11, 2025 - Order No. 2025-04 to establish the Childcare Navigator program for Seattle-
Tacoma International Airport (SEA) workers.
