On Wednesday, the Tallahassee City Commission voted to award a construction contract for the International Passenger Processing Facility (IPPF) Project ($23,476,000) and an additional 5% project contingency ($1,173,800) to Whitesell-Green, Inc. in the amount of $24,649,800.
The funding will be provided by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), the Federal Aviation Administration, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) Grant, Sales Tax Revenue, Right of Way Funds, and the Airport Repairs, Replacement & Improvements (RR&I) Undesignated Fund Balance. This project is included in the Airport’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP)
The agenda item notes that the IPPF will be a major driver of economic growth for the Big Bend region. The IPPF project will provide for a terminal expansion to house a United States Customs and Border Protection approved international passenger port-of-entry and a federal inspection station that will serve both commercial air service and general aviation needs at the Tallahassee International Airport.
Background
On July 10, 2019, the City Commission provided authorization to accept and execute a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport Improvement Program Grant Agreement in the amount of $1,776,111.30 for the design of an International Passenger Processing Facility (IPPF) at the Tallahassee International Airport.
Airport Staff have worked closely with the design team at Corgan Associates, Inc. and numerous representatives at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to design a facility that meets the rigorous requirements of the CBP’s Airport Technical Design Standards.
CBP has issued preliminary approval for the Tallahassee International Airport to be a designated User Fee Facility and has indicated that construction of the International Passenger Processing Facility should commence by March 21, 2022.
If construction of the facility has not started by that date, CBP has indicated that the Tallahassee International Airport would need to reapply to become a user fee facility which would result in significant delays to the overall project.
The IPPF project will provide for a terminal expansion and an approved international passenger port-of-entry and federal inspection station that will serve both commercial air service and general aviation needs at the Tallahassee International Airport.
In addition to construction, this project includes funding for permitting, resident project representative, construction administration, and construction phase design services. Once construction begins, the project is expected to take 600 calendar days to complete.
Modernization Project
The Tallahassee City Commission also awarded a construction contract for the Terminal Rehabilitation Phase III Project ($4,181,000) and an additional 8% project contingency ($334,480) to Cook Brothers, Inc. in the amount of $4,515,480.
The Passenger Terminal at Tallahassee International Airport is over 30 years old and modernization and improvements to the A and B Concourses of the Terminal Building are needed to meet current and projected passenger demand and activity levels.
Renovations would include new terrazzo flooring, new departure gate area carpeting, electrical improvements, departure gate area seating upgrades, HVAC improvements, coffee concession upgrades, and interior wall and ceiling finish enhancements.
The City issued and advertised an Invitation for Bid (IFB) for the Terminal Rehabilitation Phase III Project, IFB-078-21-CW on August 9, 2021 with bids due September 21, 2021. A total of three (3) bids were received as summarized in the attached bid tabulation. Cook Brothers, the bidder recommended for the award, provided the lowest responsive bid and demonstrated good faith in meeting the FAA-approved Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) goal.
UPDATED: Tallahassee City Commission Approves $29 Million for Two Airport Projects added by Staff on
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Internal Passenger Terminal….now that is some funny $h1t. The only thing TLH has in common with a real busy airport is its innate ability to spend tax payer money.
Corruption at its best. The city of Tallahassee! Expansion not needed. The city pays Delta Airlines and Fed ex so there are no new competitors ! Airport is fine and too big for what little service there is!
If the copy in the second paragraph of this piece relating to the funding of the project were changed to read as follows would it still be supported?
“The funding will be provided by you”
Tony —- All the funds generated by the airport have to be spent AT the airport. So the only way COT benefits financially is charging the airport (typically more than reasonable people believe is equal to value) for each and every service provided the airport.
Is there any reliable evidence that there is demand for international travel to TLH?
The last several Mega $Million Dollar Projects were also supposed to be major drivers of economic growth for the Big Bend region so, I guess they didn’t do what they were supposed to. I would really like to know how you come up the how much it will cost to do these “Projects”, do you just throw Amounts out there and see what happens? $29 Million seems a bit much for this.
Also, just got giggles………. This is a City Project, WHY does the City charge itself for the Permits?
I noticed an uptick in the amount of jet contrails in the Tallahassee skies lately… Are these the illegal aliens being transported to and through Tallahassee on to other locations? Someone may want to check out the flight logs. You know our mayor cooperates with the Brandon Administration…
National, regional, and local construction business’ all have one thing in common. They are owned and operated by tightly knit family groups.
This has always made any kickbacks to local commissions who make the contract awarding decisions becoming known to law inforcement and thus public knowledge next to impossible.
Due to the huge amounts of money involved construction business’ have historically viewed these kickbacks as nothing more than a routine cost of doing business.
So when the commission awarding the contracts is composed entirely of leftist politicians the odds of there being kickbacks involved is over 100% (this takes into account the rouge leftists on the commission who start up their own scams to cheat their fellow leftist commissioners out of some of the group’s ill gotten gain in the the Scott Maddox business plan). It is the leftist way of doing business nationwide and worldwide.
Maddox was likely backstabed by his fellow leftists for cutting in on their game and Burnett just happened to be the lone Republican who got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. And that is what provoked the wrath of leftist Judge Hinkle to punish those two.
End of story: the odds of kickbacks on this airport project 125.6667%. Thanks to our local voters!!!
You all have a good day.
I’m in full support of this project. It has long puzzled me as to why TLH, and the area surrounding it, are so underutilized.
However, I am curious as to how this is an appropriate use of CARES funding. CARES funding was suppose to help citizens recover from the economic impacts of the non-scientific, economy-killing, politically-motivated, power-grabbing, liberty-abusing, unconstitutional over reaction to the China Bio-Weapon Flu Scamdemic. Exactly how will an new terminal help pay rent and utility bills for the folks that have been harmed by Tony Fraudchi and the Dementia Joe Biden Sadministration?