Advertising Concession

Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority
Request for Proposals (RFP)
Airport Advertising Concession
Raleigh-Durham International Airport
Issued: March 30, 2026
ADMINISTRATOR:
Holly Egan
Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority
PO Box 80001, 1000 Trade Drive,
RDU Airport, NC 27623-0001
Phone (919) 840-7780
advertisingrfp@rdu.com

Notice to Proposers Airport Advertising Concession
Raleigh-Durham International Airport
The Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority (the "Authority") is seeking Proposals from
experienced, creative, and innovative Proposers to manage the airport Advertising
Concession Program located at Raleigh-Durham International Airport (the "Airport").
Request for Proposals (RFP) documents are available at https://www.rdu.com/do-
business-with-rdu/business-opportunities/.
All Proposals must be received no later than 3:00 PM (EST) on May 7, 2026, at the
Administrative Offices of the Authority. Envelopes should be sealed and marked on the
outside:
Airport Advertising Management Concession- Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority
and have the name and address of the Proposer printed on the envelope. Proposals
received after the time stated above will be returned unopened. The Authority, in its sole
discretion, reserves the right to extend the deadline to submit Proposals.
An optional virtual Pre-Proposal Conference will be held on April 8, 2026, via Microsoft
Teams beginning at 11:00 AM EST. A registration link is below.
Pre-Proposal Conference Registration link:
https://www.eventcreate.com/e/advertising-rfp-for-rdu-air
The documents listed below constitute the RFP documents.
Request for Proposals
Appendix A - ACDBE Participation
Appendix B - Statistical Information & Lease Outline Drawings
Appendix C - Proposal Forms
Appendix D - Advertising Policy
Appendix E - Sample Concession Agreement

Contents
SECTION I - OVERVIEW .............................................................................................. 2
SECTION II - DEFINITIONS .......................................................................................... 4
SECTION III - SCOPE OF SERVICES ........................................................................... 6
Concession Opportunity ................................................................................................. 6
General Requirements ................................................................................................. 10
RFP Schedule .............................................................................................................. 13
SECTION IV - PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE ....................................................... 14
SECTION V - INSTRUCTIONS TO PROPOSERS ...................................................... 15
Authority Reservations and Stipulations ....................................................................... 18
Execution of Proposal Forms ....................................................................................... 19
Delivery of Proposals .................................................................................................... 20
SECTION VI - SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS ........................................................... 22
Submittal Sections & Maximum Available Points .......................................................... 22
SECTION VII - AWARD PROCESS ............................................................................. 28
Evaluation of Proposal .................................................................................................. 28
Evaluation Criteria ........................................................................................................ 28
Contract Award ............................................................................................................. 28
SECTION VIII - APPENDICES- GENERAL INFORMATION ....................................... 30
Appendix A - ACDBE Participation .............................................................................. 31
Appendix B - Statistical Information ............................................................................. 32
Appendix C -Proposal Forms ....................................................................................... 41
ACDBE Participation Forms ................................................................................. 42
Fees Proposal Form - Pro Forma Template & Capital Proposal .......................... 44
Concession Agreement Commitment Form ......................................................... 45
Solicitation / Addenda Acknowledgement Form ................................................... 46
Administrative Information Form ........................................................................... 47
Proposal Declaration Form ................................................................................... 48
Business References Form .................................................................................. 49
Financial References Form .................................................................................. 49
Appendix D - Advertising Policy .................................................................................. 51
Appendix E - Sample Concession Agreement ............................................................. 52

SECTION I - OVERVIEW
The Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority ("Authority") owns and operates the Raleigh-
Durham International Airport ("Airport" or "RDU"). The Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority
is a municipal corporation created by the General Assembly of North Carolina. There are
two (2) air carrier passenger terminals at RDU, Terminals 1 and 2.
In 2025, more than 15.6 million passengers traveled through RDU. That translates to
about 42,874 travelers every day connecting to the people and places that matter most:
for business, vacation, or both. Refer to Appendix B for more enplanement information.
As of December 2025, RDU has reached 86 non-stop routes from 18 carriers with more
than 400 daily departures. Breeze Airways recently expanded its service. Recent
additions to international service include Aer Lingus who, starting April 2026 will serve
Dublin with a non-stop flight year-round. Additionally, Breeze Airways began service to
Punta Cana, DR and Frontier Airline to Cancun, Mexico in March 2026. RDU currently
has 12 international destinations as of March 2026. RDU is undergoing a landside
Terminal 2 expansion, which will be completed in 2032, allowing ticketing and Custom
and Border Patrol areas to better support international air traffic development.
For more information regarding the Airport's passenger traffic, visit
https://www.rdu.com/airport-authority/statistics/.
Terminal 1 is the easterly most passenger terminal. It consists of approximately 153,025
square feet of space and provides nine (9) aircraft gates. Alaska, Avelo Airlines, Breeze
Airways, Southwest Airlines, and Spirit Airlines, Sun Country operate from Terminal 1.
Terminal 2 is the westerly most passenger terminal. It consists of approximately 920,000
square feet of space and has thirty-four (34) aircraft gates. The airlines operating from
Terminal 2 are Aer Lingus, AeroMexico, Air Canada, Air France, American, Copa Airlines,
Delta, Frontier, Icelandair, JetBlue, Lufthansa, and United.
Figure 1 below shows the locations of each Terminal.
Airport Advertising Management Concession Page 2

Current Concession
The current advertising concession has been under contract with Clear Channel Airports
since 2008. The current agreement expires on June 30, 2026. The approved advertising
locations are located throughout both terminals, the parking structure, and roadways. A
detailed map of the locations is attached to this document. Additionally, past enplanement
numbers and gross sales are included in this document.
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SECTION II - DEFINITIONS
These definitions apply to their use in this RFP.
Addendum - Written or graphic instrument issued prior to Proposal opening which
clarifies, corrects, or changes the RFP or the Concession Agreement documents, or
otherwise answers questions from potential Proposers.
Administrator - The individual specified by the Authority to act as coordinator and
manager of this RFP.
Advertising Concessionaire - For purposes of this RFP, the Advertising Concessionaire
refers exclusively to the entity selected to operate the advertising program at RDU.
Airport - Airport refers to Raleigh-Durham International Airport.
Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) - For the purposes of
this Proposal, this is a small business enterprise that has been certified or approved by
the Authority as a disadvantaged business enterprise as defined in 49 CFR, Part 23 and
26.
Authority - The Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority, a municipal corporation, created by the
General Assembly of North Carolina, and existing under and by virtue of Chapter 168 of
the Public-Local Laws of 1939, as amended.
Authority Administrative Offices - Office buildings, suites and rooms that house the
departmental offices of the Authority and its staff.
Authority Board - An appointed body of eight members that govern the Authority. The
Authority Board must approve all Concession Agreements.
Capital Investment - The investment that the Selected Proposer and/or RDUAA will make
for advertising assets associated with the design, installation, modernization, and
operation of the advertising program, consistent with the Proposer's financial projections
and proposed contract term.
Concession Agreement - The written agreement between Authority and the Selected
Proposer covering the leasing of premises located at Raleigh-Durham International
Airport, including all RFP documents attached to the Concession Agreement and made
a part thereof.
Date of Beneficial Occupancy - A written notice by the Authority to the Proposer fixing the
date on which Proposer shall start to perform obligations under the Concession
Agreement. This date shall serve as the commencement date for all Proposer obligations
under the future Concession Agreement
Day - A calendar day of 24 hours measured from midnight to the next midnight.
Deadline - The deadline for the submittal of Proposals for this RFP is May 7, 2026, at
3:00 PM (EST).
Drawings - Documents showing the layout of the Concession Agreement premises.
Drawings may include, but are not limited to, advertising inventory maps, terminal plans,
and locations identified for Contract and Direct Advertising.
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Exception - A term which refers to the Proposer's non-acceptance of a particular term of
the sample Concession Agreement which must be listed in the Proposal
Minimum Qualifications - The minimum standards which have been established by the
Authority and which must be satisfied by the Proposer as a precondition for further
consideration of the Proposal.
Notice of Award - The written notice by the Authority to the Selected Proposer stating
that, upon compliance with the conditions stated therein, within the time specified, the
Proposer shall be offered the right to install, operate and sell the proposed use in the
designated concession spaces.
Pre-Proposal Conference - A conference, which follows the issuance of a Request for
Information, attended by potential Proposers for the purpose of clarifying the RFP
requirements.
Proposal Documents - All documents submitted by Proposer including but not limited to
Proposer's signed Proposal Forms, documentation accompanying the Proposal, changes
made during negotiations, including post-Proposal documentation submitted prior to
Notice of Award and attached as an exhibit to the Concession Agreement; Proposal
Bonds; the General Conditions; Drawings; and Specifications.
Proposal Expiration Date - Proposals must remain in effect until a Concession Agreement
is executed with the selected Proposer or one hundred twenty (120) days after the
Deadline for Proposal submission, whichever comes first.
Proposer - The individual, company, or joint venture submitting a Proposal to this RFP
that incorporates all the elements of a valid Proposal for the opportunity to operate the
proposed business at RDU.
Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) - The medium hub, commercial airport
located in Wake County, North Carolina serving central and eastern North Carolina.
Revenue Share -The percentage of the gross sales that the Proposer will pay during the
term of the Concession Agreement. See Section VII - Financial Projections for required
minimum revenue share percentages applicable to this RFP.
Sample Concession Agreement - A Concession Agreement template provided with this
RFP as Appendix D that will serve as the basis for the final agreement between the
selected concessionaire and the Authority.
Selected Proposer - The individual or company selected after the evaluation process that
provided the Proposal which best fulfills the Authority's goals and objectives.
Terminal 1 - The easterly of two commercial air carrier passenger terminals located at
RDU.
Terminal 2 - The westerly of two commercial air carrier passenger terminals located at
RDU.
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SECTION III - SCOPE OF SERVICES
Concession Opportunity
The Airport Advertising Concession opportunity offered in this solicitation gives the
Selected Proposer the responsibility to manage the airport advertising concession. The
goal of the program is for the airport to increase advertising sales revenue and enhance
customer experience through the incorporation of an elevated design, strong sales
approach, and operational excellence. The Authority is seeking qualified, creative, and
innovative Proposals to design, construct, sell, install, operate, maintain and service
advertising of the approved mediums in and around the passenger terminals as indicated
in this RFP to include the following.
In-terminal advertising: Advertising within Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, may include but
is not limited to, traditional tension fabric displays, digital monitors/LED Boards located
throughout the terminal and bag claim, flight information displays, gate information
displays, window clings, static floor displays, column wraps, and baggage carousel
wraps, or any other current and/or cutting edge technology options, subject to integration
requirements with airport operational systems where applicable.
Outdoor advertising & parking lots: Advertising in exterior areas may include light pole
banners, exterior wall wraps, and hanging banners, bus shelters (including both static
and digital formats as approved by the Authority).
Parking garages: Advertising in parking garages may include light poles banners, wall
wraps, hanging banners, LED signage, static floor displays and column wraps.
Sponsorship and naming rights: The Authority is interested in potentially exploring
creative ideas to maximize revenue through sponsorships of and/or naming rights for
airport services, facilities, venues, and infrastructure and encourages Proposers to
suggest opportunities and concepts to do so. All sponsorship and naming-rights concepts
are subject to prior written approval by the Authority and may require approval by the
Authority Board.
Unique partnerships: The Authority encourages Proposers to suggest creative ideas for
innovative partnerships with businesses that want to pursue non-traditional/experiential
marketing at the airport. These opportunities may include, but are not limited to, special
events, technology centers, guest enhancements (ie, seating areas, charging stations
and service offerings), promotional kiosks, and strategic product placement. All proposed
partnership concepts must comply with the Advertising Policy and require Authority
approval prior to activation.
Limitations and Restrictions
Advertising shall not compete with roadway, wayfinding, safety, amenity, or informational
signage. Displays are not to be mounted in a manner that might limit passenger visibility
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of roadway, wayfinding, safety, amenity, or informational signage. Proposers shall
demonstrate how proposed advertising avoids visual interference with wayfinding and
safety-critical signage.
All displays must comply with all applicable provisions of the Americans with Disabilities
Act of 1990 ("ADA").
Advertising is not permitted in and around TSA Security Screening Checkpoints, tenant
lease spaces nor in any area that conflicts or interferes with passenger flow or egress.
All advertising locations, equipment, and content for any proposed concept shall be
subject to the approval of the Authority prior to implementation. The Advertising Policy is
included in this document under Section VIII General Information Appendix.
Current Program / Transition Plan
The current advertising assets can remain at the airport at the expiration of the Clear
Channel agreement. The Selected Proposer will be responsible for maintaining any
assets that remain. The Selected Proposer will coordinate with the incumbent contractor
to execute a seamless transition that minimizes any disruption to the program, including
investing in any interim upgrades/repairs, including temporary digital/network
enhancements if required to maintain program performance. and minimizing any sales
loss.
Advertising Program Design
The Selected Proposer will be responsible to design and install a new advertising program
as soon as possible after the start of the Airport Advertising Management Concession.
The design will be developed in collaboration with the Authority and should incorporate
design standards and locations consistent with the Policy and aesthetic in each area. The
design may incorporate a marquee/signature opportunity in each Terminal and in the
parking garage that promotes a sense of place while creating sponsorship opportunities,
and new revenue opportunities. Due to limited space in the Terminals, the Authority will
encourage a design with the capability to combine advertising assets with FID's, GID's,
BID's, wayfinding, directories and airport marketing displays. Though it is expected that
the final design will be considerably different from the current design, any location or
media incorporated into the design that is not consistent with the Advertising Policy will
require Authority approval. Proposers must identify any locations or media requiring
Policy exceptions within their design submission.
Capital Investment
Proposers shall submit a comprehensive Capital Investment Plan for each design
scenario required under this Solicitation. Each Plan shall clearly articulate the scope of
the proposed investment, the associated cost structure, the financial and operational
assumptions underlying the investment, and the projected revenue impact over the term
of the Concession. For the purposes of this Solicitation, "Capital Investment" shall include
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all costs reasonably necessary to develop, modernize, or install the Advertising Program,
including but not limited to new digital or static displays; supporting hardware, software,
and content-management systems; network, electrical, and data infrastructure; structural
modifications; design, engineering, permitting and project management;
decommissioning of existing assets; and all reasonable implementation or contingency
costs.
Each Proposer is required to complete the Capital Investment and Financial Pro Forma
Spreadsheet included in Appendix C and shall base all financial projections on the
definitions and assumptions contained in this section. All investment details, financial
assumptions, revenue projections, and supporting rationale must be fully documented
within the structure of the required spreadsheet, including the "Proposer Notes" tab.
Because the Authority has not determined whether it will participate financially in the
capital program, Proposers shall submit: (1) a scenario in which the Proposer funds one
hundred percent (100%) of the capital investment, and (2) a scenario that assumes a
defined level of Authority capital participation. All assumptions regarding Authority
participation must be explicitly stated, reasonable, and applied consistently across the
submission. Proposers are advised that the Authority's Board of Directors may ultimately
elect not to make any capital investment in the Advertising Program, even in cases where
a Proposer's model demonstrates a favorable return on such investment. Accordingly, all
Proposer-funded scenarios must be independently feasible, financially sustainable, and
operationally practical.
The Authority will evaluate proposed capital plans principally on the basis of net revenue
returned to the Authority over the term of the Concession, rather than on total investment
size or gross revenue projections. Each Capital Investment Plan shall therefore
demonstrate how the proposed investment supports sustainable long-term revenue
generation, return on investment/payback to the Authority, enhanced operational
reliability, and aligns with the Authority's financial and programmatic objectives.
Proposers shall identify all relevant assumptions-including asset quantities, unit costs,
useful life expectations, contingencies, escalation factors, and inflation-and shall
disclose any risks, dependencies, or constraints that may affect cost or implementation.
Proposers shall also submit a detailed implementation schedule demonstrating the ability
to complete all design, approval, procurement, installation, testing, and commissioning
activities as soon as possible after the Concession Start Date. This schedule shall identify
major milestones, Authority review and approval requirements, and any required phasing
or sequencing to ensure continuity of airport operations.
Additionally, Proposers shall identify any interim improvements required to maintain and
maximize the existing advertising program during the transition period and shall specify
whether such improvements are incorporated into the capital investment, reflected in
revenue projections, or necessary to achieve performance standards as defined in the
Operations scope. Unless otherwise approved in writing by the Authority, all new assets
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