Bond Counsel Services

The Authority was created in 1945 and is an independent special district governed by the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority Act, Chapter 2022-252, Laws of Florida (Act). This Act provides that the Authority will have exclusive jurisdiction, control, supervision and management over all publicly-owned airports in Hillsborough County.

The Airport is a major economic driver for the Tampa Bay region and is the gateway to the west coast of Florida. The Airport is consistently ranked among the world’s most beloved airports, serving more than 25 million annual passengers with routes to more than 90 nonstop destinations. The Airport has received top awards at the state, national and international level, including being ranked the #1 Large Airport in North America by J.D. Power in 2022 and 2023, as well as the #1 Large Airport in USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards in 2024. The Airport has now completed several projects in the largest construction program in its history with a major Main Terminal renovation, 66 shops and restaurants, a 1.4-mile automated people mover extending to a multi-level rental car facility, award-winning Blue Express Curbsides for faster passenger drop-off and pick-up, a nine-story office complex, and numerous new public art installations including a world-famous 21-foot pink flamingo sculpture in the Main Terminal. In late 2024, the Airport broke ground on a new 16-gate terminal, Airside D, which is expected to be completed in 2028.

The Airport is served by more than twenty (20) commercial airlines operating from four (4) Airside Terminals: Airside Terminal A with sixteen (16) gates; Airside Terminal C with sixteen (16) gates; Airside Terminal E with thirteen (13) gates; and Airside Terminal F with thirteen (13) gates. During the Authority Fiscal Year 2024, the Airport served over twenty-five (25) million passengers and generated revenues totaling $427.9 million. The Authority expects to handle 24.9 million passengers in Fiscal Year 2025.

The Authority is a self-supporting organization and generates revenues from Airport users to fund operating expenses and debt service requirements. Capital projects are funded through the use of bonds, short-term financing, passenger facility charges, State and Federal grants and internally generated funds. Although empowered to levy ad valorem property taxes, the Authority has not collected any tax funds since the early 1970s.

Respondent must have considerable experience in services related to the issuance of municipal revenue bonds and the requirements for bond counsel, tax counsel and legal advice as specified in this Solicitation. The Awarded Respondent will be required to perform the Services set forth in the Scope of Work Section below as well as other services generally provided by firms providing bond counsel services.

The Authority intends to award a Bond Counsel Services Contract and a Contract for Bond Disclosure Counsel Services (to be selected under a separate Request for Proposals) to different firms. The same firm cannot be awarded both the Bond Counsel Services Contract and the Contract for Bond Disclosure Counsel Services.

By the end of Fiscal Year 2024, the Authority had general airport revenue bonds (senior and subordinate lien) outstanding in the total amount of $1,751,995,400. The Authority anticipates its next planned bond issuance in Fiscal Year 2026.

During it's last five Fiscal Years, the Authority’s financing program has consisted of the following issues:

Hillsborough County Aviation Authority Issuances

The Authority mission and vision statements, found on the Authority website at www.TampaAirport.com > Business & Careers> Business Opportunities > Supplier Resources > Working with Procurement, will serve as the platform to guide the Awarded Respondent in providing the Services.

The background information provided in this Section is intended only to give prospective Respondents a brief familiarization with the Authority and the Airport. All Airport data provided as part of this Solicitation is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as a guarantee of business. The information shown herein has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable. However, the Authority and its Board, officers, employees, agents, and contractors are not liable for the accuracy of the information or for its use by Respondent. Respondent must examine and inspect this Solicitation and all its appendices, attachments, and exhibits to be knowledgeable of the requirements and terms and conditions. Respondent must independently evaluate circumstances and conditions that may affect its Response and its ability to provide the required Services.