Comprehensive Air Service Development, Analytics, and Economic Impact Consulting Services

The Authority is seeking qualified Respondent(s) to provide comprehensive air service development, analytics, and economic impact consulting 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 100 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 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 ending September 30, 2025, the Airport served over twenty-five (25) million passengers and generated revenues totaling $483.1 million. The Authority expects to handle 25.9 million passengers in Fiscal Year 2026.

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.

The Authority must determine needs and priorities of the region and set both short and long range goals for attaining air service. In addition, the Authority recognizes that the Tampa Bay Region must compete for air service with other communities in the United States and throughout the world.

The Authority is guided by the following objectives for air service development:

1. Identify and secure key domestic and international air service markets that are underserved or not served;
2. Increase awareness of the Tampa Bay Region with targeted air carriers;
3. Maintain and build relationships with domestic and international air carriers;
4. Educate businesses and vested community members in the Tampa Bay Region about relevant air service development initiatives and opportunities; and
5. Work to unite businesses and vested community members in the Tampa Bay Region in an effort to optimize marketing efforts and resources.

As part of the air service development efforts, the Authority will:

1. Determine the air service priorities and needs of the Tampa Bay Region through the development of an annual domestic and international strategic plan;
2. Maintain a program of industry contacts to promote the Tampa Bay Region with air carrier decision makers;
3. Be responsible for the management and implementation of a strategic plan to achieve the objectives for air service development;
4. Support the negotiation of air service agreements between the United States and those countries that seek such arrangements;
5. Actively participate in Federal and State lobbying efforts;
6. Coordinate its air service efforts with State and local organizations and the respective interests of the business communities of the Tampa Bay Region and collaborate with its regional partners; and
7. Strive to ensure that its planning and capital investments will meet the facility requirements of the needed air service to the Tampa Bay Region.

To assist with the Airport global services, Respondent must have demonstrated experience in providing air service development, analytics, and consulting services to domestic and international airports in at least one of the categories below.

Category 1: Air Service Development, Analytics, and Consulting Services

Category 2: Economic Impact Consulting Services

Respondent may submit a Response for one or both of the above categories. The Authority may award one or more Contracts per category. The Authority reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to select from any of the Awarded Respondent(s) from either of the above categories to complete any identified air service development related project as needed for that category. Project tasks will be approved and executed using Work Orders, based on the proposed hourly service rates. The Authority does not guarantee any amount of work. Note: A Respondent cannot have a current contract with a competing airport to provide similar Services as detailed in Attachment A, Sample Contract for Air Service Development, Analytics, and Consulting Services, Exhibit A, and/or Attachment B, Sample Contract for Economic Impact Consulting Services, Exhibit A.

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.

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(s) in providing Services.