Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) Replacement

The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority (Authority) invites interested Design-Build firms (Respondent) to submit qualifications to provide professional design and construction services in accordance with Florida Statute Section 287.055 for the design and construction of the Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) Replacement (Project) at Tampa International Airport (TPA). This Project will be designed and constructed using the progressive Design-Build methodology.

Background

The existing ATCT facility was constructed in the early 1970s and is in need of replacement. TPA’s existing ATCT is operated, owned, and maintained by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The FAA, in conjunction with the Authority, has determined that an acceptable location for the new ATCT is Site 18A, which is within an approximately 2-acre parcel located at the northwest quadrant of the Main Terminal complex.

Since the FAA’s approval, it has been determined that the ATCT location needs to be adjusted.  The Authority has submitted an adjusted ATCT location to the FAA, which is approximately 40 feet west of Site 18A. The adjusted ATCT location is identified as Site 18C and is currently under review by the FAA. See Exhibit A, Conceptual Site Layout Plan, which represents the conceptual site layout plan for the ATCT facility and includes the new ATCT's adjusted location.

The Project’s location is currently under construction, featuring an elevated guideway for shuttle car service between the Main Terminal and the new Airside D. Construction is expected to be completed in February 2027. The Authority’s goal is to complete the ATCT structure and remove the cranes by March 1, 2029, ahead of Airside D’s May 2029 opening.

The Authority and the FAA are in the process of finalizing an agreement whereby the Authority will contract for and manage the design and construction of the Project. The FAA will be included as a major stakeholder in all facets and approvals of the design and construction of the Project.

The FAA will be responsible for the design, furnishing, installation, testing, and commissioning of all FAA required electronic and operational systems (FAA Equipment).

Funding for this Project is provided through a contribution from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

Project Details

• Reference ID: 7915 27
• Department: Planning and Development
• Department Head: Jeff Siddle (Vice President of Planning and Development)

Important Dates

• Questions Due: 2026-07-15T21:00:00.000Z
• Pre-Proposal Meeting: 2026-07-02T14:00:00.000Z — In-Person: Authority Boardroom - SkyCenter, which is located on the fourth floor of the SkyCenter One Office Building at 5411 SkyCenter Dr, Tampa, FL 33607 Parking Instructions: Parking for the public to access SkyCenter is in the parking garage directly next to SkyCenter. The gate arm of the parking garage will be in the raised position. Respondent will park on Level 5 or 6 of the parking garage. Respondents will NOT park in front of the SkyCenter building or the cell phone lot. OR Microsoft Teams ® Call-In: 1 813-694-2596 Conference ID: 904 614 399# Click here to join the Microsoft Teams Meeting: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/228524354911171?p=sNbMDZUzEBLI5r9gsm

Meetings & Milestones

Evaluation Criteria

• Respondent's Organizational Structure (limit four (4) pages excluding Appendix B) (5 pts) —
  1. Fully complete and submit Appendix B, entitled Respondent’s Team By Discipline Data Form. Submit the name of the firm(s) that will perform each discipline and indicate whether firm(s) is a DBE. If more than one firm is listed for a discipline, then label which firm is the “Lead” firm for that discipline. Firms may perform more than one discipline.
  2. Submit an organizational diagram clearly identifying Key Personnel in Appendix C, entitled Key Personnel Data Form, as well as the firms listed in Appendix B. For those individuals listed in Appendix C, include each individual’s name, title, firm, and their functional relationship to each other. Individuals may not serve in more than one role. (11x17 format is acceptable)
  3. Provide a written narrative clearly defining the responsibilities, contractual relationships, and roles of all firms listed in Appendix B. If a DBE firm is to be used and is not listed in Appendix B, explain the relationship, responsibilities, and roles of that DBE firm. If there are two or more firms of the same discipline listed in Appendix B, clearly explain the relationship, responsibilities, and roles of each firm in detail.
• Key Personnel Staffing (19 pts) —
  1. Fully complete and submit Appendix C. Include only those Key Personnel and their respective firm names listed on the form. Individuals may not serve in more than one role.
  2. Fully complete and submit Appendix D, entitled Key Personnel Project References, for each Key Personnel listed in Appendix C. Provide two project references for projects completed since January 1, 2006.
  3. Fully complete and submit Appendices E.1 - E.3, entitled Key Personnel Resumes, for each of the Key Personnel listed in Appendix C. List previous work by Key Personnel in which they had an identifiable, responsible role for projects completed since January 1, 2006, or projects that are underway, whether or not with their current firm. List no more than two projects for the Key Personnel listed in Appendix C. Complete Appendix E.2 for each assignment submitted. These pages may be duplicated as many times as necessary.
  4. The following are the Key Personnel listed in Appendix C. The definitions do not cover all of their responsibilities.

  Key Personnel

  1.    Project Director: Serves as the single lead for the selected Respondent and acts as the primary point of contact with the Authority. Responsible for the overall management and delivery of the Project.

  2.    Project Manager for Design: Responsible for design team management and oversight of the design of the Project. 

  3.    Project Manager for Construction: Responsible for preconstruction services and the management and oversight of all construction aspects. 

  4.    Lead ATCT Architectural Designer: Responsible for developing and leading all FAA ATCT specific design requirements, functional space allocation, and development of design documents.

  5.    Lead Structural Engineer: Responsible for developing and leading all structural components and the development of design documents.

  6.     Lead Electrical Engineer: Responsible for developing and leading all electrical components and the development of design documents.

  7.    Lead Mechanical Engineer: Responsible for developing and leading all mechanical components and the development of design documents.

  8.    Lead Civil Engineer: Responsible for developing and leading all civil components and the development of design documents.

  9.    General Superintendent for Construction: Responsible for coordinating all construction activities.

• Respondent’s and ATCT Architectural Firm’s Experience in Work of Comparable Scope and Complexity (limit six (6) pages, excluding Appendices F.1 and F.2) (19 pts) —

  For purposes of responding to this Section, emphasis should be placed on experience in the design and construction of comparable projects of similar scope and complexity.

  1. Fully complete and submit Appendix F.1, entitled Respondent’s Experience in Work of Comparable Scope and Complexity. List no more than two projects of comparable scope and complexity that have been completed by the Respondent as the prime contract holder for the projects. List only projects which have been completed since January 1, 2006, or projects that are underway. Projects must have been completed by the Respondent and not by one of the Respondent’s team members. For purposes of this Section, the Respondent may submit projects which were completed by its parent, subsidiary, affiliate, sister company, or a firm that was acquired by the Respondent, and should notate such in Appendix F.1. Representative photographs and exhibits supporting the listed projects are permitted.
  2. Fully complete and submit Appendix F.2, entitled ATCT Architectural Firm’s Experience in Work of Comparable Scope and Complexity. List no more than two projects of comparable scope and complexity which have been completed by the ATCT Architectural Firm as the designer of record for the projects. List only projects which have been completed since January 1, 2006, or projects that are underway. For purposes of this Section, the ATCT Architectural Firm may submit projects which were completed by its parent, subsidiary, affiliate, or sister company. Representative photographs and exhibits supporting the listed projects are permitted.
• Location (5 pts) —
  1. Fully complete and submit Appendix G, entitled Location, for the Key Personnel listed in Appendix C. Include addresses of the proposed daily working office during design and the proposed daily working office during construction.

   

  2. Provide a narrative describing how the Respondent will manage personnel in multiple locations, if applicable.

   

  The Authority will evaluate this criterion to determine how the Respondent’s Key Personnel’s locations will provide the best value to the Project.

• Estimating and Cost Control (limit three (3) pages) (5 pts) —
  1. It is the Authority’s intent to contract for the design and construction of this work on a cost-of-work basis with a not-to-exceed limit. Describe how the Respondent will develop and control design and construction costs for the Project.

   

  2. Describe how the Respondent will meet the Authority’s intent to receive and evaluate competitive bids in the preparation of the GMP. 
• Approach to the Project (limit fourteen (14) pages for Items A, B, C, and D below) (19 pts) —
  1. Describe in detail the Respondent’s approach to the planning, design, stakeholder coordination, permitting, phasing, scheduling, and construction of the Project. The Respondent should take into consideration the operational needs of all TPA stakeholders during the construction of the Project. The Respondent should describe its innovative strategies for designing solutions that reduce Project time and costs for Project delivery success, as well as innovative technologies used during construction to monitor progress, milestones, and accuracy. The Respondent should draw upon previous similar experiences of the Respondent’s team and elaborate on how such experience may be applied to the Project.
  2. Submit a schedule that depicts a proposed timeline for design and construction beginning at Board award of the Part 1 Contract through substantial completion. The schedule should include the Part 1 Contract, Part 2 Contract with Supplemental Contracts as needed to support the Project. The Part 1 Contract, the Part 2 Contract, all Supplemental Contracts require Authority Board approval. Final Part 1 and Part 2 Contract negotiations must be completed five weeks prior to the scheduled Board meeting date. 

      

     The Authority’s goal is to complete the ATCT structure and remove the cranes by March 1, 2029, in advance of opening Airside D in May 2029.

     The schedule shall exclude the FAA’s design, installation, testing, and commissioning of its equipment.

  3. Describe in detail the Respondent’s approach to providing quality control services throughout the design and construction phases of the Project.
  4. As consideration of the Respondent’s recent, current, and projected workloads, the Respondent must state the commitment and availability of all Key Personnel listed in Appendix C by providing a signed letter of commitment
• Interviews (20 pts) —

  The Authority may require each Respondent to participate in an interview with the technical evaluation committee. Participation is subject to the shortlisting process detailed in Section 10.0, Technical Evaluation. The interview will address the Respondent’s qualifications, approach to the Project, ability to furnish the required services, and any other questions arising from the technical evaluation committee meeting(s). The person identified in Appendix C as the Respondent’s Project Director must attend and will be expected to lead the interview for the Respondent.  Other key members of the Respondent’s team may be invited to attend by the Respondent’s Project Director, and their contributions will be included in the evaluation scoring. Interviews will also include up to a 30-minute presentation, with an additional 30 minutes for questions from the technical evaluation committee. Copies of presentations, whether hard or electronic, must be furnished to the Authority at the time of the interview. Equipment is available for PowerPoint presentations.

• Volume of Work Previously Awarded (5 pts) —

  The Authority will evaluate the volume of work previously awarded by the Authority to each Respondent, with the objective being to affect an equitable distribution of work among qualified firms. The volume of work previously awarded shall be defined as all payments received by the Respondent from the Authority over the previous five years from the date this Solicitation was posted. Acquisitions and name changes of firms will be considered when evaluating work previously awarded. The volume of work will not include payments for subcontracted work.  The maximum point value a Respondent can receive for this criterion is five.

  Each Respondent must submit Appendix M, Volume of Work, identifying the total amount of payments received by the Respondent from the Authority over the previous five years from the date this Solicitation was posted.  Appendix M, Volume of Work, will be included in this tabbed Section 9.9. The Procurement Agent will review Appendix M and compare it to the payment amounts recorded by the Authority. If there are any discrepancies between the two amounts, the Procurement Agent will make the final determination regarding the total volume of work. The Procurement Agent will provide the volume of work score for each Respondent after the technical evaluation committee’s evaluation and add it to the technical evaluation scoring matrix.

  To determine the scoring for this criterion, the Authority will establish a scale based on the payments received over the previous five years from the date this Solicitation was posted. The Respondent that received the largest sum of payments will score zero (0) points.

  EXAMPLE:

  Scenario: The following firms (A, B, C, D, and E) have received the following payments from the Authority over the previous five years from the date this Solicitation was posted:

  Firm	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	Total
  A	$1,000,000	$1,200,000	$1,250,000	$1,275,000	$1,675,000	$6,400,000
  B	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0
  C	$4,000,000	$1,500,000	$2,750,000	$2,200,000	$750,000	$11,200,000
  D	$0	$0	$220,000	$0	$0	$220,000
  E	$0	$0	$0	$400,000	$2,000,000	$2,400,000

   

  Takeaways: Firm C received the largest sum of payments from the Authority, totaling $11,200,000, thereby earning zero points and establishing the scale for other firms to be evaluated against.

  Scale Increment Calculation: Firm C’s total of $11,200,000 will be divided by five (5) to establish the standard increments of the scale. 

  ($11,200,000 / 5) = $2,240,000

  Scale Distribution:  The scale has been established as follows, beginning with the standard increment less one dollar ($2,240,000 - $1 = $2,239,999):

  Scale Increments	$0-$2,239,999	$2,240,000-$4,479,999	$4,480,000-$6,719,999	$6,720,000-$8,959,999	$8,960,000-$11,199,999	≥$11,200,000
  Volume of Work Score	5	4	3	2	1	0

   

  Points Awarded: Points will be awarded based on the scale above:

  Firm	Total	VOW Score
  A	$6,400,000	3
  B	$0	5
  C	$11,200,000	0
  D	$220,000	5
  E	$2,400,000	4

• Respondent Certification as a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) (3 pts) —

  If the Respondent is a certified minority business enterprise as defined by the Florida Small and Minority Business Act, the Respondent must submit certification documentation. Respondents that are a certified minority business enterprise will receive the maximum score for the MBE category. Respondents that are not certified will receive a score of zero. Respondent must confirm if the Respondent is a certified MBE and provide MBE certification documentation.

Submission Requirements

• Minimum Qualifications —

  Minimum qualifications have been established as a basis for determining the eligibility of each submitted Response. A submitted Response will be determined non-responsive and will not be considered unless sufficient documentation is provided to determine whether the Respondent meets the minimum qualifications listed below:

• Fully complete and submit Appendix A.2, entitled Minimum Qualifications Form. (required) —

  Provide detailed documentation of one completed Design-Bid-Build, Design-Build, or CM@Risk project as the Prime Contractor, which included the construction of a new air traffic control tower at a small, medium, or large hub airport since January 1, 2006.  

  For purposes of this Section, the Respondent may submit a project that was completed by its parent, subsidiary, affiliate, sister company, or a firm that was acquired by the Respondent. 

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Respondent had a representative sign-in and attend the Mandatory Pre-Solicitation Conference or had a representative attend the Mandatory Pre-Solicitation Conference on-line via Microsoft Teams®. (required) —

  NOTE: To be considered as attending the Mandatory Pre-Solicitation Conference, the prospective Respondent must have signed in on a sign-in sheet prior to the start of the Mandatory Pre-Solicitation Conference or signed in to Microsoft Teams® and be identified by the Procurement Agent at the start of the Mandatory Pre-Solicitation Conference.

  Provide the name of Respondent’s representative who attended the mandatory Pre-Solicitation Conference in-person or via Microsoft Teams®

• Respondent is required to confirm that, if awarded by the Board, Respondent will register with PaymentWorks and select one of the Authority's electronic payment methods. (required)
• Respondent must be registered with the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations to do business in the State of Florida prior to submitting a response. (required) —

  Upload a screenshot or picture of the Respondent's proof of registration at www.sunbiz.org.

• Respondent must not be on the Florida Department of Management Services, Convicted Vendor List, as defined in Section 287.133(3)(d), Florida Statutes. (www.dms.myflorida.com). No documentation from Respondent is required. The Authority will verify the status. (required)
• Respondent must have the ability to obtain the insurance coverages and limits as required in Appendix L. (required)
• Respondent must not be on the Federal Convicted Vendor list. (www.sam.gov). (required) —

  No documentation from Respondent is required. The Authority will verify the status.

• Respondent must not be on the Florida Department of Transportation Contractor Suspension List. (https://www.fdot.gov/construction/legal/newsuspension.shtm). (required) —

  No documentation from Respondent is required. The Authority will verify the status.

• Respondent must not be on the Scrutinized Companies with Activities in Sudan List, the Scrutinized Companies with Activities in the Iran Petroleum Energy Sector List, the Scrutinized Companies that Boycott Israel List, be engaged in a boycott of Israel, or have been engaged in business operations in Cuba or Syria, as detailed in Section 9.13. (required) —

  No documentation from Respondent is required. The Authority will verify the status.

• Respondent must meet the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) participation goal requirement as stated in Section 9.10 and submit Appendices H.1 and H.2 as required in Section 9.10. (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Required Forms
• Fully complete and submit Appendix A.1, entitled Respondent's Information. (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• The Respondent’s and the Respondent’s team members’ most current GSA Standard Form 330, Part II. (required)
• A copy of the Respondent’s and the Respondent’s team members’ current Florida professional registration certificate(s) for the services to be furnished. (required)
• Is Respondent qualified by the Florida Department of Transportation? (required)
• Respondent must provide a copy of the Respondent’s and Respondent’s team members’ certification(s). (required)
• Appendix J - Scrutinized Company Certification (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Appendix N - Conflict of Interest Checklist (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Appendix O, Airport Improvement Project Certification (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Evaluation Criteria - Respondent's Organizational Structure —

  (limit four (4) pages excluding Appendix B)

• Fully complete and submit Appendix B, entitled Respondent’s Team By Discipline Data Form. Submit the name of the firm(s) that will perform each discipline and indicate whether firm(s) is a DBE. If more than one firm is listed for a discipline, then label which firm is the “Lead” firm for that discipline. Firms may perform more than one discipline. (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Submit an organizational diagram clearly identifying Key Personnel in Appendix C, entitled Key Personnel Data Form, as well as the firms listed in Appendix B. For those individuals listed in Appendix C, include each individual’s name, title, firm, and their functional relationship to each other. Individuals may serve in more than one role. (11x17 format is acceptable) (required)
• Provide a written response clearly defining the responsibilities, contractual relationships, and roles of all firms listed in Appendix B. If a DBE firm is to be used and is not listed in Appendix B, explain the relationship, responsibilities, and roles of that DBE firm. If there are two or more firms of the same discipline listed in Appendix B, clearly explain the relationship, responsibilities, and roles of each firm in detail. (required)
• Evaluation Criteria - Key Personnel Staffing
• Fully complete and submit Appendix C. Include only those Key Personnel and their respective firm names listed on the form. Individuals may not serve in more than one role. (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Fully complete and submit Appendix D, entitled Key Personnel Project References, for each Key Personnel listed in Appendix C. Provide two project references for projects completed since January 1, 2006. (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Fully complete and submit Appendices E.1 - E.3, entitled Key Personnel Resumes, for each of the Key Personnel listed in Appendix C. List previous work by Key Personnel in which they had an identifiable, responsible role for projects completed since January 1, 2006, or projects that are underway, whether or not with their current firm. List no more than two projects for the Key Personnel listed in Appendix C. (required) —

  Complete Appendix E.2 for each project submitted. These pages may be duplicated as many times as necessary.

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Evaluation Criteria - Respondent’s and ATCT Architectural Firm’s Experience in Work of Comparable Scope and Complexity (limit six (6) pages, excluding Appendices F.1 and F.2) —

  For purposes of responding to this Section, emphasis should be placed on experience in the design and construction of comparable projects of similar scope and complexity.

• Fully complete and submit Appendix F.1, entitled Respondent’s Experience in Work of Comparable Scope and Complexity. (required) —

  List no more than two projects of comparable scope and complexity that have been completed by the Respondent as the prime contract holder for the projects. List only projects which have been completed since January 1, 2006, or projects that are underway. Projects must have been completed by the Respondent and not by one of the Respondent’s team members. For purposes of this Section, the Respondent may submit projects which were completed by its parent, subsidiary, affiliate, sister company, or a firm that was acquired by the Respondent, and should notate such in Appendix F.1. 

  Representative photographs and exhibits supporting the listed projects are permitted.

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Fully complete and submit Appendix F.2, entitled ATCT Architectural Firm’s Experience in Work of Comparable Scope and Complexity. (required) —

  List no more than two projects of comparable scope and complexity which have been completed by the ATCT Architectural Firm as the designer of record for the projects. List only projects which have been completed since January 1, 2006, or projects that are underway. For purposes of this Section, the ATCT Architectural Firm may submit projects which were completed by its parent, subsidiary, affiliate, or sister company. 

  Representative photographs and exhibits supporting the listed projects are permitted. 

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Evaluation Criteria - Location
• Fully complete and submit Appendix G, entitled Location, for the Key Personnel listed in Appendix C. Include addresses of the proposed daily working office during design and the proposed daily working office during construction. (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Provide a narrative describing how the Respondent will manage personnel in multiple locations, if applicable. (required)
• Evaluation Criteria - Estimating and Cost Control (limit three (3) pages)
• It is the Authority’s intent to contract for the design and construction of this work on a cost-of-work basis with a not-to-exceed limit. Describe how the Respondent will develop and control design and construction costs for the Project. (required)
• Describe how the Respondent will meet the Authority’s intent to receive and evaluate competitive bids in the preparation of the GMP. (required)
• Evaluation Criteria - Approach to the Project (limit fourteen (14) pages for Items 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, and 8.4 below)
• Describe in detail the Respondent’s approach to the planning, design, stakeholder coordination, permitting, phasing, scheduling, and construction of the Project. (required) —

  The Respondent should take into consideration the operational needs of all TPA stakeholders during the construction of the Project. The Respondent should describe its innovative strategies for designing solutions that reduce Project time and costs for Project delivery success, as well as innovative technologies used during construction to monitor progress, milestones, and accuracy. The Respondent should draw upon previous similar experiences of the Respondent’s team and elaborate on how such experience may be applied to the Project.

• Submit a schedule that depicts a proposed timeline for design and construction beginning at Board award of the Part 1 Contract through substantial completion. (required) —

  Submit a schedule that depicts a proposed timeline for design and construction beginning at Board award of the Part 1 Contract through substantial completion. The schedule should include the Part 1 Contract, Part 2 Contract with Supplemental Contracts as needed to support the Project. The Part 1 Contract, the Part 2 Contract, and all Supplemental Contracts require Authority Board approval. Final Part 1 and Part 2 Contract negotiations must be completed five weeks prior to the scheduled Board meeting date.  

  The Authority’s goal is to complete the ATCT structure and remove the cranes by March 1, 2029, in advance of opening Airside D in May 2029.

  The schedule shall exclude the FAA’s design, installation, testing, and commissioning of its equipment.

• Describe in detail the Respondent’s approach to providing quality control services throughout the design and construction phases of the Project. (required)
• As consideration of the Respondent’s recent, current, and projected workloads, the Respondent must state the commitment and availability of all Key Personnel listed in Appendix C by providing a signed letter of commitment. (required)
• Evaluation Criteria - Volume of Work Previously Awarded
• Each Respondent must submit Appendix M, Volume of Work, identifying the total amount of payments received by the Respondent from the Authority over the previous five years from the date this Solicitation was posted. Appendix M, Volume of Work, will be included in tabbed Section 9.9 of the Solicitation. (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Evaluation Criteria - Respondent Certification as a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE)
• Is the Respondent a certified MBE? (required)
• Provide MBE certification documentation. (required)