Market Research and Insight Development

The Authority is seeking Responses from qualified Respondents to provide market research and insight development. The purpose of this Solicitation is to designate a primary research provider who will conduct various Authority research projects designed to gauge consumer sentiment and provide data-driven insights in support of the Authority’s strategic initiatives. The range of Services required will vary depending on the objective of each individual project and the Awarded Respondent(s) will provide Services on an on-call, as-needed basis.

Background

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 24.5 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.

Airports Council International’s (ACI) Airport Service Quality (ASQ) program is the globally recognized benchmarking program that measures passengers satisfaction while they are travelling through an airport, capturing their experience while it is still fresh in their minds. The ASQ program provides the research tools and management information to better understand a passenger's views on their experience giving the Authority important information on how they can improve the Airport. Surveys are currently conducted at over 400 airports worldwide with annual awards given to the top performers in their respective categories.

Of the ASQ programs offered by ACI, the Airport participates in the ASQ Departures Survey program which was launched in 2006. The survey is self-completed by departing Passengers and collected using tablets. It is the most established program and the program for which ASQ has the most subscribers. The Authority is looking for a trusted supplier to perform the data collection for the ASQ Departures Survey program in the Airport. ASQ is responsible for providing research tools and management information. As a subscriber, the Authority must collect data while respecting all fieldwork collection rules and guidelines as laid out by ASQ. The Airport’s ability to be considered for an annual award is based on compliance with ASQ’s rules and guidelines for fieldwork collection in order to retain benchmarking integrity.

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.

Project Details

• Department: Marketing
• Department Head: Jon Vaden (Director of Marketing)

Important Dates

• Questions Due: 2026-05-20T21:00:00.000Z
• Answers Posted By: 2026-05-27T21:00:00.000Z
• Pre-Proposal Meeting: 2026-05-14T14:30:00.000Z — In Person: Conference Room SC4-C3 - SkyCenter OR Microsoft Teams ® Call-In: 1 813-694-2596 Conference ID: 802 049 481# Click here to join the Microsoft Teams Meeting: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/25572753009868?p=nrhtKHsa92IdhJjirK

Meetings & Milestones

Evaluation Criteria

• Respondent's Overall Experience and Background (25 pts) —

  The evaluation of the Respondent includes, at a minimum:

  a) Number of years that the Respondent has been in business providing Services;

  b) Explanation of the number of years Respondent has been in business providing Services;

  c) Organizational structure for performing the Services;

  d) Respondent's failure to complete a contract or early termination from any contract prior to the completion of the service;

  e) Whether a surety paid for completion or termination of a contract on the Respondent’s behalf;

  f) Quality of examples/deliverables of previous work, to include two (2) in-person surveys with details regarding survey purpose, time frame to complete work, responses gathered, and the conclusion of the analysis along with two (2) focus group projects with similar details, similar in size and scope to the Services being contemplated by the Authority;

  g) Respondent's relevant experience in the fields necessary to complete the Services;

  h) Adherence to schedules, deadlines, and budgets based on previous work examples;

  i) Overall experience conducting face-to-face surveys;

  j) Experience with ASQ; and

  k) Experience conducting a minimum of 1200 surveys.

  Additional consideration will be given for:

  a) Feedback from client references; and

  b) Previous experience, if any, with conducting surveys, research, and fieldwork services for medium or large hub airports.

• Assigned Project Team (15 pts) —

  The evaluation of the Respondent includes, at a minimum:

  a) Professional qualification and education of each proposed team member;

  b) Description of each team member's relevant prior work experience and the results that came from the work performed;

  c) Staffing plan, including schedule and job descriptions for ASQ;

  d) Hiring and training process for ASQ surveys;

  e) General rules of employee conduct;

  f) Turnover rate of salaried and hourly employees; and

  g) In-person data collection experience.

  Additional consideration will be given for:

  a) Feedback from client references; and

  b) Each proposed team member's experience, if any, with conducting surveys, research, and fieldwork services for medium or large hub airports.

• Methodology and Approach (20 pts) —

  The evaluation of the Respondent includes, at a minimum:

  a) Respondent's ability to meet strict survey methodology requirements, and approach to ensuring deliverables are achieved with inflexible timelines;

  b) Quality of relevant sample survey and final report of survey results, including visual appeal, ease of reading, and appropriateness for submission to Authority leadership; and

  c) Creativity in development and delivery of superior and effective survey instruments;

  d) Effectiveness of the approach to conducting in-person surveys, focus groups and providing reports that include meaningful and actionable feedback;

  e) Strategy for assuring team availability and accessibility;

  f) Respondent's plans to follow established guidelines by ACI; and

  g) Project organization, including tablet availability.

• Interviews (20 pts) —

  The evaluation of the Respondent includes, at a minimum:

  a) Knowledge demonstrated by the Respondent’s representatives who attend the interview; and

  b) Creativity of the conceptual ideas and vision for the Services.

  Additional consideration will be given for:

  a) Creative presentation style and content relevance which includes ability to answer the technical evaluation committee's questions clearly and concisely.

  NOTE: Clarification of information submitted in the Response that is provided in the Interview can have an effect on the scores and rankings for other evaluation criteria previously scored.

• Fees- Qualitative Research (5 pts) —

  The fees proposed by the Respondent in the Cost Proposal will be based on a mathematical calculation to obtain scoring for each Response relative to the other Responses received. The focus will be on the Respondent's proposed Qualitative Research Fee as evaluated relative to the other proposed rates.

• Revenue (10 pts) —

  The revenue proposed by the Respondent in the Cost Proposal will be based on a mathematical calculation to obtain scoring for each Response relative to the other Responses received. The focus will be on the Respondent's <proposed hourly service rates>, as evaluated relative to the other proposed rates.

• Fees - Quantitative Research (5 pts) —

  The fees proposed by the Respondent in the Cost Proposal will be based on a mathematical calculation to obtain scoring for each Response relative to the other Responses received. The focus will be on the Respondent's proposed Quantitative Research Fee as evaluated relative to the other proposed rates.

• Fees-ASQ Data Collection (10 pts) —

  The fees proposed by the Respondent in the Cost Proposal will be based on a mathematical calculation to obtain scoring for each Response relative to the other Responses received. The focus will be on the Respondent's proposed ASQ Data Collection Fee, as evaluated relative to the other proposed rates.

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:

• Respondent is registered with the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations to do business in the State of Florida. (www.sunbiz.org) (required)
• Respondent confirms that, if awarded by the Board, Respondent will register with PaymentWorks and select one of the Authority's electronic payment methods. (required)
• Respondent is NOT listed on the Florida Department of Management Services, Convicted Vendor List as defined in Section 287.133(3)(d), Florida Statutes. (https://www.dms.myflorida.com/business_operations/state_purchasing/state_agency_resources/vendor_registration_and_vendor_lists/convicted_vendor_list) (required)
• Respondent confirms it has the ability to obtain the insurance coverage and limits as required in Attachment A, Sample Contract for Market Research and Insight Development. (required)
• Respondent confirms it has the ability to obtain the insurance coverage and limits as required in the Solicitation Documents. (required)
• Respondent is NOT listed on the Scrutinized Companies with Activities in Sudan List or the Scrutinized Companies with Activities in the Iran Petroleum Energy Sector List or the Scrutinized Companies that Boycott Israel List or is engaged in business operations in Cuba or Syria, as detailed in the Solicitation Documents. (https://www.sbafla.com/governance/global-governance-mandates/) (required)
• Respondent meets the SBE requirements as stated in the Solicitation and has completed the SBE Assurance and Participation forms. (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Respondent meets the ACDBE requirements as stated in the Solicitation and has completed the ACDBE Assurance and Participation form.* Please download the below documents, complete, and upload. (required) —

  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 had a representative sign-in and attend the Mandatory Site Tour. (required) —

  NOTE: To be considered as attending the Mandatory Site Tour, a prospective Respondent must have signed in on a sign-in sheet prior to the start of the Mandatory Site Tour.

   

  Provide the name of Respondent’s representative who attended the Mandatory Site Tour.

• Respondent has submitted the Proposal Guaranty as detailed in the Solicitation. (required) —

  Please attach a copy of the original bank certified or cashier's check or a bid bond.

  The original bank certified or cashier's check or bid bond must be mailed to:

  Hillsborough County Aviation Authority, Attn: Procurement, P. O. Box 22287, Tampa, Florida 33622

• Respondent confirms Respondent will complete the Authority Information Technology Services security questionnaire within seven (7) calendar days upon request by the Authority. (required)
• Respondent has completed the Respondent Experience Form to demonstrate Respondent has, within the past eight (8) years, a minimum of five (5) years of experience in developing, executing, and summarizing quantitative and qualitative market research. (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Respondent has completed the Respondent Experience Form to demonstrate Respondent has within the last three (3) years immediately preceding the post of this Solicitation, conducted at least two (2) public surveys with at least 1,000 respondents per survey and developed and facilitated at least two (2) qualitative market research and analysis projects (ex. focus groups and telephone surveys). (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Respondent has completed the Respondent Experience Form to demonstrate Respondent has a minimum of four (4) years' experience since January 1, 2020 facilitating in-person customer self-completion surveys (a minimum of 350 per quarter). (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Respondent has completed the Foreign Country of Concern Attestation and confirms that it will provide its latest System and Organization Control 2 Type 2 (SOC 2 Type 2) report prepared by a qualified, licensed, and independent CPA firm or agency accredited by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) if recommended for award. (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Required Forms —

  Respondent must complete and submit the information requested below.

• Respondent has completed and submitted the Respondent Information Form. (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Respondent proposes the following individual as the Project Manager. The Project Manager is levelsthe individual designated by Respondent that will be responsible for ensuring Respondent complies with all terms and conditions of the Contract, including the Scope of Services detailed in Attachment A, Sample Contract for Market Research and Insight Development, Article 3, Scope of Services. (required) —

  Provide the name, title, office mailing address, phone number and email address for the proposed Project Manager.

• Attest if the Respondent provides services to anyone related to or employed by the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority (Authority), including Authority Board members. (required)
• If yes, provide a detailed explanation.
• Attest if the Respondent employs any individual related to an employee of the Authority, including Authority Board members. (required)
• If yes, provide a detailed explanation.
• Has Respondent ever been involved in a bankruptcy or financial reorganization? (required)
• If yes, provide a detailed explanation.
• Is Respondent involved in any current or pending litigation? (required)
• If yes, provide a detailed explanation.
• Respondent has completed and submitted the Scrutinized Company Certification Form. (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Respondent has completed and submitted the Acknowledgement of Response Form. (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Respondent has completed and submitted the Signature Authority Form. (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Respondent has completed and submitted the SBE Assurance and Participation Form. (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Respondent has completed and submitted the ACDBE Assurance and Participation Form. (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Respondent has completed and submitted the Affidavit of Compliance with Anti-Human Trafficking Laws. (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Respondent has provided their W-9. (required)
• Evaluation Criteria - Respondent's Overall Experience and Background
• The number of years that the Respondent has been in business providing Services. (required)
• A brief, concise explanation of the Services provided by the Respondent (required)
• Provide an organizational chart that includes the Respondent’s Personnel structure as well as the various positions that are proposed to perform the required Services. Personnel should include the Project Manager and other proposed key Personnel, and how each position relates to the other positions in the Respondent’s organization up to the corporate level. Include the title, name, and physical location of all listed Personnel. (required)
• Has the Respondent failed to complete a contract or been terminated early from any contract prior to the completion of the services? (required)
• If yes to the question above, please provide additional details.
• Has a surety paid for completion or termination of a contract on the Respondent’s behalf? (required)
• If yes to the question above, please provide additional details.
• Describe Respondent's relevant experience necessary to complete the Services. (required)
• Provide examples of previous work, to include two (2) in-person surveys with details regarding survey purpose, time frame to complete work, responses gathered, and the conclusion of the analysis along with two (2) focus group projects with similar details, similar in size, and scope to the work being contemplated by the Authority. (required)
• Describe Respondent's adherence to schedules, deadlines, and budgets. (required)
• Describe Respondent's experience, if any, with conducting surveys, research, and field work services for medium hub or large hub airports. (required)
• Describe Respondent's experience conducting face-to-face surveys. (required)
• Describe Respondent's experience with ASQ. (required)
• Describe Respondent's experience conducting a minimum of 1200 surveys annually. (required)
• Miscellaneous Documents —

  Respondent may use this area to attach miscellaneous pictures, documents, etc. to provide additional background information for this criterion.

• Evaluation Criteria - Assigned Project Team
• Provide a detailed resume for all key Personnel. (required) —

  NOTE: Submit all resumes in the same format.

  1. Educational Background
     1. Degrees earned.
     2. Include certifications and other training.
  2. Work Experience from July 1, 2021 to present
     1. Name of employer.
     2. Beginning date of employment.
     3. Ending date of employment.
     4. Job title
     5. Detailed job description of job duties and responsibilities
• Describe the professional qualifications and education of each proposed team member. (required)
• Further describe each team member's relevant prior work experience and the results that came from the work performed. (required)
• Describe each proposed team member's experience, if any, with conducting surveys, research, and field work services for medium or large hub airports. (required)
• Describe the Respondent's staffing plan, including schedule and key Personnel for ASQ surveys. (required)
• Describe the Respondent's hiring and training process for ASQ surveys. (required)
• Describe the Respondent's general rules of employee conduct. (required)
• State Respondent's turnover rate for salaried and hourly employees. (required)
• Describe the Respondents staff experience with in-person data collection. (required)
• Miscellaneous Documents —

  Respondent may use this area to attach miscellaneous pictures, documents, etc. to provide additional background information for this criterion.

• Evaluation Criteria - Methodology and Approach
• Describe the Respondent’s ability to meet strict survey methodology requirements, and approach to ensuring deliverables are achieved with inflexible timelines. (required)
• Respondent confirms that the Respondent included examples of previous work above under Respondent's Overall Experience and Background . Under this criterion, the examples will be evaluated for visual appeal, ease of reading, and appropriateness for submission to Authority leadership. (required)
• Describe Respondent's creativity in development and delivery of superior and effective survey instruments. (required)
• Describe the Respondent's effectiveness of approach to conducting in-person surveys, focus groups and providing reports that include meaningful and actionable feedback. (required)
• Describe Respondent's strategy for assuring team availability and accessibility. (required)
• Demonstrate how the Respondent plans to follow the established guidelines by ACI. (required)
• Demonstrate the Respondents project organization, including tablet availability. (required)
• Miscellaneous Documents —

  Respondent may use this area to attach miscellaneous pictures, documents, etc. to provide additional background information for this criterion.

• Are we purchasing goods or services? (required)
• Will Purchase Orders or a Contract be utilized as part of ward? (required)
• Select from the below to include the appropriate SBE or ACDBE participation. (required)
• If a SBE or ACDBE goal is required for this solicitation, enter the percentage. (required)
• Is a Pre-Solicitation Conference required? (required) —

  Select the appropriate response.

• Is there a site tour? (required)
• Does this solicitation require a Proposal Guaranty? (required)
• Is the Contract to be awarded in excess of $100,000? (required)
• Is this a Concessions Contract? (required)
• Type in the type of interview or presentation (required) —

  For example: Interview, Demonstration, Presentation, etc.

• Will the Respondent be required to provide a representative responsible to the contract? If so, please enter the title. (required) —

  i.e., Project Manager, Principal Consultant, etc.

• Will Work Orders be utilized for this contract/solicitation? (required)
• Scope of Services or Scope of Work (required) —

  Select from the options below.

• How will the contracting party be referred to? (required) —

  (i.e., Company, Concessionaire, Contractor, Airline, etc.)

  NOTE: By doing this, if will update throughout your documents and reference the supplier by "Company", "Concessionaire", or whatever other supplier title you type in the box.

• Does this contract include the Supplier having any personally identifiable information? (required) —

  The trigger for needing this language is when a supplier will:
  Process a credit card or payroll transaction on behalf of HCAA or will store any personally identifiable information (e.g., name, address, social security number or other identifying number or code, telephone number, email address, gender, race birthdate etc.) while performing the work. It may go beyond IT.

• Do these goods/services include a technology component? (required) —
  • Does someone else manage or control access to this solution or its data?
  • Do you need internet access or a special login to access or work with this solution?
  • Is the solution accessible on different devices, like a laptop, tablet, or phone?
• If a SBE or ACDBE goal is required for this solicitation, enter the percentage. (required)