Tampa International Airport Awards $32 million in Design Builder Contracts to Companies with High Minority Business Participation

March 7, 2014

TAMPA - Today the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority Board awarded two large design/build Master Plan construction projects to companies with significant minority business participation.

Austin Commercial was awarded a $29.9 million contract to design a Consolidated Rental Car Facility and Automated People Mover at Tampa International Airport. Woman or Minority-owned subcontractors participating in the contract totals 19 percent of the dollar amount that will be earned for design of the project, totaling more than $6 million. 

Cone & Graham, Inc., was awarded a $2.1 million contract to design the reconstruction of Taxiway J. Woman or Minority-owned business participation in this project totals 20.23 percent.

A majority – around 75 percent – of the minority-owned companies hired by Austin Commercial and Cone & Graham are based in Hillsborough County. After the design phase of the projects, the airport expects even more minority involvement throughout the construction phase.

Both design/build contracts are part of phase one of the airport’s Master Plan, a $943 million series of projects that will create more than 9,000 jobs in the Tampa Bay area. Those jobs are estimated to have a $370-million economic impact on the community over the next four years.

The $318.7 million, multi-level Consolidated Rental Car Facility and $417.5 million, 1.3-mile Automated People Mover are the cornerstones of the first phase, which aims to decongest roadways and curbsides, add parking spaces and allow the rental car companies to grown. The projects, as well as Taxiway J, are expected to be completed be 2017.

“We’re pleased to have such strong minority participation on one of the biggest projects in airport history,” said Elita McMillon, the airport’s Director of Ethics, Diversity and Compliance. “As a leading economic driver in this region, Tampa International Airport will continue to create opportunities for businesses owned by minorities and women as it grows and develops into an even greater asset to our community and visitors.”

Simeon Terry, Director of Diversity Affairs for Austin Commercial, said including local minority and women contractors and businesses is a high priority for the firm as it understands the ripple effect such jobs and dollars have on the local economy.

“We’re going to be inclusive and we’re going to be here making sure dollars circulate 10 to 20 times in the local community,” Terry said. “Having high-quality and minority-owned local businesses involved in such projects isn’t just good for Tampa International Airport, but for other small businesses in the area who are benefitting from dollars spent on these projects.”

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