May 14, 2012 The following are submitted in response to questions and for clarification.
Under Section: II Required Services:
4. Maintenance, repair, and servicing of aircraft: Please clarify that the Proposing FBO will be able to provide this required service using a 3rd party operator under contract with the Proposing FBO. 9. Flight School: Flight instruction and aircraft rentals: Please clarify that the Proposing FBO will be able to provide this required service using a 3rd party operator under contract with the Proposing FBO. CITY RESPONSE: The respondent may propose providing these services through third‐party entities. The (third‐party) company(s) must start service at the same time as the FBO operator. Please refer to Section VI (E.) and Section V(C.)(9.) in the RFP for more specifics on using third‐party entities.Under Section: III Leased Premises:
1. Galbraith Terminal: What are the current electrical charges that the FBO pays for the 1st floor space and portion of the common area? CITY RESPONSE: The electrical meter for this area is in the name of the FBO operator and the City does not have access to these bills. The portion of the electric the FBO pays for covers the electrical service for the (interior) terminal space including the FBO office/counter area. The HVAC unit that cools the FBO leasehold area is also under this meter and does include cooling the east half of the 1st floor common area. The remaining half of the 1st floor space is fed off a meter that is in the name of the City, including the HVAC unit that feeds the west half of the 1st floor space. The average monthly electric bill for the City’s electric meter is $800 – however the City’s electrical meter includes additional items that are not tied into the FBO meter including exterior building lighting, parking lot lighting, fire alarm, elevators, monument sign, etc. Accordingly we would expect the average electric bill to the FBO to be less. Also, as stated in the RFP, because the FBO HVAC cools a portion of the common area, the City does not assess the FBO a CAM fee (for water/sewer, restrooms, refuse, janitorial, etc.) that other terminal tenants are assessed. 2. Hangar #1: Please provide the current occupancy level and current rent roll for this entire hangar. CITY RESPONSE: The City does not have this information.3. Hangar #1: Who operates the Paint Booth? CITY RESPONSE: The FBO. The paint booth is part of the Hangar #1 space. 4. Hangar #2: Please provide the current occupancy level and current rent roll for this entire hangar. CITY RESPONSE: The City does not have this information. Currently a large part of Hangar #2 is used to support the aircraft maintenance operation versus an outright community aircraft storage area. It is at the FBO’s discretion/needs to balance this mix.
5. Tie‐down Management: Please provide the current rates and charges schedule for the tie‐down areas on the airport. CITY RESPONSE: Currently the City charges the FBO a fixed, monthly rate per tie‐down as rent. The FBO then assigns the tie‐down spaces and sets the rates charged to the actual customer. The FBO has the discretion to set the rate(s) based on the market, fleet mix or other common methodology. Under the terms of the RFP, this methodology does not change. The City currently doesn’t require the FBO operator to provide a rate and charges sheet. It is our understanding that the current operator charges $15 per day or $50 per week for the terminal ramp area (with some potential relief if fuel is purchased). In 2007 the current operator disclosed that their monthly rate for general tie‐down rents was $65 per month. We have not been notified or are aware that these rates have changed. It should be noted, that under the new FBO contract, the City is requiring more transparency and disclosure of rates/charges including providing updated info if/when changes occur. 6. Fuel Farm: What is the current age of the fuel farm? CITY RESPONSE: The current fuel farm was built in 1994. A significant maintenance project (sandblasting/re‐painting) of the fuel farm including the tanks, containment walls and other associated equipment was accomplished in 2007. 7. City owned T‐hangars/Shade Shelter Facilities: Please provide the current occupancy levels and also the rent rolls for each hangar. CITY RESPONSE:
Historically (and currently), the occupancy level of the t‐hangar/shade shelter facilities has been maintained at/or about 100%. Accordingly the rent rolls equate to what is shown on Exhibit “C”.
RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS REGARDING FBO RFP ISSUED MARCH 4, 2012
8. Define the term: Maximum Rentable Occupancy CITY RESPONSE: 100% occupancy.
9. Is there currently a waiting‐list for T‐hangars or large storage hangar type space? If so, can you please identify quantity?
CITY RESPONSE:
As late as 2008, the waiting list for the t‐hangar space was at a high of 92 (25 for the shade shelter). The current operator stated that it has dwindled due to the economic downturn. Despite this, as stated in the response to question #7, the occupancy levels have maintained at/or about 100%. It should be noted if the FBO operator chooses to manage the t‐hangars, they will be required to maintain and provide the City with an up to date waiting list that will be made available for public viewing. The City does not maintain a waiting list for large (community) storage hangar space. The City does frequently get inquires on the availability of hangar space (both community and/or t‐ hangar). These callers are directed to contact the FBO operator. 10. Is there additional vacant land readily available for future hangar expansion? Can the Proposing FBO build new facilities on this vacant land or is it reserved for the City to build? 11. Does the City/Airport have any future funding (grant or internal) available for future and new hangar development. CITY RESPONSE: Hangar development opportunities are largely limited to those areas as specified in Section III (G.) and further illustrated on Appendix “D” of the RFP. Ideally the City would construct all the hangar facilities. However, with limited funding opportunities this is not always a realistic option. In some rare cases, the City has entered into land leases and allowed private parties to construct hangar facilities on the airport property. Accordingly, the City would entertain proposals included with the RFP response specific to future hangar development.
The FDOT (state) has funding planned within their 5‐year work program for the proposed hangars at the terminal and southwest sites of the airport. The FDOT will provide 80% of the funding and the City has to provide the 20% match. Currently the City has identified the match for the terminal hangar and should proceed with design later this year. The first FDOT funding for the southwest hangar area will become available in FY14 and phased over a three (3) year period. The City match has not been identified for the southwest site. There is a single site not identified within the RFP that is located within the Taxiway A‐1/South Apron
in the design of the Taxiway A‐1/South Apron project to allow the construction of this hangar at a future time should the opportunity present itself.
As specified in the RFP, the Albert Whitted Airport Waste Water Treatment Plant currently sits on ±8‐ acres of City (airport) property. The City is moving forward with the process to decommission, demolish and remove the existing treatment plant equipment. Although a small amount of new equipment will need to be constructed and remain on site, a significant portion of the site will become vacated. The exact timing and phasing of this process is not finalized, but we expect that the demolition and removal will be completed within the next couple of years. It is unknown what the final opportunities will be for future aviation development at this site. It is expected that the City will commence a parallel planning process at some point in the near future to determine the future layout and use of the property, including potential aviation development opportunities. 12. Please provide the current version of the Minimum Standards and Requirements for the Conduct of Commercial and Non‐Commercial Aeronautical Services and Activities at Albert Whitted Airport. CITY RESPONSE:
You can download a copy (.pdf) of the minimum standards from the airport’s website. Go to www.albertwhittedairport.com. On the left side of the page click on the “Airport Documents and Resources” page link. Scroll down to the “Airport Regulations” section. The minimum standards is the first item listed. 13. Can the City/Airport provide the Top‐10 Avgas Fuel Customers and the Top‐10 Jet Fuel Customers? CITY RESPONSE: The City does not have this information.
RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS REGARDING FBO RFP ISSUED MARCH 4, 2012
