Contracts Awarded for Airport Projects
By D.R. Stewart, Tulsa World, Okla.
Jan. 12–Tulsa Airports Improvement Trustees on Thursday awarded contracts to construction management and engineering firms that will oversee the second phase of passenger terminal renovations at Tulsa International Airport as well as lease negotiations with eight airlines.
Trustees also approved standards for commercial operations at Jones Riverside Airport in Jenks.
Trustees kicked off the second phase of terminal improvements at Tulsa International when they awarded a $1.91 million baggage claim room construction contract to Magnum Construction Co. of Broken Arrow. Magnum was the only bidder. The engineer’s estimate for construction was $2.31 million.
Over the next six months, Magnum will install a new fire suppression system, new ceilings and lighting in both the east and west baggage claim rooms. The project also includes a new information booth adjacent to the center terminal security checkpoints, enhancements to the checkpoint queuing area, new flight information displays and exit lane security doors.
Airports Director Jeff Mulder said the baggage claim room construction should be completed by July 1. It will be the only terminal construction work that will be undertaken before the PGA Golf Tournament at Southern Hills Country Club in August, he said.
The board approved a not-to-exceed $680,882 engineering services contract with Fritz-Baily Inc. of Tulsa, which will design a new 2,100-foot inbound baggage conveyor system. The inbound baggage conveyor system is 30 years old and subject to frequent breakdowns, officials said.
Construction of the new inbound baggage conveyor system will begin next year at an estimated cost of $8.5 million, said Jeff Hough, deputy airports director of engineering and facilities.
Trustees also approved a $145,100 contract with the Benham Cos. LLC of Tulsa for construction management services for the second phase of terminal renovations. The renovations are expected to include new fire suppression systems, electrical upgrades, new roofs, skylights and ceilings and associated upgrades to the east and west concourses.
A not-to-exceed $223,293 professional services contract was awarded Jacobs Consultancy, formerly Leigh Fisher Associates. Jacobs will assist the airport staff and trustees in negotiations over the Airline Use and Lease Agreement. The existing 30-year airline agreement expires in June 2008.
“That lease agreement establishes our business plan,” Mulder said. “It dictates what we can do and what we have. The airlines provide about $10 million in revenue to us every year.”
TAIT’s 2006-2007 budget is $34.4 million.
Trustees accepted two 1,500-gallon aircraft rescue and fire fighting trucks from Oshkosh Trucks Corp. and approved payment of $1.039 million.
The board approved a one-year $1.31 million operating budget, a 2.5 percent increase compared with the last budget, for the airport’s parking system, managed by American Parking.
Trustees approved Minimum Standards for Commercial Operators at Jones Riverside Airport in Jenks. Until now, there have been no standards for commercial operations at Jones.
“Businesses now will know what the standards are for insurance, for instance, or facilities,” Mulder said. “The standards will help the board with policy issues and level the playing field for everybody.”
The board also accepted a draft master plan for Jones. The master plan is required by the Federal Aviation Administration, and it updates previous plans.
Board members reviewed a draft five-year capital improvement plan for Jones and Tulsa International. The draft estimates 22 construction projects valued at $137.37 million at Tulsa International and 14 projects valued at $15.07 million at Jones be tween 2008 and 2012.
At Tulsa International, the capital improvement plan in 2008 will include continuation of the $40 million aircraft noise mitigation program; passenger terminal renovations; expansion of the parking garage; rehabilitation of access roadways, and taxiway and runway improvements.
The capital plan at Jones next year includes seal coating of asphalt pavements; road rehabilitation throughout the airport and preparation of engineering and environmental reports to support extension and rehabilitation of the crosswind runway.
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Copyright (c) 2007, Tulsa World, Okla.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.
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