
Selecting, Procuring, and Implementing
Airport Capital Project Delivery Methods

ACRP OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE*
CHAIR
Marianne Csaky
LanzaJet
VICE CHAIR
Kimberly A. Kenville
University of North Dakota
MEMBERS
Balram “B” Bheodari
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Darryl Daniels
Jacobsen Daniels Associates
John Dermody
Federal Aviation Administration
Rhonda Hamm-Niebruegge
St. Louis Lambert International Airport
Lance Lyttle
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
Chad Makovsky
City of Phoenix (AZ)
Scott McMahon
Morristown Municipal Airport
Frank R. Miller
Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority
Ramon Ricondo
Ricondo and Associates, Inc.
Steve Sisneros
Southwest Airlines
Cathryn Stephens
Eugene Airport
EX OFFICIO MEMBERS
Justin Barkowski
American Association of Airport Executives
Sabrina Johnson
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Laura Rinaldi McKee
Airlines for America
Christopher J. Oswald
Airports Council International–North America
Gregory Pecoraro
National Association of State Aviation Officials
T.J. Schulz
Airport Consultants Council
Victoria Sheehan
Transportation Research Board
SECRETARY
Monique R. Evans
Transportation Research Board
TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD 2024 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE*
OFFICERS
CHAIR: Carol A. Lewis, Professor, Transportation Studies, Texas Southern University, Houston
VICE CHAIR: Leslie S. Richards, General Manager, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), Philadelphia
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Victoria Sheehan, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC
MEMBERS
Michael F. Ableson, CEO, Arrival Automotive–North America, Detroit, MI
James F. Albaugh, President and CEO, The Boeing Company (retired), Scottsdale, AZ
Carlos M. Braceras, Executive Director, Utah Department of Transportation, Salt Lake City
Douglas C. Ceva, Vice President, Customer Lead Solutions, Prologis, Inc., Jupiter, FL
Nancy Daubenberger, Commissioner of Transportation, Minnesota Department of Transportation, St. Paul
Marie Therese Dominguez, Commissioner, New York State Department of Transportation, Albany
Garrett Eucalitto, Commissioner, Connecticut Department of Transportation, Newington
Chris T. Hendrickson, Hamerschlag University Professor of Engineering Emeritus, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Randell Iwasaki, President and CEO, Iwasaki Consulting Services, Walnut Creek, CA
Ashby Johnson, Executive Director, Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO), Austin, TX
Joel M. Jundt, Secretary of Transportation, South Dakota Department of Transportation, Pierre
Hani S. Mahmassani, W.A. Patterson Distinguished Chair in Transportation; Director, Transportation Center, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
Scott C. Marler, Director, Iowa Department of Transportation, Ames
Ricardo Martinez, Adjunct Professor of Emergency Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Decatur, GA
Michael R. McClellan, Vice President, Strategic Planning, Norfolk Southern Corporation, Atlanta, GA
Russell McMurry, Commissioner, Georgia Department of Transportation, Atlanta
Craig E. Philip, Research Professor and Director, VECTOR, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
Steward T.A. Pickett, Distinguished Senior Scientist, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY
Susan A. Shaheen, Professor and Co-director, Transportation Sustainability Research Center, University of California, Berkeley
Marc Williams, Executive Director, Texas Department of Transportation, Austin
EX OFFICIO MEMBERS
Michael R. Berube, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Sustainable Transportation, U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, DC
Shailen Bhatt, Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC
Amit Bose, Administrator, Federal Railroad Administration, Washington, DC
Tristan Brown, Deputy Administrator, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC
Steven Cliff, Executive Officer, California Air Resources Board, Sacramento
Rand Ghayad, Senior Vice President, Association of American Railroads, Washington, DC
LeRoy Gishi, Chief, Division of Transportation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior, Germantown, MD
William H. Graham, Jr. (Major General, U.S. Army), Deputy Commanding General for Civil and Emergency Operations, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, DC
Robert C. Hampshire, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC
Zahra “Niloo” Parvinashtiani, Engineer, Mobility Consultant Solutions, Iteris Inc., Fairfax, VA, and Chair, TRB Young Members Coordinating Council
Sophie Shulman, Deputy Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, DC
Karl Simon, Director, Transportation and Climate Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC
Paul P. Skoutelas, President and CEO, American Public Transportation Association, Washington, DC
Polly Trottenberg, Deputy Secretary of Transportation, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC
Jim Tymon, Executive Director, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, Washington, DC
Veronica Vanterpool, Acting Administrator, Federal Transit Administration, Washington, DC
Michael Whitaker, Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC
Vinn White, Deputy Administrator, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Washington, DC
___________________
* Membership as of August 2024.
* Membership as of August 2024.
AIRPORT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM
ACRP RESEARCH REPORT 267
HKA Global Inc.
Philadelphia, PA
Subscriber Categories
Aviation • Construction • Design
Research sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration

AIRPORT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM
Airports are vital national resources. They serve a key role in transportation of people and goods and in regional, national, and international commerce. They are where the nation’s aviation system connects with other modes of transportation and where federal responsibility for managing and regulating air traffic operations intersects with the role of state and local governments that own and operate most airports. Research is necessary to solve common operating problems, to adapt appropriate new technologies from other industries, and to introduce innovations into the airport industry. The Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) serves as one of the principal means by which the airport industry can develop innovative near-term solutions to meet demands placed on it.
The need for ACRP was identified in TRB Special Report 272: Airport Research Needs: Cooperative Solutions in 2003, based on a study sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). ACRP carries out applied research on problems that are shared by airport operating agencies and not being adequately addressed by existing federal research programs. ACRP is modeled after the successful National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) and Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP). ACRP undertakes research and other technical activities in various airport subject areas, including design, construction, legal, maintenance, operations, safety, policy, planning, human resources, and administration. ACRP provides a forum where airport operators can cooperatively address common operational problems.
ACRP was authorized in December 2003 as part of the Vision 100—Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act. The primary participants in the ACRP are (1) an independent governing board, the ACRP Oversight Committee (AOC), appointed by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation with representation from airport operating agencies, other stakeholders, and relevant industry organizations such as the Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA), the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE), the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO), Airlines for America (A4A), and the Airport Consultants Council (ACC) as vital links to the airport community; (2) TRB as program manager and secretariat for the governing board; and (3) the FAA as program sponsor. In October 2005, the FAA executed a contract with the National Academy of Sciences formally initiating the program.
ACRP benefits from the cooperation and participation of airport professionals, air carriers, shippers, state and local government officials, equipment and service suppliers, other airport users, and research organizations. Each of these participants has different interests and responsibilities, and each is an integral part of this cooperative research effort.
Research problem statements for ACRP are solicited periodically but may be submitted to TRB by anyone at any time. It is the responsibility of the AOC to formulate the research program by identifying the highest priority projects and defining funding levels and expected products.
Once selected, each ACRP project is assigned to an expert panel appointed by TRB. Panels include experienced practitioners and research specialists; heavy emphasis is placed on including airport professionals, the intended users of the research products. The panels prepare project statements (requests for proposals), select contractors, and provide technical guidance and counsel throughout the life of the project. The process for developing research problem statements and selecting research agencies has been used by TRB in managing cooperative research programs since 1962. As in other TRB activities, ACRP project panels serve voluntarily without compensation.
Primary emphasis is placed on disseminating ACRP results to the intended users of the research: airport operating agencies, service providers, and academic institutions. ACRP produces a series of research reports for use by airport operators, local agencies, the FAA, and other interested parties; industry associations may arrange for workshops, training aids, field visits, webinars, and other activities to ensure that results are implemented by airport industry practitioners.
ACRP RESEARCH REPORT 267
Project 01-45
ISSN 2572-3731 (Print)
ISSN 2572-374X (Online)
ISBN 978-0-309-72606-1
Library of Congress Control Number 2024944960
© 2024 by the National Academy of Sciences. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and the graphical logo are trademarks of the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
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Cooperative Research Programs (CRP) grants permission to reproduce material in this publication for classroom and not-for-profit purposes. Permission is given with the understanding that none of the material will be used to imply TRB, AASHTO, APTA, FAA, FHWA, FTA, GHSA, or NHTSA endorsement of a particular product, method, or practice. It is expected that those reproducing the material in this document for educational and not-for-profit uses will give appropriate acknowledgment of the source of any reprinted or reproduced material. For other uses of the material, request permission from CRP.
NOTICE
The research report was reviewed by the technical panel and accepted for publication according to procedures established and overseen by the Transportation Research Board and approved by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
The opinions and conclusions expressed or implied in this report are those of the researchers who performed the research and are not necessarily those of the Transportation Research Board; the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; or the program sponsors.
The Transportation Research Board does not develop, issue, or publish standards or specifications. The Transportation Research Board manages applied research projects which provide the scientific foundation that may be used by Transportation Research Board sponsors, industry associations, or other organizations as the basis for revised practices, procedures, or specifications.
The Transportation Research Board; the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; and the sponsors of the Airport Cooperative Research Program do not endorse products or manufacturers. Trade or manufacturers’ names or logos appear herein solely because they are considered essential to the object of the report.
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AIRPORT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM
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Learn more about the Transportation Research Board at www.TRB.org.
Monique R. Evans, Director, Cooperative Research Programs
Waseem Dekelbab, Deputy Director, Cooperative Research Programs
Marci A. Greenberger, Manager, Airport Cooperative Research Program
Matthew J. Griffin, Senior Program Officer
Brittany Summerlin-Azeez, Program Coordinator
Natalie Barnes, Director of Publications
Heather DiAngelis, Associate Director of Publications
Janet M. McNaughton, Senior Editor
Joan C. Zatopek, Port of Oakland, Oakland, CA (Chair)
Steven Cornell, Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc., Orlando, FL
Roger A. Johnson, Jacobs, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Margaret McKeough, Paslay Management Group (PMG), Herndon, VA
Andrew Rountree, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, Arlington, VA
Louis Wolinetz, WSP, Washington, DC
Patricia Dickerson, FAA Liaison
Christopher J. Oswald, Airports Council International–North America Liaison
By Matthew J. Griffin
Staff Officer
Transportation Research Board
ACRP Research Report 267: Selecting, Procuring, and Implementing Airport Capital Project Delivery Methods will provide airports of all sizes with an overview on capital project delivery methods from selection through project execution. The selection of a delivery method will likely affect every discipline and department of the airport, for example, planning and development, engineering, airport operations, finance, and legal. Whichever method is selected, the airport must consider whether it has the skills required to successfully implement the contract and project and what the impact of the project delivery method will be on the workload of the airport staff. The audience for this guide and the associated tool extends beyond airport staff; this guide should be beneficial to the broader airport capital development community.
ACRP Report 21: A Guidebook for Selecting Airport Capital Project Delivery Methods, published in 2009, explores various project delivery methods for major airport capital projects. Since its publication, delivery methods that were then considered alternative have become common, hybrid approaches have been developed, other methods have been emerging, and lessons have been learned. The selection of a project delivery method is one of many decisions to be made when embarking on an airport capital project. Others include implementation of the delivery method and procurement strategy. Each step has multiple decision points. For example, the implementation step may include decisions on financing, management structure, cost, and cash flow.
ACRP Research Report 267 builds on ACRP Report 21 to provide a more current guide. The research was led by HKA Global Inc. under ACRP Project 01-45. As a companion to this guide, an Excel-based decision support framework, the Project Delivery Method Selection Tool, was developed to help users in evaluating and selecting suitable project delivery methods for their projects. The Project Delivery Method Selection Tool is available on the National Academies Press website (nap.nationalacademies.org) by searching for ACRP Research Report 267: Selecting, Procuring, and Implementing Airport Capital Project Delivery Methods and looking under “Resources.”
Both the guide and the delivery selection tool should help airports of all sizes assess, select, procure, and implement a capital project delivery method.
This research was performed under ACRP Project 01-45, “Selecting, Procuring, and Implementing Airport Capital Project Delivery Methods” by HKA Global Inc., Philadelphia, PA. Sidney Scott III served as the project director and principal investigator. Other members of the research team included
The research team is indebted to the many airport representatives who gave their time to participate in interviews and focus groups to share their experience and identify their needs, best practices, and lessons learned. This group included
1.1 What Is a Project Delivery System?
1.1.1 Project Delivery Methods
1.2.3 Development of the Guide
Chapter 2 Project Delivery Methods
2.2 Traditional Project Delivery (Design–Bid–Build)
2.2.2 DBB Advantages and Disadvantages
2.3 Alternative Delivery Methods
2.3.1 Construction Manager at Risk
2.3.2 Design–Build (Fixed Price)
2.3.3 Progressive Design–Build
2.3.4 Public–Private Partnerships
2.3.5 Integrated Project Delivery
2.3.6 Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity
2.4 PDM Selection Considerations
Chapter 3 Procurement Practices
3.2.2 Advantages and Disadvantages of Low Bid
3.2.3 Implementing a Low Bid Procurement Process
3.2.4 Cost-Plus-Time (A+B) Bidding
3.3 Qualifications-Based Selection
3.3.2 Advantages and Disadvantages of QBS
3.3.3 Implementing a QBS Procurement Process
3.5 Innovations in Procuring Alternative PDM Projects
3.5.1 Alternative Technical Concepts
3.6 Other Considerations in Procuring Alternative PDM Projects
3.6.2 Qualifications of Proposers
3.6.3 Relative Weights for Price and Nonprice Factors
3.7 DBIA’s Best Procurement Practices
3.8 FAA Procurement Requirements
3.9 Considerations in Selecting a Procurement Method
4.1.1 Cost-Reimbursable Contracts
4.1.2 Guaranteed Maximum Price
4.2 Performance Incentive Strategies
4.2.1 Early Completion Bonuses
4.2.2 Construction Area Rental Provisions
4.3 Considerations in Selecting Payment Provisions
Chapter 5 Executing Airport Capital Projects
5.2 Organizational Capabilities and Culture
5.4 Supporting Collaboration and Team Integration
5.4.2 Design–Assist: Getting Trades Involved Early
5.4.3 Collaborative Partnering
5.4.5 Building Information Modeling
5.4.6 Lean Approaches to Collaborative Planning and Problem-Solving
5.5 Scope and Budget Management
5.5.2 Target Value Design/Delivery
Appendix A Project Delivery Method Summary Tables
Appendix B Example Technical and Price Proposal Requirements
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