DEPARTMENT: Aviation
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Russell J. Handy
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Memorandum of Agreement with United States Customs and Border Protection at the San Antonio International Airport
SUMMARY:
This Ordinance authorizes a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the United States (US) Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to allow the reimbursement of US CBP for the costs associated with IT and technology equipment and services related to the expansion and renovation of the Federal Inspection Station (FIS), also known as the Customs Area, in Terminal A of the San Antonio International Airport (Airport). The costs will not exceed $317,060.12 and will be funded from Airport Capital Improvement Funds.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Federal law requires the CBP to process international visitors for both commercial and general aviation aircraft at designated airports. Commercial aircraft are currently processed in the FIS in Terminal A at the San Antonio International Airport. At peak times, the current facility can process passengers at a rate of 400 per hour. If more than two international commercial air carriers arrive at the same time to one of the four international gates at the Airport, passengers will have to wait for processing.
In 2012, City Council authorized the development of a dedicated General Aviation FIS for international passengers on the north side of the airfield, which opened in 2017. Prior to 2017, all international travelers were processed in the Customs Area of Terminal A. In March 2017, construction began to renovate and expand the existing 39,000 square foot facility to 48,041 square feet to allow CBP personnel to increase process capacity from 400 passengers up to 800 international passengers during peak hours. The project will take 24 months to complete and is scheduled to open in April 2019. As part of the project, the IT and technology networks will be upgraded and new equipment will be installed.
MOA with US CBP
As part of the MOA, the Airport will reimburse CBP for all costs related to the purchase of equipment, installation, maintenance and recurring costs related to standing-up and maintaining continuous CBP operations at the Airport. Customs is a federal program and customarily airports pay for their equipment to support their operation. The system equipment includes ADP LAN, data, IT, voice, and TacCom Systems, and costs are estimated to be $309,060.12. The equipment installation and travel costs are expected not to exceed $8,000.00. If the costs exceed the estimates, the Airport will be responsible for those costs. The Airport agrees to reimburse CBP for costs to upgrade these systems every three to five years to ensure secured connectivity to the CBP LAN.
CBP will order and install the required data equipment and connections for the facility. As part of the MOA, the CBP will retain ownership of all equipment purchased, installed and maintained until CBP vacates the premises in which case it will be returned to the Airport. The data entered or stored on the equipment covered by the MOA belongs to the US. It will be the responsibility of CBP to remove said data before possession of any equipment is transferred to the airport.
ISSUE:
This Ordinance authorizes a MOA with the CBP to allow the reimbursement of CBP for the costs associated with IT and technology equipment and services related to the expansion and renovation of the FIS, also known as the Customs Area, in Terminal A of the Airport.
ALTERNATIVES:
City Council could elect to not authorize the MOA. However, the purchase, installation and maintenance of the equipment covered in the MOA is vital to the operations of the processing of international visitors into the United States. The approval of the MOA will allow the project to renovate and expand the Customs Area to continue.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Funding in the amount not to exceed $317,060.12 is available and budgeted in the FY 2018 Aviation Capital Budget.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the Memorandum of Agreement with United States Customs and Border Protection at the San Antonio International Airport.