DEPARTMENT: Aviation
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Russell Handy
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Contract Award with Research Horizons for Quarterly and Supplemental Customer Satisfaction Surveys at the San Antonio International Airport
SUMMARY:
This Ordinance authorizes a Professional Services Agreement with Research Horizons, LLC dba Phoenix Marketing International to perform quarterly and supplemental customer satisfaction surveys for San Antonio International Airport passengers. These surveys will provide the data necessary to support the airport system’s mission of ensuring a superior customer experience at the airport.
Airports Council International’s (ACI) Airport Service Quality (ASQ) is the globally established benchmarking program measuring passengers’ satisfaction while traveling through an airport. As part of SAT’s mission to provide a top customer experience, the airport system participates with other commercial airports in the benchmarking program. As part of the contract award, Research Horizons will perform quarterly surveys of arriving and departing passengers with valuable insight on a number of customer experience performance measures such as friendliness of staff, concessionaire offerings, cleanliness of facilities, and allow the opportunity to gain perspective on performance. In collaboration with airport staff, the firm will also design and administer more in-depth surveys twice a year in order to further assess more meaningful passenger satisfaction. The firm will also perform data analysis which includes recommendations for improvement at SAT.
The initial term of the agreement is three years with the option to extend for two additional one-year periods. The annual cost for this scope is $94,000.00 and will be funded by the FY 2019 Airport Operating and Maintenance Fund.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The airport system strives to provide an exceptional customer experience to all of its stakeholders. As part of this effort, SAT participates in the ASQ program which benchmarks similarly-sized commercial airports in North America on a myriad of customer experience categorizes each quarter. ASQ annually awards airports that exemplify a superior customer experience. SAT has consistently placed in the top three for the past three years. These scores are also used by the city as part of the quarterly performance measures of the Aviation Department.
ISSUE:
The airport system requires a firm to administer ASQ passenger surveys in compliance with ASQ fieldwork requirements. The firm is also responsible for developing and administering semi-annual surveys and performing data analysis on the results to provide the airport with additional detailed information and feedback. This feedback will include improvement recommendations for SAT based on key performance indicators.
The Request for Proposals was released on September 12, 2018. Three proposals were received on October 15, 2018. An evaluation committee comprised of Customer Experience staff and Terminal Services staff from the Aviation Department. The Committee reviewed and scored by the evaluation committee based on the following published criteria: experience, background, qualifications (40 points); proposed plan (15 points); and, price (10 points). The Small Business Office of the Aviation Department scored on the remaining 35 points based on goals set by the Goal Setting Committee: Small Business Enterprise Prime Program (10 points); Minority/Women Business Enterprise Prime Program (10 points); Local Preference Program (10 points); and, Veteran-Owned Small Business Enterprise Program (5 points). Research Horizons received the most points: 63.75 points.
Research Horizons is one of the largest global marketing services firms and has extensive research and consulting experience in the travel/leisure industry.
ALTERNATIVES:
The solicitation could be reissued. This solicitation was developed and issued in accordance to the City’s procurement rules. The selected firm meets the requirements outlined in the solicitation. A new solicitation would delay the implementation of these services which support the airport system’s mission of ensuring passengers enjoy a phenomenal experience at SAT.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This Ordinance authorizes a professional services agreement with Research Horizons, LLC dba Phoenix Marketing International for quarterly and supplemental customer satisfaction surveys for the San Antonio International Airport. These surveys support the airport system’s mission of ensuring a phenomenal customer experience at the airport.
Funding in the amount of $94,000.00 is budgeted in the FY 2019 Adopted Airport Operations and Maintenance Fund. Funding for future years of the contract is contingent upon City Council approval of the annual budget. If the contract is extended for the full five year term, the total contract value is $470,000.00.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends authorization of the professional services agreement with Research Horizons for quarterly and supplemental customer satisfaction surveys at the San Antonio International Airport.