DEPARTMENT: Aviation
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Russell J. Handy
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Award of a Task Order to Alpha Building Corporation for Children’s Play Area at San Antonio International Airport
SUMMARY:
City Council consideration authorizing a task order with Alpha Building Corporation (Alpha) for the build-out of space for the Children’s Play Area and associated play items at the San Antonio International Airport in the amount not to exceed of $228,000.00. Funding for this work is budgeted and available from the Aviation Operating and Maintenance Fund
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The Aviation Department continuously looks to improve the customer experience for passengers. In the past year, the department has introduced two new programs: Aira, which helps blind or low visual passengers traverse the airport campus and Galleries @ SAT, which provides public art installations at the airport to reflect San Antonio’s vibrant arts community. These efforts led to the airport being recognized for customer service for airports with 5-15 million passengers in North America from Airports Council International - World in March 2019.
To further enhance the customer experience, the Aviation Department has worked to develop a site for the Children’s Play Area next to Gate A16 in Terminal A. The design work is now completed.
This project will be handled by a Job Order Contractor (JOC), an alternative Project delivery method which three contractors were approved through Ordinance 2018-10-11-0808 by City Council on October 11, 2018. The use of the JOC delivery method provides the City with on-call construction, renovation and maintenance services for City buildings and facilities. Assignment of JOC contractors to specific jobs is based on the Contractor’s current workload, overall capacity, and familiarity with a specific facility, expertise in completing specific task and/or managing a specific trade needed to carry out the requested repair or rehabilitation. Alpha was selected to perform the work described below and submitted a proposal to the Aviation Department staff.
ISSUE:
This ordinance authorizes a task order with Alpha to build-out an area at the San Antonio International airport for the Children’s Play Area in Terminal A in the amount not to exceed $228,000.00. This work includes:
• building partial height divider walls with built-in seating and power outlets;
• sealing existing Gate A16 door shut and removing hardware;
• relocating existing ticketing kiosk at Gate A16 to a new location;
• relocating the nursing station to a nearby, temporary location, and;
• equipping the area with the first phase of recreational equipment.
Additional recreational elements are planned to be added at a later date, based upon community sponsorship opportunities.
ALTERNATIVES:
As an alternative, City Council could require the Aviation Department to issue a solicitation for this work. This option would require time to develop and release the solicitation documents and evaluate the bids. The JOC method is an approved project delivery that provides departments with on-call construction, renovation and maintenance services for projects such as the build-out of the Children’s Play Area.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Ordinance approving a task order with Alpha Building Corp for the build-out of space for the Children’s Play Area in Terminal A of the San Antonio International Airport in the amount not to exceed of $228,000.00. This is a one-time capital expense funded by the FY 2019 Airport Operating and Maintenance Fund.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the authorization of a task order with Alpha for the build-out of the Children’s Play Area in Terminal A of the San Antonio International Airport.