Constructing Your Airport Projects (Part 3 of 3)

Author: Russ Fish

The third part of this series is focused on final close out of a FAA AIP funded airport construction project. Completion of an AIP grant funded project does not end with completion of construction and acceptance of the project. Typically, FAA will hold back grant funds to help ensure that projects are closed out in a timely manner. It is a primary objective of FAA to have Sponsors complete project closeout within 90 days following final acceptance of the project. A main goal of the Sponsor project team will also be to get project costs reimbursed with the final grant funds as soon as possible and this necessitates prompt closeout and completion of final documentation.

The FAA Central Region site has an excellent summary of the steps to closeout your project. These standards generally apply for FAA Great Lakes Region as well. Some major closeout steps described in detail on this site generally consist of the following:

• A grant closeout report summarizing the final scope and cost of the AIP funded project.
• The "Construction Project Final Certification" document should be completed by the Sponsor to certify that the Project was completed in full compliance with the approved plans and specifications.
• A Final Outlay Report (SF-271), found at the above site, to report all claimed costs under the project grant.
• A Final Project Cost Summary provides the detailed and itemized accounting of the costs summarized in the Final Outlay Report.
• A DBE utilization summary for the project must be completed.
• A Final Construction Report typically needs to be provided. The details described in Advisory Circular 150/5370-12A can be used to document the project as part of the project closeout.
• Quality Control Testing by the Contractor and Acceptance Testing by the Sponsor’s staff, or Consultant, described in Quality Control Procedures Required for AIP Funded Projects, should be summarized in a Construction Quality Assurance Report.
• Some other key items the Sponsor may need as part of closing the project are As-built Record Drawings, As-built ALP (required for geometric airport pavement changes) , and As-Built Surveys of the runway.
• A 5010 Airport Master Record Update should be completed and submitted two weeks before a runway is re-opened or commissioned.

The Bolton & Menk Aviation Group is experienced with helping a Sponsor through the final closeout phase of its AIP funded project from the final inspection to satisfactory completion of all final project documentation and submittals. If you have any questions about how these required Sponsor responsibilities are applied during the Final Closeout phase of your project, please contact a member of the Bolton & Menk Aviation Group.

Constructing Your Airport Projects (Part 2 of 3)

Author: Russ Fish

The second part of this series is focused on the construction phase of an AIP funded project. After the Sponsor has received and accepted the AIP grant, executed the construction contract and issued a notice to proceed, construction of the project is ready to begin.

The AIP grant agreement with the FAA requires Sponsors to follow an extensive program to administer the contract and assure that work is completed in compliance with the FAA approved contract plans and specifications. Major federal requirements during construction include:

• Overall Sponsor responsibilities during the construction phase of a project. These are summarized in Article C.17 in the most recent Grant Assurances for Airport Sponsors.
• The project should normally begin with a Pre-Construction Meeting to organize the Sponsor, Contractor and Consultant into a team that works together to build a successful and well administered project. Suggested agenda items for the pre-construction meetings for AIP funded projects may be reviewed in Appendix 2 of Advisory Circular150/5300-9b.
• From beginning to end of construction, the Sponsor must certify that all FAA standards are met throughout the project. This is accomplished through resident engineering and inspections either with the Sponsor’s staff or Consultant. These services vary from monitoring compliance with plans and specifications to documenting work quantities, developing record drawings, ensuring that testing requirements are completed and recorded, monitoring the DBE and wage rate requirements, administering change orders and work modifications and progress payment reviews. Specific details may be reviewed in Advisory Circular 150/5370-12A.
• Throughout the construction phase, the Sponsor must verify that Quality Control Testing by the Contractor and Acceptance Testing by the Sponsor’s staff, or Consultant for major parts of the work, were completed. Quality Control Procedures Required for AIP Funded Projects
• In addition to all of these inspection and testing services, the Sponsor should keep the FAA informed with weekly and quarterly reports documenting the work completed, schedule status, testing results, payment progress, and project modifications or potential cost changes. How to Keep the FAA Properly Informed

The Bolton & Menk Aviation Group is experienced with helping a Sponsor through the construction phase of their AIP funded project from pre-construction meetings through the construction quality control procedures. If you have any questions about how these required Sponsor responsibilities are applied to the construction phase of your project, please contact a member of the Bolton & Menk Aviation Group.

Constructing Your Airport Projects (Part 1 of 3)

Author: Russ Fish

This blog is the first of a 3-part series regarding the Federal requirements during the bidding phase, construction phase and project closeout phase of an Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funded project. The first part of this series focuses on the bidding phase.

During the bidding phase, the Sponsor solicits (advertises) bids, evaluates bids, awards to the lowest responsible bidder, executes the contract and issues a notice to proceed. Award is subject to the concurrence of FAA and confirmation of receipt and acceptance of AIP funding.

When the Sponsor proceeds with the bidding phase for an airport project, the FAA allows Sponsors to follow the state and local public bidding and procurement procedures that are appropriate for the size of the particular project. A timeframe of at least thirty day for solicitation and bidding is generally recommended for most AIP funded projects to give the contractors adequate time to review the project and develop a bid. In addition to using the Sponsor’s local bidding requirements, all bidders on AIP funded projects are required to comply with specific federal procurement requirements in order for bids to be considered acceptable. Major federal requirements include the following:

• The Federal Contract Provisions established by various laws and statutes. Some of these requirements apply to all of the work, and others are triggered as project costs become greater than $2,000, $10,000, $25,000 or $100,000. Details of these requirements may be found here.
• Certifications with regard to DBE Utilization, DBE Enterprise Utilization, Good Faith Efforts and Buy American commitments must be submitted with the bid, depending upon size of project. For more information click here.
• Bidders are required to pay current Federal wage rates (“Davis Bacon Act” requirements) for workers on AIP projects. Bidders may also have to comply with State wage rates if State funds are used on the project. Wage determinations are usually included in the bid documents or may be obtained from the Department of Labor. More details of this requirement are explained here.

The Bolton & Menk Aviation Group is experienced with how to apply these federal requirements for construction bidding on AIP funded airport projects. If you have any questions about how these required Sponsor responsibilities are applied to the bidding phase of your project, please contact a member of the Bolton & Menk Aviation Group.