Subject:
Title
Project application to the Federal Aviation Administration and delegation of authority to accept Federal Aviation Administration Fiscal Year 2026 Funds - Airport Improvement Program Grant - St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport.
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Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approval of a Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 project application to request $95,202.00 from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) under the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grant program.
• This grant will enable St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) to fund 36 Vehicle Movement Area Transmitters which will be installed and configured to airport vehicles and equipment that access the airfield.
• These transponders will be paid for with an AIP grant, which pays 90% of the cost, while PIE pays the other 10%.
• It is uncertain exactly when the grant agreement will be forwarded to the County for signature by the Chairman and County Attorney. The grant will be electronically mailed to the Chairman for electronic signature and then the County Attorney. PIE will not have a copy of the grant prior to the grant being sent via email. It is customary that the FAA provides PIE with no advance notice and only a few days to execute the grant and obligate the funding.
• Because the grant agreement needs to be signed when it is received by the FAA, we request the Board of County Commissioners delegate authority to Chairman Eggers to sign the grant at the point in time when approving this grant application.
• This is requested in the FY27 Budget of PIE in the Airport Revenue and Operating Fund. In the event that future fiscal year funding is not available for this agreement, the County maintains the authority to terminate this agreement.
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Strategic Priorities:
Healthy and Safe Communities
2.2 Enhance community safety.
Smart Service Delivery
4.3 Improve efficiency of service delivery through technology.
Summary:
Summary
On March 23, 2026, a regional Air Canada jet collided into a LaGuardia Port Authority firefighting vehicle on an active runway, killing two pilots. Soon after the incident, the FAA announced that it will equip nearly 2,000 airport vehicles with transponders, in which air traffic controllers will be able to detect aircraft, vehicles, and equipment that are operating on the airfield. The transmitters will track vehicles at airports equipped with surface surveillance systems. PIE’s air traffic control tower is equipped with such a system.
PIE requested funding from the FAA in April and was told that funding would not be available until FY27. On June 3, 2026, the FAA contacted PIE stating funding is available, but a grant application would have to be forwarded to them by June 11, 2026.
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Background Information:
The AIP grant program funds airport infrastructure projects such as runways, taxiways, airport signage, airport lighting, airport markings, and other aviation equipment. The grants strengthen our nation’s aviation infrastructure.
Before PIE was notified that the FAA had funding available, it was purchasing eight (8) units with existing budget funds, but the units had not been ordered yet. The purchase order and order form are attached for your reference.
Fiscal Impact:
The total of the 36 VMATs is estimated to be $105,780.00, with $95,202.00 being funded by the FAA and $10,578.00 being funded by PIE.
This is requested in the FY27 Budget of PIE in the Airport Revenue and Operating Fund. In the event that future fiscal year funding is not available for this agreement, the County maintains the authority to terminate this agreement.
Staff Member Responsible:
Mark E. Sprague, C.M., Director, Airport
Partners:
FAA
Attachments:
FY2026 Airport Improvement Program Grant Application
Intent to Apply Approval from OMB
Electronic mail from Jewel White describing ability to delegate authority for Chairman to sign Grant Agreement upon receipt