PLACEMENT: Consent
TITLE:
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REQUEST TO APPROVE SCORING CRITERIA AND BEGIN REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) FOR PROPERTIES AT THE MARTIN COUNTY AIRPORT/WITHAM FIELD
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
executive summary
Staff requests approval to begin the Request for Proposal process for two vacant aeronautical parcels at Witham Field, each being 6.52± acres, located off Airport Road. The process will comply with all applicable laws and the Voluntary Corrective Action Plan, as approved by the Board and the Federal Aviation Administration.
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DEPARTMENT: Airport
PREPARED BY: Name: Andrew McBean
Title: Airport Director
REQUESTED BY: None
PRESET:
PROCEDURES: None
BACKGROUND/RELATED STRATEGIC GOAL:
Staff requests approval to begin the Request for Proposal (RFP) process in compliance with all applicable local, state, and federal laws and regulations. The RFPs will solicit competitive proposals for two vacant parcels at Witham Field, each approximately 6.52 acres and located off Airport Road, for aeronautical use.
These solicitations will comply with the Voluntary Corrective Action Plan, which was approved by the Board and the Federal Aviation Administration on January 20, 2026.
The Voluntary Corrective Action Plan also required staff to negotiate easements through adjacent leased premises to provide the vacant parcels with access to existing aeronautical infrastructure. To fulfill this requirement, staff held formal negotiation meetings with adjacent tenants. These tenants expressed concerns that the proposed 115-foot-wide taxilane easement could increase safety risks, restrict access to existing assets, reduce hangar usability, and jeopardize recent investments-highlighting the various risks associated with such an easement.
Below are the scoring criteria for the RFP. Proposals will be scored on six (6) factors:
1. Occupancy
2. Aeronautical Activity
3. Prioritization of Needs
4. Strength of Business
5. Airport Investment
6. Price
The criteria have been revised with minor updates to enhance clarity for both proposers and the selection committee:
Occupancy (2 points)
Proposals will be evaluated based on occupancy structure:
• 2 Points: Proposals that demonstrate direct occupancy and operate the premises and does not intend to sublease any portion.
• 1 Point: Proposals that include or anticipates subleasing any portion of the premises whether short-term or long term.
Aeronautical Activity (1 point)
Proposals shall be strictly aeronautical in nature and must make possible, or be required for the operation of an aircraft, launch or reentry vehicle or that contribute to or is required for the safety of such operations. Proposals must clearly be tied to an aeronautical activity. The proposer shall describe how the proposed activities relate to aeronautical use. All proposed activities must be consistent with the FAA-2023-1739 “Policy on the Definition of Aeronautical Activities”
• 1 Point: Proposals that demonstrate an aeronautical use consistent with FAA definitions.
• 0 Points: Proposals that include clearly non-aeronautical uses or activities inconsistent with FAA definitions. Scoring zero points in this criterion is an automatic disqualification.
Examples (non-exhaustive):
Corporate Aviation, Air Taxi and Charter, Pilot Training, Aircraft Rental and Sightseeing, Aerial Photography, Aerial Application, Aerial Advertising and Surveying, Aircraft Sales and Services, Aircraft Storage, Aviation Fuel Sales, Maintenance of Aircraft or Launch/Reentry Vehicles, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM).
Prioritization of Needs (20 points)
Proposals shall align with the Aeronautical Demand from Vacant Properties at Witham Field and identify a primary aeronautical use. Where multiple activities are proposed, scoring will be based on the primary or dominant aeronautical activity as reasonably determined from the proposal.
High Demand: (20 points)
Non-Commercial Hangar Operator
Medium Demand: (10 points)
Airframe and Power Plant Operator
Fixed Based Operator
Low Demand: (5 points)
Aircraft Sales Operators
Aircraft Charter, Air Taxi, and/or Air Ambulance
Strength of Business (30 points)
Business Plan (0-15 points)
Proposals shall provide a business plan that includes:
• Executive summary
• Company and management profile,
• Aviation-specific business model (core values, target markets, revenue streams)
• Operational structure
• Capital implementation strategy.
Financial Plan (0-15 points)
Proposals shall provide a financial plan that:
• Identify funding sources (equity, debt, or combination)
• Describe reliance on airport funding
• Provide a general description sufficient to demonstrate financial approach and feasibility
Airport Investment (40 points)
Capital Investment (0-15 points)
Proposer shall identify total capital investment associated with the improvements. Investments will be evaluated relative to other proposals and assess for reasonableness and alignment with the proposed aeronautical use and airport needs.
Financial Feasibility and Commitment (0-15 points)
Proposer shall demonstrate the ability to deliver proposed improvements through a reasonable demonstration of financial capacity and intent to perform.
Lease Term (0-10 points)
Proposer should include a proposed lease term.
Terms with approximately thirty (30) years, with up to two (2) five (5)-year extension options are preferred. Lease term will be considered in relation to the scale of proposed investment.
Price Proposals (7 points)
The proposer shall submit a lease rate expressed in consistent units (per square foot)
Score = (Proposer’s Price ÷ Highest Price Submitted) × 7
Per Sq. Ft. Example: ($0.23 ÷ $0.40) × 7 = 4.0 Points
ISSUES:
None
LEGAL SUFFICIENCY REVIEW:
This item has been reviewed for legal sufficiency to determine whether it is consistent with applicable law, has identified and addressed legal risks, and has developed strategies for legal defensibility.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
RECOMMENDATION
Move that the Board approve the scoring criteria and authorize the competitive solicitation for two vacant parcels at Witham Field for aeronautical use.
ALTERNATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS
Pull this item from the Consent Agenda and provide further guidance to staff.
FISCAL IMPACT:
RECOMMENDATION
None
ALTERNATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS
None
DOCUMENT(S) REQUIRING ACTION:
☐Budget Transfer / Amendment ☐ Chair Letter ☐Contract / Agreement
☐Grant / Application ☐Notice ☐Ordinance ☐Resolution
☐Other: