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Aviation Board Picks Firm For Conceptual Design Of Terminal

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By JACOB SCHNEIDER

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 10, 2008

TAMPA - The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority selected a New York firm Thursday for a $15.8 million conceptual design contract for Tampa International Airport's proposed North Terminal after a contentious debate over whether the agency should favor a local company.

The board -- with Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio, businessman Al Austin and lawyer Stephen Mitchell -- voted for William Nicholas Bodouva & Associates after denying a motion by Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan and businessman Ken Anthony that the board instead choose HNTB Architects Inc.

The board was deciding among the top three ranked proposals for the terminal's initial conceptual design, which will set parameters for the architectural layout and design of the buildings.

After 605 hours of review of various proposals, the airport's staff ranked William Nicholas Bodouva first with 605 of 630 possible points, HNTB of Kansas City second and Chicago-based Ricondo & Associates third, with 576 and 558 points, respectively.

When it came time to vote on which firm to negotiate a contract with, Hagan proposed the board choose HNTB because it has a local office. That set off a flurry of debate about the value of supporting local businesses and the value of the board following the airport staff's recommendation while exercising its authority to question the staff's appraisals. Historically, the board has concurred with project awards with few exceptions.

"Tampa is trying to position itself as a global community," said Iorio, adding that it would be unfair to penalize Bodouva when the board did not give preference to local firms in the general guidelines for evaluating them.

"It shouldn't be brought up at the end when it wasn't directed at the start," she said.

The airport staff will negotiate a contract with William Nicholas Bodouva under a total project budget of $15.8 million. The firm will develop concepts and schematics that will guide a firm to be selected later to create detailed plans for the first phase of the terminal expansion, expected to be required by late 2015.

Reporter Jacob Schneider can be reached (813) 259-7850 or jschneider@tampatrib.com.

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