TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager to submit an application for Airport Improvement Program Grant(s) for Fiscal Year 2009 to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to fund the Airfield Signage Replacement Project, Phase 1B Improvements to the Air Carrier Ramp, and Improvements to Taxilane J, accept such grant(s); and execute and amend grant documents and amounts from the FAA for entitlement and discretionary funds. (District 5)
DISCUSSION
The Long Beach Airport receives grant funds annually from the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Airport Improvement Program (AlP). Entitlement funds are the portion of the AlP funds allocated to the Airport based on the number of passengers enplaned, and are calculated by the FAA using a set formula. Discretionary funds are the portion of AlP funds that are allocated to airports based on need and national priority, as determined by the FAA. Each year, the Airport submits a grant application for entitlement and discretionary funds from the AlP to pay for major airport infrastructure rehabilitation and improvements.
The FAA has recently alerted Long Beach Airport staff that 33 percent of Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 entitlement funds will be released early this year. To receive the funds under the first release, the sponsor must complete the design and advertise and open bids by early February. While there is a chance that the 33 percent will be the only funds released this year, FAA staff are hopeful that the remainder of entitlement funds, and potentially some discretionary funds, will be made available later this summer. Therefore, the Airport is anticipating processing multiple grants this fiscal year.
The projects that were originally anticipated to be funded by this year's grant include the Airfield Signage Replacement Project, Phase 1 B Improvements to the Air Carrier Ramp, and Improvements to Taxilane J. The Airfield Signage Replacement Project is a requirement of past FAA airfield safety inspections a...
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