San Antonio B Session Briefing on Airport Contracts - May 20, 2026

On Wednesday, May 20, 2026, the San Antonio City Council B Session convened at 2:04 PM to receive briefings on three high-profile airport solicitations: the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) for Terminal A and B renovations, the common use passenger processing system, and the concessions program for the new Terminal C. The meeting included updates on federal grant awards, airline agreements, and council member priorities for local business participation and passenger experience.

Consent Calendar

• No consent calendar items were discussed.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments or testimony were provided.

Discussion Items

Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) for Terminal A & B Renovations (Post-Solicitation)

• The solicitation used a two-step process (RFQ then RFP). Four respondents submitted qualifications in late 2025; three were shortlisted. After scoring, Manhattan and Joers (joint venture) was recommended as the top firm, followed by Skanska USA and Austin Commercial.
• Manhattan Joers scored highest due to their pre-construction plans, phasing approach, strong design coordination with SAT standards, commitment to San Antonio's sense of place, and a clear schedule for delivering the Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP).
• The contract amount is $260 million, funded from aviation capital funds (airport revenues). The total project cost including soft costs is $300 million, per the airline agreement.
• Councilmember Aldrete Gavito asked about construction start timing. Staff responded that design work will begin after notice to proceed, with 10% design expected by mid-2027, 90% design by 2028, and construction starting after Terminal C beneficial occupancy (to avoid overlap).
• Councilmember Mesa Gonzalez asked about funding sources. Staff noted $200 million for Terminal A and $100 million for Terminal B, totaling $300 million.
• Councilmember Kuss asked why Terminal C's CMAR (Hensel Phelps) did not apply. Staff explained that the renovation of A and B (closing gates, moving checkpoints, refurbishing hold rooms) requires different expertise than building on a brownfield.
• Mayor clarified there are no local preference points for this federal contract.

Common Use Passenger Processing System (Pre-Solicitation)

• This system provides non-signatory airlines (and any airline choosing to participate) with passenger check-in kiosks, improving speed of service.
• Estimated contract value: $12 million. Term: five years with two one-year options. Funding from O&M account.
• Evaluation criteria: 50 points for proposed plan (60-day turnkey operation), 35 points for experience/qualifications, 15 points for pricing.
• Evaluation committee includes city staff, ITSD, and a representative from Miami-Dade International Airport.
• Schedule: Solicitation release May 29 (subject to council approval), proposals due July, evaluation August-September, post-solicitation briefing October-November.
• Councilmember Mesa Gonzalez asked about passenger experience. Staff said kiosks will be strategically placed in renovated A and B to avoid the current 'band-aid' approach.
• Councilmember Spears asked if non-signatory airlines will push passengers to use kiosks. Staff said yes, coordinating with carriers and focusing on passenger journey.

Terminal C Concessions Program (Pre-Solicitation)

• Total concessions footprint: ~35,000-36,000 square feet. Four packages: Package 1 – retail (11,000 sq ft), Package 2 – duty free (1,700 sq ft), Packages 3 & 4 – food and beverage (including sit-down dining, coffee, bars, food hall).
• Term: 12 years (selected based on industry feedback). First-year minimum annual guarantee: $8.6 million.
• Evaluation criteria: experience/qualifications (10 points), design/capital investment, operations/sustainability, concepts/brands, organizational management, financial projections (20 points).
• Local participation: 46% target for concept representation. Staff noted strong local interest (over 100 attendees at industry day). Previous packages achieved 70% local participation.
• Staff emphasized the city will strive to award multiple contracts to multiple respondents, but reserves the right to award multiple packages to a single respondent (to avoid solicitation delays as happened previously).
• Councilmember Aldrete Gavito strongly advocated for local businesses, especially coffee shops (e.g., Oyo, Mila) and retailers. Staff acknowledged the need for balance with national brands.
• Councilmember Mungia asked about differences from the previous Terminal C concessions RFP. Staff cited higher revenue per square foot, higher local percentage target, and a separate duty-free package.
• Mayor raised concern about contract enforcement (e.g., if a concessionaire underperforms). Staff described monthly revenue and performance reviews, standardized operating standards, and recourse provisions (minimum operating hours, sanctions, default provisions).
• Councilmember Viagran referenced other airports' connections and urged continued focus on passenger experience, including price points and vendor reliability.
• Councilmember Kuss advocated for a connector behind security between A and B to allow passengers to access all concessions regardless of terminal.
• Councilmember Viagran highlighted the need for price points for different travelers (families, business) and noted that global concessionaires must partner with local businesses.

Key Outcomes

• The council received the post-solicitation briefing for the CMAR (Manhattan Joers joint venture) and pre-solicitation briefings for the common use system and concessions program. No formal votes were taken.
• Council members expressed strong support for local business participation (target 46% concept representation) and urged staff to maintain competition among concessionaires.
• Staff noted that Terminal C remains on scope, schedule, and budget. The airport was awarded an additional $10 million from the FAA Airport Terminal Program (largest of any medium hub in the country for this round), bringing total federal grants since 2022 to $188 million. Additional grants (e.g., RAISE for roadway loop) are pending.
• Staff committed to providing historical documentation of the previous concessions solicitation to council members.
• Next steps: The common use system solicitation is expected to be released May 29 (with council approval). The concessions RFP is expected in June, with proposals due in September, evaluation October-November, and post-solicitation briefing late 2026 or early January 2027.

Meeting adjourned at 3:21 PM.