BACKGROUND

Since its inception, ACRP has produced hundreds of research reports, tools, databases, and other products. Recognizing the dynamic nature of the airport industry and the need to ensure that the program’s products reflect the latest in practice, ACRP developed a systematic process to identify products most in need of updating. Phase I reviewed ACRP’s policy and planning products (some produced more than 10 years ago) and prioritized a list of needed updates. Some of the criteria used in the decision-making are how integral the obsolete or missing content was to the integrity/usefulness of the product, the overall interest in the original publication (based on downloads), if updates are urgently needed for the product to continue to be useful to the industry, and how broadly applicable the updates will be for the U.S. airport industry. The panel reviewed that list and selected four products for updating. 

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this research are to update ACRP Report 98: Understanding Airline and Passenger Choice in Multi-Airport Regions, ACRP Report 132: The Role of U.S. Airports in the National Economy, ACRP Report 142: Effects of Airline Industry Changes on Small- and Non-Hub Airports, and ACRP Research Report 161: Guidelines for Improving Airport Services for International Customers. 

All updates should reflect relevant literature published since the original research was done and include and/or address the following issues:

• A review and analysis through the lens of enhanced diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) initiatives and sustainability/resiliency initiatives; 
• The changing economy, work force, and travel demands; and
• Address the need for flexibility and adaption to address constantly changing demand for airport services and facilities.

For each report, please address the following comments and make other relevant updates.

ACRP Report 98: Understanding Airline and Passenger Choice in Multi-Airport Regions

• The updated report should discuss the implications of the estimated models developed in recent air passenger airport choice modeling studies.
• The Low-Cost Carrier and Ultra Low-Cost Carrier (LCC/ULCC) evolution over the past 10 years has changed the picture for some of the findings in the original case studies. 
• Many characteristics of passenger choice factors and airline choice factors are constant but their application to the regional case studies has likely produced some new dynamics.

ACRP Report 132: The Role of U.S. Airports in the National Economy

• Discuss the initial impacts of large federal funding opportunities and other state grants, including the impacts on employment opportunities within the industry. 
• In the discussion, include additional analysis on economic impacts.
• The discussion should cover the growth in demand for air cargo.

ACRP Report 142: Effects of Airline Industry Changes on Small- and Non-Hub Airports

• Small and non-hub airports continue to face significant challenges that have evolved since the initial publication including changes to the fleet mix, work force changes, etc.

ACRP Research Report 161: Guidelines for Improving Airport Services for International Customers

• Conduct a thorough review of new technologies that could be implemented for international passenger processing including eGates, biometrics (including passports), health protocols, enabling use of foreign-mobile apps (including their use for making payments), and any other new technologies.
• Address any new planning and design standards for international arrival/departure facilities including connecting facilities.
• Ensure that any recent changes to entry/exit requirements are addressed.

RESEARCH PLAN

The research plan should include deliverables, for ACRP and panel review and approval, that include at a minimum:

• Amplified work plan within 15 days of contract execution;
• Within 2 months of the kickoff call, a revised amplified work plan based on a detailed analysis of the products needing updates, as identified in the objectives; and
• An interim report detailing the execution of the work plan and suggested formats for the final deliverables that meet the objectives.

The research plan should also include checkpoints with the ACRP panel, including at a minimum:

• A kick-off teleconference meeting to be held within 1 month of the Notice to Proceed;
• A web-enabled meeting following the delivery of the updated amplified work plan;
• One face-to-face interim deliverable review meeting; and
• One web-enabled teleconferences tied to the panel review and ACRP approval of other interim deliverables deemed appropriate.

The final deliverables will include: (1) updates to ACRP Report 98: Understanding Airline and Passenger Choice in Multi-Airport Regions, ACRP Report 132: The Role of U.S. Airports in the National Economy, ACRP Report 142: Effects of Airline Industry Changes on Small- and Non-Hub Airports, and ACRP Research Report 161: Guidelines for Improving Airport Services for International Customers; (2) a contractors final report summarizing the project update process, quantifying the cost estimates for ACRP product updates which were provided in Phase I, and suggested formats for delivering updates; and (3) with guidance from the project panel, up to 10 additional problem statements for making updates to other ACRP products within Research Field 3 – Policy and Planning.

STATUS: Proposals have been received in response to the RFP.  The project panel will meet to select a contractor to perform the work.