BACKGROUND

Global e-commerce and just-in-time logistics are driving 4–6% annual growth in U.S. air cargo, with over 22 million metric tons handled in 2023 and rising demand projected through 2040. Many existing facilities and associated infrastructure are outdated and constrained by capacity bottlenecks and governance structures ill-suited for rapid expansion. Traditional public funding falls short due to competing priorities and slow cycles, making public-private partnerships (P3s) essential for injecting capital, expertise, and innovative delivery models. 

Research is needed to deliver a practical guide to help airports of all sizes deploy resilient Cargo P3 projects, from stakeholder alignment to timely implementation.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this research is to develop a guide that empowers public and private stakeholders to successfully pursue mutually beneficial cargo facilities and supporting infrastructure via P3 investments (Special Note A).

The guide will include, at a minimum, the following sections:

• Data collection and literature review for Cargo P3: Comprehensive review of existing studies, reports, and data sources specific to Cargo P3 initiatives;
• Stakeholder identification and most effective engagement process: Mapping of key stakeholders, their roles, motivations, and strategies to assess and build interest in Cargo P3;
• Early engagement of airport governing structures: Methods to fully involve airport authorities from the outset to ensure project alignment and long-term success;
• Public outreach strategies for Cargo P3: Tailored approaches to inform, educate, and involve the public in supporting Cargo P3 development;
• Economic development and regional coordination with local authorities and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs): Strategies for seamless integration of Cargo P3 into MPO freight plans, in collaboration with local authorities, to maximize regional economic benefits;
• Project delivery for enabling projects (Special Note B): Frameworks and processes for approving, financing, planning and delivering foundational components of Cargo P3;
• Project delivery for full project completion: End-to-end pathways to achieve operational readiness and project closeout;
• Proven strategies to navigate and accelerate approvals while meeting regulatory and security requirements;
• Best practices for aligning incentives between private and public entities: Proven and innovative strategies to harmonize interests, risks, and rewards among stakeholders, with a focus on performance-based models (e.g., grants, availability payments, throughput-linked revenue sharing, and operational Key Performance Indicators (KPI) that tie compensation to measurable outcomes, ensure long-term accountability, and drive mutual success in Cargo P3 projects;
• Case studies with rationale, key learnings, and commonalities (Special Note C): In-depth analysis of relevant examples, including justifications, outcomes, lessons learned, and shared themes; and
• Concise executive presentation for communication and stakeholder buy-In to summarize key takeaways and conclusions.

RESEARCH PLAN

The ACRP is seeking the insights of proposers on how best to achieve the research objective. Proposers are expected to describe research plans that can realistically be accomplished within the constraints of available funds and subaward time. Proposals must present the proposers' current thinking in sufficient detail to demonstrate their understanding of the issues and the soundness of their approach to meeting the research objective. The work proposed must be divided into tasks and proposers must describe the work proposed in detail.

 The research plan shall comprise the appropriate interim deliverables for ACRP review and approval, including

• Literature review and data collection plan;
• Interim report that provides a description and analysis of each research task completed to date;
  • An annotated outline of the guide;
  • Potential problem statement(s) based on research gaps; and
• Case study plan and rationale.

Note: For each problem statement approved by the panel, the research team will use the ACRP problem statement process (https://trb.org/ACRP/problemstatements.aspx) to submit the problem statement on behalf of the project panel. The development and submission of problem statements should occur as soon as possible, taking into account the ACRP problem statement annual submission deadline of early April.

Note: The interim report should be of sufficient detail and clarity to allow the panel to confirm successful accomplishment of the technical aspects of the research plan performed to date.

The research plan shall include the following checkpoints with the ACRP panel:

• Kick-off web meeting to be held within 1 month of the Notice to Proceed; and
• One face-to-face interim deliverable review meeting and web-enabled teleconferences tied to the panel review and ACRP approval of other interim deliverables as deemed appropriate.

 Final deliverables shall include: 

• Guide;
• Slide deck for executive communication and stakeholder buy-in;
• A technical memo titled “Implementation of Research Findings and Products” (see Item IV);
• Key Findings form (see Item V); and
• A Conduct of Research Report documenting the entire research effort, results, and analysis (see Item VI).

Note: Following receipt of the draft final deliverables, there should be 3 months for ACRP review and comments and for the research team’s preparation of the final deliverables. For budgeting purposes, proposers should assume that ACRP will provide access to web-enabled teleconference services. ACRP will pay panel members’ travel costs for the face-to-face interim meeting. Proposers should assume that the meeting will be held in Washington, DC.

SPECIAL NOTES

A. For the purposes of this research, Cargo P3 encompasses airports across diverse geographies and a broad spectrum of airport sizes ranging from small regional facilities to major international hubs irrespective of current cargo operations. 

B. For the purposes of this research, enabling projects is defined as projects associated with support utilities such as sewage, water, electrical, and power typically located in the subgrade area and access and egress infrastructure. 

C. Proposers are strongly encouraged to include preliminary recommendations for case studies or pilot programs, both successful and not, across multiple industries (including cargo).

 < < < IMPORTANT > > >

I. The brochure Information and Instructions for Preparing Proposals for the Transportation Research Board’s Cooperative Research Programs includes extensive guidance on the preparation of acceptable proposals for submission to CRP. Revisions to these instructions are highlighted in yellow within that document.

II. Proposals will be rejected if any of the proposed research team members work for organizations represented on the project panel. The panel roster for this project can be found at < https://www.mytrb.org/OnlineDirectory/Committee/Details/7399>. Proposers may not contact panel members directly; this roster is provided solely for the purpose of avoiding potential conflicts of interest.

III. The text of the final deliverable is expected to be publication ready when it is submitted. It is strongly recommended that the research team include the expertise of a technical editor as early in the project timeline as possible. See Appendix F of the Procedural Manual for Subawardees Conducting Research in the Transportation Research Board’s Cooperative Research Program for technical editing standards expected in final deliverables.

IV. The required technical memorandum titled, “Implementation of Research Findings and Products” should provide: (a) recommended tactics to facilitate implementation; (b) possible institutions/partners and their potential implementation role; (c) potential impediments to successful implementation; (d) metrics to measure extent of product use and benefit; (e) related FAA guidance; and (f) appendices as needed. An annotated template for the memorandum is found here: https://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/acrp/ACRP_Implementation_TechMemo_Template_2019.pdf.

V. The Key Findings form can be found here: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8448606/Key-Findings-Submission-Form. You will be asked to provide: (a) the value of the research product; (b) key data; and (c) interesting findings that can be used to help promote and market the product(s). 

VI. The summary of the problem statement(s) objective(s) should be included in the interim report and conduct of research report, along with the decision(s) of the panel about each problem statement.

VII. The National Academies have an ethical and legal obligation to provide proper attribution whenever material from other sources is included in its reports, online postings, and other publications and products. TRB will review all Cooperative Research Programs draft final deliverables using the software iThenticate for potential plagiarism. If plagiarized text appears in the draft final deliverable, the research team will be required to make revisions and the opportunity to submit future proposals may be affected.