RECOMMENDATION from Director Houston Airport System for approval of membership fees in the Airports Council International - North America for the Calendar Year 2021 - $134,447.20 - Enterprise Fund

RECOMMENDATION:
Pass a motion approving membership fees in Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) for calendar year 2021 in an amount not to exceed $134,447.20.

SPECIFIC EXPLANATION:
Airports Council International (ACI) is the trade association of airport owners and operators worldwide. Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, ACI has 646 members operating over 1,960 airports in 176 countries. ACI is comprised of five geographical regions: Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America-Caribbean, and North America. The North America region, which includes Canada and the United States, is represented by ACI-NA, based in Washington, D.C.

Membership in ACI-NA provides the department with 1) a means of keeping current on the latest techniques of the many functional aspects of airport management; 2) advocacy on legislative issues before the Congress and world forums; 3) a way to exchange information with other airports facing similar situations; 4) a single airport voice in dealing with the federal government; 5) representation in the bilateral negotiating process for international air routes; and 6) training and certification opportunities by a world leader in airport management and operations education.

Base membership dues are formula-based and are a function of an airport’s passenger and cargo activity, where each enplaned and deplaned passenger and each 100 kilograms of enplaned and deplaned cargo equal one traffic unit. For 2019, Houston had 64,986,368.00 traffic units. Base dues for 2021 are $102,947.20, reflecting a 15% COVID-19 discount and a 5% early payment discount. International air service dues are based on enplaned international passengers; for 2019, Houston had 11,972,839 international passengers, bringing the fee to $9,000.00. A legislative assessment of $15,000.00 and a policy assessment of $7,500.00, both discounted rates, are also included. Total dues for 2021 are $134,447.20

Support of this organization provides member airports with constant communication concerning our position in various legislative and regulatory processes and international civil aviation organizations, such as security issues impacting our airports, and enables our airports to make their voices heard at critical points along the way. Benefits from membership and participation in this organization far outweigh the cost of dues and serve the best interest of the Houston Airport System in meeting the current airport needs of the community, customers, and users.

Fiscal Note:
Funding for this item was included in the FY2021 Adopted Budget. Therefore, no Fiscal Note is required as stated in the Financial Policies.


Director’s Signature:



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Mario C. Diaz
Houston Airport System