PORT OF SEATTLE 
MEMORANDUM 
COMMISSION AGENDA               Item No.      7c 
STAFF BRIEFING 
Date of Meeting      May 17, 2016 
DATE:    May 10, 2016 
TO:     Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
FROM:    Dave Soike, Director AV Facilities and Capital Program 
Wendy Reiter, Director, Aviation Security and Emergency Preparedness 
Wayne Grotheer, Director, Aviation Project Management Group 
SUBJECT:  Baggage Quarter 1 2016 Briefing 
SYNOPSIS 
The objective for this briefing is to update the Commission on the Checked Baggage
Optimization Project that increases screening capacity for greater baggage volumes,
increases flexibility to allow travelers to check in bags anywhere in ticketing and be able
to convey the bag to any airline, meet a minimum-connect-time goal, and provides 
energy efficiency.
This Commission briefing will cover the following areas: 
Project background 
Schedule and budget updates
Quarter 1, 2016 accomplishments 
Project top critical issues 
Project top risks 
Upcoming milestones
Future Commission actions 
BACKGROUND: 
The Airport baggage conveyor system is one of the most complex systems in the Airport.
It gets high use and is aging. All baggage screening systems were modified in rapid
fashion immediately after the events of September 11, 2001. Still, there are portions of
the systems that are over 25 year old.
In its current state, the Airport system is not a single system, but rather many separate
systems that bags must transfer between. Modifying the separate systems was the best
way to rapidly increase security after September 11 and those separate systems were
designed to include a nominal amount of passenger growth. In addition, as specific airline
needs emerged over the ensuing years or as airlines were relocated, the separate systems
have been updated to meet the carriers' specific operating needs. Although various
baggage projects have occurred to meet operating needs over the years, the systems

Template revised May 30, 2013.

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
May 10, 2016 
Page 2 of 5 
continue to have limited capacity to meet both near and long-term growth needs of the
Airport overall.
The Airport is faced with three problems: 1) the existing separate systems have major
subsystems, such as controls, that are aging and must be replaced; 2) there is limited
ability for the current systems to be expanded in their current configuration to adequately
meet growing passenger demands;  and 3) separate systems lack interconnectivity
between ticket counters and all of the aircraft gates. Passenger growth is expected to
increase.  This is a major and near-term challenge for the Airport due to both the
complexity to keep operations on-going during construction, and due to major space
constraints on expanding the systems' capacity to meet future growth. 
Although the challenge is large, the Airport is fortunate that the Transportation Security
Administration (TSA) invested to improve their operations in Sea-Tac. The TSA has
higher operating costs because of the multiple screening systems in six locations versus 
what they will have with a consolidated baggage system. Therefore the Baggage
Optimization project is designing the new system to accommodate Port of Seattle needs
for operational flexibility while meeting the TSA needs for modern baggage screening
equipment and reduced operating costs for baggage screening. Airport and TSA staff
have been working cooperatively during design and the TSA has approved the 100%
design of the optimized system. 
Longer-term demands on the airport's baggage system include the ability to handle 66
million annual passengers (MAP) which is the expected top-end limit of the Airport
based on the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP). The results of the SAMP are not
yet available, however the baggage design team is engaged and working with the SAMP
team. Should the SAMP result in a recommendation for a new north terminal, additional
baggage system improvements beyond the current scope of this Baggage Optimization
project will be required. If there is a new north terminal, we would expect that new
terminal would have its own baggage screening system, with interconnections between
the new one and the current one for transfer baggage, since the baggage transport
distances from another terminal to/from the central baggage screening location are too
great to have central baggage screening for the entire airport and meet airline operational
needs. The design has therefore focused on capability to readily enable adding to the
current design target of supporting 45 MAP. Thus inherent in the over all design is the
flexibility for later projects to add capacity to reach 66 MAP for the airport with minimal
changes to the centralized TSA security screening and search areas. SAMP may also
provide relief by providing additional new space for baggage facilities in future remote
concourses, thereby relieving pressure within the constrained footprint of the existing
terminal bagwell area.
The 100% design incorporates a single centralized screening area that is located in the
middle of the existing terminal. The central screening area will occupy 21,000 square feet
of the existing basement level and 28,000 square feet of the existing apron level, with the

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
May 10, 2016 
Page 3 of 5 
necessity to construct a building extension for an additional 3,800 square feet. The
optimized design is based upon a common use outbound system where any bag can be
inserted anywhere in the system, screened, sorted, and sent to any destination. This
provides Aviation Planning and Operations flexibility since any airline can be relocated
anywhere within in the ticketing lobby and among aircraft gates without requiring
baggage system changes. 
SCHEDULE AND BUDGET: 
The current schedule shows construction occurring in four phases, with Phase one
advertising the major contract in Q4, 2016, and Beneficial Occupancy scheduled for Q2,
2019. The project is currently scheduled for the fourth and final phase to obtain
Beneficial Occupancy Q4, 2023. The Checked Baggage Optimization project is on target
for the schedule and scope originally defined. 
The budget summary for the project to date is as follows: 
Total Project Budget                                 $320,550,000 
Total TSA Contribution                              $93,220,422 
Total Commission Authorization to Date                    $20,375,000 
Amount Spent to Date (as of 3-22-16)                      $15,092,361 
TSA Design Reimbursement to Date (as of 3-22-16)             $5,671,476 
The Checked Baggage Optimization project is on budget as originally scoped. 
QUARTER 1, 2016 ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 
The comprehensive 100% design package was submitted to TSA in January, 2016 and
was approved with minimal comments. The design was reviewed by Airport Building
Department, Airline Technical Representatives (ATRs), Airlines, and a full internal
review by required departments within the Port. Comments from these reviews have been
received and are currently being evaluated and incorporated into the final design where
appropriate. 
CRITICAL ISSUES: 
The original design parameters set in 2012 were adequate at that time; however growth
experienced since then has exceeded expectations. The current scope and design
generally takes the airport to 45 MAP with flexibility and expandability for separate
future projects to expand the system up to 66 MAP pending capacity requirement
determinations by SAMP. The current design includes a plan for future right of ways to
ease future expansion in this rapidly growing airport. The scope of work included in
Phase 1 is core and does not change based on exceeding growth forecasts. Subsequent
phases beginning with Phase 2 will need to incorporate additional work beyond current
scope and budget to ensure the new system matches growth demands. Preliminary cost
estimates  are currently being developed for this additional scope, with the SAMP

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
May 10, 2016 
Page 4 of 5 
defining the future capacity requirements to be put on the system which will allow the
estimate to be refined. 
RISKS: 
The events of September 11th required simultaneous baggage security responses from
airports across the nation and world. There is a need for simultaneous replacement of
those same systems which are coming to the end of their useful lives all at approximately 
the same time. The Airport is aware of 13 major baggage projects scheduled to be put out
for bid in 2016 or 2017 in the United States to a limited pool of baggage system
contractors that operate worldwide. This creates a risk of low contractor interest and
inflated pricing as contractors have many other projects to pursue. The baggage team has
attempted to mitigate this risk by holding a contractor information session in summer of
2015, and will hold another in May 2016 to generate contractor interest and hear
feedback on what would make the project more attractive to them for bidding. Despite
these efforts, the surplus of baggage system work across the nation is a risk that may
affect pricing in Phase one and potentially later phases. 
Another risk that is being monitored is the local labor pool that baggage system
contractors would potentially draw from to complete the Optimization Project. Currently
there is a labor shortage in the Seattle area due to the strong local economy and number
of construction projects underway. Should this trend continue, contractors will be
required to bring labor from other areas, passing on the costs of travel, per diem, housing
and relocation costs along to the project. This risk is being monitored by the project team. 
UPCOMING MILESTONES: 
Phase one 100% Construction Document Package submittal for final review from
TSA, ATR's, Airlines, and internal Port review: June 2016. 
Advertise for Phase one bid: Q4, 2016 (CEO Goal) 
Phase one Notice to Proceed: Q2, 2017 
FUTURE COMMISSION ACTIONS/NEXT STEPS: 
Request for Commission Construction Authorization: July 2016 
ATTACHMENTS TO THIS BRIEFING 
Computer slide presentation. 
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS 
March 8, 2016 Commission authorization for the Chief Executive Officer to
amend the Baggage Optimization Design Services contract. 
June 23, 2015  Checked Baggage Optimization Project Briefing. 
September 10, 2013  The Commission authorized the execution of an Other
Transaction Agreement (OTA) with TSA for reimbursable costs for design;
construction, and to authorize $15 million to continue from 30% to 100%

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
May 10, 2016 
Page 5 of 5 
design; and execute a consultant service agreement for program management
support services. 
August 20, 2013  Response to questions from Commissioners asked during
August 6, 2013 Commission Meeting. 
August 6, 2013  The Commission was briefed on the near-term and long-term
challenges related to handling checked baggage at the Airport. 
January 22, 2013  The Commission authorized $5 million for staff to begin
design through 30%, and to enter into an agreement to allow reimbursement
from the federal government to the Port for eligible elements of the 30% design
effort. 
January 8, 2013  Baggage Systems Briefing. 
August 14, 2012  Baggage system recapitalization/optimization was noted in
the 2013 business plan and capital briefing as a significant capital project not
included in 2013-17 capital program. 
August 7, 2012  Baggage system recapitalization/optimization was referenced
as one of the drivers for the need to develop an Airport Sustainability Master
Plan. 
June 26, 2012  The Airport's baggage systems were discussed during a
briefing on terminal development challenges. 
May 10, 2012  TSA's interest in a national recapitalization/optimization plan
for all baggage screening operations was referenced in a design authorization
request for the C60-C61 Baggage Handling System Modifications Project.