PORT OF SEATTLE 
MEMORANDUM 
COMMISSION AGENDA               Item No.       6f 
ACTION ITEM             Date of Meeting    June 25, 2013 

DATE:    June 17, 2013 
TO:      Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer 
FROM:   Michael Ehl, Director, Airport Operations 
SUBJECT:  Security Checkpoint Wait Time (CIP #C800388) 

Amount of This Request:  $1,325,000  Source of Funds: Airport Development Fund 
Est. State and Local Taxes: $50,000    Est. Jobs Created: unknown 
Est. Total Project Cost:    $3,600,000 
ACTION REQUESTED: 
Request Commission authorization for the Chief Executive Officer to (1) proceed with the
Security Checkpoint Wait Time Project at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport; (2) execute
contracts to purchase hardware, software, vendor services, and construction design services; and
(3) authorize the use of Port staff for implementation. The amount of this request is $1,325,000.
The total project cost is estimated to be $3,600,000. 
SYNOPSIS: 
The Airport's geographical location lends itself to a series of peak departure periods throughout
the day. During these peaks, large groups of passengers are funneled unevenly through security
checkpoints in short periods of time causing long lines and queuing area congestion. Recent
news reports have highlighted long wait times due to summer travel when the number of
passengers at the Airport increases by 15 to 20%. Data from the 2011 Airport Service Quality
(ASQ) survey indicates wait time at the security checkpoints is one of the most important
influences on overall customer experience, and the Airport ranks lower in this area than most of
the 15 comparable domestic airports within the survey. In addition, security checkpoint wait time
and customer service complaints ranked in the top five for complaints collected in 2011and
2012. 
The purpose of this project is to implement a system to capture and display checkpoint wait
times for the traveling public so they can plan their arrival and quickly identify the security
checkpoint that best meets their needs. Information and Communication Technology (ICT),
Aviation Maintenance, and Airport Operations resources will collaborate to complete the project.
Design services will be competitively procured. Construction elements will consist of electronic
signage and wait time sensors that will be determined once a solution is selected. Construction

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer 
June 17, 2013 
Page 2 of 5 
authorization will be requested in a second subsequent authorization following design
completion. Construction may be performed by a combination of Port Construction Services,
maintenance crews, small works contractors and/or through a major works contract. 
This project was included in the Aviation Division's 2013-2017 capital budget and plan of
finance with a budget of $864,000. The original estimate assumed a wait time system would be
provided by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) which has since been cancelled.
The budget increase will be covered by a transfer from the Aeronautical Allowance
CIP #C800404, resulting in no net change to the 2013-2017 capital budget and plan of finance.
The source of funds for this project is the Airport Development Fund. 
BACKGROUND: 
On November 19, 2001, the Aviation and Transportation Security Act was passed by Congress,
creating the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to strengthen the security of our
nation's transportation systems. As a result, new security requirements have significantly
changed the way airports utilize their existing facilities and passengers have seen a dramatic
increase in the amount of time needed from check-in through aircraft boarding.
As the 15th busiest U.S. airport, an average of 45,000 enplaning passengers pass through the Sea-
Tac security checkpoints every day. Most passengers will follow the most direct route from the
ticket counter through the security checkpoint to their departure gate, although this is not always
the quickest route through the security checkpoints during peak departure times. 
PROJECT JUSTIFICATION: 
It is estimated that during peak periods, individual checkpoint processing can take in excess of
30 minutes while another checkpoint has more reasonable wait times at the same time. Providing
travelers the information that will allow them to select a less busy checkpoint will reduce
passenger stress, better balance checkpoint queues to reduce congestion, and reduce resources
needed to manually balance checkpoint queues. In addition, concession sales could improve as
passengers have more time before boarding and trend data can help with facility planning. 
Project Objectives: 
Allow passengers to quickly identify the security checkpoint that best meets their needs
before entering a checkpoint queue. 
Provide passengers with travel planning information prior to airport arrival. 
Balance checkpoint queues. 
PROJECT SCOPE OF WORK AND SCHEDULE: 
Scope of Work: 
Procure and install a checkpoint wait time system at Sea-Tac's five security checkpoints 
in the main terminal. 
Procure and install approximately 24 electronic displays in the main terminal to show 
checkpoint wait time information and guide passengers to security checkpoints.

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer 
June 17, 2013 
Page 3 of 5 
Publish wait time information on the Port website. 
Design the display and wait time system sensor installation. 
Schedule: 
Commission Authorization  Procurement/Design            June 2013 
Procurement Complete                           September 2013 
Construction Design Complete                        March 2014 
Commission Authorization - Construction                 March 2014 
Construction Complete                            September 2014 
Installation Complete                                November 2014 
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: 
Budget/Authorization Summary:               Capital    Expense  Total Project 
Original Budget                          $864,000        $0     $864,000 
Budget Increase                         $2,736,000             $2,736,000 
Revised Budget                        $3,600,000            $3,600,000 
Previous Authorizations                         $0        $0         $0 
Current request for authorization               $1,325,000        $0    $1,325,000 
Total Authorizations, including this request        $1,325,000        $0    $1,325,000 
Remaining budget to be authorized            $2,275,000        $0    $2,275,000 
Total Estimated Project Cost                $3,600,000        $0    $3,600,000 
Project Cost Breakdown:                      This Request   Total Project 
Software/Implementation Services                    $450,000      $450.000 
ICT Project Management/Technical                  $350,000      $350,000 
Construction Design                            $300,000      $300,000 
State & Local Taxes (estimated)                       $50,000       $50,000 
Project Contingency                             $175,000      $450,000 
Construction                                      $0     $2,000,000 (*) 
Total            $1,325,000     $3,600,000 
(*) NOTE: Construction is a conservative rough order magnitude estimate. Due to the potential
for a high degree of variability in construction costs associated with the alternative technologies 
available, construction cannot be estimated with a greater degree of precision until the software
solution is selected. The range of costs for construction is estimated at $1,200,000 to $2,000,000. 
Budget Status and Source of Funds: 
This project was included in the Aviation Division's 2013-2017 capital budget and plan of
finance as a business plan prospective project with a budget of $864,000 within CIP #C800388,
Security Checkpoint Wayfinding. The budget increase will be covered by a transfer from
CIP #C800404, Aeronautical Allowance, resulting in no net change to the 2013-2017 capital

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer 
June 17, 2013 
Page 4 of 5 
budget and plan of finance. The source of funds for this project is the Airport Development 
Fund. 
Financial Analysis and Summary: 
CIP Category             Renewal/Enhancement 
Project Type              Technology 
Risk adjusted discount rate     N/A 
Key risk factors             N/A 
Project cost for analysis        $3,600,000 
Business Unit (BU)          Terminal 
Effect on business performance  Will increase NOI after depreciation 
IRR/NPV             N/A 
CPE Impact             CPE will increase by $0.02 in 2015. 
Lifecycle Cost and Savings: 
An additional $49,500 in annual recurring cost is estimated to cover software license and system
maintenance costs. $45,000 will be budgeted within the ICT Operating Budget and $4,500 will
be budgeted in the Aviation Maintenance Operating Budget. 
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES: 
This project supports the Century Agenda strategy to advance this region as a leading tourism
destination and business getaway by improving customer service. 
BUSINESS PLAN OBJECTIVES: 
This project supports the Aviation strategy to become one of the top ten customer service
airports in the world by 2015 as measured by the Airports Council International (ACI) Airport
Service Quality (ASQ) index. 
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS: 
1.  Apply Additional Resources: Personnel could be deployed to high-congestion areas to 
manually re-balance the loads leading into the checkpoints. This option does not improve
passenger satisfaction and increases the operating expense to the Airport, TSA, and
potentially law enforcement. This is not the recommended alternative. 
2.  Utilize TSA Wait Time Data: TSA funded an initiative to procure and install a system to
collect and analyze checkpoint wait times at several airports in the U.S. including Sea-Tac. 
In October 2012, TSA canceled testing of the SITA/iQueue solution at Las Vegas and
Indianapolis airports for unspecified reasons and does not have estimated implementation
timeline. This is not the recommended alternative. 
3.  Procure and implement a Checkpoint Wait Time Solution: This solution will improve the
customer experience by providing wait time information for each checkpoint throughout the

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer 
June 17, 2013 
Page 5 of 5 
main terminal allowing a passenger to select the best route to their boarding gate and better
balancing checkpoint load. This is the recommended alternative. 
OTHER DOCUMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS REQUEST: 
None. 
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS: 
None.