PORT OF SEATTLE 
MEMORANDUM 

COMMISSION AGENDA             Item No.      6d 
Date of Meeting     July 27, 2010 
DATE:    July 16, 2010 
TO:      Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer 
FROM:    Wayne Grotheer, Director, Aviation Project Management Group 
David Soike, Director, Aviation Facilities and Capital Program 
SUBJECT: Passport Inspection Booths project at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (CIP #
C800174).
Amount of This Request: $2,000,000        Source of Funds: Airport Development Fund 
& Future Bonds
Total Project Budget: $2,000,000           Jobs Created: 15 
Sales Tax Paid: $140,000 
ACTION REQUESTED: 
Request Commission authorization for the Chief Executive Officer to (1) proceed with design,
(2) authorize the use of Port crews, and (3) execute contract(s) for new primary inspection booths
and electronic signage for the Federal Inspection Services (FIS) located at the South Satellite at
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Airport). This authorization is for a total estimated project
cost of $2,000,000 (CIP # C800174).
SYNOPSIS: 
This memorandum requests authorization to prepare design and construction bid documents,
have Port crews (Port Construction Services and maintenance) and small works contractors
perform work, and procure new booths and electronic signage that would replace existing
primary inspection booths to be utilized by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for
passport control in the FIS facility. This will improve the throughput of the international arrivals
process, reducing passenger wait times, queuing, and the potential for international passengers to
be temporarily "held on board" aircraft after arrival. The project will also help the airlines
maintain on-time outbound departures. 
BACKGROUND: 
The FIS facility was originally constructed in the late 1960s. It was expanded in the early 1980s
but since then has not seen significant facility improvements. In the intervening years, Seattle
has experienced a dramatic increase in the number of international flights utilizing the FIS. In

COMMISSION AGENDA 
T. Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer 
July 16, 2010 
Page 2 of 5 
the recent 10 year period, we have seen a 60 percent increase in passenger numbers including six 
wide-bodied international flights arriving within a 65 minute window. The primary inspection 
area (formerly called Immigration) on the mezzanine has reached its processing capacity. A
capacity limit warning level of 300 passengers per hour was established to help manage the
resulting queues during the peak arrival times. When that level is exceeded, there are extreme
queues and congestion forming in the international corridors. That warning level, which in the
past, was rarely exceeded, is now being exceeded once or twice weekly. As a result, some
international airlines are forced to hold passengers onboard the arrived aircraft, which threatens
punctuality of outbound services. Queue levels can rise as high as 500 to 600 passengers in this
area and the arrival corridors, with wait times of an hour or more. 
The Airport has little control over airline schedules, which are dictated by centralized planning
departments at their headquarters. These schedules are coordinated with connecting flights at the
international origins and destinations of flights serving Seattle.
This project provides an immediate fix to the current capacity issues of the primary inspection 
area of the FIS. In order to ensure a complete project before next summer's traffic peak, CBP
approved standard primary inspection booth design documents will be used to immediately begin
procurement of new booths. Concurrently, design will begin on the layout of the new booths in
order to construct new utilities and properly place the booths once they are delivered to the
Airport. Longer term solutions to provide additional capacity for future growth are being
evaluated and will become part of the Airport capital improvements program in the near future.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION/SCOPE OF WORK: 
Project Statement: 
This project will replace primary inspection booths with new booths and make certain other
improvements to the FIS as detailed below by June 1, 2011, for $2,000,000. 
Project Objectives: 
Increase processing capacity for primary inspection screening by CBP.
Install new primary inspection booths using a design approved by CBP. 
Minimize the practice of "hold on board." 
Maintain an acceptable level of service and capacity during construction. 
Complete installation prior to start of summer travel season (June 1, 2011).
Scope of Work: 
Replace existing booths with new booths. The new booths are "piggyback" style, with back-toback
service points. This more efficient layout allows 30 new booths to be installed in the space
currently used by 20 existing booths. The booths will be procured using existing CBP approved
design documents and thus will not need to wait for the layout design, which will be completed
concurrently. Construct new electrical and communications infrastructure for the new booths
including new electrical service panels as electrical capacity is not available at the project

COMMISSION AGENDA 
T. Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer 
July 16, 2010 
Page 3 of 5 
location. Install new dynamic directional signage for passenger queuing. Revise queuing
railings. 
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES: 
This project promotes the strategic goals to "Ensure Airport and Seaport Vitality" and "Be a
Catalyst for Regional Transportation Solutions" by providing CBP with the tools and equipment
to effectively clear the increasing number of arriving international passengers during the peak 
arrival times. The project will increase the CBP's primary inspections processing rate, which
directly translates to fewer delayed airline outbound departures. Currently, airline departures
have the potential for being delayed due to passengers being held on board while long queues of
other arriving passengers are being cleared through primary inspections on the mezzanine level
of the FIS. The new primary inspection booths will increase this rate reducing the need to hold
passengers onboard the aircraft while the queues are being processed. This helps airlines
maintain on-time departures as well as reduce passenger dwell time in the FIS.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: 
Budget/Authorization Summary 
Original Budget                         $ 450,000 
Budget Increase                         $1,550,000 
Revised Budget                        $2,000,000 
Previous Authorizations                         $0 
Current request for authorization               $2,000,000 
Total Authorizations, including this request        $2,000,000 
Remaining budget to be authorized                  $0 

Project Cost Breakdown              This Request 
Construction costs                       $915,000 
Port furnished equipment                   $520,000 
Sales tax                                 $140,000 
Outside professional services                  $142,000 
Aviation PMG and other soft costs             $283,000 
Total                                  $2,000,000

COMMISSION AGENDA 
T. Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer 
July 16, 2010 
Page 4 of 5 
Source of Funds 
This project (CIP # C800174) was included in the 2010-14 capital budget and plan of finance as
a business plan prospective project. Budget transfers from C102166 to C800174 in the amount
of $1,550,000 were completed in May and June 2010. The funding source will be the Airport
Development Fund. 
Financial Analysis 
CIP Category 
Renewal/Enhancement 
Project Type              Infrastructure Upgrade 
Risk adjusted Discount rate     N/A 
Key risk factors             N/A 
Project cost for analysis        $2,000,000 
Business Unit (BU)          Terminal 
Effect on business performance  Increase NOI after depreciation. Costs will be
recovered through rates and changes. 
IRR/NPV             N/A 
CPE Impact             CPE will increase incrementally through 2012 at
which point approximately $0.01 will have added to
CPE; however, this project was already included in
the business plan forecast so there is no change. 
ECONOMIC IMPACTS: 
The Airport will provide a higher level of service to the international traveling public, while
ensuring that aircraft are prepared for a timely departure. 
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY/COMMUNITY BENEFITS: 
New booths will promote more efficient operations and processing of passengers. This project
will provide a better alternative than holding passengers on board aircraft by reducing aircraft
energy usage for heating and cooling during the period passengers would be held on board. 
TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE SUMMARY: 
This project will improve processing of passengers through the FIS, and provide a higher level of
service to the international traveling public.

COMMISSION AGENDA 
T. Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer 
July 16, 2010 
Page 5 of 5 
PROJECT SCHEDULE: 
Initiate procurement of booths                  August 2010 
Complete design                       November 2010 
Begin to install new booths                   January 2011 
Project complete                        June 2011 
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED/RECOMMENDED ACTION: 
Alternative 1: Replace the existing 40 year old passport control booths with CBP's new
standard, higher efficiency booths to increase staffing at the primary inspections positions. This
will substantially reduce the incidence of holding passengers on board aircraft. This is the
recommended alternative.
Alternative 2: Begin design and construction on certain larger-magnitude mid-range
improvements in the existing FIS in the South Satellite. This could involve adding additional
floor space on the mezzanine level to hold more deplaned passengers, adding an additional
baggage carousel and modifying the secondary inspections areas for better through-put. This
may be a solution we will ultimately need to pursue as international arrivals continue to grow at
the South Satellite, but cannot be completed in the time to meet the needs of summer 2011. This
is not the recommended alternative. 
Alternative 3: Immediately start on Long-Term FIS facility: In lieu of investing further funds in
the existing FIS facility for the short-term, design and construct a long-term FIS. This could
involve a larger capacity FIS built at another Airport location, for instance on Concourse A. This
option could take years to secure agreements, funding, design and construct. This is not the
recommended alternative. 
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTION: 
In late 2009, the Commission authorized the annual budget and associated plan of finance that
included this project.