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The Department of Transportation on June 3 announced it is seeking an “integrator” to oversee the construction of what Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is calling a “brand new air traffic control system,” an effort the government ambitiously hopes to complete within three to four years.
The request for information (RFI) outlines several potential relationships this integrator may have with both the Federal Aviation Administration and the numerous subcontractors expected to take on the actual modernization work, asking applicants to state their preferred model. Options include allowing the integrator to award all subcontracts directly, having the integrator simply manage FAA-awarded contracts, or a hybrid model in which the integrator manages all existing FAA contracts but can solicit companies for new projects itself.
Related: Trump wants ‘one great big beautiful contractor’ for FAA modernization work
The RFI restricts the integrator from competing for contracts that are folded into the larger modernization effort, meaning this company will not actually be responsible for completing any development or construction work. If the integrator has any existing contracts supporting the new ATC build-out, it “may have to cease performance on those contracts,” subject to determination by the FAA. This could complicate the playing field of potential applicants who may instead want to bid for the contracts to directly implement new technologies.
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