Program

Our program will present a series of keynotes, case studies, panels, and diverse networking opportunities designed for attendees to deepen their understanding on the value proposition of P3s, and the role they can play in the delivery of essential airport infrastructure.

Our agenda has been programmed to help you plan and procure successful P3 initiatives, understand best practices in selecting and negotiating with prospective partners, and take steps to ensure project success.

Over 150 leading practitioners will present their firsthand observations of airport P3 projects of all sizes in different markets. We will also offer in-depth roundtable discussions for airport owner and public sector delegates with interest in discussing specific P3 issues in a more candid and interactive forum.

Attendees with little experience in the development and operation of the P3 model will benefit from our industry experts presenting their knowledge, and valuable insights into market trends crucial for business decisions.

More seasoned professionals will benefit from our incredible networking opportunities, cultivate relationships with project sponsors, and learn new methods to address complex project delivery goals.

The 2023 agenda offers multiple daily breaks designed for you to meet with industry professionals, project sponsors/owners, and discover new partners.

With over 500 delegates annually participating, attendees find the P3 Airport Summit to be one of the most effective places on their event schedule to cultivate relationships and network with the industry’s most active and influential professionals.
 

Conference Program

The Summit features a broad range of topics specifically tailored to the needs of airport authorities evaluating P3s. This program will share examples of where P3s can be applicable; and how they can save money and time when dealing with upgrades, repairs, and maintenance.  The program will also highlight when P3s do or do not make sense, and what major considerations need to be made once choosing this route, including the first steps.

The agenda will offer numerous case studies (big, medium and small examples of successful and unsuccessful projects) of how P3s can work. We will also provide a perspective on current P3 activities in the market and update on P3’s in progress including their challenges and successes.

The agenda takes a clear look at current trends in P3s, while examining contract structures, facility types, and financing mechanisms in use.  Through conversations with airport owners, airlines, and advisers, the Summit explores best practices and lessons learned from successful partnerships.

A list of best practices and lessons learned will be presented, including:

Pre-award Discussion Topics:

  • Assessing the feasibility of a P3 project – what type of projects are best served by P3s
  • Steps to take to ensure your procurement process is setup for success
  • Identifying the merits and risks of P3 structures
  • Options for small and medium hub airports seeking partnerships
  • Defining project requirements and identifying appropriate project delivery models
  • How to score, select, and negotiate with prospective partners
  • Common pitfalls in P3 transactions
  • Understanding the potential credit impacts P3s can have on rating and debt capacity
  • Political considerations for developing and implementing P3 projects 
  • The role of a political or internal champion in building P3 partnerships
  • Coordinating internal and external stakeholders to optimize P3 delivery
  • Hidden costs and overlooked risks
  • Meeting deferred O&M challenges: how major maintenance, repair and replacement should be considered when evaluating a P3
  • How have P3 projects failed and what are the lessons learned
  • Why aren’t P3s or alternative delivery mechanisms more commonly used in the US market?

Team Work and Collaboration Discussion Topics:

  • The importance of early engagement with private partners
  • The benefits of P3 beyond financing
  • Integration tools and techniques that enhance collaboration
  • Owner roles/responsibilities in executing a P3
  • Risk balance and expectation management
  • Stakeholder management 
  • Communication strategies – how to win political and local support with successful communication plans

Advanced Project Delivery Discussion Topics:

  • Aligning Owner, Airline, and Developer perspectives
  • Contract administration
  • Risk identification, mitigation, and tradeoff strategies 
  • Asset monetization of non-core infrastructure assets using P3s
  • Financing solutions and value propositions under the P3 Model
  • The influence of design within the P3 process
  • Value creation from transferring operations and maintenance
  • International models under P3
  • Latest innovations and life-cycle efficiencies in P3 delivery

Also joining us this year are senior leaders from the U.S. Department of Transportation including the Federal Aviation Administration, Build America Bureau Program, and Airport Investment Partnership Program as they discuss the Administration’s infrastructure principles and federal programs involved in airport infrastructure improvements.

Program Sessions Include

P3 Investment at Small and Medium Size Airports
While investment in such medium and small airports may have challenges, including the greater need to educate public officials, the need to assess uncertainties in future traffic levels, and often the unfamiliarity of the market for these transactions; they still represent enormously attractive investment opportunities because of the smaller size of the investment, the greater cooperation of the airport proprietor, and the reduced uncertainty of the transaction.  This session explores new trends in the sector from both the airport proprietor and the investor’s perspective, and how to address the unique hurdles posed by P3 development at medium and small hubs.  

When Airlines Consider P3s, What Do They Look For?
P3’s can create savings and provide risk transfer, but how do airlines look at proposals and decide whether a project truly makes sense?  Is it just about revenue potential? And since so much of the cost of a project is rooted in the construction time frame: how much of a project’s appeal depends solely on the shortest delivery time? What are other criteria and concerns by which airlines evaluate projects? This session focuses on the airlines perspective and will consider what they think is critical: from planning, to long-term ops, and to what’s truly needed to ensure the right customer experience.

Solving the Puzzle: Ensuring the Most Effective Project Delivery Selection Process
No one project delivery method is right for every project. Whether a project is airside or landside, vertical or horizontal, it is incumbent on airports to develop and faithfully utilize robust project delivery method selection processes to ensure that it selects the right delivery method for each project.  Panel members will draw on their years of experience to discuss best practices for delivery method selection processes, including key factors to consider in relation to potential use of P3 as a delivery tool.  

The Role of Equity in US Airport P3s
What benefits does equity itself bring to a project? Does the participation of equity bring any inherent advantages, especially in a market like the U.S., where there are low-cost and tax-free financing options available? What is the optimum level of equity in a project and how is the right balance of funding sources determined? This session invites a diverse panel of stakeholders and owners to share perspectives on the role of equity in U.S. airport P3 market.

Using Innovation, Tech, & Data to Unleash P3 Value
Travel expectations and needs are evolving, and many airports have become diverse commercial businesses. Airport owners and operators are continuously challenged to find better ways to effectively manage their infrastructure assets, and effective asset management with technology are improving airport operations not only from a passenger experience standpoint but by achieving new operational efficiencies like maximizing aeronautical and commercial revenues, increasing capacity through better gate management, and lowering operating costs are being explored. This session examines some of these trends, how data is being leveraged to drive non aeronautical revenues, and implementation examples that provide value creation pathways in a P3 environment. 

How to Get Ready to Procure a P3 Project?: Best Practices for a Successful Procurement Process
To attract the right P3 consortium partners, the public sector must instill confidence in the procurement process and house the necessary expertise to support a pipeline of P3 projects. One way to do this is through a dedicated institutional framework designed to manage and guide programs and projects.  Join this panel for a step-by-step review of the 10 critical issues that must be addressed in a P3. Those issues include Vision, Political Champions, Communication, Community, Commitment, Experience, Funding, Staff, Time, and Access.

Project Showcase Sessions: 
Austin-Bergstrom and Los Angeles Int’l Airport Capital Improvement Presentations
Austin and LAX continue to be two of the fastest growing airports in the nation and their capital improvement programs reflect that growth.  In this featured panel session, we have invited management from the two airports to discuss key ongoing and  upcoming projects that will help them meet this growing demand through expansion and more efficient operations. Representatives will speak to challenges, solutions, and how P3s may be utilized as part of this process.  

The Administration’s Infrastructure Principles:
A Conversation with Dan DeBono and Kirk Shaffer
In this opening keynote session, we will review the Administration’s Infrastructure Principles and an overview of the Federal programs involved in Airport infrastructure improvement.  Dan DeBono, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy, U.S. Department of Transportation will offer remarks on Federal infrastructure funding (including BUILD and INFRA discretionary grant programs), financing programs, and the Administration’s infrastructure plan.  Joining Mr. DeBono will be Kirk Shaffer, Associate Administrator for Airports, Federal Aviation Administration who in his remarks will provide history and market detail on the Federal Government’s Investment in the nation’s Airport System. 

Federal Aviation Administration logo

Exhibition Hall

Conference delegates will be able to interact with industry leaders and airport business and facility officers as well as meet with some of our presenters, sponsors, and event partners.

The exhibition hall is one of our central meeting points for all attendees during the event. Attendees are encouraged to setup one-on-one, pre-scheduled, or private appointments with participants.

If your airport or business is interested in hosting a table, please email Brynja Bogan for additional details.

Networking Activities

Our audience of industry leaders provides a unique opportunity to network with P3 experts, owners, and prospective partners in a development focused forum. The Airport Summit will offer networking opportunities designed for attendees to connect with each other over the two days.

The program will include multiple daily breaks, receptions, and specific sessions designed for you to meet new industry faces, follow-up with our speakers, and engage with our sponsors and event partners.

Interested in speaking at our event? Contact Sarah Zinnn at szinn@accessintel.com for information on how you can be part of the program.

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