Request for Proposals
For the Massachusetts Department of Transportation Aeronautics Division
Carbon Neutral Airport Program
Supplemental Questions – March 22, 2013
Program Overview
The Carbon Neutral Airport Program is a highly innovative program that will strive to create the
first-ever, carbon neutral airport in the United States. Additionally, the program will enable the
Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Aeronautics Division to meet key
GreenDOT initiatives.
By working with stakeholders, MassDOT with the assistance of the Volpe National Transportation
Systems Center (Volpe) will assess airport facilities, track greenhouse gas emissions, and create an
implementation strategy at one targeted airport within the Commonwealth. The Carbon Neutral
Airport Program will enable MassDOT Aeronautics Division to identify successful and cost-effective
strategies that reduce airport greenhouse gases and energy operational costs.
MassDOT Aeronautics Division is selecting one airport to rigorously pursue energy efficiency in
buildings, on the airfield, and with fleet vehicles. Efficiency will likely involve major upgrades to
retrofit mechanical equipment, lighting systems and envelopes. Alternative financing and utility
subsidies can help to cover a sizeable portion of the renovations. Commissioning, building
automation systems and operational changes will secure additional energy savings. On-site
renewable energy generation will be necessary to equal or exceed energy consumption that cannot
be eliminated.
To successfully implement the sustainability program and to maximize implementation funding, the
Aeronautics Division solicited proposals only from those airports eligible to receive Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) sustainability/Voluntary Airport Low Emission Program (VALE)
funding. Of the 36 public-use airports (this excludes the Massachusetts Port Authority owned and
operated airports of Logan, Hanscom and Worcester), only five airports within the Commonwealth
fall under this category; they are Barnstable, Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, New Bedford, and
Provincetown.
We received four proposals from the following airports:
•
•
•
•
Barnstable;
Nantucket;
New Bedford; and
Provincetown.
Leading the Nation in Transportation Excellence
Logan Office Center, One Harborside Drive, Suite 205N
East Boston, MA 02128
Tel: 617-412-3680, TDD: 617-973-7306
www.mass.gov/massdot
Proposal Screening
The four proposals received went through a comparative analysis and selection screening process.
In keeping with our commitment to openness and transparency in government, the airport
selection criteria and evaluation was accomplished by a Planning Advisory Group (PAG) that has
been established for this purpose and includes a diverse panel as outlined in Table 1. MassDOT
Aeronautics Division staff read the proposals but did not screen them as part of the process.
Table 1
Planning Advisory Group (PAG) Panel Members
MassDOT Office of Transportation Planning (Sustainable Transportation)
MassDOT Energy Committee
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) New England Region
Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport)
General Aviation Airports
Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs – Massachusetts
Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) Staff
Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER)
Airport Consultants
United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA)
Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (US DOT)
The comparative analysis and selection screening is based on the analytical hierarchy process. The
analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is a widely used, structured technique for organizing and
analyzing complex decisions by a group, such as the PAG.
Phases of Screening
Phase I – Pairwise Comparison
A pairwise comparison established the relative weights of each of the six judging criteria set forth
within the Request for Proposal (RFP) that each airport received on January 11, 2013. The pairwise
comparison was based on the collective views of the PAG members. The PAG members established
priorities among the criteria by making a series of judgments about the importance of each element
relative to every other element. For example, Program Understanding was deemed overall to be
more important for selection than Knowledge Transfer based on the PAG’s collective view, thus this
criterion received more weight.
Phase II – Individual Scoring
After the relative weights for each criterion were established, the PAG members individually
ranked the six judging criteria on a scale of 1 to 5. These raw scores were then weighted according
Page 2 of 4
Request for Supplemental Information for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation Aeronautics Division Carbon Neutral
Airport Program - March 22, 2013
to the PAG-wide pairwise comparison results and averaged to obtain each PAG member’s overall
airport score.
Phase III – Supplemental Questions
A screening meeting was held on March 5, 2013 to discuss the preliminary PAG results. At this
meeting, weighted scores with high spread, indicating areas of disagreement, were discussed and
reconciled. Most high-spread scores for the judging criteria were approved, while one was adjusted
and reconciled based on the meeting discussion.
A discussion among PAG members at this March 5th meeting identified that additional information
would be needed from the top two ranking airports prior to making a final decision and choice for
the Carbon Neutral Airport Program. Therefore, both Barnstable and Nantucket will be asked to
respond to a few supplemental questions prior to the PAG making a final decision.
The Results
1st and 2nd place*
3rd place
4th place
Barnstable
Nantucket
Provincetown
New Bedford
* Barnstable and Nantucket will be asked to respond to
supplemental questions prior to the PAG making a final decision.
Supplemental Questions
Barnstable and Nantucket were identified as the front runners, followed by Provincetown and New
Bedford. However, the PAG wished to obtain additional information to assess implementation risks
for the top two candidate airports, whose final scores were very close. This follow-on will
supplement the completed analytical hierarchy process.
Barnstable and Nantucket airports are invited to submit the following to supplement their original
proposals:
A. Component 1 - Provide the PAG with evidence of support the airport will receive or is
receiving from Town Administration regarding the Carbon Neutral Airport Program and
implementation of “green” initiatives. A letter of support would be beneficial.
B. Component 2 - As part of the Carbon Neutral Airport Program, Volpe will provide technical
support to MassDOT Aeronautics Division to establish an Energy Savings Performance
Contract (ESPC). An ESPC is a partnership between a government agency (in this case, the
airport sponsor) and an Energy Service Company (ESCO). The ESCO conducts a
comprehensive energy audit for the airport and identifies improvements to save energy. In
consultation with the airport sponsor, the ESCO designs and constructs a project that meets
the airport sponsor's needs and arranges the necessary funding. Although the ESCO will
Page 3 of 4
Request for Supplemental Information for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation Aeronautics Division Carbon Neutral
Airport Program - March 22, 2013
make efforts to locate funding for various pieces of the implementation process of the
Program, municipal airport funding may be necessary to cover some of the costs. Provide
the PAG with the following:
a. A better understanding of the town and airport’s funding commitment for the
implementation of “green” initiatives that will allow the airport to meet carbon
neutrality. Provide detailed funding information such as budgeting for Carbon
Neutral Airport Program implementation and “green” initiatives. Identify upcoming
projects that are planned (those likely mentioned in the original proposals) and the
status is of those budget requests/submissions in the municipal process.
b. Source for additional local share funding and the process for actual approval of any
necessary funding for the project (i.e., town meeting, city council, airport
commission, etc.) if funds are not already approved.
Supplemental Question Judging
The supplemental information provided will be judged subjectively by the PAG. The PAG will
submit a candidate airport recommendation to MassDOT based on review and discussion of the
supplemental criteria and a final determination will be made.
Other Information
The Carbon Neutral Airport Program Manager and Airport Planner/Environmental Analyst at the
MassDOT Aeronautics Division, Katie R. Servis, will receive the supplemental information via e-mail
at katie.servis@state.ma.us by 3:00 PM EST on March 29, 2013.
The subject heading on the emailed supplemental information shall clearly state the following:
MassDOT Aeronautics Division Carbon Neutral Airport Program – Supplemental Question
Submission.
Page 4 of 4
Request for Supplemental Information for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation Aeronautics Division Carbon Neutral
Airport Program - March 22, 2013