The Changing Rules of Airport Capital Program Delivery in Florida

Florida airports are navigating a changing funding and regulatory environment, with the effects showing up first in many small-scale capital improvement projects. Recent developments at both the state and national level are reshaping how these projects compete for funding, move through approval, and remain eligible once funds are in play.

Drawing on extensive aviation experience, our Garver team is actively monitoring these developments and ready to support Florida airport sponsors as capital improvement programs are adjusted to reflect evolving funding and regulatory requirements.

New FDOT funding priorities

FDOT is projecting up to $50 million less per year in available funding for the Aviation Work Program over the next five years . With fewer dollars available statewide, competition will grow. In response, FDOT is in the process of developing a scoring matrix to guide how funds are allocated. While the framework is still taking shape, FDOT has been clear that Standards and Safety will be the top two funding priorities.

For airports, this means projects need to do more than just be shovel-ready. They need to clearly show how they continue to prioritize safety, meet standards, or preserve critical infrastructure.

One practical step to take is revisiting recently updated FAA Advisory Circulars, including AC 5340-18H, AC 5300-13B, and AC 5345-27F, to identify where facilities may be falling behind current guidance. Projects that close those gaps tend to be easier to position under today’s criteria.

Just as important is demonstrating who benefits. Ground movement data, along with input from air traffic control or airport tenants, can help tell a clearer story about how a project supports multiple users or critical operations.

But even well-positioned projects can stall if eligibility details aren’t aligned.

Avoiding preventable delays

Across funding sources, greater scrutiny is being placed on fundamentals: making sure projects are shown on the Airport Layout Plan, located on land with a clear title, supported by current NEPA documentation, and backed by independent fee estimates or bids that match the funding request.

In a more constrained environment, small gaps in documentation or cost alignment can delay projects that might have moved more smoothly in the past.

Looking beyond traditional funding paths

Airports are also looking further ahead and more broadly for alternative funding sources.

Establishing Passenger Facility Charges (PFCs) or Customer Facility Charges (CFCs) can take years, which makes long-range capital planning increasingly important. Building a capital improvement program at least five years into the future allows airports to anticipate when those tools may be needed and available.

Some sponsors are also exploring funding sources that are less commonly used in aviation, such as BUILD grants for landside projects or the State Infrastructure Bank for revenue-producing improvements. These options are not right for every project, but they can play a role when aligned with the right scope.

Keeping projects moving

As funding becomes more competitive and project evaluation more criteria-driven, many airports are adjusting not just what they deliver, but how they deliver it.

Airports across Florida are increasingly turning to continuing services and on‑call contracts to keep smaller projects moving. These tools let them push rehabilitation, compliance, and safety work forward without waiting on long procurement cycles, especially when operational needs can’t wait.

This approach also supports the way projects are now being scored. By breaking work into targeted phases, airports can focus first on improvements tied directly to standards, safety, and system performance—areas carrying the greatest weight under current funding priorities.

For many sponsors, on-call delivery has become a practical way to maintain momentum while adapting to evolving funding and regulatory expectations.

Keeping that momentum requires continuity across the full project lifecycle. That’s where Garver comes in. We serve as a true extension of airport staff, supporting projects from early planning and environmental work through funding procurement, design, construction, and grant closeout. Our program-wide approach allows us to make design and delivery decisions that respond to today’s regulatory requirements and construction market realities.

Just as important, we invest in strong working relationships with regulators, contractors, and the partners airports rely on to execute projects successfully and achieve intended outcomes.

Why this matters now

Small-scale projects are often where airports maintain standards, prioritize safety, and keep systems operating smoothly. When funding rules and regulatory expectations shift, these projects are also the first to feel the impact. Positioning them correctly is what keeps programs moving.

As a longtime consultant to Florida airports, primarily through continuing services contracts, I’ve seen that the most effective programs pair a clear airport vision with the ability to navigate approvals, regulations, and funding requirements from start to finish. At Garver, we serve as an extension of airport staff, helping carry that vision through changing conditions so projects remain aligned, financed, and delivered on budget and on schedule.

By sharpening priorities to reflect today’s funding environment, airports can stay competitive and keep critical projects moving.