# Pinellas County Approves Airport Preconstruction Contract

Pinellas County approved a **$1.74 million** contract with American Infrastructure Development in September 2026 for preconstruction services related to passenger terminal improvements at St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport. The overall project budget has increased to approximately $145 million, funded through a combination of airport revenue and federal and state grants. Concerns were raised regarding the use of an outdated scoring system in the procurement process, which may conflict with updated federal disadvantaged-business program rules. County officials, including the County Administrator Barry Burton, have committed to reviewing the procurement procedures to ensure full compliance with current federal requirements, particularly those enforced by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).

- **Why this matters:** Procurement professionals should note the heightened scrutiny on compliance with federal disadvantaged-business program rules in airport-related contracts, especially when federal funding is involved.
- The review of procurement processes indicates potential adjustments to scoring and evaluation methods to align with updated federal standards.
- Contractors and vendors should be aware of evolving compliance expectations and the importance of transparent, up-to-date procurement practices in federally funded infrastructure projects.
- The sizable project budget and federal grant involvement suggest ongoing opportunities in airport infrastructure development within Florida and similar jurisdictions.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Industries:** Construction & Infrastructure
**Topics:** Regulatory Compliance
**Published:** September 26, 2026

### Government Entities
- Pinellas County
- U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)
- Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

### Vendors
- American Infrastructure Development (prime contractor)

### Key Quotes
> We believe all federal requirements were followed but based on the issues raised we will review this item with purchasing and legal to ensure it meets all current procurement standards.
> — Barry Burton, County Administrator

> I don’t want to be sideways with the FAA when we’re getting tens of millions of dollars to the airport.
> — Vince Nowicki, Commissioner

### Sources
- [St. Pete-Clearwater airport contract draws scrutiny - St Pete Catalyst](https://stpetecatalyst.com/st-pete-clearwater-airport-contract-draws-scrutiny) - St Pete Catalyst