San Diego International Airport > Business Opportunities

Since 2003, the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority has ensured that local and small companies, including all women- and minority-owned and disabled-veteran businesses in San Diego County, have every opportunity to do business with the airport.

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Our goal has been to create a level playing field that attracts businesses of all sizes; and that provides opportunities for workers of all genders and ethnicities.

That philosophy has grown into a firm commitment from the Board and a passionate belief by staff that everyone can benefit from being a part of the work we provide.

Across the country, airports look to San Diego International Airport as a model for engaging small and local businesses. The Airport Authority works closely with contractors to split projects into small packages, when possible, to allow small businesses the opportunity to bid on them.

The Airport Authority also holds small business outreach events on an ongoing basis to help local companies get involved in projects at the airport. As a result of this commitment, the Airport Authority has established a strong track record of inclusiveness.

The Airport Authority awarded $415 million in Terminal 2 expansion (Green Build) contracts to local businesses (90 percent of the contracts) and $118 million to small businesses in 2013.

For the Rental Car Center (2016), local businesses received more than $186.2 million in construction contracts, amounting to nearly 60 percent of the total project cost. Of the contracts that went to local businesses, $70.4 million – or 38 percent – went to small businesses. Also noteworthy is that $70.4 million represented nearly the entire amount ($73 million) that was available for small businesses.

All told, over the past decade, the Airport Authority has committed $750 million in construction contracts to local businesses, and $250 million in contracts to small businesses.

Further, over 100 students graduated in 2017 from the airport’s Turner School of Construction Management, which trains small businesses on the ins and outs of obtaining DBE certifications and navigating the bureaucracy inherent in big public projects.

Events Calendar Certifications Future Lists Ready Service Program Quieter Home Program

Small Business Spotlight

Procurement Concepts, Inc. (PCT) is an ACDBE — certiﬁed, California company headquartered in San Diego. The company has been in business since June 1984. The cempany has three areas of focus, target markets. First, -- Retailers in airport, high trafﬁc venues and tourist destinations. PCI employs two operating models. First, operate as a standalone tenant or sub-tenant concessionaire. PCI one hundred percent owns and operates the venue. The second operational model is to form joint ventures with other national / international concessionaire. This strategy allowed PCI to grow from owning and operating 6 standalone airport locations in one airport, to joint ventures with 16 locations in two airports. The company's Second market focus is expanding the e—commerce retail business. The Third market segment is providing Professional Purchasing Services.

PCI's retail group operates under the trade name, Gift Etc. and has been in operation since 1991. The company has own and operated seven (7) retail locations in both terminals one and two at the San Diego International Airport from 1991 through 2014. There was three (3) news/gift concessions, two (2) See's candy shops and one (1) general merchandise concession. These locations operated 14 to 18 hours per day and 365 days per year. Gifts Etc. new and gifts shops were full service shops with a "store within a shop" concept to create a shopping experience that provides customers with product differentiation they may not otherwise find in the typical airport store.

Gifts Etc. operated a full—service Bookstore and Hallmark card shop, also in the San Diego airport. The bookstore was a full—service bookstore with more than 2,500 titles spanning all reading categories in hardcovers, trade and paperbacks. Baja Books has earned the reputation of being the concession to visit if you were looking for an upscale giﬁzs item. Additionally, the airport employee shopped in Baja because they could buy Halhnark greeting card and book at the same price they would pay off airport.

Gifts Etc. owned and operated a sport's retail shop The Store of Champions — in the Hall of Champions in Balboa Park. The product mix centered on San Diego sports at all levels ﬁom amateurs to professionals, inclusive of all the local universities, as well as the San Diego Chargers and Padres. Athletes who have connections with San Diego sports are featured in this venue. All sports are embraced from Tony Hawk skateboarding to Jimmie Johnson NASCAR racing.

Gift's Etc. own and operated retail concessions at the San Diego Convention center. These were three mobile kiosks used at the center featuring a product mix of San Diego memorabilia and show speciﬁcity products. Plus, sundries and personal products.

Our operating mantra and mission are to make available to the traveling public items they need and/ or desire from sundries to upscale gifts, and specialty items that are reﬂective of Southern California that are normally not found in an airport; items you would ﬁnd instead in a high-end department store, mall or local boutique. To provide these items at a fair market price and served in a friendly environment.

Presently, PCI own's or have joint ventures with three national / international airport concessions companies. This represents 16 different concessions, some venues in food and beverage venues and retail venues at two major airports. Eight food and beverage concessions Seven retail concessions and one sublease. PCT is the exclusive land side merchandise vendor for the USS Midway museum. PCI provide San Diego memorabilia and show speciﬁcity products. Many of these items are the same items carried in our airport stores.

The company's philosophy is to appreciate what we have been able to achieve and give back to those communities in which we do business. Mr. Johnson has been actively involved in civic and community organizations within San Diego and the state of California. Mr. Johnson served as Vice Chair of the Centre City Development Corporation, (Redevelopment Agency) board member of the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation, Chair of the Independent Citizens' Oversight Committee for $1.5 Billion and a $2.1 Billion San Diego Uniﬁed School District bond measures, Member of California's EDD Small Business Advisory Council, Board member San Diego United Way, San Diego Workforce Partnership, San Diego Workforce Policy Board and former Board member of the San Diego Urban League, CDC Small Business Finance Corporation and the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce.

The Business of Flight

The Business of Flight, a podcast on behalf of San Diego International Airport and the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority. At SAN, we focus on getting passengers from Point A to Point B quickly and efficiently, which means we’re constantly striving to improve our airport. How does that happen and what does that look like?

Join our team as we offer you a window seat view of the action and impact on our community, and take a closer look at everything from the business of building a better airport to our commitment to working with small, local and under-represented companies in our region. The Business of Flight pulls back the curtain and shows you not just what we do, but how we do it, and, most importantly, why...

Episodes

Education & Training

Small Business Development offers a regular series of monthly workshops in the evenings from 6 – 8 p.m. Check the calendar to find a workshop that interests you.

Below are descriptions on some of the workshops offered throughout the year. Class sizes are small to allow for more personalized instruction, therefore pre-registration is a requirement.

Free Online Business Tutorials Prevailing Wages De-Mystified

Bonding and Contract Financing Assistance Program

The San Diego County Regional Airport Authority is committed to the San Diego region and ensuring that local small, disadvantaged, disabled veteran, and other small business enterprises have every opportunity to do business with the airport.

Recognizing that the main barriers for small businesses have been a lack of access to bonding and financing, the airport's Bonding and Contract Financing Assistance Program assists small contractors in establishing first time bonding or increasing their current bonding capacity and financing for airport contract work.

Program Services:

Bonding and Financing Consultation and Technical AssistanceBid, Performance and Payment Bond Guarantees
Contract Financing Guarantees
Contractor-Focused Workshops and Seminars
Funds Administration Services

Enrollment Information - The San Diego County Regional Airport Authority Bonding and Contract Financing Assistance Program is open to all experienced and licensed small businesses interested in participating.

To obtain more information, please contact the Bonding Office at (619) 400-2571 or send an appointment request.

Bid, Performance, and Payment Bond Guarantees How Funds Administration Works How Partnering Works Turner School of Construction Management

DBE/ACDBE Program

The San Diego County Regional Airport Authority (Authority) has received Federal financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), and as a condition of receiving this assistance, the Authority has established a:

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program in accordance with regulations of the DOT, 49 CFR Part 26
Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) Program in accordance with regulations of the DOT, 49 CFR Part 23

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program Information and Goals

Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) Program Information and Goals

Register Your Business for Future Opportunities Find a Certified Small Business Firm Find a DBE or ACDBE Firm Find a Certified Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB) or Certified Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)Opportunity Awareness & Networking Event Presentations Policy 5.12 / Small Business, Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB), and Local Business Preference Program Small Business Assistance Programs Contact Information