No Gwinnett Airport RFPs Submitted So Far

One thing Gwinnett County didn't get for Christmas: a proposal for privatizing Briscoe Field in Lawrenceville.

As of Monday, Dec. 26, no one had submitted a proposal in response to the county's Request For Proposals that was issued earlier this month, according to the county website. The link to the RFP had gotten 161 hits as of Monday.

The county issued the RFP on Dec. 8, allowing 60 days for interested parties to respond.

It specifies interest from parties interested in the "lease, partnership and improvement" of the county-owned airport in Lawrenceville, which currently is operated by the county Transportation Department.

It also opens the door for short- and long-term proposals that could include commercial passenger service. And language in the RFP clearly indicates that the county's elected leaders are looking at a revamped airport as an economic stimulus for the area, which continues to struggle economically.

This entry from the recent RFP, under "Approach to Meeting the County's Goals":

"Increase the Airport’s role as an economic showpiece and business gateway for the County.  Further develop the Airport to support the overall business activity of the region."

The Gwinnett Board of Commissioners also is preparing to vote next month on the 2012 budget, and it already has had to pledge the use of reserve funds to balance the budget.