Minnesota Department of Transportation

511 Travel Info

Aeronautics and Aviation

Frequently Asked Questions

Picture of an Arrival Departure Building

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I.....?

Request and Complete a State Project?

  1. List the project on the Capital Improvement Program (CIP).
    1. The project should be on the CIP list at least a year in advance so that money has been apportioned for the project. Emergency types of projects can be added to the CIP when the need is recognized. Request the addition of an item to the CIP by letter.
    2. Call your regional team contact person to ensure there is money available for the project. 1-800-657-3922 (toll free)
  2. Prepare plans and specifications as needed.

  3. Advertise or request quotes.

  4. Request a State grant.
    1. Write a short request letter (on agency letterhead) requesting a State grant.
    2. Identify the project.
    3. Mention the year that the project is listed in the CIP.
    4. State the dollar amount of the total project (include construction, engineering, and administration).
    5. Enclose copies of the bids or quotes, engineering contracts, and other support documentation.
  5. Approve the Grant Agreement prepared by Aeronautics.

  6. WAIT for the Agreement Approval letter to begin construction.

  7. Construct

  8. Request Partial Payments or a Final Payment

  9. Invite Aeronautics to the Final Inspection.

  10. Request the Final Payment, and the project will be closed

Request and Complete a Federal Project?

  1. List the project on the State CIP.
    1. The project must be on the Federal ACIP list at least a year in advance so that money may be programmed for the project. Programming information sheets are required detailing the type the project, the cost, the justification, and the environmental clearance. The Federal ACIP is updated from the State CIP.
  2. Write a Letter of Intent.
    1. Target Date January 1.
    2. Before the deadline published in the Federal Register (probably May 1).
  3. Have an Agency Agreement and Terms & Conditions in place.

  4. Prepare Plans and Specifications.
    1. Provide a copy to MnDOT Aeronautics.
    2. Target Date for bids March 30th.
  5. WAIT for a Congressional Letter announcing the money for the project.

  6. Advertise the project

  7. Open Bids

  8. Write a SHORT letter (on City or Airport letterhead), to request MnDOT Aeronautics to prepare a Federal Grant Application (424 form).
    1. Enclose a copy of the Abstract of Bids and/or the Bid Tabulation.
    2. Enclose a copy of the engineering agreement if a consultant engineer is involved in the design, bid, and/or inspection of the project.
    3. Include an estimate of the Administration expense the City will have for the project, such as the price of Advertising for bids.
      1. Deadline Date
  9. FAA will prepare the grant offer.

  10. Aeronautics will forward the grant offer for acceptance.

  11. Email verification of acceptance to Aeronautics.
    1. Mail the signature original and first copy to Aeronautics.
    2. Construction may begin.
  12. Aeronautics will prepare a State agreement to facilitate payment.

  13. Approve the State agreement.

  14. Request partial payments or a final payment.

  15. Invite Aeronautics to a final inspection.

  16. Prepare a close-out report.

  17. Aeronautics will request an amendment if appropriate.

  18. The project will be closed.

Purchase Equipment?

  1. Airport maintenance equipment may be eligible for purchase through a grant. The equipment to be purchased must be listed in the Airport's Capital Improvement Program (CIP).
  2. An airport sponsor may purchase equipment through the MnDOT equipment contract and be assured that there were competitive bids used in the determination of the appropriate vendor. Follow this link for more information on Fleet Equipment and Contracts.
  3. If a piece of equipment that was bought with State Funds is being replaced, the value of the trade-in is subtracted from the price of the new equipment and the State Participation Rate is applied to the new amount.

Purchase Equipment with Federal Funds?

  1. Eligible equipment at general aviation (GA) airports is limited to Snow Removal Equipment (SRE). The FAA has developed a "Guide for Justifying Snow Removal Equipment" - Appendix C. Review the guide and us the snow removal equipment calculator to request a grant for SRE. The bid amount must be known at the time the grant is applied for. The grant must be executed before the purchase order is issued. Primary airports may purchase the equipment, take delivery, and then process the grant, when using their entitlement funds.

  2. If a piece of equipment that was bought with Federal Funds is being replaced, the current Fair Market Value (FMV) must be established.

  3. If the current FMV of the equipment being replaced is less than $5,000, the equipment may be disposed of at the sponsor's option with no reimbursement to the FAA.

  4. If the current FMV of the equipment being replaced is $5,000 or more, and the sponsor has the following options:
    1. The equipment can be retained by the sponsor and used for airport purposes.
    2. The equipment can be sold for salvage value.
    3. The equipment can be traded in for the replacement equipment.
    4. The equipment can be transferred to another eligible airport sponsor.
    5. If the equipment is sold or traded in, the value is applied against the cost of the new equipment.
  5. The sponsor may use a State Co-operative Purchase Plan.
  • Or, the FAA Advisory Circulars (AC) containing generic specifications for Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) and SRE equipment may be used. The FAA AC specs are intended to provide equipment that fulfills the needs, but assures maximum free and open completion among manufacturers. Sponsors shall not modify the generic specification except in those areas where the specification provides the option to make choices.

Get a Hangar Loan?

  1. List the project on the Capital Improvement Program (CIP).
    1. The project should be on the CIP list at least two years in advance. However, the wait time for a loan is usually more than 2 years.
  2. Prepare Plans and Specifications
    1. Two years before the anticipated construction date
    2. Aeronautics will notify you when the time frame for funds availability approaches.
  3. Prior to advertising or requesting quotes
    1. Call your regional team contact person to ensure there is money available for the project.
      1-800-657-3922 (toll free)
  4. Approve the Hangar Loan Agreement prepared by Aeronautics.

  5. WAIT for the Agreement Approval letter to begin construction

  6. Construct

  7. Invite Aeronautics to a Final Inspection

  8. Request a Final Payment
    1. Use a Credit Application
      1. Attach copies of invoices

Become a NPIAS Airport?

  1. The airport sponsor community must be more than 30 minutes' driving time from the nearest existing NPIAS airport.

  2. The airport must have 10 or more based aircraft engines (twin engine aircraft count as 2).

  3. The airport must be listed as a NPIAS candidate in the State Airport System Plan (SASP).

  4. Write a letter to the FAA requesting inclusion in the NPIAS.

Update the Capital Improvement Program (CIP)?

  1. Review the CIP package sent by MnDOT Aeronautics.

  2. Mark changes needed on the CIP.

  3. Complete programming sheets for projects that will be Federally Funded in the next five years.
    1. If programming sheets were previously completed for the project, simply change the date, update any other information that has changed, and resubmit.

Choose a Consultant?

  1. Develop a Request for Qualifications (RFQ).

  2. Include as specialties all projects listed on your CIP.

  3. Advertise the RFQ in the Construction Bulletin.
    1. Advisory Circular 150/5100-14D Paragraph 2-8.c. says "public announcements for all projects should be advertised in local newspapers with a wide circulation and national trade journals and magazines."
  4. Consider direct mailings to known Consultants.

What are the funding rates?

Reference the Airport Construction Grant Program section for information on funding rates

Find an approved Real Estate Appraiser?

  1. To qualify for reimbursement, land purchases must follow the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970. Part of that process is the use of State Approved Appraisers. To find the State of Minnesota list of approved appraisers, learn more about appraisers on this web site: http://www.dot.state.mn.us/consult/prequal.html.

    From here, scroll down the page to "Pre-Qualified Consultant Information" and click on "By Work Type". This will take you to a PDF document that has approved vendors by classes of work. Scroll down until you reach Section 8 (note: sections not in numerical order).

    Appraisers begin in Section 8.51 and there are four levels of appraisers identified on the website.