Guide for Establishing Project Management Offices at Airports
Airports are managing increasingly complex and capital-intensive portfolios of projects that span airside, terminal, landside, technology, sustainability, and regulatory initiatives. These programs often involve multiple funding sources, extensive stakeholder coordination, and significant operational constraints. While many airports are exploring the use of Project Management Offices (PMOs) to improve project delivery, there is limited airport-specific guidance on when a PMO is an effective strategy, what functions it should perform, how it should be structured, or how its costs and benefits should be evaluated. As a result, airports lack practical information to help determine whether a PMO is appropriate for their organization and how it can best support project governance and delivery. The objective of this research is to develop a practical guide to help airports evaluate the value of establishing a Project Management Office. The guide will provide direction on PMO structures, roles, costs, and benefits, and help airports determine when a PMO is appropriate based on airport size, governance, geography, and mission. It will include a decision framework, implementation guidance, cost-benefit considerations, and tools to support executive decision-making. The guidance should be applicable across airports of different sizes, as well as address differences between airside and landside capital programs and the relationship between project management offices and project delivery methods.
- Record URL:
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Supplemental Notes:
- Contract to a Performing Organization has not yet been awarded.
Language
- English
Project
- Status: Proposed
- Funding: $500,000.00
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Contract Numbers:
Project 01-63
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Sponsor Organizations:
Federal Aviation Administration
800 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC United States 20591 -
Managing Organizations:
Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP)
Transportation Research Board
500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC United States 20001 -
Project Managers:
Christensen, Jordan
- Start Date: 20260831
- Expected Completion Date: 0
- Actual Completion Date: 0
- USDOT Program: Airport Cooperative Research Program
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Airports; Decision making; Implementation; Project delivery; Project management
- Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Aviation; Construction; Terminals and Facilities;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 02001721
- Record Type: Research project
- Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
- Contract Numbers: Project 01-63
- Files: TRB, RIP
- Created Date: Sep 2 2026 5:16PM