RFQ 101-27 Professional Services Air Service Development

Request for Qualifications
RFQ # 101-27
Professional Services
Air Service Development
Issued By:
Onslow County Purchasing Department
234 NW Corridor Blvd.
Jacksonville, NC 28540
Phone: (910) 455-1750
Issued For:
264 Albert Ellis Airport Road
Richlands, NC 28574
Date of Issue: August 27, 2026
Due Date: 2:00PM, September 25, 2026

KEY INFORMATION SUMMARY SHEET
Request for Qualifications
RFQ # 101-27 Professional Services Air Service Development
RFQ Issue Date
Deadline for Qu: estion s: August 27, 2026
12:00 noon on September 4, 2026
Emailed to Purchasingbids@onslowcountync.gov
Mailing address for submittals
: Onslow County Purchasing Department
Attn: Christina Russell, Purchasing Division Manager
234 NW Corridor Blvd.
Respon ses Due Jacksonville, NC 28540
: September 25, 2026 no later than 2:00PM, EST
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August 27, 2026
RE: Request for Qualifications, RFQ No. 101-27
Professional Services Air Services Development
To Whom It May Concern:
The County of Onslow is seeking qualifications from qualified firms to provide professional services for the Onslow
County Albert J. Ellis Airport for Air Service Development.
Attached you will find a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) which identifies the minimum requirements of the RFQ.
In order to be considered, all Submittals must be sealed and submitted, in writing, no later than 2:00 PM (EST)
September 25, 2026. No qualifications will be accepted after this time. Firms mailing qualifications should allow
delivery time to ensure timely receipt of their submittal. The responsibility for getting the qualifications to the
Onslow County Purchasing Department on or before the specified time and date is solely and strictly the
responsibility of the consulting firm. The County will in no way be responsible for delays caused by any occurrence.
Sealed submittals may be hand carried or mailed to:
ONSLOW COUNTY PURCHASING DEPARTMENT
Attention: Christina Russell
234 NW Corridor Blvd.
Jacksonville, North Carolina 28540
Any questions pertaining to this Request for Qualifications must be submitted in writing no later than 12:00 PM
on September 4, 2026. Questions will be emailed to: Purchasingbids@onslowcountync.gov
Any changes or modifications to this Request for Qualifications will be transmitted in writing through an
addendum. It will be the responsibility of the Proposer to ensure that all addenda have been received.
Onslow County reserves the right to waive any informalities, to reject any and/or all submittals, and to accept any
submittal which in its opinion may be in the best interest of the County.
No submittal will be received or accepted after 2:00 PM, EST, September 25, 2026. Late submittals will be deemed
invalid and returned upon request to the Consultant.
Thank you,
Christina Russell, CLGPO
Purchasing Division Manager
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REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES Air Service Development
ONSLOW COUNTY
I. INTRODUCTION, SCOPE OF SERVICES
The County of Onslow is seeking qualified consulting firms, licensed in the State of North Carolina, to
submit their qualifications for consideration to provide Air Service Development services for the next (3)
three to (5) five years. Professional, technical and advisory services are needed for a task-based
assignment agreement.
BACKGROUND
The Albert J. Ellis Airport (OAJ) is owned and operated by Onslow County and is in the coastal region of
North Carolina. The Airport is near Jacksonville, NC-home to MCB Camp Lejeune and MCAS New
River-and serves a growing tourism and business market. With over 50 years of commercial air service,
OAJ has demonstrated long-term stability and consistent airline performance.
OAJ is currently served by two carriers: American Airlines, providing service to Charlotte, and Delta Air
Lines, providing service to Atlanta. Together, the airlines operate approximately 7 to 12 daily departures,
varying by season and day of the week. The Airport has rebounded to near pre-pandemic passenger
volumes and has maintained relative stability in its existing service portfolio.
Despite this stability, OAJ continues to experience passenger leakage to nearby airports, including RDU,
ILM, and EWN, making leakage reduction a top strategic priority. Concurrently, several neighboring
airports have expanded their air service offerings in recent years, highlighting the need for OAJ to
evaluate opportunities for new or enhanced service. The Airport currently holds a SCASDP grant to
support efforts to broaden market reach and improve connectivity; this grant expires in early 2027, and
preparation for a renewal application will be a key focus. In addition, OAJ has an approved air service
incentive program that includes marketing support and fee waivers, and the community is establishing a
complementary air service development incentive program. OAJ serves a diverse passenger base,
including tourists, business travelers, visiting-friends-and-relatives (VFR) travelers, and military
personnel-with demand patterns that vary seasonally. Understanding the needs and behaviors of each
market segment is essential to guiding the Airport's air service development strategy.
SCOPE OF SERVICES
The successful consultant shall prepare to provide the following services through a task-based
assignment agreement:
Compile and review important characteristics of the airport and the North Carolina/eastern
North Carolina Market
Complete true market, passenger demand, leakage, and/or other studies and reports, as needed.
Determine appropriate air service development strategies and implementation methods.
Identify new route or route expansion opportunities through new or existing carriers.
Provide ongoing analysis of air service and routes, including trends in air service, passenger
volumes, and airline performance.
Gather and provide analysis of alternative data sources.
Provide assistance with community support and air service development incentives.
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Create presentations for community and airline meetings, and attend meetings as requested.
On-call services may be requested that are not described above. As needed, contract negotiation
with potential and/or existing carriers
Consultants should be familiar with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and State aviation rules and
requirements for Air Service Development.
II. SUBMISSION
A. Submit one (1) original hard copy and submit one (1) electronic copy (pdf format) on a
thumb drive included with the submittal envelope. Submittals shall be sealed and marked
"RFQ # 101-27, Professional Services Air Service Development". Sealed submittals will be
received no later than 2:00 PM EST, on September 25, 2026, at Onslow County Purchasing,
234 NW Corridor Blvd., Jacksonville, NC 28540. The original hardcopy submittals and the
electronic version on thumb drive must be received by the time and date stated above.
B. Qualification packages may be hand-delivered or mailed. If the submittal is sent by mail or
commercial express, the Respondent shall be responsible for actual delivery of the
qualification package to the proper county office before the deadline. All submittals
become property of the County. Request for Qualification packages will not be accepted
via fax machine or internet e-mail.
C. Each Respondent is responsible for determining that all addenda issued by Onslow County
has been received before submitting their qualifications.
D. Time is of the essence and any proposal or addenda pertaining thereto received after the
announced time and date for submittal, whether by mail or otherwise, will be rejected. It
is the sole responsibility of the firm to ensure that their proposal is received by the
Purchasing Department personnel before the deadline indicated above.
E. Nothing herein is intended to exclude any responsibilities or in any way restrain or restrict
competition. On the contrary, all responsible firms/individuals are encouraged to submit
responses. The County of Onslow reserves the right to waive any informalities, to reject
any and/or all proposals, and to accept any proposal which in its opinion may be in the best
interest of the County.
F. Qualification packages may be withdrawn by written request prior to submittal deadline.
III. PREPARATION
A. Firms are to submit qualification packages which present their qualifications and
understanding of the services to be performed. Emphasis should be placed on
completeness of services offered and clarity of content. All submittals should be complete
and carefully worded and must convey all of the information requested by the County. If
errors or exceptions are found in the firm's qualification package, or if the package fails to
conform to the requirements of the RFQ, the County will be the sole judge as to whether
that variance is significant enough to reject the firm's submittal.
B. Qualification packages should be prepared simply and economically. All data, materials,
and documentation shall be available in a clear, concise form. Onslow County does not
expect nor will any more favorable consideration be given to submittals with fancy covers
or binding, color photographs, sample plans, non-pertinent information on other
accomplishments of the firm which have no direct bearing on these projects, resumes of
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individuals who will not be engaged in the work, or pages of other non-projected related
material. Brevity will be appreciated. Submittals shall be limited to 50 pages, double sided
8 12 x 11, minimum 12-point font. Covers and dividers do not count in the 50 pages total.
C. Firms requiring clarification or interpretation of this RFQ shall make a written request,
which shall reach the Onslow County Purchasing Department no later than the date and
time for submittal of written questions.
D. Any interpretation, correction or change of this RFQ will be made by Addendum. Addenda
will be e-mailed to all who are known by the County Purchasing Department to have
received a complete set of RFQ documents. It is the responsibility of the firm to ensure
that all Addenda were received.
E. All submittals shall provide a straightforward, concise description of firm's ability to
satisfy the requirements of the RFQ.
F. Qualification packages should be bound in a single volume where practical. All
documentation submitted with the offer should be bound in that single volume.
G. In addition to the transmittal letter, the Non-Collusion Affidavit must be signed by a
principal of the firm or an officer of the corporation duly authorized to bind the
corporation.
H. If any offer includes comments over and above the specific information requested in this
RFQ such comments must be included as a separate appendix.
I. The firm is solely responsible for all costs and expenses associated with the preparation of
the submittal and of any supplementary presentation (including any oral presentation) if
requested by County.
J. Qualification Packages must be made in the official name of the individual, firm, or
corporation under which the business is conducted (showing official business address) and
must be signed in ink by a person duly authorized to legally bind the business entity
submitting the qualification.
IV. GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS
A. NON-COLLUSION AFFIDAVIT
Each qualification package must be accompanied by a notarized affidavit on non-collusion,
executed by the firm or in the case of a corporation, by a duly authorized representative of
said corporation. The Non-Collusion Affidavit is provided herein.
B. ADDENDA/CHANGES
Any additions, deletions, modifications or changes made to this RFQ shall be processed
through the Onslow County Purchasing Department. Any deviation from this procedure
may result in the disqualification of the firm's submittal or the cancellation of any contract
resulting from this RFQ.
C. QUESTIONS
Questions concerning this RFQ should be directed to:
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Onslow County Purchasing Department
Attn: Christina Russell
234 NW Corridor Blvd.
Jacksonville, NC 28540
Telephone (910) 455-1750
E-mail: Purchasingbids@onslowcountync.gov
All questions pertaining to this RFQ must be submitted in writing no later than 12PM on
September 4, 2026.
Only written questions will be considered formal. Any information given by telephone will
be considered informal. Any questions that the County feels are pertinent to all proposers
will be mailed as an addendum to the RFQ. Fax and e-mail messages will be treated as
written questions.
D. PROPRIETARY INFORMATION:
Trade secrets or proprietary information submitted by a firm in connection with a
procurement transaction shall not be subject to the public disclosure under the North
Carolina Public Records Act pursuant to NC General Statutes 66-152(3). However, the firm
must invoke the protection of this section prior to or upon submission of the data or other
materials, and must identify the data on other materials to be protected and state the
reasons why protection is necessary. Each individual page considered a trade secret or
proprietary information must be labeled "Confidential" in the top right corner.
V. STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS REQUIREMENTS
Interested firms desiring to provide services should include the following with its Statement of
Qualifications. In order to evaluate responses efficiently and equitably, responses must be tabbed
as identified below. Failure to submit this information may render your proposal non-responsive.
Tab 1: Introduction: Company Information
* Firm's name and business address, including telephone, email address, website address.
* The type of firm (individual, partnership, corporation, etc.) and list the names of all
partners, principals, etc.
* Year established. Include former firm/company name(s) and year(s) established, if
applicable.
* The name, title, address, and telephone number of the firm's authorized negotiator. The
person identified must be empowered to make binding commitments for the firm.
* Letter of Interest
Tab 2: Personnel Qualifications
* Provide an organizational chart identifying members of the team, including sub-consultants
who would be assigned to the project(s). The chart should clearly delineate roles and
responsibilities of the various team members, identify specialty, leave of expertise,
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education and direct work experience on projects in the area(s) of expertise related to this
RFQ.
* Preference shall be given to firms with demonstrated experience in the areas listed in the
proposed scope of work. Firms should also demonstrate established working relationships
with airline network planning personnel and decision-makers at airlines aligned with Albert
J. Ellis Airport's air service development goals. The Statement of Qualifications should
include documented examples of successful air service development efforts, such as new
airline entrants, new routes, increased frequencies, or other service enhancements, and
clearly identify the firm's role in achieving those outcomes.
* Provide a resume detailing professional qualifications of key management and staff
personnel to be assigned to the project(s). Do not include resumes or list of personnel who
will not be assigned to these projects.
* Identify location of key project personnel to be used. Preference shall be given to firms
whose key staff have experience in the items listed in the scope of work and possess
familiarity with commercial service regional airports.
* Identify adequacy, availability, and ability of personnel to complete the task.
Note: Substitution of other personnel after the selection is made must be approved by the County.
Tab 3: Consultants/Sub-consultants/Other Participants
* Provide a list of consultants or sub-consultants who would be retained to provide services
on the project(s).
* Specify the percentage of work anticipated to be attributed to these consultants.
* Provide a synopsis for each to include size of staff, names and resumes of key personnel,
services to be provided, as well as relative and related work experience.
* Identify location of personnel to be used.
Tab 4: Past Experience
* Briefly describe representative municipal or publicly owned projects completed by
your firm in the last five (5) years related to the area(s) of expertise.
* Provide references for above projects including the follow contact names and
phone numbers.
* Describe any previous work history on County projects to include contact name.
* Describe why your firm should be selected to include any unique qualities which you feel
make your firm well suited to perform the work.
Tab 5: Project and Project Management Experience
* Experience Working with State and FAA Regulations and Procedures, Including the DOT's
Small Community Air Service Development (SCASD) Program: Preference shall be given to
project teams whose personnel have demonstrated experience working with the State
and FAA and possess a thorough understanding of FAA regulations, policies, and
procedures related to air service development for airports similar to Albert J. Ellis Airport.
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* Airport Understanding: Preference shall be given to firms that demonstrate a
comprehensive understanding of Albert J. Ellis Airport's current air service, market
opportunities, strategic goals, and recommended approaches for achieving those goals.
* Familiarity: Familiarity with coastal North Carolina, the regional aviation market, and
Albert J. Ellis Airport.
* Aesthetics and Professionalism: Include examples of airline presentation materials,
marketing collateral, or other materials previously developed or proposed for use in air
service development efforts.
* Additional Information: Include any other information you deem relevant to this request
for proposals.
Tab 6: Other Requirements
* Information concerning any pending, ongoing, or prior litigation within the last 10 years.
* Briefly describe your firm's operation history.
* Indicate proof of insurance and licensing in NC.
* Submission of a proposal indicates acceptance by the firm of the terms, conditions, and
requirements described in this RFQ unless clearly and specifically noted in the submittal.
Any and all exceptions/deviations to the required Scope of Services and/or the Sample
Agreement shall be documented on a separate page.
Tab 7: Forms: Notarized when required
* E-Verify (attached)
* Certification Regarding Debarment and Suspension (attached)
* Non-Collusion Affidavit (attached)
* Responder's Certification Form
V. EVALUATION PROCESS:
Statements of Qualifications (SOQs) will be evaluated based on the following criteria. The
evaluation committee may consider, but is not limited to, the following:
Firm Qualifications: Experience providing air service development consulting services
comparable to those described in the Scope of Work, including documented success working
with commercial airlines and airports of similar size and market.
Project Team Qualifications: Experience and expertise of the proposed project manager and key
personnel, including experience with commercial service regional airports and similar air service
development initiatives.
Regulatory Experience: Demonstrated knowledge of FAA and NCDOT regulations, policies, and
procedures related to air service development, including experience with the U.S. Department of
Transportation's Small Community Air Service Development (SCASD) Program.
Airport Understanding: Demonstrated understanding of Albert J. Ellis Airport, its market,
strategic objectives, and opportunities for commercial air service growth.
Community Support Strategy: Proposers must show proven strategies and success in garnering
community support for air service development.
Regional Familiarity: Familiarity with coastal North Carolina, the regional economy, and the
competitive aviation environment.
Presentation Quality: Quality, professionalism, and effectiveness of previous airline
presentations, marketing materials, or other air service development documents submitted as
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examples.
The County will consider and evaluate qualifications packages in accordance with N.C.G.S. 143-
64.31. An evaluation committee appointed by Onslow County will review and evaluate all
Statements of Qualifications received in response to this RFQ and rank the firms based on the
published evaluation criteria.
At the County's discretion, a shortlist of the highest-ranked firms may be invited to participate in
interviews conducted via Microsoft Teams. Shortlisted firms will be provided with at least seven
(7) calendar days' notice prior to the interview date.
Following completion of the evaluation process, Onslow County intends to enter into
negotiations with the highest-ranked firm. If negotiations are unsuccessful, the County reserves
the right to terminate negotiations and proceed with the next highest-ranked firm.
Onslow County reserves the right to reject any or all Statements of Qualifications, request
additional information or clarification, waive minor irregularities, and cancel or modify this
solicitation if determined to be in the County's best interest. All costs associated with preparing
and submitting a Statement of Qualifications shall be the sole responsibility of the submitting firm.
Consultant selection will be conducted in accordance with applicable FAA qualifications-based
selection requirements.
CONTRACT
The selected firm will be invited to negotiate a contract with Onslow County. A detailed scope of
work will be developed and agreed to by the selected consultant and the County. This detailed
scope of work and associated fee will be incorporated as part of the contract. The consultant
shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, or sex in the performance of this
contract. It is the policy of Onslow County to practice non-discrimination based on race, color,
sex, or national origin in the award or performance of this contract. The owner encourages
participation by all firms qualifying under this solicitation regardless of business size or
ownership.
VII. CONTACT POLICY
After the date and time established for receipt of qualifications by the County, any contact initiated
by any firm with any County representatives, other than the Purchasing Division Manager listed
herein, concerning this RFQ is prohibited. Any such unauthorized contact may cause the
disqualification of the firm from this qualification process.
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