Promises broken: FAA finds KCI Airport project is failing women, minority businesses
Kansas City is not living up to its commitments to women and minority businesses at Kansas City International Airport.
In a strongly-worded letter dated Feb. 9, the Federal Aviation Administration said it found “significant compliance deficiencies” in the city’s programs for disadvantaged businesses and in prohibiting discrimination at the airport.
“If these deficiencies are not addressed,” the FAA said, ominously, “Kansas City will be in violation of FAA Grant Assurances.” The agency said it wants to see “immediate steps” in addressing the problems.
It’s a huge concern, on two fronts. Failing to meet FAA requirements could affect millions in federal dollars for the airport. Equally important, the deficiencies mean the airport isn’t doing the job it should to encourage minorities and women to seek contracts at KCI.
The FAA seemed particularly concerned about a discrimination complaint filed in 2020 concerning a multimillion-dollar concrete contract at the new terminal. The contract was initially awarded to a Colorado company, but the City Council reversed the decision and gave the bid to a St. Joseph firm.
One of the partners of the Colorado company was a woman-owned business called G2 Construction. After the City Council’s bid switch, G2’s Lisa Garney filed a discrimination complaint.
The city apparently never told the FAA about her complaint. That has angered the agency, whose letter claims the city failed to “immediately, fully, and impartially” investigate Garney’s allegation. It ordered the city to begin such an investigation now.
It also ordered the city to train its council members on discrimination policies and laws.
Thursday, Garney said she felt vindicated.
“One of the largest contracts ever awarded to a woman-owned business in KC was wrongfully taken from G2 as a result of discrimination,” she said in a statement. “The city’s lack of controls, accountability and transparency, cited by the FAA, allowed this to happen.”
Emails requesting comment, sent to Aviation Director Pat Klein and others connected with the terminal project, were not immediately answered Thursday.
The FAA did not force the city to repay Garney for the contract snafu. In an interview, she said she understood her chance at the contract ended long ago, but wants to make sure the city does a better job of protecting women and minority enterprises at KCI.
“What’s the purpose of having these laws and these programs that companies like mine invest in, if they’re not going to uphold their end?” she asked. “My hope is this letter, this decision … will help women and minorities for years to come.”
We hope that, too. Kansas City has made numerous, wide-reaching promises to women and minority businesses that the new terminal project would offer clear opportunities for work. It now appears that promise has not been honored.
City officials should apologize. They should make sure all of the FAA’s questions are answered fully and quickly. Then they should redouble efforts to make sure the project is fair to all Kansas Citians, not just men with white skin.