Case Study: San Diego International Airport reaches more local vendors and meets DEI goals with PlanetBids

San Diego Airport's Journey with PlanetBids

The San Diego International Airport, one of the busiest single-runway airports in the US, faced challenges with its manual, paper-based procurement processes. This system made it difficult to manage a multi-billion dollar terminal modernization project and meet their goals for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in contracting. They partnered with the vendor PlanetBids to implement its end-to-end procurement software platform to automate and streamline these operations.

PlanetBids provided a digital solution for bid creation, vendor management, and compliance tracking. This automated system significantly expanded the airport's pool of local and diverse vendors, streamlined reporting, and ensured DEI goals were met. The measurable results included awarding 22% of project contracts to local businesses and 16% to certified small businesses in 2023. PlanetBids enabled the efficient management of over $4 billion in airport upgrades while dramatically improving transparency and outreach.

The San Diego International Airport

Jana Vargas

Airport Authority’s Director of Procurement