CXO Securing CBP FIS Clearing Services
Vesta Rea & Associates, LLC (VRA) was contracted in early 2013 to bring U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) clearing capabilities to the Conroe-North Houston Regional Airport (CXO), a general aviation/corporate airport located 34 miles north of Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). This was VRA’s third FIS Customs assignment in five years. Vesta Rea-Gaubert served as project manager.
The project consisted of five phases, and the facility had its grand opening on September 22, 2016. VRA was the project oversight on all five phases.
Montgomery County (the airport sponsor) continued to utilize VRA throughout all five phases because of its extensive long-term relationship with U.S. CBP and its knowledge of CBP’s Airport Technical Design Standards (ATDS). VRA would interface on a weekly basis with the Houston CBP Port, the CBP Mission Support Regional Office, CBP OIT specialists, CBP Facilities Program Management Office (Dallas), and USDA-APHIS (Austin).
VRA’s key responsibility was to keep the project moving forward and all entities working as a team, as numerous CBP specification changes were encountered in the construction of the $2.4 million, 3,300 sq ft FIS facility.
The first phase of the project required a Research Report of 30 general aviation airports that had successfully acquired a “User Fee” FIS facility, and the fees being charged for clearings. The second phase necessitated the development of a Business Plan and Cost Analysis Report for Montgomery County, TX. The third phase required VRA to interface with the CBP Commissioner in Washington, D.C. and acquire a Designation Letter for CXO (committing an on-site inspector) and becoming a “User Fee” Customs clearing airport. The fourth phase was to help the county acquire the Funding necessary from public and private investors. In addition, VRA was asked to research qualified architectural firms that had done high security facilities at general aviation airports. During the final phase, VRA acted as the project coordinator over Construction and the primary Facilitator monitoring the budget, the schedule, organizing meetings/conference calls, monitoring actions items and arranging CBP site visits. Click here to learn how VRA rebranded and led the grand opening effort for this facility.
The project consisted of five phases, and the facility had its grand opening on September 22, 2016. VRA was the project oversight on all five phases.
Montgomery County (the airport sponsor) continued to utilize VRA throughout all five phases because of its extensive long-term relationship with U.S. CBP and its knowledge of CBP’s Airport Technical Design Standards (ATDS). VRA would interface on a weekly basis with the Houston CBP Port, the CBP Mission Support Regional Office, CBP OIT specialists, CBP Facilities Program Management Office (Dallas), and USDA-APHIS (Austin).
VRA’s key responsibility was to keep the project moving forward and all entities working as a team, as numerous CBP specification changes were encountered in the construction of the $2.4 million, 3,300 sq ft FIS facility.
The first phase of the project required a Research Report of 30 general aviation airports that had successfully acquired a “User Fee” FIS facility, and the fees being charged for clearings. The second phase necessitated the development of a Business Plan and Cost Analysis Report for Montgomery County, TX. The third phase required VRA to interface with the CBP Commissioner in Washington, D.C. and acquire a Designation Letter for CXO (committing an on-site inspector) and becoming a “User Fee” Customs clearing airport. The fourth phase was to help the county acquire the Funding necessary from public and private investors. In addition, VRA was asked to research qualified architectural firms that had done high security facilities at general aviation airports. During the final phase, VRA acted as the project coordinator over Construction and the primary Facilitator monitoring the budget, the schedule, organizing meetings/conference calls, monitoring actions items and arranging CBP site visits. Click here to learn how VRA rebranded and led the grand opening effort for this facility.
Project Structure
Prime: Vesta Rea & Associates, LLC
Scope of Work
- Project management
- Stakeholder liaison
- Federal agency coordination
- Technical writing of processes to align with government standards