What is the Regional Airports Screening Infrastructure Program?
The Regional Airports Screening Infrastructure Program is a grant opportunity which aims to assist regional airports with the minimum necessary capital and initial operating costs of complying with enhanced security screening requirements.
Background
The Regional Airports Screening Infrastructure Program is part of the Government’s $715 million relief package for the Australian aviation industry in response to the economic impact of COVID-19.
A number of regional airports require upgraded security screening equipment to comply with new regulatory requirements. The separate $50.1 million Regional Airport Security Screening Fund (RASSF) grant opportunity GO1551 is providing funding contributions towards this equipment. The RASSF closed on 21 March 2019 to new applicants.
The Regional Airports Screening Infrastructure (RASI) program is a single grant opportunity that will run for the 2020-21 financial year. The program aims to assist regional airports with RASSF grant agreements offered or in place, meet the reasonable cost of the necessary minimum capital works associated with accommodating the enhanced regional airport security equipment, and assist with operating costs related to the screening equipment for an agreed period.
Objectives
The objective of the Regional Airports Screening Infrastructure Program is to reduce the extent of costs to airports associated with the upfront capital and initial operation of enhanced security screening equipment and requirements being passed on to passengers and other airport users through screening charges to airlines.
The intended outcomes of the RASI program are:
- Airports are able to complete the necessary capital works to comply with enhanced security screening requirements; and
- the funding support provided by this grant opportunity provides a measurable reduction of security costs that are passed on to airport users by airport operators, commensurate with the level of funding contributed towards capital and operation costs associated with enhanced screening requirements.
Funding
The Australian Government has announced a total of $66 million for the Regional Airports Screening Infrastructure program. The grant opportunity will run to 30 June 2021.
Eligible Projects
Grant funds must be used for eligible expenditure on eligible activities. Eligible activities must directly relate to the project and can include:
- construction works and related works e.g. electrical, fire, plumbing and/or heating, ventilation and cooling systems required to accommodate and operate approved aviation security screening equipment in a safe and compliant manner, so long as those works are the minimum efficient works necessary; and
- additional operating costs, such as staffing and maintenance, related to and expected to be incurred following the introduction of enhanced security screening equipment.
Capital works to accommodate enhanced security screening equipment already completed will be considered retrospectively for eligibility.
Eligible Applicants
To be eligible you must:
- have an Australian Business Number (ABN);
- be registered for the purposes of GST;
- have an account with an Australian financial institution; and
- operate an existing regional airport with a signed grant agreement under the Regional Airport Security Screening Fund (GO1551), or have been offered a grant agreement under GO1551.
and be one of the following entities:
- an entity incorporated in Australia (including incorporated trustees on behalf of a trust)
- an Australian local government agency or body
- an Australian State or Territory Government agency or body
- an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (Cth).
Timing
Applications close 28 August 2020.
