Committee approves amended SFO curbside-management contract with SP Plus, seeks worker protections and LBE details

The Budget & Finance Committee on Sept. 22 recommended approval of a three-year curbside-management contract at San Francisco International Airport with SP Plus Corporation, as amended to reduce the not-to-exceed ceiling from $20.7 million to $20.1 million to reflect projected spending, and with a 12‑month option to extend.

Airport staff explained the contractor will monitor and dispatch taxis, limousines and transportation‑network‑company trips, operate staging lots, and provide customer service and dispatch coordination at terminal curbsides. Daniel Wu of SFO said the contract is funded by trip fees charged to ground‑transportation providers; supervisors questioned how the fees are set and whether taxis or rideshare drivers are charged differently. Airport staff said the fee model operates on cost recovery among modes: taxis are charged for pickups (and pass the cost to customers), while CPUC‑regulated modes (TNCs) are charged for both drop‑offs and pickups.

Supervisor Gordon Mar pressed on labor protections. Airport staff said the contract includes a 90‑day retention policy for incumbent employees, that laid‑off workers are placed on a rehiring list the new contractor will tap first, and that the prime and subcontractor negotiate with the same union. Supervisor Mar asked staff to follow up with explicit subcontract retention language; airport staff agreed to provide contract language.

The airport noted SP Plus will subcontract administrative support to SF Parking LLC, a locally owned LBE firm, estimated at roughly 5% of contract value. The Budget Legislative Analyst recommended the $600,000 reduction to the contract ceiling and recommended approval; the committee accepted that amendment and moved the item to the Board with a positive recommendation.

The contract will take effect after full Board approval and required onboarding steps, including background checks for retained employees. Committee members requested follow‑up on subcontract protections and additional clarity on fee structures and their implications for the taxi industry.