FAA Opens FY 2027 Contract Tower Infrastructure Grant Competition
FAA has opened a new competitive funding round for eligible contract-tower projects, extending the federal pipeline for airport safety infrastructure.
Development date: September 24, 2026
The Federal Aviation Administration opened the fiscal 2027 competitive grant round for airport contract-tower projects on September 24, creating a new funding path for eligible airports seeking to replace, relocate or improve air traffic control facilities. The program makes up to $100 million available through Airport Infrastructure Grant funding.
Contract towers are a specialized but consequential part of the airport system. They support air traffic services at airports that may not have federally staffed FAA towers, and their condition affects visibility, communications, controller working conditions and operational resilience. Eligible projects must be tied to airports participating in the FAA Contract Tower Program or meeting the program’s stated candidate requirements.
The competition follows earlier Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act rounds that directed capital to tower projects across the country. Applicants must use FAA’s required project-information process and coordinate with the appropriate regional office, airports district office or state block-grant agency. The exact eligibility, documentation and deadline requirements are controlled by the current notice, not by summaries of past rounds.
For airport sponsors, the practical work begins well before a grant award. A credible application needs a defined scope, cost estimate, project schedule, site-control strategy and environmental pathway. Tower projects can also require careful phasing so that airfield operations and air traffic services remain safe during construction and commissioning.
The opportunity is relevant to architects, engineers and contractors because tower work combines vertical construction with aviation-specific systems. Potential scopes can include foundations, structural work, cab glazing, backup power, communications, fire protection, security and site utilities. Specialized equipment and FAA acceptance requirements can influence both design and procurement lead times.
A funding notice does not identify winning projects, and it should not be interpreted as construction authorization. Airports considering applications will still need to complete FAA review and local approvals. The new round nevertheless gives the market an early view of a future airport-infrastructure pipeline and a reason to monitor sponsor board agendas and procurement pages.
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation and FAA, September 24, 2026.
Representative U.S. airport photograph, not a funded contract-tower site. Austin-Bergstrom air traffic control tower. Photo: Alexis Doine, CC0 1.0. No editorial alterations; WordPress may resize or crop for display.
