Airport Authority Wins 17th Consecutive Award

SAN DIEGO, CA — July 22, 2026 – The San Diego County Regional Airport Authority's Procurement 

Department has once again been recognized for excellence, earning the 2026 Achievement of Excellence 

in Procurement® (AEP) award from the National Procurement Institute, Inc. (NPI). The honor marks the 

Airport Authority's 17th consecutive year receiving the national distinction.

The AEP award recognizes public agencies that demonstrate outstanding leadership and best practices 

in public procurement, including innovation, transparency, professionalism, productivity and the 

effective use of technology to deliver greater value to the communities they serve.

"Receiving this recognition for the 17th consecutive year reflects our unwavering commitment to 

responsible stewardship of airport resources and continuous improvement," said Atif Saeed, President 

and CEO of the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority. " Our Procurement team plays a vital role 

in promoting competitive contracting opportunities managed with integrity, efficiency, and 

transparency. We are incredibly proud of their dedication and this well-deserved national recognition."

The Airport Authority was one of 59 California public agencies recognized with the 2026 AEP award. 

Nationwide, 251 organizations received the distinction, including cities, counties, special districts, school 

districts, higher education institutions, and state and provincial agencies.

The Achievement of Excellence in Procurement program encourages public procurement organizations 

to adopt industry best practices and pursue continuous organizational improvement. Award recipients 

are evaluated on rigorous criteria that measure innovation, professional development, e-procurement, 

leadership, and organizational performance.

In addition to the National Procurement Institute, the AEP program is sponsored by the Airport 

Procurement Group (APG), the California Association of Public Procurement Officials (CAPPO), Canadian 

Public Procurement Council (CPPC), Florida Association of Public Procurement Officials (FAPPO), 

Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA), National Association of Educational Procurement 

(NAEP), NIGP: The Institute for Public Procurement, and the Texas Public Purchasing Association 

(TxPPA).

The program is supported by AXIA Cooperative, GOVMVMT, NCPP – The Professional Association for 

Cooperative Procurement, OMNIA Partners, Pavilion, Strategic Government Resources (SGR), 

Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council (SPLC), and the Universal Public Procurement Certification 

Council (UPPCC)