Notice of Request for Information
for a
HOTEL AT HILO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
State of Hawaii, Department of Transportation
The State of Hawaii, Department of Transportation (“STATE”) issues this Notice of Request for Information (“RFI”) from all interested individuals and
legally-registered business entities in the State of Hawaii (hereinafter referred to as “Business Entity” or “Business Entities”) for the development of a hotel at Hilo International Airport (“ITO”), Island of Hawaii, State of Hawaii.
ITO is a commercial service airport owned and operated by the STATE. ITO has been selected as the first airport for the potential development of a hotel by the STATE. The RFI will be used to evaluate the desirability and feasibility of development of hotels for the traveling public at ITO and other airports in the State of Hawaii.
The STATE is seeking information about the type of hotel needed or desired by the market, which information may include optimal number of rooms, appropriate level of hotel star rating system (including service, amenities, and price), and other amenities and services which may be desirable and expected by travelers.
The STATE is interested in responses from developers with established experience in hotel development, and information from developers who have specific experience in airport-situated hotels. Additionally, responses from developers who have experience in projects in the State of Hawaii (including islands other than Oahu) are welcome.
The RFI documents shall include the following items: (1) the Request for Information for an Airport Hotel, (2) the Narrative for Request for Information for an Airport Hotel, and (3) Site A and B Maps and related attachments. The RFI documents may be examined and/or obtained from the Property and Business Development office, located at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, 400 Rodgers Boulevard, Suite 700, Honolulu, Hawaii, or downloaded at www.hawaii.gov/dot/airports/doing-business/concession-notices under “Other Offerings” without charge.
An RFI Site Viewing will be conducted by the STATE on Friday, April 17, 2026, commencing at 10:00 am Hawaii Standard Time (“HST”), to familiarize developers with the two proposed hotel site locations at ITO. Please contact the Airport District Manager, Tiffinie Smith at 808-961-9302, or email her at tiffinie.c.smith@hawaii.gov or Property Manager Ululani Stephenson at 808-961-9303, or email her at ululani.p.stephenson@hawaii.gov to confirm your attendance.
The deadline to submit all written questions for the RFI is 4:30 pm HST on Thursday, April 30, 2026. The STATE will post the final written responses to all written questions by Friday, May 15, 2026, at www.hawaii.gov/dot/airports/doing-business/concession-notices under “Other Offerings”.
Please submit your responses to the RFI via email to Abby Lareau of the Property and Business Development office at lillian.a.lareau@hawaii.gov by
4:30 pm HST on Friday, May 29, 2026. If you have any questions, you may contact her at 808-838-8676.
The RFI is for informational purposes only, and no contract will be awarded as a result. In the second half of 2026, based upon the information provided by the RFI as well as other information, the STATE intends to issue a request for proposal (RFP), or other appropriate solicitation, from developers for development of such a hotel.
EDWIN H. SNIFFEN
Director of Transportation
(SA/HTH1523699 3/31/26)
