Committee advances 10-year EV charging revenue contract for Denver International Airport to full council

The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee voted Wednesday to advance to the full City Council a proposed 10-year revenue contract to install, operate and maintain electric vehicle (EV) chargers at Denver International Airport (DEN).

Airport leaders described the agreement as a revenue contract that will allow a vendor to design, build and operate chargers across DEN-owned lots serving the public and employees. "This contract is, designed as a revenue contract, and we really think that a longer term is helpful here to really allow them to come in and be a partner to us and invest," said David Friedland, sustainability manager at Denver International Airport.

Airport CEO Phil Washington, environmental director Janet Keeler and Friedland told committee members the selected vendor (identified in the procurement as Everged/EVERG) presented a competitive proposal that included maintenace, operations and optional design elements such as battery storage and solar canopies. The airport said it received seven bids and set a 15% MWBE goal that the vendor supported.

Under the airport’s negotiated approach, the vendor’s base revenue share to the airport is 5% of net revenues after costs; the airport said a higher share could be negotiated on projects where the airport contributes greater capital or construction work. "There is not a guaranteed annual minimum. There is basically…their total revenue minus costs, and then we share a percentage of that revenue. What's the share? 5% default," Friedland said.

Staff described an initial deployment strategy that focuses on den-owned and operated lots serving the public and employees (not DEN’s fleet or tenant spaces). The airport said first-phase installations will generally target about 2% of parking spaces in identified lots, and that the program anticipates both derated Level 2 stations for long-dwell lots and some DC fast-charging (Level 3) locations for quick turn charging. Friedland said the airport expects to scale installations over time based on EV adoption and usage data; staff characterized early rollouts as "in the hundreds."

Committee members raised questions about revenue scale, project site selection, utility service and how charging will behave for long-term parkers. Friedland said software features can manage charging output over long dwell times ("trickle charge") and that chargers will stop once a vehicle reaches full charge.

Members also asked about accessibility and local standards. Staff said the city adopted a universal-design requirement for new lots and that the airport will design to meet that standard, with a 5% universal-design minimum for EV parking spaces. The staff presentation tied the project to DEN’s Vision 100 sustainability pillars and to regional air-quality and climate goals.

Council member Flynn moved the item and council member Omidres seconded; the committee recorded no abstentions or opposition and the chair said the item "will move to the full body." Committee discussion did not provide a detailed, multi-year revenue projection in committee; staff offered to follow up with figures for early years upon request.

If approved by the full council, the airport said it expects the contract to be implemented in phases focused on immediate lots with utility access, and to be revisited project-by-project where airport capital contribution alters the revenue-share terms.