WATERLOO - The Waterloo Regional Airport Board selected Earth Tech AECOM for the airport's engineer of record for the next five years.

Under a contract approved by the board in a special meeting Tuesday, Earth Tech, which has offices in Waterloo, will provide services including research, planning, bidding for projects and improvements at the airport.

The company will help the board take bids on projects and ensure they meet federal and engineering standards. Earth Tech won't necessarily be responsible for final designs or directly contract companies that do work on the airport.

Earth Tech and Clapsaddle Garber of Marshalltown both vied for the contract.

"The board felt both firms were very good and both were well qualified," said Bradley Hagen, director of aviation. "The biggest key was Earth Tech has done more work with commercial service airports.

The list of upcoming projects on which Earth Tech will consult include runway, taxiway and parking lot rehabilitations, hangar development and some equipment purchases.