Book excerpt: The Metropolitan Wash. Airports Act of 1986 provided for the lease of Wash. Dulles International Airport and Ronald Reagan Wash. Nat. Airport and the transfer of operating responsibility from the federal government to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. The Authority is an independent, nonfederal, public entity that has operated the government-owned airports since June 7, 1987, under a 50-year lease with the Dept. of Transportation. To carry out its mandate, the Authority enters into a wide range of contractual relationships to acquire supplies and construction and other services. This report provides a current assessment of whether the Authority has satisfied its contracting obligations under the statutory lease provision. Illus.