The Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority is looking for ways to cut costs on airfield upgrades needed to accommodate the giant A380 freighter scheduled to fly out of Memphis starting in 2009.

APAC-Tennessee, lone bidder on a project to extend shoulders on portions of three taxiways and move the perimeter lighting, bid the job at $12.4 million.

The figure is more then the authority budgeted, due to inflation and rising construction costs, said authority president and chief executive Larry Cox.

"The FAA allows us to negotiate if there is only one bidder," he said. "We'll go to work to see if we can get the cost down."

Overall, the authority expects to spend $15 million-$20 million by 2008 to upgrade infrastructure for the giant freighter that FedEx Corp. is buying from Airbus.

J.F. Kennedy Airport in New York plans to spend $170 million to $180 million -- more than any other U.S. airport -- on upgrades, said Dick Marchi, senior policy adviser at Airports Council International-North America.