SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) _ Officials at the South Bend International Airport say the facility is ready to start building a federal inspection facility on its property.

WNDU-TV in South Bend reports (http://bit.ly/1H9PwzX ) that bids are open on the construction work for the project. An award is expected to be given in September. Construction should take about a year.

Julie Curtis is an airport representative. She says U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents need the station to be able to clear passengers arriving on international commercial aircraft.