The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Thursday anticipates signing the P171-billion concession agreement with the winning bidder to rehabilitate, optimize and maintain the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) around mid-March next year.
Timothy John Batan, Transport undersecretary for planning and project development and pre-qualification bids and awards committee (PBAC) chair, said the GMR Airports Consortium, Manila International Airport Consortium (MIAC), Asian Airport Consortium (AAC) and SMC SAP & Company Consortium have prequalified for the NAIA concession.
Conglomerates from Aboitiz InfraCapital, Ayala’s AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp., Alliance Global-Infracorp, Filinvest, and JG Summit Holdings form the Manila International Airport Consortium.
Asian Airport Consortium is composed of Asian Infrastructure and Management Corp., Cosco Capital Inc., Philippine Skylanders, Inc., and PT Angkasa Pura II.
Also joining the bidding are GMR Airports International B.V., Cavitex Holdings, Inc. and House of Investments, Inc. forming the GMR Airports Consortium as well as the SMC SAP Company Consortium counting the San Miguel Holdings Corp., RMM Asian Logistics, Inc., RLW Aviation Development, Inc. and Incheon International Airport Corp. as members.
Batan said the PBAC is even now undertaking a 10-day detailed evaluation of bidders that started 27 December til 6 January next year.
The committee is scheduled to announce the qualified bidders by January 11 and open the technical proposals on 15 January.
The opening of the financial proposals of the successful bidders is tentatively set on 7 February while the result of the evaluation announced by 14 February.
Batan said the PBAC targets to issue the notice of award by 15 February while the deadline for the submission of post-award requirements by the winning bidder lapses on 6 March.
After this time, the PBAC has until 12 March to check bidder compliance and targets the signing of the concession agreement on 15 March.
Batan said the winning bidder is given 180 days to complete the conditions before taking over the operations and maintenance of the NAIA by 11 September.
Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista reiterated that modernizing the NAIA with the help of the private sector will increase its capacity to 60 million passengers annually. The airport currently handles at least 50 million passengers despite its maximum capacity of only 32 million passengers.
“We all know this airport is already congested with a capacity of only 32 million but handling almost 50 million passengers,” Bautista said.
He noted the NAIA handled an average of 145,000 passengers daily during the holidays.
DOTr and the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) are co-grantors of the project that allows for a 15-year concession with option for a 10-year extension.
The project requires capital investment to improve the airport’s facilities consistent with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and other internationally-accepted standards.
