The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is set to resume this week the bid evaluation for the P170.6-billion Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) modernization project, as it is on track to award and sign the contract with the winning bidder within this quarter.
DOTr said the pre-qualification bids and awards committee (PBAC) will convene this week for the technical evaluation.
Based on the schedule announced by Timothy John Batan, DOTr undersecretary for planning and project development, during the bid submission last December 27, the PBAC is set to complete the legal evaluation on January 6.
The technical proposal evaluation will then be conducted and the consortia that successfully pass the evaluation will be announced on February 5.
DOTr targets to announce the opening date for the financial proposal on February 7 and the results on February 14. It intends to issue the notice of award on February 15.
The PBAC also aims to conduct the contract signing on March 15.
Four private consortia submitted bids to compete for NAIA’s modernization, which aims to increase its capacity to 60 million passengers annually, from at least 50 million passengers currently.
These include conglomerates Aboitiz InfraCapital, Ayala’s AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp., Alliance Global-Infracorp, Filinvest and JG Summit Holdings that are part of the Manila International Airport Consortium.
Another is Asian Airport Consortium which 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. of GMR Airports Consortium; as well as SMC SAP Company Consortium, which is formed by San Miguel Holdings Corp., RMM Asian Logistics Inc., RLW Aviation Development Inc. and Incheon International Airport Corp.
Under the NAIA public-private partnership (PPP) concession agreement, the bidder that will submit the highest percentage of revenue share will be declared as the winner. This is on top of the P30 billion upfront payment and P2 billion fixed annual payment to the government over the 15-year concession period.
The concession period could be extended for another 10 years which will be decided on the eighth year of operation based on compliance with the key performance indicators.
The project proponent will rehabilitate the airport’s passenger terminals and airside facilities; develop commercial assets and utility systems; and provide surface access facilities that enable intermodal transfer at the airport, inter-terminal passenger transfer facilities and services, among others.
Passenger volume at NAIA was expected to reach 45 million by end 2023, 46 percent higher than the prior year.
According to Center for Asia Pacific Aviation’s latest report, the PPP contract to rehabilitate NAIA is one of the few deals that occurred late last year that offers hope for the continuing recovery of the airline industry worldwide, after the coronavirus pandemic.
