The Department of Transportation (DOTr) yesterday officially opened the bidding for the P170.6-billion rehabilitation and operation of the country’s premier airport, Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), the contract for which is slated to be awarded by yearend.
The DOTr and the Manila International Airport Authority have invited foreign and local firms to participate in the single-stage competitive bidding process on a Rehabilitate-Operate-Expand-Transfer modality, in accordance with the Build-Operate-and-Transfer (BOT) Law and its Revised 2022 Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR).
According to Instructions to Bidders published on the Public-Private Partnership Center (PPPC) website, “the bidding is open to all interested foreign and local parties subject to conditions for qualification under the bidding documents, the Constitution, the BOT law and BOT law IRR and other applicable laws and jurisprudence.”
The bidding documents to be issued by the project Prequalification Bids and Awards Committee ) shall set out the rules and procedures applicable to the bidding process, according to PPPC.
Interested bidders may participate in the bidding process and be given access to the virtual data room upon payment of a non-refundable participation fee of P2.75 million and submission of a letter appointing the authorized representative to execute non-disclosure undertaking for the grant of access to the virtual data room and non-disclosure undertaking.
The instruction to bidders was available to the public starting at 2 p.m. yesterday, August 23.
PPPC said, the DOTr and the MIAA reserve the right to reject any or all bids declare a failure of bidding, modify bidding documents or any aspect thereof anytime and or not award and contract for any reason whatsoever and without the need of any explanation.
Last month, the National Economic Development Authority, approved the joint proposal of DOTr and MIAA to pursue a solicited bid for NAIA, setting aside the P267-billion Manila International Airport Consortium (MIAC) unsolicited proposal to modernize and operate NAIA for 25 years concession. MIAC is composed of six Philippine conglomerates, namely Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc., AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp., Asia’s Emerging Dragon Corp., Alliance Global — Infracorp Development Inc., Filinvest Development Corp., and JG Summit Infrastructure Holdings Corp.
Jaime Bautista, DOTr secretary, earlier said he expected the MIAC consortium to join the bidding for NAIA.
With the issuance of bid documents, DOTr may award the project to the winning bidder by yearend.
Bautista said the DOTr is pushing for the NAIA’s privatization this year to upgrade its facilities to accommodate additional passengers.
The project is expected to improve overall passenger experience and increase the current annual passenger capacity of NAIA at least 62 million from the current 32 million.
The NAIA project will cover all facilities of the country’s main gateway, including its runways, four terminals, and associated facilities.
