DoTr outlines timeline for NAIA upgrade project 

THE Transportation department has scheduled the signing of the concession agreement for the rehabilitation, operations and maintenance of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) by mid-March.

“We are scheduling the signing of the concession agreement on March 15, and based on that there is up to 180 days to complete the conditions precedent to O&M (operations and maintenance) start date, and that is Sept. 11,” Transportation Undersecretary Timothy John R. Batan said on Wednesday.

During the submission and opening of technical documents for the NAIA-Public Private Partnership (PPP) project on Wednesday the Department of Transportation (DoTr) received bids from four groups for the airport’s upgrade.

The DoTr’s technical bid and awards committee (TBAC) is set to conduct a detailed evaluation of the qualification documents in 10 days starting on Wednesday.

“That is Jan. 6, 2024. The TBAC reserves the right to seek clarification from any bidder on the form and contents of the qualification documents,” he said, adding that the DoTr’s TBAC intends to announce the result of the detailed qualification review on Jan. 11.

Mr. Batan said the evaluation of the technical proposals will be conducted from Jan. 15 until Feb. 4, 2024.

“On Feb. 5, we will be announcing technical proposals that pass the technical evaluation and we will also announce the opening date for the financial proposals, which is scheduled tentatively on Feb. 7,” he said.

The results of the financial evaluation are expected to be announced on Feb. 14 as the DoTr is targeting to issue the notice of award by Feb. 15, Mr. Batan said.

The four groups that submitted bids for the P170.6-billion public-private partnership (PPP) project to upgrade NAIA are the Manila International Airport Consortium (MIAC), Asia Airport Consortium, GMR Airports Consortium, and SMC SAP and Company Consortium. 

Initially, eight entities had earlier bought bid documents for the NAIA-PPP project.

The MIAC consortium is composed of the companies owned by some of the country’s tycoons, namely: Aboitiz InfraCapital, Inc. (AIC); Ayala-led AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp.; Andrew L. Tan’s Alliance Global InfraCorp Development, Inc.; Lucio Tan’s Asia’s Emerging Dragon Corp.; the Gotianuns’ Filinvest Development Corp.; Gokongwei-led JG Summit Infrastructure Holdings Corp.; and GIP EM MIAC Pte., Ltd.

MIAC had previously submitted a P267-billion unsolicited proposal to operate and modernize the NAIA, but this was rejected by the government.

The GMR Airports Consortium is composed of GMR Airports International B.V.; Virata-led Cavitex Holdings, Inc.; and Yuchengco-led House of Investments, Inc. GMR Airports had partnered with Megawide Construction Corp. to operate the Mactan Cebu International Airport, but has since sold its stake to AIC.

The SMC SAP and Company Consortium is composed of San Miguel Holdings Corp.; RMM Asian Logistics, Inc.; RLW Aviation Development, Inc.; and Incheon International Airport Corp. The San Miguel group is currently building the New Manila International Airport in Bulacan.

The Asian Airport Consortium is comprised of Lucio Co’s Cosco Capital, Inc.; Asian Infrastructure and Management Corp.; Philippine Skylanders International, Inc.; and  PT Angkasa Pura II.— Ashley Erika O. Jose