DoTC to open bids for MCIA tomorrow

THE DEPARTMENT of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) announced yesterday that it will open the financial proposals for the first airport public-private partnership (PPP) project on Thursday.

The agency is scheduled to complete the technical evaluation stage for the P17.5-billion Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) Project today.

The DoTC bids and awards committee will then determine how many of the seven bidders will be eligible for the financial evaluation phase.

It has set a 15-day deadline for the completion of the technical checks from the submission of the bids on Nov. 28. Awarding of the project is set in mid-January.

DoTC Spokesman Michael Arthur C. Sagcal said in a statement that the agency is expediting the tendering process of the project, as the department is poised to offer two new PPP deals this month and next year.

"We are expediting work on our PPPs, especially now that we are re-bidding the LRT (Light Rail Transit) Line 1 Cavite Extension project and preparing to bid out the Integrated Transport System (ITS) project later this month," Mr. Sagcal said.

These seven parties submitted their financial and technical proposals for the airport deal to the DoTC yesterday:

• Metro Pacific - JG Summit consortium;

• AAA Airport Partners of the Ayala and Aboitiz groups;

• Filinvest-CAI consortium;

• San Miguel - Incheon Airport consortium;

• First Philippine Airports led by First Philippine Holdings;

• Premier Airport Group led by SM Investments Corp.; and

• the GMR Infrastructure and Megawide consortium.

Meanwhile, new players have indicated interest in bidding for the LRT-1 extension project, with local construction firm Megawide Corp. and Spanish rail transport operator Globalvia Infraestructuras, S.A. purchasing bid documents.

Bidding for the project is scheduled for April 28 next year.

DMCI Holdings, Inc. and San Miguel Corp., both of which pre-qualified to bid during the initial tender, have obtained bid documents as well.

The DoTC also plans to start the bidding process for the ITS terminals on Coastal Road in southern Metro Manila within the month. This project is to provide commuters with modern and efficient transport hubs where they can conveniently transfer to in-city buses, the LRT-1 system, or other forms of urban transport. -- L.C.S. Marasigan
 
source:  Businessworld