Apr 182013
 

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Transportation and Communications on Thursday announced that it will conduct another opening of qualification documents next week for the P17.5-billion Mactan-Cebu International Airport project.

The DOTC said the project, under the Public-Private Partnership program of the Aquino administration, is the third to be rolled out this year.

It added that interested parties in the MCIA project will submit their eligibility documents to the joint DOTC-Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority Prequalification, Bids, and Awards Committee on Monday, Apr. 22.

“We are optimistic that the MCIA Project will generate the same level of interest from major local and international companies as what we saw from the AFCS (Automated Fare Collection System) project.  We made sure that this project will also be attractive to investors in order to foster competitive and open bidding,” the DOTC said.

To date, a total of 12 companies purchased Invitation Documents for the MCIA Project, the DOTC said.

It noted that it expects foreign airport operators to take part in the bid because of the lack of local expertise in that area.

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“Based on our requirements, Philippine companies will have to partner with established airport operators from other countries. This will benefit our domestic air transport industry, as technology transfer will give local players the opportunity to learn from more advanced and more experienced airport operators.”

In turn, the DOTC assures the private sector that the joint DOTC-MCIA PBAC will maintain a level playing field in the bid by upholding transparency and fairness, hallmarks of the Transport Department’s procurement reforms.

The MCIA Project entails the construction of a new world-class international passenger terminal building with a capacity of about eight million passengers per year; renovation and expansion of the existing terminal; installation of all the required equipment; and the operation of both new and existing facilities. – Dennis Carcamo