The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has formally awarded to San Miguel Holdings Corporation (SMHC) the Bulacan International Airport (BIA) project.
Under the Notice of Award (NOA) given on August 14, SMHC will undertake the financing, design, construction, supply, completion, testing, commissioning, and operation and maintenance of the international gateway project in Bulakan, Bulacan.
The P735.63-billion airport project will be undertaken under a build-operate-transfer arrangement and involves a 50-year concession period.
With the NOA in place, SMHC must submit the necessary documents to DOTr’s Special Bids and Awards Committee (SBAC) within 20 days after August 14.
DOTr undersecretary for planning and project implementation Ruben Reinoso, Jr. noted that once completed, the project will help decongest the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), while also providing the traveling public a world-class airport designed to give the Filipino people a comfortable life.
Last July 31, DOTr concluded the Swiss challenge for SMHC’s unsolicited proposal, which drew no challengers.
Under the Build-Operate-Transfer Implementing Rules and Regulations, if no comparative or competitive proposal or no complying bid is received by the agency, the original proponent shall immediately be awarded the contract.
Through a resolution and executive brief dated August 1, 2019, the SBAC Technical Working Group recommended the awarding of the contract to SMHC.
Construction of the BIA is expected to start by the end of the year, and the airport is targeted for operations within four to six years.
DOTr said SMHC’s proposal entails building a new international gateway in Bulacan with air passenger terminal facilities having an ultimate design capacity of 100 million passengers. The new airport will also have airside facilities with an ultimate configuration of four parallel runways supported by associated airside facilities; aviation-related equipment and support facilities; and an 8-kilometer airport toll road linking the air hub to the North Luzon Expressway.
