CHILE. The Ministry of Public Works (MOP) is finalising the tender process for the management contract at Santiago Arturo Merino Benítez Airport.
The Ministry of Public Works last week revised the guidelines aimed at streamlining the tender process, allowing as many parties as possible to participate.
Director of Public Works Javier Osorio told Chilean media that the revisions would lower barriers to entry for potential participants, opening the way for airlines and others to join the tender.
MOP will communicate updated details to the companies and consortia that have already pre-qualified for this eagerly anticipated tender.
To date more than 30 companies have purchased the pre-qualification terms and conditions.
The deadline for pre-qualifying is up to 60 days before the submission of bids, an MOP spokesperson told The Moodie Report.
“When a company or consortium pre-qualifies we deliver them with the background to the project, giving them the maximum convenience for prequalifying,” she said.
The tender guidelines will be released once approved by the Comptroller’s office.
“After the winning consortium is agreed, there will be a transition period or trial run until the official start of the next concession on 1 October 2015,” the spokesperson said.
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Major investment
In light of the current delay, the tender is likely to take place after September.
MOP’s Airport Management division is re-evaluating the term of the concession in the event that a new operator takes over the contract.
SCL Terminal Aéreo Santiago is the incumbent airport operator.
MOP’s rebidding application document anticipates an investment of over US$700 million over a term of up to 20 years, creating capacity for 29 million passengers a year by 2030.
A new international passenger terminal of 175,000sq m, and remodelling the existing passenger terminal (119,000sq m) for domestic traffic, are among the major works.
The document also calls for bids that propose “new and innovative commercial areas” and a broader range of stores and services to passengers.
As reported, World Duty Free Group has extended its retail concession at Santiago de Chile Airport until 2022.
