CHELSEA Logistics Holdings Corp. and Mega7 Construction Corp. have been granted by the transportation department the original proponent statuses (OPS) for their separate unsolicited proposals to develop and expand the Davao and Kalibo airports.
In a media advisory, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said the board of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap) has obtained the “needed number of signatures from its members” to grant the OPS to the two companies.
“The board is currently meeting with the proponents to facilitate completion of requirements by the National Economic and Development Authority [Neda] that will still evaluate the proposals for approval,” the advisory read.
The Caap, the operator of the government-owned airports, is chaired by Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade. Other members of the board include the director general of the agency, and the chiefs of the tourism, finance, interior and local government, justice, labor and foreign affairs departments.
The DOTr gave the go signal for the release of the status to Chelsea’s P49-billion proposal for the development, and operations and maintenance of the Davao International Airport, as it will include a “new technology” to passenger experience. It will also take in an “airport operator which captures data to deliver efficient operations.”
Resubmitted earlier this year, Chelsea’s airport proposal involves the development of the Davao International Airport to meet the projected 15 million annual passenger volume by 2050.
Mega7’s proposal, priced at P3.8 billion, includes the upgrade of the facilities and systems in the Kalibo International Airport. It also includes the operations and maintenance of the airport.
Both proposals will include the expansion of the passenger-terminal buildings and a concession period of 30 years.
Mega7’s offer, submitted earlier this year, was also initially rejected due to lack of information.
Unsolicited proposals, under the law, have to go through several approval processes from the implementing agency and the attached bodies under the Neda.
They will also be subjected to a Swiss challenge, a process that allows other groups to submit offers superior to the original proposal. The original proponent will then have the right to match or submit a counteroffer to win the contract.
Earlier, Transportation Undersecretary Ruben S. Reinoso Jr. said his group intends to finish the review, evaluation and the prospective Swiss challenge for the two proposals within the year.