DPWH to award P35.4-B Calax project in July

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is targeting to  award the P35.4-billion Cavite – Laguna Expressway (Calax) to the winning bidder in the first week of July.

DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson told bidders during a pre-bid conference last Friday that the agency is sticking to its original timetable for the rebidding of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project.

Singson reiterated that the deadline for the submission of bids is on May 19, while the technical proposals are scheduled to be opened on June 2 and the financial proposals on June 15.

He added that the agency is looking at issuing the notice of award to the winner on July 7.

Food-to-infrastructure conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) through San Miguel Holdings Corp., Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. of infrastructure giant Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) and professional service firm Reyes Tacandong & Co. submitted letters of intent to the DPWH.

Singson said the groups would have to submit all the required documents again, while old documents submitted in the previous bidding last year should not be resubmitted.

Likewise, bidders are required to submit a new bid security.

Ariel Angeles, officer-in-charge of the PPP project service of the DPWH, said the agency is sticking to the original Instruction to Prospective Bidders (ITPB) on the floor price of P20.105 billion as well as the single-stage qualification and bidding process.

The DPWH has decided to adopt a single-stage qualification and bidding for the PPP project in accordance with Sec. 5.7 of Republic Act 6957 as amended by RA 7718 or the Build Operate Transfer (BOT) Law.

The private sector partner is expected to shell out P25.22 billion of the entire project cost to cover detailed engineering design, civil works, and other costs while the government would contribute P10.2 billion for the land acquisition, including right-of-way as well as others costs.

Malacañang had ordered the DPWH to rebid the Calax project after SMC questioned the disqualification of its unit Optimal Infrastructure Development Inc. (OIDI) from the bidding in June last year. 

The tandem of conglomerate Ayala Corp. and listed Aboitiz Land Inc., through Team Orion, emerged as the highest bidder in June last year with P11.66 billion, followed by MPIC’s MP CALA Holdings with P11.33 billion, and Malaysian-owned Alloy MTD Philippines with P922 million.

However, SMC filed an appeal before the Office of the President after OIDI was disqualified from the bidding and its financial proposal containing a bid of P20.105 billion was not opened.

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) board chaired by President Aquino approved the rebidding of the project during its last meeting.

The PPP project is a four-lane 45.5 kilometer closed-system tolled expressway connecting the Manila – Cavite Toll Expressway (Cavitex) in Kawit, Cavite and the Mamplasan interchange along South Luzon Expressway in Binan, Laguna.