7 firms qualify for 3 airport projects - DOTC

MANILA, Philippines - Seven private contractors for the construction of passenger terminal buildings in three airports in the country have qualified for the projects, the Department of Transportation and Communications announced Wednesday.

The DOTC said the agency's Bids and Awards Committee have found four groups--Jo Builders, AQA Global Construction, Inc., Jerry R. Santiago Construction, and the Joint Venture of E.M. Cuerpo, Inc. and Ascutia--eligible for the P27 million Clark International Airport component.

The BAC said the Jo Builders submitted the lowest bid of P19.85 million.

Meanwhile, only one company-- D.G. Sarmienta group, which submitted a bid in the amount of P 21.6 million,  was found eligible for the P22.7 million Puerto Princesa Airport component, the DOTC said.

As for the P 18.78-Million Tacloban Airport component, the DOTC said two groups were declared eligible-- Jo Builders and H.N.R. Construction & Supply.  Jo Builders submitted the lower bid of P13.67 million.

The DOTC said that a total of 18 bids were submitted last Monday.

"While we are pleased with the turnout of interested bidders, a substantial number of them were declared ineligible. We have repeatedly said that the BAC has no discretion and can only uphold the pass-fail criteria mandated by the Procurement Law," DOTC spokesperson Migs Sagcal said.

Each of the lowest bidders will now undergo detailed evaluation and post-qualification exercises to determine whether or not they can be awarded their respective projects.

"These semi-permanent structures are interim solutions to make passenger experience at the highly-congested Clark, Puerto Princesa, and Tacloban airports more convenient," Sagcal said.

"These will increase the capacity of the airports’ terminal buildings until the long-term infrastructure upgrades are completed," he added.

According to the bid requirements, the semi-permanent structures will be made of a steel framing system, pre-insulated roofing and wall panels. 

The winning bidders will be required to install various electrical works, including air conditioning units, to ensure passenger convenience. 

Despite the stability of these temporary buildings, they will be capable of being fully-dismantled, transferred, and re-used at other airports, as needed.

The DOTC said that once the Notices to Proceed are issued, the eventual winning bidders will have 120 days to complete the Clark component, 150 days for Puerto Princesa, and 90 days for Tacloban.