State-run Abu Dhabi Airports Company (Adac) plans to tender the contract to build its $6.8bn midfield terminal at Abu Dhabi International airport by the end of the year.

Contractors had expected the airport operator to issue a tender earlier this year, but senior management changes at Adac delayed the process.

Adac had planned to build the terminal as part of a build-operate-transfer project and had shortlisted three companies for the contract: France’s Aeroports de Paris, Germany’s Hochtief and Turkey’s TAV.

In February, the local National Services & Contracting Company (NSCC) won the foundations package for the $6.8bn project. NSCC’s contract involves piling and excavation work.

The new terminal will be the third passenger terminal at the airport. Adac wants to build the terminal so that it can increase the annual passenger-handling capacity at the airport from 12 million to 32 million.

In March, the airport’s capa-city climbed from 7 million to 12 million after its AED1bn ($272m) second passenger terminal – the Etihad terminal – became fully operational.

The local/South African joint venture of Al-Habtoor Engineering Enterprises and Murray & Roberts Contractors (Middle East) built the Etihad terminal.