The other bidders are Parsons Brinckerhoff International with Turner International, both of the US, and CH2M Hill of the US with the Netherlands' DHV Consultants. The three groups submitted their final presentations in mid-September. The Presidency of Civil Aviation is expected to award the contract by mid-December (MEED 27:9:02).

Questions over financing are understood to have delayed the project over the last year. The government has allocated SR 2,000 million ($533 million) for the expansion programme, which aims to increase the capacity of the kingdom's second largest airport from 12 million to 21 million passengers a year. However, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence & Aviation Minister Prince Sultan has indicated that some element of private financing may still be required for the project.

The scope of work involves the construction of two new terminals for domestic and international flights and the construction of new boarding lounges, passenger gangways and two parking lots with a total capacity of 5,700 cars. Last year the airport handled over 13 million passengers, and that figure is expected to rise to 21 million by 2020.