Cairo Airports Company has received bids from six companies for the $400m renovation of terminal two at Cairo International Airport.

Companies were asked to submit their bids by 22 March, after being been delayed four times previously (MEED 8:3:11).

Cairo Airports Company, a division of Egyptian Holding Company for Airports and Air Navigation (Ehcaan), is expected to take three months to carry out the technical evaluation. This means that the contract could be awarded in July.

The six companies that bid for the contract are:          

• Limak Investment (Turkey)                              
• Enka (Turkey)                                          
• TAV Airports Holding (Turkey), Consolidated Contractors Company (Athens-based), Hassan Allam Sons (local)
• OHL Concesiones (Spain)
• Saudi Binladin Group (Saudi Arabia)
• Orascom Construction Industries (local)/Besix (Belgium)

The renovation of terminal two will involve upgrading the existing passenger terminal so that it can handle up to 7.5 million passengers a year. This is more than double its current capacity of 3.5 million passengers a year. The project will also involve building a new departure hall and airside pier, as well as the construction of larger gates to accommodate Airbus A380 aircraft.

Once the contract is awarded, construction is expected to take three years so the terminal could be complete in 2014.

In March 2010, the Washington-headquartered World Bank approved a $280m loan to help finance the renovation of the terminal.