Ernst & Youngof the UK and Arthur Andersenof the US are bidding for the contract to draw up terms of reference (TOR) for the construction of a third terminal at the airport on a public/private partnership basis. The TOR will take 10-21 months to draw up, depending on which consultant is selected. Some 18 companies have applied to prequalify for the terminal's construction and operation. The client says it aims to invite bids from a shortlist of four or five groups (MEED 26:10:01; 31:8:01).

For the contract to design a new runway for the airport, four consultants have submitted bids. They are Parsons of the US, Netherlands Airport Consultants (Naco), and Aeroports de Parisand Sofravia, both of France.

The government decided in early October to accord priority to the project to develop the existing airport serving the capital. Plans for the construction of a new airport to the west of the city have been shelved.