The technical evaluation of the bids for the project management consultancy (PMC) contract for the expansion of Hamad International airport is still ongoing, according to sources familiar with the project.

The Hamad International airport (HIA) Steering Committee received bids for the contract from at least three teams in June.

The teams are understood to include:

• Aecom (US) / Astad Engineering (local)
• Egis (France) / Jacobs Engineering (US) / SNC Lavalin (Faithful & Gould) (Canada)
• Hill International (US) / WSP (Canada) / Meinhardt (Singapore).

The planned expansion covers the construction of a new cargo terminal and airside works that cover additional taxi and apron stands in addition to the expansion of the main passenger terminal building.

It is designed to double the airport’s capacity to 60 million passengers a year by 2021.

Sources tell MEED they expect the client to tender the design and build contract for the airport expansion work “soon”.

Singapore-based Meinhardt Group is also understood to be reviewing the original design and has conducted a value engineering study for the planned expansion of the airport.

In early 2017, MEED reported that the government approved the budget for airport expansion.

Hamad International processed 120 million passengers from 2014 to 2017. It is understood the number of passengers fell by more than 30 per cent last year.