Singapore-based Meinhardt Group is understood to be reviewing the original design for the planned expansion of Hamad International airport.

The firm is also undertaking a value engineering study for the project, sources familiar with the project tell MEED.

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

It is expected to double the airport’s capacity to 60 million passengers a year by 2021, a year prior to the staging of football's World Cup in Doha.

Hamad International Airport (HIA) Steering Committee, the project client, received bids in June for the project management consultancy (PMC) contract for the project.

MEED understands at least three teams submitted a bid for the contract. They are:

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

Sources tell MEED they expect the client to tender the design and build contract for the airport expansion work “soon”. It is also possible for the client to award the PMC contract ahead of the design review completion, MEED has been told.

MEED reported early last year that the government has approved the budget for the airport expansion.

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

The airport opened in 2014, six years behind schedule.

The overall expansion plan for the airport comprises three main elements: the extension of the main terminal building; the construction of concourses D and E; and the connection with the Red Line of the Doha Metro.

The client previously appointed Meinhardt to provide engineering design services for the planned expansion.