Invitation to bid (ITB) documents will be released in January, with a view to awarding and starting preliminary site work by the end of the first quarter. The stipulated construction period is 42 months.

The scope of works for the estimated $530 million engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract covers the core facilities of the greenfield airport, located southwest of the capital. It includes:

All airside facilities including a taxiway system, aircraft parking system, all navigational aids, roads and drainage systems;

The main passenger terminal with floor space of more than 70,000 square metres, including all mechanical, electrical, baggage handling and screening, security, and IT systems;

Hajj and presidential terminals;

An air traffic control tower, including specified control systems and all mechanical and electrical installations;

Secondary airport facilities, including service courts, technical support facilities, a cargo complex, catering, fuel farm, and an aircraft maintenance hangar;

Ancillary airport facilities, including an administration complex, mosque, conference centre and a 250-room hotel;

The main land-side access road including intersections and the entire road network, supply and disposal utilities and networks for water, power, waste and sewerage; and

Landscaping.

The project's funding arrangements have yet to be finalised, but interested contractors are invited to submit their financing proposals.

Germany's Dorsch Consultcarried out the project's detailed design work and is expected to take on the project management and construction role.

The new airport, which will initially have capacity for 4.5 million passengers a year, will replace the existing one, which is situated near an urban area (MEED 20:5:05).