The other, AX 101, is for the building works on the cargo terminal project. The client, the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA), is also preparing to award by the end of December the AX 059 package, which at about $800 million is the largest on the development (see Last Word; MEED 1:10:04).

The terminal 2 package involves the construction of an 80,000-square-metre extension and refurbishment of the existing 15,000-square-metre facility. The new extension will be housed in an 800-metre-long, 130-metre-wide building, which is expected to take about 17 months to complete.

The cargo package covers the construction of a new terminal building with an area of 270 metres by 130 metres, a car park and a connecting bridge. Bidders have been given six weeks to price the two packages. Germany's Siemens Dematicwas selected a year ago to supply equipment for the expansion (MEED 10:10:03).

Two ventures - the local/UK Al-Naboodah Laing O'Rourkeand the local/South African team of Al-Habtoor Engineering Enterprises and Murray & Roberts Contractors (Middle East)- submitted bids in late September for the AX 059 package.

The contract covers all the architectural finishes and MEP works for: terminal 3, an underground structure covering a total area of 532,000 square metres; the open-air car park structure, which will have a built-up area of 257,000 square metres; and the 670,000-square-metre concourse 2.

The consultants on the expansion programme are Beirut-based Dar al-Handasah (Shair & Partners)and Aeroports de Paris(MEED 21:5:04).