Four airport-focused information and communications technology (ICT) providers have submitted offers for the project to modernise Bahrain International airport.

France’s Thales provided three options for pricing, including the lowest of all offers – made at $62.4m. The firm offered two other options, priced at $75m and $116m respectively.

The ICT arm of Turkey’s TAV offered two options, one priced at $79m and the other at $82m, while ARINC, now part of the US’ Rockwell Collins, offered two of the highest-priced options of $104m and $155m respectively.

Smart Technology Services, an affiliate of Dubai-based SmartWorld, made one offer priced at $93.2m.

The ICT systems upgrade could include security, air navigation equipment, data centres and baggage-handling systems, among others.

Apart from the ICT upgrade, bids for a contract to expand the current terminal are currently being evaluated. The expansion project is to be financed by the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD).

Bahrain’s airport is being expanded to accommodate rising passenger traffic. The number of passengers that passed through the airport in 2014 exceeded 8.5 million, which is twice its current capacity.