Naia Expressway contractor known Monday—DPWH

MANILA, Philippines—Who will win the P15.5-billion Ninoy Aquino International Airport Expressway project? Will it be the Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNTC) or the Optimal Infrastructure Development Inc. (OIDI)?

On Monday, the Department of Public Works and Highways will announce the winning project bidder, according to DPWH public information division head Elizabeth Pilorin.

Pilorin said on Sunday the DPWH bids and awards committee and the technical working group have finished evaluating the bids of the top two contenders—MNTC, an affiliate of Metro Pacific Corp., and San Miguel Holdings Corp.’s OIDI.

Metro Pacific is chaired by Manuel V. Pangilinan, while Ramon Ang heads San Miguel Holdings.

“It’s a battle of the giants and the winner will be known on April 15,” Pilorin told the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

She quoted DPWH Undersecretary Rafael Yabut as saying that both firms had “complied with the bidding procedure following extensive evaluation of their technical proposals and documents.”

Two other companies, Ayala Land and India’s IL & FS Transportation Networks Ltd., earlier withdrew their bids.

The proposed 7.15-kilometer elevated expressway will connect Naia Terminals 1, 2 and 3.

The DPWH said the project “will supplement the recently completed Phase 1 which interfaces with the Manila South Skyway at Sales Interchange.”

“The project involves the design, construction, operation and maintenance of an elevated structure from the terminus of Phase 1 at Sales Interchange going to Andrews Avenue, Domestic Airport Road, MIA Road and ending at Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard,” it said.

The project includes the “construction of a 2.2-kilometer road going to Entertainment City” on the reclaimed land facing Manila Bay.

The government will finance the project’s right-of-way acquisition costs amounting to P2.25 billion.

The state-run Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) will provide P6.5 billion in “infrastructure support funds.”

The project was approved on May 30, 2012, by the National Economic and Development Authority. Bidders submitted their qualifying documents on Oct. 2, 2012.

After Monday’s announcement of the winning bidder, the contract signing will follow on June 25.

Project construction, scheduled to start this year, will take at least 36 months, according to the DPWH.