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CAA starts process for Entebbe airport expansion
Passengers push their baggage trolleys at Entebbe International Airport. Civial Aviation Authority unveiled a plan to expand the airport in three phases. PHOTO BY STEPHEN WANDERA
What you need to know:
Deadline. CAA expects all expressions of interest to be in by June 8
Kampala. After close to four years of discussions on expanding and upgrading Entebbe International Airport, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is making headway.
On Friday, the Authority started the process of hiring a consultant to supervise and design for the upgrade and expansion of an airport that last had a facelift in 2007 prior to the Commonwealth Head of Government summit.
CAA, in the request for expression of Interest notice, revealed that they had secured the required funding for a consultant to carry out the construction supervision role.
“The objective of the assignment is for the consultant to provide complete engineering services in all respects, including all field and office work in strict adherence to the highest standards of civil engineering practice,” the notice reads.
In January 2015, CAA unveiled a plan to upgrade Entebbe International Airport in three phases between 2016 and 2033.
The current phase estimated to cost about $206m (Shs615b) includes the construction of a new passenger terminal complex to handle the increased number of passengers and also new cargo terminal.
Additionally, the consultant will supervise the strengthening of two runways, rehabilitation of aprons and a new fire water system, among others.
According to the notice, the work is expected to commence in the financial year 2015/16 with the consultant given a period of three years to have completed the work. CAA has also set some benchmarks for the consultant requiring them to have completed a design and supervision of an airport construction project valued at $200m.
“The consultant has successfully completed supervision of at least two major airport projects with construction costs of at least $200m each in the past eight years,” reads one of the terms set by CAA.
CAA expects all expressions of interest to be in by June 8, 2015. The funding for the infrastructure expansion is mostly through debt, government allocation and savings by the CAA.
Entebbe Airport Master plan
According to the Entebbe International Airport Master Plan, the first phase of renovations involving terminal expansion, cargo area, multi-storey car park, fuel farm among others will cost $201.6 million (about Shs567.9 billion).
The authority will also need $67.4 million (about Shs192.9 billion) in the year 2019 to 2023 to do the same while $160.5 million (about Shs459.4 billion) will be required for the same purpose between 2024 and 2033.
