Arica airport concession attracts 6

Six groups have purchased bidding rules for the concession to upgrade and operate Chacalluta airport that serves Chilean Region I city Arica, a public works ministry spokesperson told BNamericas. The bidding timetable remains unchanged, said the spokesperson. Technical and economic offers are due October 16, with technical offers opened the same day and economic offers November 18. Bidding was open to companies or consortia registered with the ministry's special international registry for the second airport concessions program. Names of the groups were not released. The contract involves investing some US$7.98mn to modernize and expand the passenger terminal to 4,700 sq. m, as well as its operation for 10 years. Chacalluta receives domestic flights as well as international flights from Argentina, Bolivia and Peru, according to the ministry, with traffic expected to more than double to 511,000 passengers/year by 2005. The project falls under the ministry's US$1.93bn, 2003-2004 concessions portfolio.