Mexico reveals winners of new airport's runways

Groups led by Mexican companies Coconal and Operadora Cicsa won the bidding for construction of runways No. 2 and 3, respectively, of Mexico City's new international airport, the largest contracts in the 169bn-peso (US$9.1bn) project awarded so far.

A 7.92bn-peso bid from Coconal and Constructora y Pavimentadora VISE beat offers from companies such as Isolux and Corsan, Grupo OHL's Constructora de Proyectos Viales and Odebrecht to win the right to build runway No. 2.

Operadora Cicsa, a unit of Carlos Slim's Carso group, led a consortium also including GIA+A, Promotora y Desarrolladora Mexicana and La Peninsular to win the contract for the construction of runway No. 3 with a bid of 7.36bn pesos.

The runway No. 2 proposal obtained 44.5 points out of 50 for its technical aspects and 48.59 points out of 50 for the economic part. The winning bid for runway No. 3 scored 43.25 points and 48.59, respectively, representatives of GACM, the state-owned group in charge of the project, said during Friday's award ceremony.

Debt-laden construction giant ICA's hopes of winning at least one of the contracts were dashed when its two bids proved unsuccessful.

Work on the second runway will begin on September 26 and must be completed within 735 days. The contract will be signed within the next 15 days.

Coconal is currently carrying out land clearance and leveling work for the airport after winning a tender at the end of last year.

Transport undersecretary Yuriria Mascott said the contracts to build the terminal building and the control tower will be awarded before the end of the year.

The announcement of the winning bids for the two runways had been postponed twice due to the number and competitiveness of the proposals received, according to GACM. The airport's future operator received 18 bids from 62 local and international companies for runway No. 2, while 49 Mexican and foreign companies placed 16 bids for the third runway.