Lithuanian Airports has announced that it is to retender a departure terminal project for Vilnius Airport following the cancellation of a deal with Mitnija, Lithuania’s largest contractor, in March last year and the launch of a new tender in October.
In a press statement, Lithuanian Airports said the October tender had not “come to a standstill” but faced “legal challenges”. It added that fresh bid documents would be expedited since it hoped to conclude a deal by mid-autumn.
In the release, Lithuanian Airports also noted that a contract was never signed with Mitnija owing to an increase in construction and materials prices. GCR previously reported that the tender was cancelled due to the impact of Covid-19 on the aviation market. A market consultation on the new contract took place last week, with bidders discussing price indexation.
The 14,400 sq m terminal will double the airport’s hourly passenger capacity to 2,400. It will have two floors, with a self-service check-in area, common public spaces, cafés, airline offices and shops.
Arnas Dūmanas, Lithuanian Airports’ head of infrastructure and operations, said: “Even after encountering legal obstacles in the previous tender and finding solutions, part of the team started to prepare for a new tender, so we now have the opportunity to react quickly and submit a new, adjusted tender, adapted to the changed context of the prices of contractual works.
“This is a strategic project on which not only the further development and modernisation of Vilnius Airport depends, but also the projects of Kaunas and Palanga airports, their commencement and their continuity.”
