In official document No.5208/VPCP-CN issued by the Government Office, PM Chinh expressed his dissatisfaction with the sluggish progress of Package 5.10, an integral part of the first phase of the ambitious Long Thanh International Airport project.

The Commission for the Management of State Capital at Enterprises was called upon to take decisive action, with Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) instructed to promptly identify a suitable contractor in full compliance with the PM's directives and those of deputy prime ministers.

The Long Thanh International Airport project, the first phase, holds strategic importance for Vietnam, aiming to alleviate the strain on Tan Son Nhat International Airport and enhance connectivity, trade, tourism, and investment with both regional and global partners.

Upon completion, the project is designed to cater to a capacity of 100 million passengers and handle five million tonnes of cargo annually. Among the project's numerous elements, Package 5.10, focusing on the construction of and installations in the passenger terminal building, carries the largest budget of VND35 trillion ($1.46 billion).

This package encompasses the design, construction, and installation of crucial equipment for the passenger terminal building, a complex endeavour requiring precision, total quality, technical expertise, and a focus on international standards.

Thus, the selection of a contractor for this package assumes paramount significance and necessitates strict adherence to the legal provisions governing the bidding process.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) has issued its assessment of the tender documents for Package 5.10 within Phase 3 of the Long Thanh International Airport project, overseen by ACV as the project's investor.

According to the ministry's conclusions, the ACV must ensure meticulous compliance with the prescribed procedures and regulations pertaining to the contractor selection process for Package 5.10. Moreover, the ACV bears full responsibility for the approved tender documents.

The MPI has recommended that the ACV undertake a thorough review and make appropriate adjustments to certain aspects of the tender documents to foster competitiveness, fairness, and transparency, as well as to prioritise domestic contractors where they have the requisite capabilities and experience.

The bidding process for Package 5.10 has attracted interest from three consortia. These include the Hoa Lu consortium, the Vietur consortium, and the CHEC-BCEG-Vietnam contractors consortium.

Among the contenders, the Hoa Lu consortium stands out as the only one led by a Vietnamese firm. Its members consist of Coteccons JSC, UNICONS Investment LLC, Thanh An General Company, DELTA Construction Group LLC, Central Construction JSC, An Phong Construction JSC, Hoa Binh Construction Group JSC, and PLE – a prominent Thai construction firm.