IFC to prepare bid documents for TIA

International Finance Corporation (IFC) under the World Bank (WB) Group is helping Nepal prepare bid documents required to call Expression of interest (EoI) for upgradation works at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA).
The IFC offered to prepare bid documents after Nepal Investment Board (NIB) decided to start afresh process of selecting a contractor for upgrading and handing over management of TIA after its bid to handover the project to an Indian firm failed.
Earlier in July, NIB had prepared to handover the project to Indian firm Infrastructure Leasing & Finance Corporation (IL&FS). The move, however, couldn´t materialize after the Supreme Court issued a stay order against the decision.
“IFC offered its support after NIB - with the consent of Attorney General Mukti Pradhan - decided to invite global tender for the project,” a source at NIB told Republica.
According to the source, the New Delhi-based South Asia regional office of IFC is in touch with NIB.
NIB, which was formed under the Investment Board Act 2011, has no technical capacity to develop the required bidding documents.
"NIB accepted the IFC´s proposal as it lacks the capacity to develop bidding documents on its own,” the source added.
The government had handed over 14 mega projects, including Kathmandu-Terai Fast Track, Upgrading and Management of TIA, Kathmandu Metro Railway and 5 mega hydropower projects to NIB, in May in order to implement them in a fast track mode.
As per the source, Bhanu Mehrotra, senior investment officer of the IFC regional office, has been leading the task of preparing bidding documents.
Currently, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) is looking after the management of TIA.
The project to upgrade and enhance the capacity of the country´s only international airport is being carried out under Asian Development Bank´s assistance of US$ 80 million -- $70 million in loans and $10 million in grants. The government has also invested $30 million in the project.