Poland’s CPK company has chosen a U.S.-led consortium to oversee the construction of a new airport in Baranów, marking the country’s largest contract of its kind.
U.S. Firm Chosen for Airport Oversight
CPK has awarded the contract to a consortium led by Hill International USA, with a bid of 1.585 billion złoty (approximately $380 million). CPK emphasizes that price accounted for only half of the evaluation criteria.
The evaluation also considered the contractor’s personnel experience (20 percent), methodology for service delivery (20 percent), and project organization plan (10 percent). The bids varied significantly, with some reaching 3.2 and 3.5 billion złoty.
Dominance of Foreign Firms in Consortiums
Foreign companies largely comprised the bidding consortiums, but CPK required key management personnel to be proficient in Polish and have experience overseeing projects within Poland.
Importance of a Project Integrator
Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Maciej Lasek highlighted the necessity of an integrator for the Baranów airport project, citing the delays and cost overruns at Berlin Brandenburg Airport, which lacked such coordination.
Lasek stated the integrator acts as a “conductor,” preparing schedules, procurement strategies, and ensuring cohesive collaboration among various entities involved in construction, including terminals, runways, and railway stations.
Potential for Bid Protests
Other bidders are likely to file appeals with the National Chamber of Appeals. The Polish Association of Designers and Engineers (ZOPI) previously cautioned against selecting the lowest bids, citing potential impacts on oversight quality.
ZOPI noted that offers from Polish-led consortiums were closer to the budget (2.9 billion złoty) but were also the most expensive.
Concerns Over Lobbying and Connections
Politicians raised concerns about potential lobbying and connections related to the bidding process. MP Jerzy Polaczek pointed to Paweł Grad, director of MGGP, a bidding firm, and son of a former treasury minister, who faces corruption charges.
Polaczek also noted that MGGP Aero had its industrial security clearance revoked by the Internal Security Agency in the summer of 2024.
CPK Denies Lobbying Claims
Maciej Lasek refuted allegations of lobbying, stating that no such activity was recorded by the government plenipotentiary for CPK or within the airport company itself. He affirmed ongoing monitoring for potential threats to the investment.
Construction Timeline and Costs
CPK anticipates the start of major construction work in September, beginning with pile driving for the terminal foundations. The Baranów airport is slated to begin operations in 2032, with an estimated total cost of approximately 45 billion złoty.
